&jmmm*f*t*& '¦¦ YALE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY THE LIBRARY OF THE DIVINITY SCHOOL LIBRARY OF FATHERS or TUB HOLY CATHOLIC CHURCH ERIOR TO THE DIVISION OF THE EAST AND WEST; TRANSLATED BY MEMBERS OF THE ENGLISH CHURCH. :mm *., _axwMT 7- t'*6^- ¦ ^ YET KHALL NOT THY TEACHEB8 RE REMOVED INTO A CORNER ANY MORE, HUT THINE EYES SHALL SEE THY TEACHERS. /l»io» m 20, OXFORD, JOHN HENRY PARKER ; F. AND J. RIVINGTON, LONDON. MDCCCXMX. TO THE MEMORY OF THE MOST REVEREND FATHER IN OOD WILLIAM LORD ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY, PRIMATE OF ALL ENGLAND, FORMERLY RIOIUS PROFESSOR OF DIVINITY IN THE UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD, THIS LIBRARY OF ancient bishops, fathers, doctoks, martyrs, confessohs, of Christ's holy catholic church, UNDERTAKEN AMID HIS ENCOURAGEMENT, AND CARRIED ON FOR TWELVE YEARS UNDER HIS SANCTION, UNTIL HIS DEPARTURE HENCE IN PEACE, IS GRATEFULLY AND REVERENTLY INSCRIBED. EXPOSITIONS THE BOOK OF PSALMS, S. AUGUSTINE, BISHOP OF HIPPO, TRANSLATED, WITH NOTES AND INDICES. IN SIX VOLUMES. VOL. III. PSALM LIII.— LXXV. OXFORD, JOHN HENRY PARKER J F. AND J. RIVINGTON, LONDON. 1849. EAX1EE, HUNTER, OXFOBD. Tub present Volume carries the Work down to the end of Ps. LXXV, completing half the numbor of tho Psalms. The whole of it, as well as a few Psalms at tho end of the former and tho beginning of the following volume, is translated by T. Scratton, Esq. M.A. of Ch. Ch. Oxford. A considerable portion of the Discourses on the remaining Psalms has been already translated, and it is hoped that the whole may be brought out at intervals not much exceeding half a year for each volume. C. M. Eve of St. John Baptist. ST. AUGUSTINE ON THE PSALMS. PSALM LI II. Lati L1L EXPOSITION". Of this Psalm we undertake to treat with you, as far as the Lord supplicth us. A brother biddeth usb that wo may have tho will, and praycth that we may havo tho power. If any thing in haste perchance I shall have passed over, He will supply it in you, that even to us deigneth to give what we shall be enabled to say. The title of it is: At Ike end, for Mttcleth, understanding to David himself. For Maclcth, as wo find in interpretations of Hebrew names, scemcth to say, For ono travailing, or in pain. But who there is in this world that travaileth and is in pain, the faithful acknowledge, because thereof they are. Christ here travaileth, Christ here is in pain : the Head is above, the members below. For one not travailing nor in pain would not say, Saul, Saul, why persecutcst thou Me ? Him, with Acts 9 whom when persecuting He was travailing, being converted, *• He made to travail. For he also was himself afterwards r * Sermon preached to the people at b al. ' Bid us, brethren,. . . .pray for the request of some one, perhaps of a us.' Bishop. Ben. VOL. III. B 2 The Body of Christ in travail among sinners. Psalm enlightened, and grafted on those members which he used to 'u^r-f- persecute ; being pregnant with the same lovo, he suid, My i». ' little children, of whom aijain I travail, until Christ be formed in you. For the members therefore of Christ, for Col. i, His Body which is the Church, for that same One Man, 24, that is, for that very unity, whereof the Head is above, thin Psalm is sung. But this man groancth and travaileth and is in pain. Wherefore, or amid whom, except that he hath Mat.245 received and' learned from His Head, Who saith, Iniquity shall abound, and the love of many shall ?ra.r cold? But if iniquity shall abound, and the love of many shall wax cold, ib. 13. who shall remain to travail ? It followeth, He that shall have persevered unto the end, the same shall be saved. How would it be a great thing to pcrsevere,unless amid molestations, and temptations, and distractions, and scandals, men had to persevere ? For no one is bid to endure good things. But forasmuch as for such an one it is said, and forasmuch as for such an one it is sung, let us see what it is. For his sake are rebuked here the men, amid whom he groaneth, amid whom he is in pain, and the consolation of one in pain and travail at the end of the Psalm is drawn forth and expressed. Who are they, then, amid whom we travail and groan, if in the Body of Christ we are, if under Him, the Head, we live, if amongst His members we are counted ? Who they are, hear ye. 2. Ver. 1. The unwise man hath said in his heart, There is no Cod. Such sort is it of men, amid whom is pained and groaneth the Mody of Christ, If such is this sort of men, of not many do we travail ; as far as seometh to occur to our thoughts, very few there are ; and a difficult thing it is to Ps.HjI.iuccl with a man that saith in his hearl, There is no Cod; nevertheless, no few there are, thul, fearing amid the many to say this, in their heart tliey say it, for that with mouth to say it they dare not. Not much then is that which we are bid to endure, hardly is it found : uncommon is that sort of men that say in their heart, There is no God. But, if it be examined in another sense, is not that found to be in more men, which we supposed to be in men few and uncommon, and almost in none ? Let them come forth into the midst that live evil lives, let us look into the doings of profligate, They deny God, who think evil pleases Him. .'3 daring, and wicked men, of whom there is a great multitude ; Ver. who foster day by day their sins, who, their acts having been ¦ — changed into habit, have even lost sense of shame : this is so great a multitude of men, that the Body of Christ, set amid them, scarce dareth to censure that which it is not constrained to commit, and deemcth it a great matter for itself that the integrity of innocence be preserved in not doing that which now, by habit, either it doth not dare to blame, or if it" shall have dared, more readily there brcakcth out the censure and recrimination of them that live evil lives, than the free voice of them that live good lives. And those men are such as say in their heart, There is no God. Such men I am confuting, Whence confuting? That their doings please God, they judge. Mo doth not therefore aflinn, ' Some say,' but, ' The unwise man hath said in his heart, There is no God.1 Which men do so far believe there is a God, that the same God they judge with what they do to be pleased. But if thou being wise dost perceive, how the unwise man hath said in his heart, There is no God, if thou give heed, if thou understand, if thou examine; he that thinketh that evil doings please God, Him he doth not think to be God. For if God is, just He is ; if just He is, in justice displeaseth Him, iniquity displeased). But thou, when thou thinkest that iniquity pleascth Him, dost deny God. For if God is one Whom iniquity displeaseth, but to thee God sccmcth not to be one Whom iniquity displeaseth, and there is no God but one Whom iniquity displeaseth, when thou sayest in thy heart, God doth countenance my iniquities, nothing else thou sayest than, There is no God. 3. Let us advert also to that sense, which concerning Christ our Lord Himself, our Head Himself, doth present itself. For when Himself in form of a servant appeared on Phil. 2, earth, they that crucified Him said, He is not God. Because Son of God He was, truly God He was. But they that arc corrupted and have become abominable said what ? He is not Wind. 2, God : let us slay Him, He is not God. Thou hast the voice 18— 20, of these very men in the book of Wisdom. For after there had gone before the verse, The unwise man hath said in his heart, There is no God; as if reasons were required why tho « So Oxf. Ms». (ausum), Ben. ' au»u»,' ' one.' n2 4 Seij -Indulgence ends in violence against, good. Phu.m umviso man could say this, ho hath subjoined, (ver. 2.) Cor- J'!!.1:., rupted they are, and abominable have become in their hi I qui- Wl« God. Add to this, brethren, that even they of whom a little not ' .... True before I have spoken, who live evil lives, do nothing else say '" ¦ than, He is not. God. For when we say to them, that Christ is to come a Judge to the Judgment, which thing say the Scriptures that deceive not; yet they rather lending an ear Satan persuades men that God will not judge. 5 to the Serpent suggesting, Thou shall not die the death, Veh. which he had said in Paradise, contrary to the truth of God --'—'- , Gen. 3, determining and saying, Thou shall die the death; so do i. evil things, that they say to themselves, Christ shall come, jT_en- > and shall give indulgence to all. So then lying is He that hath said, Tie shall sever unrighteous men to the left hand, shall sever just men to the right hand : to just men shall say, Come, ye blessed of 3Iy Father, receive the kingdom which Mat.25, hath been prepared for yon from the foundation of the world: to ungodly men shall say, Go ye into fire everlasting, Mnt.25, which hath been prepared for the devil and his angels. ' How then to all shall He give indulgence ? How shall lie no one condemn? Therefore He lieth. This is to say, He is not God. See then that thou perchance lie not. For thou art a man, He God: for God is true, but every man Pa. 116, a liar. But what say I of these men, O Body of Christ ? R(Jm> 3 Sever thyself from them meanwhile in heart and life, neither *• imitate, nor keep company, nor assent, nor approve them : but more, even rebuke them. For why dost thou give heed to them that say these words ? Corrupted they are, and abominable have become in their iniquities : there is not one that doeth good. 5. Ver. 3. The Lord from Heaven hath looked forth upon the soils of men, that He in igh l see if there is one understand ing and seeking after God. What is this ? Corrupted they are, and abominable hare become, all these thut say, There is no God? And what? Did it escape God, that they wcro become such ? Or indeed to us would their inward thought be opened, except by Him it were told ? If then Ho under stood, if then lie knew, what is this which hath been said, that, From Heaven He hath looked forth upon the sous of men, that He might see if there is one understanding and seeking after God. For of one inquiring the words are, of one not knowing. God from Heaven hath looked forth upon the sons of men, that He might see if there is one understanding or seeking after God. And as though He had found what He sought by looking upon, and by looking down from Heaven, He givclh sentence: (ver. 4.) Allmcn have gone aside, together useless they have become: there is not one thai doeth good, not so much as one. Two questions arise 0 God enquires, as making His people enquire. Psalm somewhat difficult: for if God looketh out from Heaven, in --' — -order that He may see if there is one understanding or seeking after God ; there stealelh upon an unwise man the thought, that God knoweth not all things. This is one question : what is the other? If there is not one that doeth good, is not so much as one; who is he that travaileth amid bad men ? The former question then is solved as followeth ; ofttimes the Scripture spcaketh in such manner, that what by the gift of God a creature doth, God is said to do: so that for instance, when thou hast pity upon a poor man, because by the gift of God thou art acting, God hath pity : when thou aeknowledgest who thou art, because by aid of Him giving light thou art aeting, if thou art such an one as P*. is, to say, Thou shalt light my lamp, O Lord, my God, Thou shall liyhten my darkness; that which by aid of Him giving and doing thou hast acknowledged, He doth acknowledge. Deut. For whence is, The Lord your God prove th you, that He may know if ye love Him ? What is, That He may know ? That by His gift He may make you know. So then here also, God from heaven hath looked forth upon, the sons of men, that He might see if there is one understanding or seeking after God. Be He present Himself, and grant us that what He hath made our heart to conceive, He may also l Cor. 2, make it to bring forth. The Apostle saith, But we not the spirit of this world have received, but the Spirit which is of God, that we may know what things by God hare been, given to us. By this Spirit then whereby we understand what things by God have been given to us, we distinguish between ourselves and them to whom these things have not been given, and from ourselves we understand them. For if we perceive that we could not have had any good thing except by tho giving and bestowing of Him from Whom arc all good things, at tho same lime we see that no such thing can they have to whom God hath not given. This distinguishing in us is of the Spirit of God ; and by the means whereby we sec this, God sceth; because this thing God doeth, that we should see. 1 Cor. For hence has been suid the following also, For the Spirit ' ' searcheth all things, even the depth of God; not because He searcheth That knoweth all things, but because to thee hath been given the Spirit, which makelh thee also to search : and Man made partaker of Divinity in the Son of God. 7 that which by His own gift thou doest, He is said to do ; Van. because without Him thou wouldest not do it : therefore God — — is said to do, when thou doest. By the gift of the Spirit of sons, they to whom hath been given the Spirit of God look out upon the sons of men, that they may see if there is one understanding or seeking after God : but because that by the gift of God and by tho Spirit of God they do it, this God is said to do ; as it were to look forth and see. But wherefore JFVo/w/icm'e/i/ifthisisdoncby men? Because saith tho Apostle, But our conversation is in the heavens. For whence doest Pbilip.3, thou this that thou mayest seo, whence lookest forth that20, thou mayest perceive ? Is it not in heart ? If in heart thou docst this, Christian, sec whether it is abovo thou hast thy heart. If abovo thou hast thy heart, from heaven upon earth thou art looking forth. And because this by the gift of God thou doest, God from heaven is looking forth upon the sons of men. The former question then, according to our measure, thus hath been solved. I). What is that which looking forth we acknowledge ? What is that which looking forth God acknowledged) ? What (because here He givcth it) cloth He acknowledge ? Hear what it is; that All have gone aside, together useless they have become : there is not- one that doeth good, there is not so much as one. What then is that other question, but tho same whereof a little before I havo made mention ? If, There is not one that doeth good, is not so much as one, no one remaineth to groan amid evil men. Stay, saith tho Lord, do not hastily give judgment. I have given to men to do well; but of Me, He saith, not of themselves: for of them selves evil they are : sons of men they are, when they do evil ; when well, My sons. For this thing God doth, out of sons of men He maketh sons of God : because out of Son of God He hath made Son of Man. See what this partici pation is : there hath been promised to us a participation of Divinity: He lieth that hath promised, if He is not first made partaker of mortality. For the Son of God hath been made partaker of mortality, in order that mortal man may bo niado partaker of divinity. Ho that hath promised that His good is to be shared with thee, first with thec hath shared thy evil : IIo that to thee hath promised divinity, shewelh in 8 The Wicked prey upon God's People on earth. Psai.m thee love. Therefore take away that men are sons of God, JlLlL there remaineth that they are sons of men : There is none that doeth good, is not so much as one. 7. Ver. 4. Shall not all know that work iniquity, that devour My people for the food of bread? Shall they not .know ? Shall it not to them be shewn ? Say, menace, speak by the voice of one travailing and grieving. For Thy people is devoured/br the food of bread. There is therefore here a people of God that is being devoured. Nay, There is not one that doeth good, there is not so much as one. We reply by the rule above. But this people that is devoured, this people that suftereth evil men, this that groaneth and travaileth amid evil men, now out of sons of men have been made sons rs.14,6. of God: therefore are they devoured. For, The counsel of the needy man thou hast confounded, because the Lord is his hope. For oftlimes, in order that the people of God may be devoured, this very thing in it is despised, that it is the people of God. I will pillage, he saith, and despoil ; if he is a Christian, what will he do to me ? There speaketh for him He that speaketh for one travailing, and He doth menace them that are devouring, saying, Shall not all know, that work iniquity? For even he that was seeing a thief and was consenting with him, and with the adulterers was setting his portion, sitting against his brother was detracting, and against his mother's son was setting a stumbling-block, hath said in his heart, Tliere is no God. Therefore this to him is said, Ps. 60, These tilings thou hast done, and I kept silence: thou hast imagined iniquity, that I shall be like thee: that is, I shall not be God, if I shall be like thee. But what followed! ? / will convince thee, and will set thee before thy face. So here also, I will convince thee, and set thee before thi/face. Thou wilt not now know so as thou shouldest be displeasing to thyself, thou shall know so as thou mayest mourn. For God cannot but shew to the unrighteous their iniquity. If "Wisd.6, He is not to shew, who will they be that arc to say, IVJiat hath profited us pride, and uhat hath boastiny of riches bestowed upon us? For then shall they know, that now will not know. Shall not all know, that work iniquity, that devour My people for the food of bread ? Why hath He added, for the food of bread? As it were as bread, they eat They call not on God, who seek not His Presence. 0 My people. For all other things which we eat, we can cat Ver 6. now these, now those; not always this vegetable, not always. this flesh, not always these apples: but always bread. What is then, Devour My people for the food of bread? Without intermission, without cessation thoy devour, That devour My people for the food of bread. 8. On God they have not called. IIo is comforting the man that groaneth, and chiefly by an admonition, lest by imitating ovil mot), who ofltimes prosper, they delight in ovil doing. There is kept for theo that which to thee hath been promised: their hopo is present, thino is future, but theirs is transient, thine sure ; theirs false, thine true. For they, Upon God have not called. Do not daily such men ask of God ? They dp not ask of God. Give heed, if I am ablo to say this by the aid of God Himself. God gratuitously will have Himself to bo worshipped, gratuitously will have Himself to be loved, that is chastely to be loved ; not Him self to be loved for die reason that He giveth any thing besides Himself, but because He giveth Himself. He then that called) upon God in order that He may be made rich, on God doth not call: for upon that He called) which to himself he willed) to come. For what is to " call upon" but to call unto himself? Unto himself therefore to call, is the meaning of to call upon. For when thou sayest, 0 God, give me riches: thou wilt not that God Himself should come to thee, but wilt that riches should come to thee. What thou wilt to thee should come, upon the same thou callest. But if upon God thou wast calling, to thee He would Himself come, Himself would be thy riches. But now thou wouldest have coffer full, and conscience void : God filleth not coffer but breast. What do outward riches profit thee, if inward need presseth thee ? Therefore those men that for the sake of worldly comforts, that for the sake of earthly good things, that for the sake of present life and earthly felicity, call upon God, do not call upon God. t). For this reason what followcth concerning them ? (Ver. 5.) There have they feared with fear, where there was no fear. For is there fear, if a man lose riches ? There is no fear there, and yet in that case men are afraid. But if a man lose wisdom, truly there is fear, and in that case he is 10 Men lose what they think to keep by doing wrong. Psalm not afraid. Hear, distinguish, understand such men : there — is entrusted to some one or other a bag, he will not give it back, for his own he counted] it, he thinketh not that it can be demanded back, already for his own he will keep it, he refuscth to give it back. Let him observe what he fearcth to lose, and what he will not have : into jeopardy cone money and fidelity; whichever is the more valuable, therein the heavier loss is to bo feared. But thou, that thou mayest keep gold, dost lose fidelity: with heavier loss thou art stricken, and thou of thy gain hast rejoiced : in that case thou hast feared with fear, where was no fear: give back the money : too little I say, ' give back ;' lose the money, lest thou lose fidelity. Thou hast feared to give back money, and hast willed to lose fidelity; The Martyrs took not away property of other persons, but even their own they despised that they might not lose fidelity: and it was too little to lose money, when they were proscribed ; they took also their life Mat. 10 when they suffered : they lost life, in order that unto ever- 39 • lasting life they might find it. Thcroforc there they feared, where they ought to have been afraid. But they that of Christ have said, He is not God, have there feared where Johnii.was no fear. For they said, If we shall have let Him go, there will come the Romans, and will take away from us both place and kingdom. O folly and imprudence saying in its heart, He is not God! Thou hast feared to lose earth, thou hast lost Heaven : thou hast feared lest there should come the Romans, and take away from thee place and kingdom ! Could they take away from thee God ? What then remaineth ? what but that thou confess, that thou hast willed to keep, and by keeping ill hast lost? For thou hast lost both place and nation by slaying* Christ. For ye did will rather to slay Christ, than to lose place; and ye have lost place, and nation, and Christ. In fearing, they have slain Christ: but wherefore this? For God hath scattered the J E. V. bones of them that please men '. Willing to please men, they encamp feared to lose their place. But Christ Himself, of Whom ""'il'f tllcy 8ind» He is not God, willed rather to displease such men, as they were : sons of men, not sons of God, He willed rather to displease. Thence wcro scattered their bones, His bones no one hath broken. They were confounded, for He Whom the Jews crucified, the Saviour of Israel. 1 1 God hath despised them. In very deed, brethren, as far as Ver. regardcth them, great confusion hath come to them. In — : the place where they crucified the Lord, Whom for this cause they crucified, that they might not lose both place and nation, the Jews are not. God, therefore, hath despised them: and yet in despising He warned them to be converted. Let them now confess Christ, and say, He is God, of Whom they said, ' He is not God.' Let them return to the inherit ance of their fathers, to the inheritance of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, let them possess with these very persons life eternal : though they have lost life temporal. Wherefore this ? Because out of sons of men have been made sons of God. For so long as they remain, and will not, there is not one that doeth good, there is not so much as one. They were confounded, for God hath despised them. And as though to these very persons He were turned, He saith, (ver. 6.) Who shall give out of Sioti salvation to Israel ? O ye fools, ye revile, insult, buffet, besmear with spittings, with thorns ye crown, upon the Cross ye lift up; whom? Who shall give out of Sion salvation to Israel? Shall not That Same of Whom ye have said, ' He is not God ?' In God's turning away the captivity of His people. For there turneth away the captivity of His people, no one but He that hath willed to be a captive in your own hands. But what men shall understand this thing? Jacob shall exult, and Israel shall rejoice. Israel; the true Jacob, and the true Israel, that younger, to whom the elder was servant, shall himself exult, <*en.25, for he shall himself understand. PSALM L1V. ^ EXPOSITION'. "Sermon to the people. 1. The title of this Psalm hath fruit in the prolixity thereof, if it be understood : and because the Psalm is short, let us make up by tarrying over the title, our not having to tarry over the Psalm. For upon this dependeth every verse 12 ' Ziphites,' they that flourish in this world. Psalm which is sung. If any one, therefore, observe that which on — - — — the front of tho house is fixed, secure he will enter; and, when he shall have entered, ho will not err. For this on tho post itself is prominently marked, namely, in what manner within ho may not bo in error. The title thereof standoth thus : At the end, in hymns, understanding to David himself, when there came the Ziphites, and said to Saul, Behold, is not David hidden with us? That Saul was persecutor of the holy man David, very well we know: that Saul was bearing the figuro of a temporal kingdom, not to life but to death belonging, this also to your Love we remember to have imparted. And also that David himself See Ex- was bearing the figure of Christ, or of the Body of Christ, upon'0" i'e ought, both to know and to call to mind, ye that have Ps.62. already learned. What then of the Ziphites? There was a h- 1. 2, . . ' certain village, Ziph, whereof tho inhabitants were Ziphites, in whoso country David had hidden himself, when Saul would find and slay him. These Ziphites then, when they had learned this, betrayed him to the king his persecutor, saying, Behold, is not David hidden with lis? Of no good to thoni indeed was their betrayal, and to David himself of no harm, For their evil disposition was shewn : but Saul not even after their betrayal could seize David; but rather l Sum. in a certain cave in that very country, when into his hands ' ' Saul had been given to slay, David spared him, and that which he had in' his power ho did not. But the other was seeking to do that which ho had not in his power. Let them that have been Ziphites take heed : let us see those whom to us the Psalin presented) to be understood by the occasion of those same men. 2. If wo inquire then by what word is translated Ziphites, we find, Men flourishing. Flourishing then were certain enemies to holy David, flourishing before him hiding. Wo may find them in mankind, if we are willing to understand the 1 'sal m. Let us find here at first David hiding, and we shall find his adversaries nourishing. Observe David hiding: t'nliMw. Tor ye are dead, saith the Apostle to the members of Christ, and your life is hid with Christ in God. These men, therefore, that are hiding, when shall they bo flourishing? ih- 4' When Christ, he saith, your life, shall have appeared, then Children ofihis ivorld know not the true Riches. 13 ye also with Him shall appear in glory. When these men Titlf. 6hall be flourishing, then shall be those Ziphites withering. For observe to what flower their glory is compared: AllU.io.o. flesh is grass, and the honour of flesh as the flower of grass. What is the end ? The grass hath withered, and the /lower hath, fallen off. Where then shall be David ? See what followeth : But the Word of the Lord abideth for ever. These therefore are two sorts of men, which ye ought both to distinguish and to choose one of them. For what doth it profit thee to know, if thou ail slow to choose? And indeed now the power of choosing lieth near thee : there shall come a time when thou shalt no more have the power of choosing, when no longer God shall defer die' sentence of ' See judgment. For who arc these flourishing Ziphites, except ^{""r1" that body of Doeg die Edomitc ; of whom already we have P». "2. spoken to your Love a few days since : of whom it was said, Behold a man that hath not set God for his helper, Vs.52,7, but hath trusted in the multitude of his riches, and hath prevailed in his vanity. These arc the flourishing sons of the world, of whom but now ye have heard from the Gospel, that In their own generation they are more crafty than 1/teLukciG, children of light. For they loo seem to look forward unto 8" the future, whereto they know not whether they may come. Ye have heard what that steward did to his master, making for himself a store out of his master's property, and bestowing it upon his debtors, in order that when he should be re moved from his stewardship, he might be received by them. And though he defrauded his master, yet his master praised his wit2, not heeding his own loss, but his ingenuity. How 'lit. 'his much more ought we, Himself our Lord Jesus Christ ad- eart' monishing, to make to ourselves friends of the Mammon ofib, 9. iniquity ? For Mammon is interpreted riches. But our riches are in that place, where is our house eternal in the 2 Cor. heavons. Again, money temporal they call riches, who ' except for a time cannot flourish, nor for everlasting from these do will to make to themselves friends, because true riches they know not. These riches then to be riches iniquity alone doth count, flourishing as it does for a time like grass. These are the Ziphites, enemies of David, flourishing in the world. 14 Good men hidden here, while the wicked flourish, Phai.m 3, Those mon snmrtinioH are observed of tho weak sons of -—-i- light, and their foot totter, when they have hood ovil men in felicity to flourish, and they say to themselves, ' Of what profit to mo is innocence ? What doth it advuntago mo that I servo God, that I kcop His commandments, that I oppress no one, from no ono plunder any thing, hurt no one, that what I can I bestow ? behold, all these things 1 do, and they flourish, I toil.' But why ! Wouldcst thou ulso wish to be a Ziphite ? They flourish in the world, wither in judgment, and after withering, into fire everlasting shall be cast : wouldcst thou also choose this ? Art ihou ignorant of what He hath promised thee, Who to thee hath come, what in Himself here He displayed ? If the flower of the Ziphites were to be desired, would not Himself thy Lord also in this world have flourished ? Or indeed was there wanting to Him the power to flourish ? Nay but here He chose rather amid the Ziphites to hide, and to say to Pontius Pilate, as if to ono being himself also a flower of the Ziphites, und in suspi- Johnl8, cion about His kingdom, My kingdom is not of this world. Therefore here He wus hidden: and all good men are hidden bore, because their good is within, it is concealed, in the heart it is, where is faith, where charily, where hope, whore their treasure is. Do these good things appear in the world? Both these good things are hidden, and the reward of these good things is hidden. But truly the dignity of the world is white, in what manner ? It is bright for a lime ; will it alway be bright ? It is grass in the winter, until the summer it is green. Let not that thing therefore be done in the mind, which in another Psalm we light on. For there a certain one confesscth that he almost fell himself, and that his steps slipped walking in the way of God, while ho was beholding the flower, as it were, and felicity of tho ungodly: and after that he understood what God was reserving for tho wicked al the last, and what He that cannot deceive was promising to the just toiling, returning thanks for this understanding, P«. 73, ],e saith, How good is the God of Israel to the right in heart! Wherefore dost thou say this ? But my own feet, he saith, were almost moved. For what reason ? Because I teas jealous toward sinners, beholding the peace of sinners. But his steps were strengthened after that he The truth made manifest in the Sanctuary. 1 5 understood at the last. For that which in the same Psalm a Titl«. litllo after he saith, On this account labour is before »«c,ib. 10. is this; a groat question to mo hath arisen in my heart, wherefore men do evil, and in tho world flourish, but many men do well, and in this world do labour. While this great question was before my eyes, and laborious to be investigated ; there is labour, he saith, before me: until 1 enter into the . Sanctuary of God, and understand at the last things. What are these last things ? What but those things which we know already in the Gospel to have been foretold? For Mat.25, 31— 3H when the Son of Man shall be come, there shall be gathered before Him all nations, and He shall separate them, as a shepherd dividcth the sheep from the goats ; the sheep He shall set on the right hand, the goals on the lift. Behold then shall these Ziphites be separated : flame followed) separation. Where is the flower of them that now on the left hand shall stand ? Shall they not then groan ? shall they not then be racked with a too late penitence, and say, Of what profit to us hath been pride, and what hath boasting wind. 6, of riches bestowed upon us? All these things have passed8, away like a shadow, O ye Ziphites, on the left hand standing, too late it repcnleth you in the shadow to have flourished. Wherefore did ye not acknowledge David, whose hiding among you ye betrayed ? For then if ye had been amended, that sorrow would not have been without fruit. For there is a sorrow with fruit, thero is one without fruit: a sorrow with fruit is now when thyself thou accusest, when in thyself thou censurest thy evil customs, when thcin censured thou dost persecute, persecuted thou shuttest them out, and, after these have been shut out, thou art changed, putting off from thyself tho old man, and putting on the now, choosing rather the reproach of Christ than tho flower of the Ziphites. Moreover, if while holding thy good in secret, and hiding amid Ziphites, holding in secret also the promise of thy reward, there shall have chanced to thee any high place of the world, be not lifted up : for if lifted up thou shalt have been, thou will fall unto the flower of the Ziphites. For so it was with a certain holy woman, Esther, amid the then people of the Jews : though she was the wife of a foreign king, she so shared the danger of her countrymen, that she interceded 16 Some perplexed by evil meiCs prosperity. Psalm with the king for her countrymen : she began to pray, and — - — '- in the very prayer she confessed that all those royal deckings 10. 'were to her but as the cloth of a menstruous woman. If these things women can do, cannot men ? And if these things a Jewish woman could do, shall not the Christian Church be able ? This therefore I would say to your Love. Ps. C2, If riches flow in, set not your heart upon them. Though they abound, and ihere follow thee die prosperity of the world, trust not thou in the sea, though it smile on thee. If riches flow in, if they abound, trample them, and depend upon thy God. For when them beneath thee thou shalt have put, and on Him shalt have depended, when they shall have been taken away thou wilt not fall. Let not perchance by thy thought evil and unchristian, that be done in thee which is spoken of in another Psalm, when there had been Ps. 92, made mention of the flower of these Ziphites. lToo deep, *' Er ne S!X^h, have become Thy thoughts. 1 say", it is said, Too ceeding deep have become Thy thoughts: a man unwise shall not know, and a fool shall not understand, these things. Shall not understand what ? When there shall rise up sinners like grass, and all they that work iniquity shall have beheld, that they perish for ever and ever. They have been delighted with the flower of evil men : they have said with themselves, Behold evil men flourish, I suppose evil men God doth love; and being delighted with the temporal -flower of iniquity, they turned themselves to iniquity, so that they perished. Not for a time, as they flourish, but for ever and ever. P«. 92, Whence this ? Because a man unwise shall not know, and a fool shall not understand, these things ; not entering into Ps. 73, the Sanctuary of God, in order to 'understand at the last things.' And bt cause somewhat difficult is this under standing, from thence beginneth this Psalm, namely, how David was hiding among the Ziphites, and was not delighted with the flower of the Ziphites ; but chose rather amid them humility, in order that he might have with God hidden glory. What then to him is there being ascribed in this title ? At the end, in hymns : that is, in praises. In what Job l, praises ? The Lord hath given, the Lord hath taken away ; as it hath pleased the Lord, so hath been done: be the name ¦ Oxf. Mhs. ' To God it is said.' Body of Christ, hidden, amid flourishing wickedness. 1 7 of the Lord blessed. Withered in a manner did he seem, in Vkr. the loss of all his substance ? God forbid ! Leaves had — '¦ — fallen; the root was living. Therefore, At the end in hymns. What is " Understanding to David himself?" Understanding against this, "A man unwise shall not know, and a fool shallP:02,0. not understand these things." Understanding to David himself, when there came the Ziphites, and said to Saul, Behold, is not David hidden with us? And bo he hidden ' with you, so long as he flourish not like you. Hear, there fore, the voice of him. 4. Ver. I. O God, in Thy name make me safe, and in Thy virtue judge tne Let tho Church say this, hiding amid the Ziphites. Lot the body Christian say this, keeping secret the good of its morals, expecting in secret tho reward of its merits, let it say this : O God, in Thy name make me safe, and in Thy virtue judge me. Thou hast come, 0 Christ, humble Thou hast appeared, despised Thou hast been, scourged hast been, crucified hast been, slain hast been ; but, on the third day hast risen, on tho fortieth day into Heaven hast ascended: Thou sittest at the right hand of the Father, and no ono sccth : Thy Spirit thence Thou hast sent, Which men that were worthy have received; fulfilled with Thy love, tho praiso of that very humility of Thino throughout tho world and nations they have preached •, Thy namo I see to excel among mankind, but nevertheless as weak to us hast Thou been preached. For not even did that Teacher of the Gentiles «ay, that among us ho knew any thing, Save Christ Jesus, and Him crucified ; in order l Cor. that of Him wo might choose the reproach, rather than the3'3, glory of the flourishing Ziphites. Nevertheless, of Him ho saith what? Although He died of weakness, yet He livelh of the power1 of God'. He came then that He might die ofi Tjrtut« weakness, He is to come that He may judge in the power of God: but through the weakness of the Cross His name hath been illustrious. Whosoever shall not have believed upon the name made illustrious through weakness, shall stand in awe at the Judge, when He shall have come in power. But, lest He that once was weak, when He shall have come strong, with that fan send us to the left hand ; may He " save us in His name, and judge us in His virtue." For who so rash as vol. m. c 18 Saved through God's Name, we can bear judgment. Psalm to have desired this, as to say to God, for instance, Judge 'me? Is it not wont to be said to men for a curse, "God judge thee ?" So evidently it is a curse, if He judge thee in His virtue; and shall not have saved thee in His name: but when in name precedent He shall have saved thee, to thy health in virtue consequent He shall judge. Be thou without care : that judgment shall not to thee be punishment, Ps.43,i.but dividing. For in a certain Psalm thus is said: Judge me, 0 God, and divide my cause from the nation unholy. What is, Judge me? Divide mo from tho Ziphites, amid whom 1 lie hid; I have endured their (lower, may thero now como also my flowering. And their flower indeed hath been temporary, and the grass withering, it hath fallen oil': but Ps. 02, my flower shall bo what ? They that are planted in the House of the Lord, in the courts of the House oj our God shall flourish . There remaineth therefore to us also flower, but that which falleth not, like the leaf of that Ps. 1,3. tree planted beside waters, whereof is said, "And His leaf shall not fall off." 0 God, therefore, in Thy name make me safe, and in Thy virtue judge me. 5. Ver. 2. O God, hearken to my prayer, in Thy ean receive the words of my mouth. Let the words of mv mouth reach Thine ears, because it is not the flower of the Ziphites that I desire of Thee. In Thy ears receive the words of my mouth. Do Thou receive. For to the Ziphites even if there sound my prayer, they hoar not, because thev understand not. In temporal things to wit they rejoice, good things everlasting to desire they know not how. To Thee may my prayer attain, driven forth and darted out from the desire of Thy eternal blessings: to Thy ears I send i! forth, aid it that it. may reach, lest it fall short in the middle of the way, and fainting as it were it fall down. But even if there result not to me now tho good things which I ask, 1 am secured nevertheless that hereafter they will come. For even in the case of transgressions a certain man is said to have asked of God, and not to have been hearkened to for his good. For privations of this world had inspired him to prayer, and being set in temporal tribulations he had wished that temporal tribulations should pass away, and there should P».22,l. return the flower of grass; and he saith, My God, my God, Our requests withheld perchance for our good. 1 9 why hast Tltou forsaken me ? The very voice of Christ it is, Ver. but for His members' sake. The words, he saith, of my — transgressions I have cried to Thee throughout the day, and Thou hast not hearkened: and by night, and not for the sake of folly to me: that is, " and by night I have cried, and Thou hast not hearkened; and nevertheless in this very thing that Thou hast not hearkened, it is not for the sake of folly to me that Thou hast not hearkened, but rather for tho sake of wisdom that Thou hast not hearkened, that I might perceive what of Thee I ought to ask. For those things I was asking which to my cost perchance I should have received." Thou askest riches, O man ; how many have been overset through their riches ? Whence knowest thou whether to thee riches may profit? Have not many poor men more safely been in obscurity; having become rich men, so soon as they have begun to blaze forth, they have been a prey to the stronger r How much better they would have lain concealed, how much better they would have been unknown, that have begun to be inquired after not for the sake of what they were, but for the sake of what they had ! In these temporal thing3 therefore, brethren, we admonish and exhort you in the Lord, that ye ask not any thing as if it were a thing settled, but that which God knoweth to be expedient for you. For what is expedient for you, ye know not at all. Sometimes that which ye think to be for you is against you, and that which ye think to be against you is for you. For sick ye are; do not dictate to the physician the medicines he may choose to set beside you. If the teacher of the Gentiles, Paul the Apostle, saith, For what we shonld'Rom.e, pray for as we ought, we know not, how much more we? Who nevertheless, when he seemed to himself to pray wisely, namely, that from him should be taken away the thorn of the flesh, the angel of Satan, that did buffet him, in order that he might not in the greatness of the revelations be lifted up, heard from the Lord what? Was that done which he wished? Nay1, in order to that being done which was' Nay, expedient, He heard from the Lord, I say, what? Thrice, l?s™ he saith, / besought the Lord that He would take it from 2 Cor. me; and He said to me, My Grace suffkelh for thee: for ' virtue in weakness is made perfect. Salve to the wound 02 20 They are aliens whose hope is in earthly good. Psalm I have applied; when I applied it I know, when it should — — '- bo taken away I know. Let not a sick man draw back from the hands of tho physician, let him not give advice to die physician. So it is with all these things temporal. There are tribulations; if well thou worshippest God, thou svilt know that He knoweth what is expedient for each man : there are prosperities; take die moio heed, lest these same corrupt thy soul, so that it withdraw from Him that halh given these things. Therefore this man understanding saith what! 0 God, hearken to my prayer; in Thy ears receive the words of mil mouth. • *' , 0. Ver. 3. For aliens have risen up against me. What aliens? Was not David himself a Jew of the tribe of Judah ? But the very place Ziph belonged to the tribe of Judah; it was of tho Jews. How, then aliens? Not in city, not in tribe, not in kindred, but in flower. For wilt thou know of Ph. U4, those aliens? In another 1 'sal in, alien sons, they have been ~~ 'called, whose mouth halh spoken, vanity, anil I heir right hand is a right hand if iniquity. And ho enuiiuTiiteth tin, flower of the Ziphites. t[f idiom their sons are like young plants established in their youth: their dauyhters disposed, and decked like the similitude of a ton pie: their garners full, breaking forth from this unto this: their sheep fruitful, multiplying in their goings out ; their oxen fat; there is no falling of enclosure, nor going forth, nor cry in their streets. But see the Ziphites, see them for a time flourishing. Blessed they have called the people to whom these things are. With reason alien sons. Thou amid the Ziphites hiding saidst what? Blessed the people whereof the Lord is its God. Out of this affection this prayer is being scut forth into tho tars of the Lord, when it is said, //* Thy ears receive the words of my mouth ; for aliens hare risen up against me. 7. And mighty men have sought after my soul. For in a new manner, my brethren, ihey would destroy tho race of holy men, and the nice of them that abstain from hoping in this world, all they that have hope in thin world. Cer tainly commingled they are, certainly together they live. Very much to one another arc opposed tlie.se two sorts: the one of those thai placo no hope but in things secular, and The ungodly not discerned, till tried. Secret help. 21 in temporal felicity, and the other of those that do firmly Veb. place their hope in the Lord God. And though concordant — il_ are these Ziphites, do not much trust to their concord : temptations are wanting ; when there shall have come any temptation, so as that a person may be reproved for the flower of the world, I say not to thee ho will quarrel with the Bishop, but not even to the Church Herself will he draw near, lest there fall any part of the grass. Wherefore have I said these words, brethren? Because now gladly ye all hear in the name of Christ, and according as ye understand, so ye shout out at tho word; yo would not indeed shout at it unless ye understood. This your understanding ought to bo fruitful. But whether it is fruitful, temptation doth try; lest suddenly when ye are said to be ours, through tempt ation ye be found aliens, and it be said, aliens have risen up against me, and mighty men have sought my soul. Be not that said which followed), They have not set forth God before their face. For when will he set God before his face, before whose eyes there is nought but the world ? namely, how he may have coin upon coin, how flocks may be increased, how barns may be filled, how it may be said to his soul, Thou hast many good things, be merry, feast, take thy fill. Doth he set before his face Him, that unto one so boasting and so blooming with the flower of the Ziphites saith, Fool, that is, "man not understanding," "man unwise," " This night shallluUw, 20 be taken from thee thy soul; all these things which thou hast prepared, whose shall Ihey be ?" They have not set forth God before their face. 8. Ver. 4. For behold, God helpelh me. Even themselves know not themselves, amid whom I am hiding. But if they too were to set God before their face, they would find in what manner God helpelh me. For all holy men are helped by God, but within, where no one seeth. For in like manner as tho conscience of ungodly men is a great punish ment, so a great joy is the very conscience of godly men. For our glory this is, saith the Apostle, the testimony of our 2 Cor. conscience. In this doth glory that man within, not in tho x> J2- flower of tho Ziphites without, that now saith, For behold God helpelh me. Surely though afar off aro to be those things which He pvoinisoth, this day have I a sweet and 22 Real good is inward. Willing sacrifice. prosont help; to-day in my heart's joy I find that without •cause cortuin say, Who doth shew to us good things? For P».4,U. there is signed upon us the light of Thy countenance, O Lord, Thou hast put pleasantness into my heart. Not into my vineyard, not into my flock, not into my cask, not into my table, but into my heart. For behold God helpeth me. How doth He help thee ? And the Lord is the lifter up of my soul. 9. Ver. 5. Turn away evil things unto mine enemies. So however green they are, so however they flourish, for the 'al.1 let fire thoy aro being1 reserved. In Thy virtue destroy Thou !¦„," them. Because to wit thoy flourish now, because to wit P«.02,7. they spring up like grass: do not thou bo a man unwiso and foolish, so that by giving thought to these things thou perish for over and ever. For, Turn Thou away evil things unto mine enemies. For if thou shalt have place in the body of David Himself, in His virtue lie will destroy them. These mon flourish in tho felicity of tho world, perish in the virtue of God. Not in the same manner as they flourish, do they also perish : for they flourish for a time, perish for everlasting: flourish in unreal good things, perish in real torments. In Thy virtue destroy Thou them, whom in Thy weakness Thou hast endured. 10. Ver. 6. Voluntarily I will sacrifice to Thee. Who can even understand this good thing of the heart, at another's speaking thereof, unless in himself he hath tasted it? What is, Voluntarily I will sacrifice to Thee? Nevertheless, I will say on; let him receive that is able, as he is able: let him believe that is not able, and pray that ho may bo able. For ought we by any means so to pass over this verse as not to commend it to you? I say to your Love, my affection for it doth sufficiently invito mo to speak something concerning it: and thanks I render to. God, that with attention ye hear. But if I should observe you reluctant to hear, unwillingly on this verse I should hold my peace, and yet in my heart, as far as the Lord would deign to grant, I should not hold my peace. May there come then unto my tongue that which in heart hath been conceived: may there be drawn forth in word that which in mind is kept: say we as we are able, what is, Voluntarily I will sacrifice to Thee. For what God is to be loved freely, for His Own sake. 23 sacrifice here shall I take, brethren? or what worthily shall Veb. I offer to the Lord for His mercy? Victims shall I seek_£^_ from flock of sheep, ram shall I select, for any bull in the herds shall I look out, frankincense indeed from the land of the Sabajaus shall I bring ? What shall I do ? What offer; except that whereof He speaketh, Sacrifice of praise shall Ps. 60, honour Me? Wherefore then voluntarily ? Because truly I23, love that which I praise. I praise God, and in the self-same praise I rejoice: in the praise of Himself I rejoice, at Whom being praised, I blush not. For He is not praised in the same manner as by those who love the theatrical follies is praised either a charioteer, or a hunter, or actor of any kind, and by their praiscrs, other praisers are invited, are exhorted, to shout together: and when all have shouted, ofltiraes, if their favourite is overcome, they are all put to the blush. Not so is our God : be He praised with the will, loved with charity : let it be gratuitous that He is loved und that He is praised. What is gratuitous ? Himself for the sako of Himself, not for the sake of something else. For if thou praisest God in order that He may give thee something else, no longer freely dost thou love God. Thou wouldcst blush, if thy wife for the sako of riches were to love thco, and perchance if poverty should bofal thee, should begin to think of adultery. Seeing that theroforo thou wouldcst bo loved by thy partner freely, wilt thou for any thing elso love God? What reward art thou to rccoivo of God, O covetous man ? Not earth for thco, but Himself He keepeth, Who made heaven and earth. Voluntarily T will sacrifice to Thee : do it not of necessity. . For if for the sake of any thing else thou praisest God, out of necessity thou praisest. If there were present to thee that which thou lovest, thou wouldest not praise God. See what I say: thou praisest God, for example, in order that He may give thee abundant money : if thou wort to have from any other quarter abundant money, not from God, wouldest thou praise - God ? If, therefore, because of money thou praisest God, not - voluntarily thou sacrificest to God, but out of necessity thou sacrificest : because, beside Him, something else has thy love. Thence hath it boon said, Voluntarily I will sacrifice to Tltee. Despise all things, to Himself give heed. These 24 God can give nothing so good as Himself. Psalm things also which He hath given, because of the Giver are Ll T' .good things. For lie giveth entirely, He giveth these tomporal things : and to certain men to their good., to certain men to their harm, after the height and depth of His judg ments. At the abyss of which judgments an Apostle stood Rom. in awe, saying, O the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knoudedge of God! how unsearchable are His judgments, and His ways past finding out ! For who shall find out His ways, or who shall comprehend His counsels?. lie knoweth when He giveth, to whom He giveth ; when He taketh away, and from whom He takcth away. Ask thou in this present time that which may profit thee hereafter, ask that which may help thee for eternity. But Himself without price love thou: because from Him thou findest not any thing that He may give better than Himself; or if thou findest a better thing, this ask thou. Voluntarily I will sacrifice to Thee. Wherefore voluntarily? Because gratis. What is gratis? And I will confess to Thg name, O Lord, for it is a good tiling : for nothing else, but because a good thing it is. Doth he say, I will confess to Thy name, O Lord, because Thou givest me fruitful manors, because Thou givest me gold and silver, because Thou givest me extended riches, abundant money, most exalted dignity? Nay. But what? For it is a good thing. Nothing I find better than Thy name: therefore I will confess to Thy name, O Lord, for it is a good thing. 11. Ver. 7. For out of all tribulation Thou hast delivered me. Fortius cause I havo perceived how good a thing is Thy name: for if this I were able before tribulations to acknowledge, perchance for me there had been no need of them. But tribulation hath been applied for admonition, admonition hath redounded to Thy praise. For I should not have understood where I was, except of my weakness I had been admonished. Out of all tribulations, therefore, Thou hast delivered me. And upon mine enemies mine eye hath looked back: upon those Ziphites mine eye ha tit looked back. Yea, their flower I have passed over in loftiness of heart, unto Thee I have come, and thence I have looked Is. 40, 6. back upon them, and have seen that All Jlesh is grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass: as in a certain Overthrow of the Wicked. Christ the 'End: 25 place is also said, I have seen the ungodly man to be exalted Ver. and raised up like » the cedars of Lebanon : I passed by, *• and, lo! he was not. Wherefore he was not? Because' m'U' thou hast passed by. What is, because thou hast passed '°*f-' by? Because not to no purpose hast thou heard Lift up thy t'aZ've' heart; because not on earth, where thou wouldest have rotted, thou hast remained; because thou hast lifted thy soul to God, and thou hast mounted beyond tho cedars of Lebanon, and from that elevation hast observed: and Lo! he was not; and thou bast sought him, and there hath not boon found place for him. No longer is labour before thoo; Pi, 73, because thou hnst entered into tho sanctuary of God, and1(U?*' hast understood for the last things. So also here thus ho Concluded). And upon mine enemies mine eye hath looked back. This do ye therefore, brethren, with your souls ; lift up your hearts, sharpen the edge of your mind, learn truly to love God, learn to despise the present world, learn voluntarily to sacrifice the offerings of praise; to the end that, mounting beyond the flower of the grass, ye may look back upon your enemies. PSALM LV. EXPOSITION". 1. Of this Psalm the title is: At the end, in hymns, understanding to David himself. What the " end" is, we will briefly call to your recollection, because ye have known it. For the end of the Law is Christ, for righteousness unto Bom.io, every man believing. Be the attention therefore directed ' unto the End, directed unto Christ. Wherefore is He called the end ? Because whatever wo do, to Him we refer it, and when to Ilim wo shall have come homo, more lo ask we shall not have. For there is an end spoken of which doth consume, there is an end spoken of which doth make perfect. In ono sense, for instance, we understand it, when • Sermon to the penplo, wherein he is discoursing of enduring evil men, and disputing against the Donatlsts. 26 Constant Praise. Christ and His Body figured in David. Psalm we hear, there is ended the food which was in eating ; and iv • — in another sense wo understand it, whon wo hoar, thero is ended tho vosturc which was in weaving : in oach caso wo hear, there is ended; but tho/ood so that it no longer is, the vesture so that it is perfected. Our end therefore ought to be our perfection, our perfection Christ. For in Him we aro made perfect, because of Himself the Head tho Members aro wo. And lie hath been spoken of as tho End of the Law, because without Him no ono doth make perfect the Law. Whon therefore ye hear in tho Psalms, At the end: (for many Psalms aro thus superscribed :) bo not your thought upon consuming, but upon consummation. 2. In hymns: in praises. For whether we are troubled and are straitened, or whether wo rejoice and exult, He is to be praised, Who both in tribulations doth instruct, and in gladness doth comfort. For the praise of God from the heart and mouth of a Christian man ought not to depart ; not that he may be praising in prosperity, and speaking evil in adversity; but after the manner that this Psalm doth prescribe, / will speak good of the Lord in every time, alway the praise of Him is in my mouth. Thou dost rejoice; acknowledge a Father indulging : thou art troubled; acknowledge a Father chastening. Whether He indulge, or whether He chasten, He is instructing one for whom He is preparing an inheritance. 3. What then is, Understanding to David himself? David 2 Sum. indeed was, as we know, a holy prophet, king of Israel, son ' " of Jesse : but because out of his seed there came for our Rom. I, salvation after the flesh the Lord Jesus Christ, often under that name He is figured, and David instead of Christ is in a figure set down, because of the origin of the Flesh of the Same. For after some sort He is Son of David, after some sort the Lord He is of David ; Son of David after the flesh, John i, Lord of David after the divinity. For if by Him have been made all things, by Him also David himself hath been made, out of whose seed He came to men. Moreover, when the Lord had questioned the Jews, whose Son they affirmed t Christ to be, they made answer, David's. (Where the Lord Mss.add chides the Jews, when they said that He was the Son of words in David1,) He saw that they had stayed at the flesh, and had brackets Understanding needed to be aware of our true state. 27 lost sight of the divinity; and He reproveth them by pro- Title. pounding a question : How then doth David himself in Mat.33, spirit call Him Lord, The Lord hath said unto my Lord, 43~ i6' Sit on My right hand, until.Ilay Thy foes beneath Thy feet? If then He in spirit calleth Him Lord, how is Ho his Son ? A question He propounded ; His being Son Ho denied not. Ye have heard Lord; say ye how He is his Son: yc have heard Son; say how lie is Lord, This question the Catholic Faith solvcth. How Lord? Because In the beginning was3oha i, the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was1' God. How Son? Because The Word was made flesh, and$>. u. dwell among us. Because then David in a figure is Christ, but Christ, as we have often reminded your Love, is both Head and Body ; neither ought wo to speak of ourselves as alien from Christ, of Whom we arc members, nor to count ourselves as if we wore any other thing : because The two Gon. 3, shall be in one flesh. This is a great Sacrament, saith the glh. 5 Apostle, but I speak in regard of Christ and the Church. 32> Because then whole Christ is Head and Body ; when we hear, Understanding to David himself, understand we our selves also in David. Lot the members of Christ understand, and Christ in His members understand, and the members of Christ in Christ understand : because Head and Members are one Christ. The Head was in heaven, and was saying, Why dost thou persecute Me ? We with Him are in heaven Acts 0, through hope, Himself is with us on. earth through love. ' Therefore understanding to David himself. Be we ad monished when we hear, and let the Church understand: for there belonged) to us great diligence to understand in what evil we now are, and from what evil we desire to be delivered, remembering the Prayer of the Lord, where at the end we say, Deliver us from evil. Therefore amid many Matt 6, tribulations of this world, this Psalm complaineth somewhat ' of understanding. He lamcnteth not with it, who hath not understanding. But furthermore, dearly beloved, we ought to remember, that after the image of God we have been made, and that not in any other part than in the under standing itself. For in many things by beasts we are surpassed : but when a man knoweth himself to have been made after the image of God, therein something in himself Gen. 1, 28 Man knows not his misery, not knowing his due honour. Pbalm he acknowledgeth to be more than hath been given to dumb — animals. But on consideration of all those things which a man hath, ho findeth himself in this thing peculiarly dis tinguished from a dumb animal, in that he halh himself an understanding. Whence certain men despising in them selves that peculiar and especial thing which from their Maker they had received, the Maker Himself reproved), Ps. 32, saying, Do not becnne like horse and mule, in which there is no understanding. And in another place lie speaketh of Ps, 49, Man in honour set. Tn what honour, except that he is 20, made after the imago of God ? Therefore, In honour set, ho understood not, He saith ; he hath been compared unto brutes without souse, and hath been made like unto them. Lot us acknowledge therefore our honour, and let us understand. If we do understand, wo see this not to be the region of rejoicing, but of groaning; not now of exulting, but as yet of lamenting. But even if certain exultation doth dwell in our hearts, not yet is it in substance, but in hope. Because of a thing promised we are glad, because we know He that promiseth doth not deceive us. Nevertheless, as regardcth the present time, in what evil, in what straits we are, hear yc; and if to this way ye keep, that which ye hear in yourselves acknowledge ye. For whosoever doth not yet hold to the path of godliness, wondereth that the members of David make such groanings. For ho sooth not in himself those things. So long as in himself loo those things ho seelli not, not yet is ho there: ho feeloth not that which tho body feeleth; because he is beside the' body ; let him bo embodied, and ho shall feel. Let him speak then, and let us Oxf. hear, let us hear and speak '. ^under- 4' ^var Thou, 0 God, my entreaty, and despise not my stand.' prayer: give heed unto me, and hearken unto me. Of one earnest, anxious, of one set in tribulation, are these words. He is praying, suffering many things, from evil yearning to be delivered: it rcmaihelh that we hear in what evil he is, and when he boginneth to speak, let us acknow ledge there ourselves to be; in order that the tribulation being shared, wo may conjoin prayer. (Ver. 2.) I have been made sad in my exercise, and have been troubled. Where made sad, whore troubled? In my exercise, ho saith. Of We may hope for all enemies except evil spirits. 29 evil men, whom he suffereth, he halh made mention, and Veb. the same suffering of evil men he hath called his exercise. Think ye not that without profit there are evil men in this world, and that no good God maketh of them. Every evil man either on this account lived) that he may be corrected, or on this account liveth that through him a good man may be exercised.. O that therefore they that do now exercise us would be converted, and together with us be exercised ! Neveitheless, so long as they are such as to exercise, let us not hate them : because in that wherein any one of them is evil, whether unto the end he is to persevere, we know not; aud ofttiines when to thyself thou seemest to have been hating an enemy, thou hast been haling a brother, and knowest not. The devil and his angels in the holy Scriptures have been manifested to us, that for fire ever lasting they have been destined. Of them only must amend ment be despaired of: against whom we have a secret wrestling, for which wrestling the Apostle arineth us, saying, Our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, that is, against Ephes. men whom ye sec, but against princes, and powers, and ' rulers of the world, of this darkness. Lest perchance when he had said, of the world, thou shouldest understand demons to be rulers of heaven and earth : he hath said, of the world, of this darkness: of the world he hath spoken, of the lovers of the world ; of the world he hath spoken, of ungodly and unrighteous men : of the world he hath spoken, whereof saith the Gospel, And the world knew Him John l, not. For if the world knew not Light, because Light ' shineth in darkness, and darkness comprehended It not; and this darkness itself, which comprehended not Light present, is called by the name of " the world ;" then of this darkness they are the rulers. Concerning these same rulers therefore we have a definite sentence of Scripture, that from thence no return at all of any one of them is to be hoped for. But truly of the darknesses themselves of whom these are the rulers we are not sure, whether perchance they that were darkness may not be made light. For instance, to them that were lately made believers, saith the Apostle, Ye have been sometime darkness, but now light in the Ephes. Lord: darkness in yourselves, light in the Lord. There- ' ' 30 Q od? a forbear anoo to be followed in our measure. Pbalm fore, brethren, all evil men, while thoy are evil men, do - oxcrciso good men. For, behold, hear yo briefly and under stand. If thou art a good man, thou wilt havo no enemy but a bad man. Moreover, before dice this rulo of goodness hath been sot, that thou shouldest imitate tho goodness of Mutt. 0, thy Father, Who muketh His sun to rise on good men and 46, on evil men, and rained h on just men, and unjust men. For thou hast not an enemy that God hath not. Thou indeed hast for onemy him that with thee hath been created: but Ho him thut He hath created. Of enemies therefore of God, of evil mon and unrighteous men, often in the Scriptures wo read: and Ho spareth them, Who hath nothing thut tho enemy may lay to His charge, to Whom every enemy is ungrateful: for from Him he hath whatever of good ho hath. For from Him ho hath it in mercy, even whatever thing there is whereby ho is troubled. For to this end he is troubled, that ho be not proud ; to this end he is troubled, in order that being humbled ho may acknowledge tho Highest. Thou therefore on thy enemy, whom hardly thou sufl'ercst, hast bestowed what? If He hath him for enemy, That hath bestowed so great things on him, and makelh Ilia sun to rise on good men and evil men, and rainoth on just men and unjust men: thou that neither canst make tho sun to rise, nor upon tho lands make rain, canst thou not keep ono thing for' thino enemy, so that thero may bo to I.uko a, theo, Peace on earth to a man of good tvill? Therefore '*¦ sinco this rulo of Lovo for theo is fixed, that imitating tho I-ulto (i, Father thou shouldest lovo an onemy: for, Ho saith, Love your enemies: in this precept how wouldest thou bo exer cised, if thou hadst no enemy to stiller? Thou seest then that ho profited) theo somewhat: and let God sparing evil men profit theo, so that thou shew mercy : because perchance thou too, if thou art a good man, out of an evil man hast been made a good man : and if God spared not evil men, not even thou wouldcst bo found to return thanks. May Ho therefore spare others, That hath spared thee also. For it were not right, when thou hadst passed through, to close up the way of godliness. 5. Whence then doth this man pray, set among evil men, with whoso enmities he was being exercised? Why saith Trouble from the wicked the Saints' ' exercise.' 31 he, / have been made sad in my exercise, and have been Ver. troubled? While he is extending his love so as to love — - enemies, ho hath been affected with disgust, being bayed at all around by the enmities of many men, by the phrenzy of many, and under a sort of human infirmity he hath sunk. Ho hath seen himself now begin to be pierced through with an evil suggestion of tho devil, to bring on hatred against his enemies: wrestling against hatred in order to perfect love herself, in tho very fight, and in tho wrestling, he hath been troubled. For there is his voice also in another Psalm, Mine eye hath been troubled, because of anger. And what ps. c, ,. followcth there ? / have waxen old among all mine enemies. As if in storm and waves he wcro beginning to sink, likoMnt.14, Peter. For he doth trample the waves of this world, that30, lovcth enemies. Christ on the sea was walking fearless, from Whoso heart thcro could not by any means bo taken away the love of an enemy ; Who hanging on tho Cross did say, Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. Lukb23, Peter too would walk. He as Head, Peter as Body : because,34- Upon this rock, He saith, I will build My Church. He Mat. 16, was bidden to walk, and he was walking by the Grace of18- Him bidding, not by his own strength. But when he saw the wind mighty, he feared ; and then he began to sink, being troubled in his exercise. By what mighty wind ? (Ver. 3.) By the voice of the enemy, and by the tribulation of the sinner. Therefore, in the same manner as he cried out on the waves, Lord, I perish, save me, a similar voice M«t. 14, from this mail hath preceded, Hearken Thou, O God, lo my^ , entreaty, and despise not my prayer: give heed unto me, and hearken unto me. Wherefore ? For what suffercst thou ? Of what dost thou groan ? / have been made sad in my exercise. To be exercised indeed amid evil men Thou hast set me, but too much they have risen up, beyond my powers: calm Thou one troubled, stretch forth a hand to one sinking. / have been made sad in my exercise, and have been troubled by the voice of the enemy, and by the tribulation of the sinner ; for they have brought down upon me iniquity, and in anger they were shadowing me. Ye have heard of waves and winds: one as it were humbled they were insulting, and he was praying : on every side against him with the roar 32 A human enemy scarce means us real harm. Psalm of insult they were raging, but he within was calling upon — v' Him whom they did not see. 6. When some such thing is a Christian's lot to suffer, he ought not lightly, as if in hatred, to proceed against that man by whom ho is suffering, and to will to conquer the wind; but to turn himself lo prayer, that he lose not love. For we must not fear that a human enemy can do any thing. For what is he to do ? To say many evil things, to hurl Matt. 6, reproaches, to rage with revilings : but to thee what? Re- 12, foice, He saith, and exult, for your reward is great in the heavens. He on earth redoubleth reproaches, thou in heaven thy gains. But let him rage more, he might do yet some thing more : what is more secure than thou, to whom hath Mat.io.been said, Fear not them that kill the body, but the soul 28' they cannot kill. What then is to be feared when thou sufferest an enemy ? Lest thy love be troubled wherewith thou lovest an enemy. For that human enemy, being flesh and blood, desireth that which ho seed) in thee. But another hidden enemy, ruler of this darkness, which thou Ephes. suffercst in flesh and blood, is seeking the other hidden 6' 12, thing of thine ; thy inward treasures to plunder and waste he is striving. Two enemies, therefore, set thou before thine eyes, the one open, and the other hidden : the open, a man ; the hidden, the devil. This man is the same as thou art after human nature, but after faith and love not yet that which thou art, but will be able to be that which thou art. Since therefore there are two, the one see thou, the other perceive thou ; the one love thou, of the other beware. For even that enemy, whom thou seest, would humble that thing in thee wherein he is conquered. For instance, if by thy riches he is conquered, poor he would make thee ; if by thy honour he is conquered, bumble he would make thee ; if by thy powers he is conquered, weak he would make thee : to these things therefore he giveth heed, in thee either to throw down or to take away the things whereby he is conquered. That hidden enemy also from thee would take away that thing wherein he is conquered. For being man thou conquerest a man in human felicity, but the devil thou conquerest in love of an enemy. In like manner then, as a man goeth about to take away from thee, and to cut Our victory is, to maintain Charity. 33 • short, or lo overthrow tho felicity wherein ho is conquered: so also the devil conquers a man by taking away that wherein he is conquered. But lake care in heart to hold fast tho love of an enemy, wherewith the devil is conquered of theo. Let a man rage as much as he can, let him take whatever he can ; if he is loved that is openly raging, he hath been conquered who is secretly raging. 7. But this man being troubled and made sad was praying, his cyo being disturbed as it were on account of anger. But Ps. 8, 7. tho anger of a brother if it shall have been invctcrato is then hatred. Anger doth trouble tho cyo, hatred doth quench it: anger is a straw, hutred is a boam. ' Sometimes thou hatcst and chidest an angry man : in thoo is hatred, in him whom thou chidest anger: with reason lo theo is' said, Cast otttMM.7, first the beam from thine own eye, and so thou shall see to ' cast out. the straw from thy brother's eye. For that yo may know how much difference there is between anger and hatred : day by day men are angry with their sons, shew me them that hate their ' sons ! This man being-. troubled' Oxf. was praying even when made sad, wrestling against all" "l>°n the fortifications thereof, holding us it were tho labour.' iiauls thereof, tho noble men thereof. If that noble man werp a Christian, not one would remain a pagan! Ofttimes men say, ' no ono would remain a pagan, if he were a Christian.' Ofttimes mon say, ' If ho too were made a Christian, who would remain a pagan?' Because therefore not yet they are made Christians, as if walls they aro of that city unbelieving and contradicting. How long shall these walls stand ? Not always shall they stand. The Ark is Joah. c, going around the walls of Jericho : there shall come a time at the seventh going round of the Ark, when all the walls of tho city unbelieving and contradicting shall fall. Until it como to pass, this man is being troubled in his oxerciso ; and enduring the remains of men contradicting, ho would chooso wings for flying away, would choose tho rest of the desert. Yea let him continue amid men contradicting, let him enduro menaces, drink revilings, and look for Him that will save him from weakness of mind and tempest: let him look upon • oru-nytho Head, the pattern for his 'life, let him bo made calm in hope, oven if ho is troubled in fact. Day and night there will compass it upon the walls thereof iniquity ; and labour in the midst thereof an I injustice. And for this reason labour is there, because iniquity is there : because injustice is there, therefore also labour is there. But let them hear Mat. 11, him stretching forth hands. Come unto Me, all ye that labour. Ye cry, ye contradict, ye revile : He on tho contrary, Usury publicly avowed. Its worst kind, in Revenge, 41 Come unto Me, all ye that labour, in your pride, and ye Ven. shall rest in My humility. Learn of Me, He saith, for ¦ i ' ¦ meek I am and humble in heart, and ye shall find rest unto 29. your souls. For whence do they labour, but becauso they are not meek and humble in heart? God humble was made, let man blush to be proud. 14. Ver. 11. There hath not failed, from the streets thereof usury and deceit. Usury and deceit are not hidden at least, becauso thoy aro ovil things, but in public thoy rago. For lie that in his houso doth any evil thing, however for his evil thing doth blush : In the streets thereof usury and deceit. Money-lending' even hath a profession, Money-lending also'Fmnus is called a science ; a corporation is spoken of, a corporation as if necessary to the state, and of its profession it payeth revenue; so entirely indeed in the streets is that which should have been hidden. There is also another usury worse, when thou forgivest not that which to thee is owed; and the cyo is disturbed in that verse of the prayer, Forgive us our debts, Matt, c,' (as we loo forgive our debtors*). For what there wilt thou do, 3 e'0 0xf when thou art going to pray, and coming to that same verse ? Mss. An insulting word thou hast heard : thou wouldest exact the punishment of condemnation. Do but consent to. exact just, so much as thou hast given, thou usurer of injuries! With tho fist thou hast been smitten, slaying thou scckest. Evil usury! II ow wilt thou go to prayer? If thou shalt have left praying, which way wilt thqu come round unto tho Lord ? Behold thou wilt say: Our Father, Which, art in hea ven, Matt. 0, hallowed be Thy Name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, ~ 3" as in heaven so on earth. Thou wilt say, Our daily bread give us to-day. Thou wilt come to, Forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors. Even in that evil city let there abound these usuries; let them not enter the walls whero the breast is smitten! What wilt thou do? because there thou and that verse are" in the midst ? Petitions for theo hath a heavenly Lawyer composed. He that know what used there to be done, said to tbee, " Otherwise thou shall not obtain." Verily, verily, I say unto you, that if ye shall have forgiven Matt. 6, men silts, they shall be forgiven yout but if ye shall not1*' « Oxf. Mss.' Whero thou and that * Soo Tract. 7. On tho Gospel of verse aro thcro.' St- John, {. II. 42 To win pardon, we must do as we say in prayer. Psalm have forgiven sins unto men, neither will your Father forgive hV- you. Who saith this ? Ho that knoweth what there is being done, in the place whereat thou art standing to make request. Seo how Himself hath willed to bo thy Advocate ; Himself > juris, thy Lawyer1, Himself the Assessor of the Father, Himself peritus ^ Judge hath said, " Otherwise thou shalt not receive." What wilt thou do? Thou wilt not receive, unless thou shalt speak ; wilt not receive if falsely thou shalt speak. Therefore either thou must do and speak, or else what thou askest thou wilt not earn ; because they that this do not do, are in the midst of those evil usuries. Be they engaged therein, that yet do idols either adore or desire : do not thou, 0 people of God, do not thou, 0 people of Christ, do not thou the Body of Him the Head ! Give heed to the • vincu-bond2 of thy peace, give heed, to the promise of thy life. um For what doth it profit thee, that thou exactest for injuries which thou hast endured ? doth vengeance refresh thee ? Therefore, over the evil of another shalt thou rejoice ? Thou 'i.e.evilhast suffered evil; pardon thou; be not ye two3. And there faileth not from the streets thereof usury and deceit. 15. Therefore for this reason thou wast seeking solitude and wings, for this reason thou art complaining, these things to bear thou art not able, namely, the contradiction and iniquity of this city. Rest thou in those things which with thee are within, and do not seek solitude. Hear also of these very things what he saith. Ver. 12. For if an enemy had upbraided me. And indeed above he was ' troubled in his exercise' by the voice of the enemy and by the tribulation of the sinner, perhaps being placed in that city, that proud city that was building a tower, which was "sunk0," that divided might be the tongues: give heed to his inward groaning because of perils from false brethren. For if an enemy had upbraided me, I would have undergone it assuredly, and if he that did hate me had over me great words spoken, that is, through pride had on me trampled, did magnify himself above me, did threaten me all in his power: / would hide myself assuredly from him. From him that is abroad, thou wouldest hide thyself where ? ' Mss. ' submcrsa,' (not ' subvrrsa,') alluding to verso '.). Ben. The worst enemies those who were once within. 4 3 Amid thoso that arc within. But now see whether any thing Veb. else rcmaineth, but that thou seek solitude. (Ver. 13.) But thou, '— ho saith, man of one mind, my guide and my friend. Per chance sometimes good counsel thou hast given, perchance sometimes thou hast gone before mo, and somo vvholcsomo advico thou hast given mo: in tho Church of God together wo have boon. But thou, man of one mind, my guide and my friend, (ver. 1 4 .) that together with ma didst take sweet morsels, What aro tho sweet morsels ? Not ull thoy that aro present know : but lot them not bo soured that do know, in order that they may be able to say to them that as yet know not : Taste ye and see, how sweet is the Lord. rs.34,8. Thou that together with me didst take sweet morsels. In the House of God we have walked with consent. Whence then disscntion ? Thou that wast within, hast becomo ono without. He hath walked with me in the Hoiiso of God with consent: another house hath he set up against tho House of God. Wherefore hath that been forsaken, wherein wo have walked with consent'? wherefore hath that been 'ugn Inst deserted, wherein together we did take sweet morsels ? natisu.* 16. Ver. 15. Let there come death upon them, and let them go down unto Hell living. How hath ho cited and hath made us call to mind that first beginning of schism, when in that first people of the Jews certain proud men separated themselves, and would without have sacrificed ? A new death upon them came : the earth opened herself, Numb. and swallowed them up alive. Let there come, he sailh, ' 3 ' death upon them, and let them go down into Hell living. What is living ? knowing that they are perishing, and yet perishing. Hear of living men perishing and being swallowed "against up in a gulph of the earth, that is, being swallowed up in the n^t\t^l voraciousness of earthly desires. Thou sayest to a man, What aileth thee, brother ? Brethren we arc, one God we invoke, in one Christ we believe, one Gospel we hear, one Psalm we sing, one Amen we respond, ono Hallelujah wo sound, one Easter we celebrate : why art thou without and I am within ? Ofttimes one straitened, and perceiving how true are the charges which are made, saith, May God requito our ancestors ! Therefore alive ho perisheth. In tho next place thou continuest and thus givest warning. At least let the 44 Leaders in evil perish knowingly. Pbalm evil of separation stand alone, why dost thou adjoin thereto LV. that of rebaptism ? Acknowledge in ine what thou hast ; and if thou hatest me, Christ in me spare thou. And this evil thing doth frequently and very greatly displease them. Truly, say diey, it is ill done ; O that it were possible not to have it done : but what have we to do with the statutes of our ancestors? Let them go down unto Hell living. If being dead thou shouldest go down, what thou wert doing thou wouldest not know ; but when thou knowcst that to be an evil thing which thou doest, and nevertheless doest it, dost thou not alive go down unto die lower places ? And why Numb, is it that a gulf of the earth swallowed up alive the rulers 16, 32. themselves for the most part, but the people that with them lb' 3°" consented, fire falling from heaven consumed ? It is on this account that this Psalm referring to this punishment, with the people hath begun, and with the leaders hath concluded. Let there come death upon them, it hath said, because of them upon whom there came fire from Heaven ; and imme diately hath continued, Let them go down unto Hell living, because of the leaders whom a gulf of the earth swallowed up. For how should they have descended unto Hell living, of whom it had said, Let there come death upon them ? If already upon them death had come, how alive unto the lower places did they descend ? Therefore with the lesser ones he hath begun, with the greater he hath concluded. Let there come death upon them, that have consented and have followed. What of those leaders and princes ? Let them go down unto Hell living; because they themselves have the Scriptures in their hands, and know well by daily reading how the Church Catholic through the whole world is so spread, that in a word all contradiction is void ; and that there cannot be found any support for their schism they know well : there fore unto the lower places living they go down, becauso the evil which they do, evil to be they know. But the former a fire of divine indignation consumed. For being inflamed with desire of strife, from their evil leaders they would not depart. There came upon fire a fire, upon the heat of dissension the heat of consuming. Let there come death upon them and let them go down unto Hell living. For naughtiness is in their lodgings, in the midst of them. In Complaint of the Church. Its refuge in God. 45 their lodgings1, wherein they tarry and pass away. For hero Vkr. they arc not alway to bo: and novertheless in defonco of a,,.'- •!¦ temporal animosity they aro fighting so fiorccly. In their tiit' lodgings is iniquity ; in the midst of them is iniquity: no part of them is so near the middle of them as their heart. 17. Ver. 10. Therefore to the Lord I have cried out. Tho Body of Christ and the oneness of Christ in anguish, in weariuess, in uneasiness, in the tribulation of its exercise, that One Man, Oneness in One Body set, when He was wearying His soul in crying out from the ends of the earth; saith, From the ends of the earth to Thee I have cried out, when Ps.61,2. My heart was being vexed. Himself one, but a oneness' that'unitas One ! and Himself one, not in one place one, but from the ends of the earth is crying as one. How from the ends of the earth should there cry one, except in many there were one ? / to the Lord have cried out. Rightly do thou cry out to the Lord, cry not to Donatus : lest for thee he be instead of the Lord a lord, that under the Lord would not bo a fellow- servant. I to the Lord have cried out : and the Lord halh heard me. 18. Ver. 18. In evening, in morning, at noon-day I will recount and will tell forth, and He shall hearken to my voice. Do thou proclaim glad tidings, keep not secret that which thou hast received, in evening of things gone by, in morning of things lo be, at noon-day of things ever to be. Therefore to that which he saith in evening belongeth that which he recounteth : to that which he saith, in morning, belongeth that which he tellcth forth : to that which he saith at noon-day, belongeth that wherein his voice is hearkened to. For the end is at noon-day ; that is to say, whence there is no going down unto setting. For at noon-day there is light full high, the splendour of wisdom, the fervour of love., In evening and in morning and at noon-day. In evening, the Lord on the Cross ; in morning, in Resurrection ; at noon day, in Ascension. I will recount in evening the patience of Him dying, 1 will tell forth in morning the life of Him rising, I will pray that He hearken at noon-day sitting at the right baud of the Father., He shall hearken to my voice, That Bom. 8, intercedeth for us. How great is the security of this man ? ' How great the consolation, how great the refuge ' from 40 Proud Christians are the chaff in the Lord's floor. Phalm weakness of mind and tempest,' against evil men, against — ungodly men both without and within, and in tho case of those that are without though they had been within. 10. Therefore, my Brethren, those that in tho very con gregation of these walls ye see to bo rebellious men, proud, seeking their own, lifted up; not having a zeal for God that is chaste, sound, quiet, but ascribing to themselves much ; ready for dissension, but not finding opportunity ; are tho Matt.3, very chaff of tho Lord's floor. From hence these few men tho wind of pride hath dislodged : the whole floor will not fly, save when Ho at the last shall winnow. But what shall we do, savo with this man sing, witli this man pray, with this man mourn and say securely, (ver. 18.) He shall redeem in peace my soul. Against them that lovo not peace : in peace He shall redeem my soul. " Because with those that Ps. 120, hated peace I was peace-making." lie shall redeem in peace • 7" my soul, from those that draw near to me. per from those that are afar from me, it is an easy case : not so soon doth he deceive me that saith, Come, pray to an idol: he is very far from mo. Art thou a Christian? A Christian, he saith. Out of a neighbouring place ho is my adversary, he is at hand. lie shall redeem in peace my soul, from those that draw near to me: for in many things they were with me. Wherefore have I said, draw near to me? Because in many things they were with me. In this verso two pro positions occur. In many things they were with me. Baptism wo had both of us, in that they were with mc: the Gospel wo both read, they were iu that with mo : the festivals of martyrs we celebrated, they were there with me: Easter's solemnity we attended, they were there with inc. But not entirely with me : in schism not with mo, in heresy not with me. In many things with mc, in few things not with me. But in tlieso few things wherein not with mo, there is no profit to them of the many things wherein they woro with mc. For sec, brethren, how many things hath recounted dip Apostle Paul: ono thing, ho hath said, if it 1 Cor. shall have been wanting, in vain are those things. If with >l-3'lhe tongues of men and of an yds I shall speak, ho saith, if I have all prophecy, and all faith, and all knowledges if mountains I shall remove, if I shall bestow all my goods Outward privileges avail not without Charity. 47 upon the poor, if I shall deliver- my body even so that it be Vek. burned. How many things he hath enumerated ! To all 20' these many things let there be wantiug one thing, charity; the former in number are more, the latter in weight is greater. Therefore in all Sacraments they are with me, in one charity not with me : In many things they were with me. Again, by a different expression : For in many things they were with me. They that themselves have separated from me, with me they were, not in few things, but in many things. For throughout the whole world few arc the grains, many are the chaffs. Therefore he saith what ? In chaff with me they were, in whoat with me they were not. And the chaff is nearly related to the wheat, from one seed it goeth forth, in one field is rooted, with one rain is nourished, the same reaper it suffereth, the same threshing sustaincth, tho same winnowing awaited], not into one barn entercth. For in many things they ivere with me. 20. (Ver. 19.) God will hear me, and He shall humble them That is before ages. For they rely on some leader or other of theirs that hath begun. but yesterday. He shall humble them That is before ages. For even if with reference to time Christ is of Mary the Virgin, nevertheless before ages " In the beginning He is the Word, and the Word with John l, God, and the Word God." He shall humble them, That is 1# before ages. For to them is no changing : of them I speak lo whom is no changing. He knew of some to persevere, and in the perseverance of their own wickedness to die. For wo seo them, and to them is no changing: they that die in that same perverscness, in that same schism, to them is no changing. God shall humble them, shall humble them in damnation, because they are exalted in dissension. To them is no changing, because they aro not changed for tho better, but for the worse : neither while they are here, nor in the resurrection. For all we shall rise again, but" not all'E.V. ( shall be changed. Wherefore? Because To them is «o]Corii5f changing: and they have not feared God. My brethren,61* one remedy there is : let them fear God, lot them forsake Donatus. Thou sayest to him, Thou art perishing in schism ; ' it must needs be that God should requite those evil things : thou wilt come unto damnation ; flatter not thyself with thy 48 Heretics pervert God's covenant with Christ. Phalm words, follow not a blind guide : for a blind man lending a LV" blind mun, together into a ditch do they fall. What is that H. 'to mo ? ho saith: as I have lived yesterday, so also to-day: what my paronts wore, tho oanio also am I. Thou fearest not God : give four to God : let him think that all theso things are true which aro road, that tho faithfulness of Christ is that which cannot bo broken : how in heresy shall ho remain in the face of so great evidentness of the holy Catholic Church, which God hath diffused throughout tho whole world; which before He diffused, lie promised, foretold, hath so manifested as Ho promised? Therefore let them beware and mark that fear not God. Ver. 20. lie streleheth forth His hand in requiting. 21. They have polluted His Testament, Read the testa- Gen, l?, ment which they have polluted : " In thy seed shall be blessed 3;20,4'a// nations." They have polluted His Testament. Thou against these words of the Testator sayest what? The Africa of holy Donatus hath alone deserved this grace, in him hath remained tho Church of Christ. Say at least tho Church of Donatus. Wherefore addest thou, of Christ ? Of whom it is said, In thy seed shall be blessed all nations. After Donatus will thou go? Set asido Christ, and then secede. See therefore what followed! : They have polluted His Testament, What Testament? To Abraham have been spoken the promises, and to his seed. The Apostle saith, Gal. 3, Nevertheless, a man's testament confirmed no one makcth void, or superaddeth to : to Abraham have been spoken tho promises, and lo his seed. lie saith not, And to seeds, as if in many; but as if in one, And to thy Seed, which is Christ. In this Christ, therefore, what Testament hath been promised? In thy seed shall be blessed all nations. Thou that hast given up tho unity of all nations, and in a part hast remained, hast polluted His Testament. That which therefore halh befallen thco, lo bo banished, to bo from the inheritance separated, is of tho anger of God. For attend to that which followelh: They have polluted His Testament; {they have ' not In been divided, because of tho anger of His countenance1.) Whut do yo look for, by what clearer mark should heretics bo pointed out? They have been divided, because of the anger of His countenance. Heretics serve to bring out points of faith. 49 22. Vor. 22. And His heart halh drawn near, Of whom Vun. do wo understand it, except of Him, by tho anger of whom — they have been divided ? How halh His heart drawn near ? In such sort, that we may understand His will. For by heretics hath been vindicated the Catholic Church, and by those that evil think have been proved d)ose that think well. For many things lay hid in the Scriptures : and when heretics had been cut off, with questions they troubled the Church of God : then those things were opened which lay hid, and the will of God was understood. Thence is said in another Psalm, A congregation of bulls amid the cows o/Ps. 68, the people, in order that they might be excluded that have been proved with silver. For let them bo excluded, Ho hath said, let them como forth, let them appear. Whence even in silver-working men aro called ' cxcludors,' that is, pressors out of form from tho sort of confusion of tho lump. Thoro- foro many men that very excellently could tho Scriptures , understand and expound, wore hidden among tho people of God : but they did not declare the solution of difficult questions, when no reviler again urged them. For was the Trinity perfectly treated of before the Arians snarled thereat ? Was repentance perfectly treated of before the Novatians opposed ? So not perfectly of Baptism was it treated, before rebapdzers set without contradicted; nor of tho very oneness of Christ were the doctrines clearly stated which have been slated, save after that this separation began to press upon the weak : in order that thoy that know how to treat of and solvo theso questions, (lost tho weak should perish vexed with tho questions of tho ungodly,) by their discourses and disputations should bring out unto open day the dark things of tho Law. Tlioroforo thoy have boon divided becuuso of tho anger of His counte nance, and unto us for understanding His heart hath drawn near. Therefore perceive ye that which in another Psalm He halh mentioned, " Congregation of bulls," that is, of proud smiters with horns, " amid die cows of the people." What doth he speak of as cows? Souls easy to be led astray. Why this ? " In order that those may be excluded," that is, may appear, that were lying hid, " that Have been proved with silver." What is, " with silver ?" With tho VOL. III. E 50 Trial with the word. Hard sayings easy to Faith. Psalm saying of God. The sayings of God are sayings chaste, p~~ silver with fire tried, the thing approved of the earth, purged seven times so much. This obscure sense see in what manner i Cor. the Apostle bringcth out into light ; It is needful, he saith, ' * that also heresies there be, in order that men proved may be made manifest among you. What is " men proved ?" Proved with silver, proved with the word. What is, " may ' exclu-be made manifest?" May bo brought out'. Wherefore this? dantur j3ecause 0f heretics. What is, because of heretics? Becauso of tho " congregation of bulls amid the cows of the people." So therefore these also have been divided because of the anger of His countenance, and His heart hath drawn near. 23. Ver. 21. His discourses have been softened above oil, and themselves are darts. For certain things in the Scriptures were seeming hard, while they were obscure; when explained, they have been softened. For even the first heresy in the disciples of Christ, as it were from the hardness of His dis- John c, courso arose. For when lie said, Except a man shall have ' ' c'- eaten My flesh and shall have drunk My blood, he shall not have life in himself: they, not understanding, said to ono another, Hard is this discourse, who can hear it? Saying that, Hard is this discourse, they separated from Him: He remained with the others, the twelve. When they had in timated to Him, that by His discourse they had been scandalized, Will ye also, He saith, choose to go? Then Peter, The Word of life eternal Thou hast: to whom shall we go ? Attend, we beseech you, and ye little ones learn godliness. Did Peter by any means at that time understand the secret of that discourse of the Lord ? Not yet he under stood: but that good were the words which he understood not, godly he believed. Therefore if hard is a discourse, and not yet is understood, be it hard to an ungodly man, but lo thee be it by godliness softened : for whenever it is solved, it both will become for thee oil, and even unto the bones it will penetrate. 2 J. Furthermore, just as Peter, after their having been scandalized by the hardness, as they thought, of the dis course of the Lord, even then said, The Word of life eternal Thou hast; to whom shall we go ? so he hath added, (ver. 22.) Cast upon the Lord thy care, and He shall Himself nourish Tho hard word, softened, remains powerful. • 61 thee up. A littlo ono thou art, not yet thou undorslandcst tho Vkr. secret things of words : perchance from theo tho bread isfc^r- hidden, and as yet with milk thou must be fed: bo not 3,1. angry with the breasts : they will make thee fit for the tabic, for which now little fitted thou art. Behold by the division of heretics many hard things have been softened: His discourses that wcro hard have been softened above oil, and they are themselves darts. Thoy have armed men preaching tho Gospel : and the very discourses arc aimed at tho breast of every one that hcarcth, by men instant in season and out of season : by those discourses, by thoso words, as though by arrows, hearts of men unto tho love of peace aro smitten. Hard they were, and soft they have been made. Being softened they have not lost their virtue, but into darts have been converted. His discourses have been softened above oil: and themselves, tho softened discourses, themselves are darts. But thou not yet perchance art fitted to be armed with these darts, and not yet for thee hath shone out that which in discourse perchance is obscure and hard. Cast upon the Lord thy care, and Himself shall nourish thee up. Upon the Lord cast thyself. Behold thou wilt cast thyself upon tho Lord, let no one put himself in the placo of tho Lord. Cast upon the Lord thy care. Sec in what manner that great soldier of Christ would not that upon himself the caro of litlle ones should be cast : Hath by any means Paul • Cor. for you been crucified, or in the name of Paul have ye been ' buptizod? What did ho say to them after that, Cast upon (ho Lord your caro, and Ifimse(f shall nourish yon up ? But now a littlo ono would cast his cure upon tho Lord, and some ono or other mcctoth him and said), I will tako thoe in. llo mcctoth as it wcro a ship tossed by tho waves, and ho saith, I will take her in. Do thou also mako answer, A harbour I seek, not a rock. Cast upon the Lord thy care, and Him self shall nourish thee up. And see, a harbour doth take thee in : He shall not give for everlasting tossing to the just man. Thou art seeming to toss in that sea, but a harbour taketh thee in. Do thou only before that thou enter into the harbour break not away from the anchor. The ship is tossing at anchor, but not afar from the land is she driven, nor for everlasting will she toss, even if for a time she toss. For to E2 52 Murder of the body and of the soul by heretics. Pbalm tossing belong the words above : I have been made sad in L my exercise, and have been troubled. I was looking for y. 8. Him that should make me safe from weakness of mind and tempest. Tossing he speaketh, but not for everlasting he shall toss : for to an anchor he is bound, the anchor is his hope. He shall not give for everlasting tossing to the just man. 25. But to the others what ? Ver. 23. But Thou, 0 God, shall bring them down unto the pit of corruption. The pit of corruption is the darkness of sinking under. Thou shalt bring them down, he saith, Mat.l5,tH2f0 the pit of corruption : because, when blind leadeth blind, they both fall into a ditch. God bringetli them down into the pit of corruption, not because Pie is the author of their own guilt, but because He is Himself the judge of their £om- ]' iniquities. For God hath delivered them unto the desires of their heart. For they have loved darkness, and not light ; they have loved blindness, and not seeing. For behold tho Lord Jesus hath shone out to tho whole world, let them sing $ 19' iii unity with the whole world : For there is not one that can hide himself from the heat of Hun. But they passing over from the whole to a part, from the body to a wound, from life to a limb cut off, shall meet with what, but going into the pit of corruption ? 26. Men of bloods and of dcceilfulness. Men of bloods, because of slayings he calleth them : and O that they were corporal and not spiritual slayings. For blood from the flesh going forth, is seen and shuddered at: who seeth the blood of the heart in a man rebaptized ? Those deaths require other eyes. Although even about these visible deaths Circumcelliones armed every where remain not quiet. And if of these visible deaths we think, there are men of bloods. Give heed to the armed man, whether ho is a man of peace and not of blood. If at least a club only he were to carry, well ; but he carrieth a sling, carrieth an axe, carricth slones, carrieth lances : and carrying these weapons, wherever they may they scour, for the blood of innocent men they thirst. Therefore even with regard to these visible deaths there are men of bloods. But even of them let us say, 0 that such deaths alone they perpetrated, and souls Spiritual sense of murder acknowledged by Donalists. 53 they slew not. These that are men of bloods and of deceit, Veu. let them not suppose that we thus wrongly understand men — H!L_ of bloods, of them that kill souls : they themselves of their Maximianists' have so understood it. For when they cor.-' see on demned them, in the very sentence of their Council they have set down these words : Swift are the feet of them to Ps. 14, shed the blood (of the proclaimcrs'), tribulation and calamity are in tlie ways of them, and the way of jjcace they have not known. This of the Maximianists they have said. But I ask of them, when have the Maximianists shed tho body's blood ; not because they too would not shod, if there were so great a multitude as could shod, but because of tho fear in their minority rather thoy have suffered somewhat from others, than have themselves at any timo dono any such thing. Therefore I question tho Do.natist and say: In thy Council thou hast set down of the Maximianists, Swift are the feel of them lo shed blood. Shew mc ono of whom tho Maximianists have hurt so much as a finger ! What other thing to me is he to answer, than that which I say ? They that have separated themselves from unity, and who slay souls by leading astray, spiritually, not carnally, do shed blood. Very well thou hast expounded, but in thy exposition acknowledge their own deeds. Men of bloods and of deceit- fulness. In guilo is dcceitfulncss, in dissimulation, in se duction. What therefore of those very men that have been divided because of the anger of His countenance ? They aro themselves men of bloods and of deceit. 27. But of them ho saith what ? They shall not Juilvc their days. What is, They shall not halve their days? They shall not make progress as much as they think : within the timo which they expect, they shall perish. For he is that partridge, whereof hath been said, In the half of hisjer. \j days they shall leave him, and in his last days he shall be an 1J- unwise one. They make progress, but for a time. For. what saith the Apostle? But evil men and seducers shall make 2 Tim. progress for the worse, themselves erring, and other men 3' 13, into error driving. But a blind man leading a blind man, Matio,14. ' Tho word ' annuntiatorum' Is omit- given in the 4th hook against Croscon- ted in some copies. It is not In the tiun, o. 4. Ben. sentence of the synod of Dagaj, as 54 Fall of the wicked. Christ the 'End.' Psalm together into a ditch they fall. Deservedly they fall into LVI- the pit of corruption. What therefore saith he? They shall make progress for the worse: not however for long. 2 Tim. For a littlo before he hath said, But further they shall not 3*9' make proyress : that is, shall not halve their days. Let the Apostle proceed and tell wherefore: For the madness of them shall be manifest to all men, as also teas that of the others. Men of bloods and of deceit shall not halve their days. But I in Thee will hope, 0 Lord. But deservedly they shall not halve their days, because in man they have hoped. But I from days temporal have reached unto day eternal. Wherefore? Becauso in Thee I have hoped, O Lord. Lat. PSALM LVI. LV. EXPOSITION \ A ilhrimrtr to the people of Carthage. Just as when wo aro going to enter into any house, wo look on the title to seo whoso it is and to whom it belonged), lest perchance inopportunely we burst into a place where- unto wc ought not ; and again, in order that we may not through timidity withdraw from that which we ought to enter : as if in a word we were to read, These estates belong to such an ono or to such an one: so on the lintel of this Psalm wo have inscribed, At the end, for the people that J'rom holy men were put afar off, to David himself, at the l Sam. inscription of the Title, when the Allophyli held him in ' ' Gath. Let us therefore take knowledge of tho people that from holy men were put afar off at the inscription of tho Title. For this doth belong to that David whom now yo know how to understand spiritually. For there is here com mended to our. notice no other than He of Whom hath been Rom. said, The end of the Law is Christ for righteousness to 10' 4' every man believing. Therefore when thou hcarcst at the » A Paris Ms. has the title, Inoipit Restitut.1, FcriA V. de Psalmo LV. Carthagine Sermo habilus in Basilica Ben. ' The Inscription of the Title' refers to the Crucifixion. 55 end, unto Christ give heed, lest tarrying in the way thou arrive Title. not at the end. For whatever that place is where beneath thou shalt have stood, before that thou shalt have come home unto Christ, the divine discourse saith to thee nothing but, draw near, not yet is the place where there is security. There is one place where a most sure standing-ground is established ; there is a rock whereon a House doth stand up so secure as that it feareth not the rain of the tempest. For Matt. 7, the floods have beat against that House, and it hath not 5' fallen, for it had been founded upon a Rock: but the Rock was Christ. Under the name of David Christ is figured : because of Dim hath been said, He that halh been made of 'Rom. l, the seed of David after the flesh. 3' 2. Who are then the people that from holy men were put afar off at the inscription of the Title ? Let the Title itself declare to us that people. For there was written a certain title at tho Passion of the Lord, when the Lprd was crucified : there was in that place a Title inscribed in Hebrew, in Greek, and in Latin, The King of the Jews; in three tongues as though Johnl9, by three witnesses the Title was confirmed : because in the j^t lg mouth of two or three witnesses shall stand every word. 16. When the Jews had read this Title, they were indignant, and ioeUi5# they said to Pilate, Write not, King of the Jews, but that He said Himself that He was King of the Jews. Write thou that He said Himself, they said; not that the thing was which He said. But because in another Psalm it is truly saidb, For the Inscription of the Title corrupt thou not, Pilate answered, What I have written I have written: as John 19, though he were saying, I corrupt not truth, even if ye love22" falsehood. Because therefore in that cursed one" the Jews had indignation, saying, We have no king but Cassar alone ; from offence at the Title they were put afar off from holy men. Let them draw near to holy men, and cleave unto the holy One that confess and desire to have Christ for King: be they put afar off from holy men. that gainsaying the Title repudiated God for King, and chose man for king. Every people therefore that with human kingdom is pleased, rejecting the Lord from being King over them — to whom reigning every man is subject in such sort that he too may himself » Vid. Tit. Tsalm LVII. LVIII. « I. e. as members of Satan. 50 Use of trouble in trying a man. Phalm roign ovor his passions— every such people, I say, is put JiYjL. nfar 0ff from holy men. Do not, therefore, brethren, in tho Jews alone remark this thing. There wore given in them as it wcro primitive examples, to the end that in that same people might shino forth thut thing whereof every man should beware. There is indeed also a Ctcsar, a human king, for men in things human, but another King there is for things divine : ono king for life temporal, another King for lifo eternal; ono king earthly, another King heavenly: king earthly under King heavenly, King heavenly over all things. It is not therefore becauso they said they had Cumar for king, that they sinned; but because Christ for King limy would not liuvo. And now many men Christ for King, in Heaven Hitting, and every whero reigning, will not liuvo: and IIicmii aro limy that trouble us, Against mik-Ii iiioii this IVulni strengthened! n«. For it must needs bo that such men wo Miller even unto the endi whom wo Mould not suffer, unions for us it were expedient. For every temptation is probation, and iho effect of every probation hath its fruit. Because u man for tho most part even to his own self is unknown : what ho may bear, or what ho may not boar, ho knoweth not : and sometimes presumed) that he may bear that which ho is not able, and sometimes despaired) of himself to bo able to bear that which he is able : there cometh up temptation like a sort of inquisition, and a man is found out by himself; because ho lay hid even to himself, but to his Maker he lay not hid. Furthermore, Peter presumed of something which in him was not yet, that Luke22,oven unto death he with the Lord Jesus Christ would persevere: his own powers Peter knew not, but tho Lord knew. That ho was not fitted replied Ho that had formed him, Ho that even to him that had been formed by Himself meet powers would give, what not yet Ho had given, knew: oo~7o''10 t'"lt n0^ yot '"1(* r(JCC'VC(l 1"I0W not : there came on ' temptation ; ho denied, wept, received. Since therefore wo know not what wo should ask, as though not having, and for what wo should givo thanks as if receiving, need there is alway that with temptations and tribulations we bo educated in this world : but troubled we cannot bo, except by those that havo been put afar off from holy men. This farncss, David among Philistines; Christ among the wicked. 57 brethren, understand ye to be of heart, not of the body. Title. For ofttimes it cometh. to pass that he that in body afar is estranged from thee, is joined to thee, because he loveth that which thou lovcst ; and ofttimes it cometh to pass that ono standing beside thee is joined to thee, because he loveth that which thou lovest : and ofttimes it cometh to pass that ono standing beside thee, because that he loveth the world, while thou lovcst God, is afar from thee. 3. What therefore ineanetli, that which to the title itself still belongeth, namely, that the Allophyli held him in Gctlt? Geth was a certain city of the Allophylid, that is, of strangers, to wit, of people afar from holy men. All they that refuse Christ for King become strangers. Wherefore strangers are they made? Because even that vine, though by Him planted, when it had become sour what heard it ? Wherefore hast Jer. 2, thou been turned into sourness, O alien vine? It hath not been said, My vine: because if Mine, sweet; if sour, not Mino ; if not Mine, surely alien. There held him, then, Allophyli in Geth. We find indeed, brethren, David him self, sou of Jesse, king of Israel, to have been in a strange land among the Allophyli, when he was being sought by Saul, and was in that city and with the king of that city, 1 Sam. but that there he was detained wo read not. Therefore our ' David, the Lord Jesus Christ out of the seed of that David, not alone they held, but there hold Him still Allophyli in Geth. Of Geth we have said that it is a city. But the interpretation of this name, if asked for, signifieth ' press.' Christ inasmuch as He is the Head, the Saviour of the Body, He that was born of a Virgin, crucified, that now to us displayeth the pattern of our resurrection in the resur rection of His flesh, that sittelh at the right hand of the Father, and for us interceded), is also here, but in His Body which is the Church. Tho Body is conjoined to tho Head thereof, tho Head for the Body is crying, Saul, Saul, why Aots 9, persecutest thou Me ? And the Head in tho Body thereof after the Apostle's saying, And together hath raised us again, Ephes. and together halh made us to sit in heavenly places. And we ' there are sitting, and Himself is here labouring; we there are sitting after hope, and He hero is with us after charity. This * The usual name of the Philistines in LXX. and Vulg. 58 The grape fruitful in pressing. Our chief enemy. Psalm, bond as it were of ono man maketh two to be in one flesh, -^v — Britlo and Bridegroom. Whonco also tho Lord Himself saith, Mat.lO, Therefore now not two, but ono flesh. How therefore hero °' is lie hold in Goth ? Hold in a winepress is His Body, that is, His Church. What is, in a winepress? In pressings. But in a wiliepross fruitful is the pressing. A grape on the vino sustainoth no pressing, whole it seemcth, but nothing thenco flowed) : it is thrown into a winepress, is trodden, is pressed; harm seemcth to bo done to the grape, but this harm is not barren; nay, if no harm had been applied, barren it would have remained. 4. Let whatsoever holy men thereforo that are suffering pressing from those that have been put afar off from tho saints, give heed to this Psalm, let thorn perceive hero them selves, let them speak what here is spoken, that suffer what here is spoken of. Surely let him that suffereth not, speak not; I bind not to the speaking, him that I see out of suffer ing. But let him bowarc, that whon ho would bo afar from suffering, ho be not put afar off from holy men. Lot each ono therefore think of his enemy ; if Christian he is, tho world to him is an enemy. Private enmities therefore let no one think of, when about to hear the words of this Psalm : Ephes. Know ye that for us the wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against princes and powers, and spiritual things of wickedness, that is, against tho devil and his angels ; be causo oven when we suffer men that annoy us, he is insti gating, ho is inflaming, as it were his vessels ho is moving. Let us givo heed therefore to two enemies, him whom wo seo, and him whom wo seo not; man wo seo, the devil wo seo not; man lot us lovo, of the dovil beware; for man pray, against the devil pray, and let us say to God, Ver. 1. Have pity on me, O Lord, for man hath trodden me down. Fear not becauso man hath trodden thee down : have thou wine, a grape thou hast become in order that thou shouldest be trodden. Have pity on me, O Lord, for man hath trodden me down: all day long warring he hath troubled me, every one that hath been put afar off from the saints. But why should not here be understood even the devil himself? Is it because mention is mado of 'man6?' • So Mss. Edd. ' because he is not called man.' Satan how called ' a man.' All the godly have troubles. 59 doth therefore the Gospel err, because it hath said, A man Veb. that is an enemy hath done this? But by a kind of figure . _*•..__ i 1 1 u l i » » i Mat. 13, may he also bo called a man, and yot not bo a man. 28. Whether therefore it was him whom ho that said these words was beholding, or whether it was tho pooplo and each ono that was put afar off from holy men, through which kind tho devil troublctli tho people of God, who cleave to holy men, who cleave to tho Holy One, who cleave to the King, at the titlo of which King being indignant they were as though . beaten back, and put afar off: let him say. Have pity on me, O Lord, for man hath trodden me down; and let him faint not in this treading down, knowing Him on Whom he is calling, and by Whose example he hath been made strong. Tho first cluster in the winefat pressed is Christ. When that cluster by passion was pressed out, there flowed that whence Is.03,3. the cup inebriating is how passing bcaut'ifull Let His Body Ps,23>5, likewise say, looking upon its Head, Have pity on me, O Lord, for man halh trodden me down : all day long warring he halh troubled me. All day long, at all times. Let no ono say to himself, There navo been troubles in our fathers' time, in our timo thoro aro not. If thou supposost thyself not to have troubles, not yet hast thou begun to be a Chris tian. And where is the voice of tho Apostle, But even a//2T(m. that will live godly in Christ, persecutions shall suffer. If ' therefore thou sufl'erest not any persecution for Christ, tako ... heed lest not yet thou hast begun godly to live in Christ. ¦•;.'. But when thou hast begun godly to live in Christ, thou hast entered into the winepress; make ready thyself for pressings: but be not thou dry, lest from the pressing nothing go forth. 5. Ver. 2. Mine enemies have trodden me down all day long. They that have been put afar off from holy men, these are mine enemies. All day long: already it hath been said, From the height1 of the day. What meaneth,'or from the height of the day? Perchance it is a high thing to depih' understand. And no wonder, becauso the height of the day it is. For pcrchanco they for this reason havo been put afar off from holy men, because they wcro not ablo to penctrato tho height of tho day, whereof tho Apostles aro twelve shining hours. Therefore they that crucified Him, as if man, in the day have erred. But why have thoy GO Man's pride is temporal. Humility safe in the end. Psalm suffered darkness, so that they should be put afar off from LV1, holy men? Because on high the day was shining, Him in l Cor. the height hidden they knew not. For if they had known, 2> 8- never the Lord of Glory would they have crucified. Therefore from this height of day starling back and put afar off from holy men, they have been made enemies, that trouble and tread down as it were a grape in a winepress. There is also another sense. From the height of the day mine enemies have trodden me down all day long, that is, at all times. From the height of the day, that is, from pride temporal. For when they tread down, high they arc : humble are they that are trodden down, high are they that tread down. But fear not the height of men treading down : of the day the height is, temporal it is, not eternal. C. Ver. 3. For many men that war against me, shall fear. Shall fear when ? When the day shall have passed away, wherein they are high. For for a lime high they arc, when the timo of their height is finished they will fear. But I in Thee will hope, 0 Lord. Ho saith not, But I will not fear : but, Many men, that war against me, shall fear. When thero Mat.21, shall bavo como that day of Judgment, then shall mourn for 30 ' ^ l themselves all the tribes of the earth. When thero shall have appeared the sign of the Son of Man in heaven, then secure shall be all holy men. For that thing shall come which they hoped for, which they longed for, the coming whereof they prayed for: but to those men no place for repentance shall remain, because in that time wherein fruit ful might have been repentance, their heart they hardened against a warning Lord. Shall they too raise up a wall against a judging God ? The godliness of this man do thou indeed acknowledge, and if in that Body thou art, imitato him. When he had said, Many men, that war against me, shall fear : he did not continue, ' But I will not fear:' lest to his own powers ascribing his not fearing, he too should be amid high temporal things, and through pride temporal he should not deserve to come to rest everlasting : rather he hath made thee to perceive whence he shall not fear. But I, he saith, in thee will hope, O Lord: he hath not spoken of his confidence: but of the cause of his confidence. For if I shall not fear, I may also by hardness of heart not fear, for Better to feel pain than to be insensible. 01 many men by too much prido fear nothing. Let your love V«b. attend. One thing is soundness of body, another thing is — '¦ — torpor of body, another thing is immortality of body. Perfect soundness indeed is immortality : but by a sort of mode of speaking, that is called soundness which wo have in this life. When ho is not sick, a man is called sound; and when tho physician hath made examination, sound ho pronouncoth him : and when any one halh begun to bo sick, that same soundness is disturbed ; and when it is healed, to the same soundness he returneth. To three states as it were of the body give heed and examine, soundness, torpor, immortality. Soundness hath no sickness, but nevertheless, when it is touched and molested, it feeleth pain. But torpor hath no pain, hath lost sense of paiu, by so much tho more insen sible as it is worse. Again, immortality hath no pain, for swallowed up is all corruption, and this corruptible hath put l Cor. on incorruplion, and this mortal hath put on immortality. 16' 6 ' There is therefore no pain in a body immortal, no pain in a body torpid. Let not a torpid man deem himself forthwith immortal : nearer immortality is the soundness of a man in pain, than the torpor of a man not feeling. Thou findest therefore a man proud in the most ex cessive vapouring, that hath persuaded himself to fear nothing : mightier dost thou deem him than that man, that saith, Without fightings, within fears: mightier than the2Cor.7, Head Himself our Lord God, Who said, Sorrowful is My Mat.2g Soul even unto death? This man is not more mighty: be38- not thou pleased with his torpor : not with immortality hath ho been clothed, but of feeling stripped. But do thou keep thy soul not without affection ; for they bavo been blamed that are without affection : and say thou with tho feeling of soundness, Who is weak, and I am not weak? who i'*Rom. i, offended, and I burn not? If to this man there reached 3 c'or- not offence, to wit tho perdition of every weak uian, while n> so. being as it wcro stiff and without pain would ho seem to bo tho better ? Far be it: torpor there would be, not calmness. Evidently, brethren, when we shall have come to that place, to that seat, to that blessedness, to an heavenly country, where our soul may be filled with security, be filled with rest and everlasting felicity, no pain there shall be ; because 62 Man may praise that which he has learned of God. Psalm cause for pain there shall not be. Many men, he saith, that — war against me, shall fear. And those very torpid men that now nothing do fear, shall fear sometime. For there shall come so great terror as shall break and crush all hardness. Many men that war against me, shall fear. But I in Thee will hope, 0 Lord. 7. Ver. 4. In God I will praise my discourses, in God ' or wilt I have1 hoped: I will not fear what flesh doeth to me. hope, "Wherefore ? Because in God I will praise my discourses. If in thyself thou praisest thy discourses : I say not that thou art not to fear; it is impossible lhat thou have not to fear. For thy discourses either false thou wilt have, and therefore thine own, because false : or if thy discourses shall be true, and thou shalt deem thyself not to have them from God, but of thyself to speak ; true they will be, but thou wilt be false : but if thou shalt have known that thou canst say nothing true in the wisdom of God, in the faith of tho Truth, save that which from Him thou hast received, of iCor.4,Whom is said, For ivhat hast thou, which thou hast not received? Then in God thou art praising thy discourses, in order that in God thou mayest be praised by the discourses of God. For if whatever in thee is of God, is honoured by thee ; thou also, having been made by God, wilt be honoured in God: but if whatever in thee is of God, thou shalt have honoured as though thine own, not of God ; in like manner as that people was put afar off- from holy men, so thou wilt be put afar off from the Holy One. Therefore, In God I will praise my discourses: it in God, wherefore mine? Both in God, and mine. In God, because from Himself: mine, because I have received. Himself halh willed them to be mine, Who hath given, by loving Him of Whom they are : because from Him to me they are, mine they have been made. For whence, Our daily bread give us this day ? How ours? How give? By asking from Him thou wilt not be empty, by confessing it to bo thine, thou wilt not bo ungrateful. For if thou say not thine, thou hast not received : again, if thou say thine, so as if from thco bo that which thou callest thine, thou losest that which thou hadst received, becauso ungrateful thou art to llim from Whom thou hadst rcceivod. In God, therefore, I will praise discourses,bccamo Hoping in God, Persecutors hate the Righteous. C3 there He is Himself the fountain of true discourses : Mine, Veb. because, thirsting, I have drawn near and have drunk. In- God I will praise my discourses, in God I have hoped, I will not fear what flesh doeth lo me. Wast thou not the same that a little before wast saying, Have pity on me, 0 Lord, for v. l. man hath trodden me down ; all day long warring he hath troubled me? How therefore here, I will not fear what flesh doeth to me ? What shall he do to thee ? Thou thyself a little before hast said, Hath trodden me down, hath troubled me. Nothing shall he do, when these things he shall do ? He hath had regard to tho wine which floweth from treading, and hath made answer, Evidently he hath trodden down, evidently hath troubled; but what to me shall he do? A grapo I was, wine I shall be: In God I have hoped, I will not fear what flesh doeth to me. 8. Ver. 5. All day long my words they abhorred. Thus they are, ye know. Speak truth, preach truth, proclaim Christ to the heathen, proclaim the Church to heretics, proclaim to all men salvation : they contradict, they abhor my words. But when my words they abhor, whom think ye they abhor, save Him in Whom I shall praise my discourses ? All day long my words they abhorred. Let this at least suffice, let them abhor words, no farther let them proceed, censure, reject ! Be it far from them ! Why should I say this ? When words they reject, when words they halo, those words which from the fount of truth flow forlh, what would they do to him through whom the very words are spoken ? what but that which followeth, Against me all the counsels of them are for evil ? If the bread itself they hate, how spare they the basket wherein it is ministered? Against me all the counsels of them are for evil. If so even against die Lord Himself, let not the Body disdain that which hath gone before in the Head, to tho end that the Body may cleave to the Head. Despised hath been thy Lord, and wilt thou have thyself be honoured by those men that have been put afar off from holy men ? Do not for thyself wish to claim that which in Him hath not gone before. The disciple Mat.io, is not greater than his Master; the servant is not greater2*' ,26, than his Lord. If the Master of the family they have called 04 Evil men sojourn in the Church, hiding what they are. Psalm Beelzebub, how much more them of His household? Against ¦ LVI' me all the counsels of (hem are for evil. 9. Vor. 0. They shall sojourn, and shall hide. To sojourn is to bo in a strange land. Sojourners is a term used of those then that live in a country not their own. Every man in this lifo is a foreigner: in which life ye soo that with flesh wo aro covered round, through which flesh the heart cannot bo iCor.4 seen. Therefore tho Apostle saith, Do not before the time 0i judge any thing, until the Lard come, and He shall en lighten the hidden things qf darkness, and shall manifest the thoughts of the heart; and then praise shall be to each one from God. Before that this be done, in this sojourning of fleshly life every one carrieth his own heart, and every heart to every other heart is shut. Furthermore, those men of whom the counsels are against this man for evil, shall sojourn, and shall hide : because in this foreign abode they arc, and carry flesh, they hide guile in heart ; whatsoever of ovil they think, they hide. Wherefore ? Because as yet this lifo is a foreign one. Let them hide; that shall appear which they hide, and thoy too will not be hidden. Thero is also in this hidden thing another interpretation, which pcrchanco will bo more approved of. For out of those men that have been put afar off from holy men, thero creep in certain false brethren, and they cause worse tribulations to dip Body of Christ; becauso they arc not altogether avoided as if entirely aliens. From these same men the Apostle, calling to mind weightier perils, when he was enumerating 3 Cor. many sufferings of his, and was saying, By perils qf rivers, ll> 26, by perils qf robbers, by perils from mine own people, by perils from the nations, by perils in the city, by perils in the desert, by perils in the sea: by perils, he saith, in false brethren. Thcso men are exceeding dangerous, of whom P*.41,o.is suid in another Psalm, And they were entering in, in order that they might see. They were entering in, in order that thoy might seo, and no ono snith, Go not in to see. For ho goelh in as though thine, ho is not guarded against as an alien, Those men, therefore, shall sojourn and shall hide. For thus they go into tho grout house, not thero to abide ; therefore they shall sojourn. For such sinners the Our Lord bore with Judas for our example. 65 Lord willing to be considered as servants, after that Gospel Veb. interpretation, whereby Every one that doeth sin is the John' - • servant of sin, saith, The servant abideth not in the house 34. for ever: but the Son abideth for ever. He that goeth in as a son, will not sojourn, because he shall continue even unto Mat. 10, the end : he that goeth in as a servant, deceitful, sinful, to 13#' ' the eye giving heed, seeking what he may carry off, seeking what he may accuse, or what he may find fault with, in order to sojourn goeth in, not to inhabit and continue. Not even those men nevertheless let us fear, brethren : (ver. 4.) In God I have hoped, I will not fear what flesh doeth to me. Even if they sojourn, even if they go in, even if they feign, even if they hide, flesh they are: do thou in the Lord hope, nothing to theo shall flesh do. But he bringeth in tribulation, bringeth in treading down. There is added wine, becauso the grape is pressed: thy tribulation will not bo unfruitful: another sceth thec, imitateth thee : becauso thou also in order that thou mightest learn to bear such a man, to thy Head hast looked up, that first cluster, unto whom there halh come in a man that he might see, hath sojourned, and hath hidden, to wit, the traitor Judas. All men, therefore, that with false heart go in, sojourning and hiding, do not thou fear: the father of these same men, Judas, with thy Lord hath been : and He indeed knew him ; alth'dugh Judas the traitor was sojourning and hiding, nevertheless, the heart of him was open to the Lord of all': knowingly He chose one man, whereby He might give comfort to thee that wouldcst not know whom thou shouldest avoid. For He might have not chosen Judas, because He knew Judas : for He saith to His disciples, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one John 0, out of you is a devil ? Therefore even a devil was chosen. ^°- Or if chosen ho was not, how is it that Ho hath chosen twclvo and not rather eleven ? Chosen oven ho is, but for another purpose. Chosen wcro eleven for tho work of probation, chosen one for the work of temptation. Whence could He give an example to thee, that wouldest not know what men thou shouldest avoid as evil, of what men thou shouldest beware as false and artificial, sojourning and hiding, except He say to thee, Behold, 1 Oxf. Mss. ' Guilty before the Lord.' VOL. III. F 00 False witnesses prevail for a time. Malicious observers. P*alm with Mysolf I have had one of those very men ! There hath LVI' gone before an example, I have borne, to suffer I bavo willed that which I know, in order that to thco knowing not I might give consolation. That which to Mo ho hath done, tho Mittno ho will do to thoo also; in order that he may bo ablo to do much, in order that ho may niako much havoc, ho will nccuse, falso charges ho will allege. Suppose fulso- 1 al. hoods ' prevail ; shall they any wiso against theo prevail, w" and against Mo not have prevailed ? Against Mo surely notes they huvc prevailed, but heaven from Mo they have not taken. His flesh when buried had falso witnesses to endure: Mat.20, too little it was to suffer then in the judgment, lie suffered 60 them in the tomb. They received money to speak falsely ; Mat.28, they said, When we were sleeping, there came His disciples and took Him away. Furthermore, so blind were the Jews, that thoy believed a saying altogether incredible : they bolioved witnesses sleeping. Either it was false that they slept, and lying men they should not have believed : or it was true that they slept, and that which wiih done they knew not. Thoy shall sojourn and shall /title, Lot them sojourn and hide, to do what? In Gud I have hoped, I will not fear what Jlesh doeth to mo. 10. Ver. 0. These same moil shall mark my heel. For they shull sojourn and hide in such sort, that they may mark whero a man slipped). Intent they arc upon the heel, to see when a slip may chance to bo made; in order that they may detain tho foot for a fall, or trip up tho foot for a stumble ; certes that they may find that which they may accuse. And what man so walketh, that no where he slipped) ? For example, how speedily is a slip made even in tongue? Jam. 3, For it is written, Whosoever in tongue slumblelh not, (he same is a perfect man. What man I pray would dare himself to call or deem perfect ? Therefore it must needs bo that every ono slip in tongue. But let them that shall so journ and shall hide, car]) at all words, socking somewhere to make snares and knotty falso accusations, wherein they are themselves entangled before thoso whom they strive to entangle : in order that thoy may themselves bo taken and perish before that they catch other men in order to destroy them. For a man runneth back unto his heart, and thence A slip does not prove a teacher useless. 07 runneth back to God, and knoweth bow to say, //* God I will Veb, limine uiy ilhomwm, WlKUover good thing I liuvo sold, ¦='-— whatever Uuo thing 1 have said, of God I have Said il, and from God have said it: whatever other thing perchance I have said, which to have said I ought not, as a man I have said, but under God I have said. He that strengthened] ono walking, doth menace one straying, forgive ono acknowledg ing, recalleth the tongue, recalleth him that slipped. For a Prov.24, just man seven times shall fall, and shall rise again ; but ' ungodly men shall be made weak in evil things. Let not therefore any one of us fear cunning pursuers, carpers at words, tellers almost of syllables, and breakers of command ments. Ho is minding what in thoc ho may convict; in order to believe in Christ through thee, ho is not minding. Attend thou unto tho discourses of him whom thou blamcst, whether perchance ho may teach thco something to thy health. And what, ho saith, shall he be able to teach to my health, that hath so slipped in word ? This very thing per chance ho is teaching thee to thy health, that thou be not a carper at words, but a gatherer of precepts. Themselves shall mark my heel. 11. As my soul hath undergone. I speak of that which I have undergone. He was speaking as one experienced : As my soul halh undergone. They shall sojourn and hide. Let my soul undergo all men, men without barking, mon within hiding, let it undergo. From without coining, liko a river cometh temptation : on the Rock let it find thco, let it strike Matt,r, against, not throw theo down ; tho house hath been founded25, upon a Rock. Within ho is, ho shall sojourn and hide : suppose chaff is near thee, lot tlioro como in tho treading of oxen, let thero como in tho roller of temptations; thou art cleansed, the other is crushed. 12. As my soul halh undergone: (ver. 7.) for nothing Thou shall save them. He halh taught us even for these very men to pray. However they shall sojourn and hide, however deceitful they be, however dissemblers and Hers in wait they be ; do thou pray for them, and do not say, Shall God amend even such a man, so evil, so perverse ? Do not despair: give heed to Him Whom thou askest, not him for whom thou askest. The greatness of the disease seest thou, 1'2 • • 08 Men converted and saved without merits going before. Psalm the might of the Physician seest thou not ? They shall LVI' sojourn and hide: as my soul halh undergone. Undergo, pray: and there is done what? For nothing Thou shalt save them. Thou shalt make them safe so as that nothing to Theo it may be, that is, so that no labour to Thee it may be. With men they are despaired of, but Thou with a word dost heal ; Thou wilt not toil in healing, though we arc astounded in looking on. There is another sense in this verse, For nothing Thou shalt save them: with not any I Tim. merits of their going before Thou shalt save them. / that ' before was a blasphemer, he saith, and a persecutor, and Acts 9, injurious; he received letters in order that wherever he might find Christians, he might bind and lead away. Certes in order that he might bind and lead away, at first he was sojourn ing and was hiding. Therefore of this man not any good merits had gone before, nay, such things had gone before on account of which he would be condemned : nothing of good he brought in, and saved was he. For nothing Thou shalt save them. They shall not bring to Thee he-goats, rams, bulls, not gifts and spices shall they bring Thee in Thy temple, not any thing of the drink-offering of a good conscience do they pour thereon ; all in them is rough, all foul, all to be detested: and though they to Thee bring nothing whereby they may be saved ; For nothing Thou shalt save them, that is, with the free gift of Thy Grace. L°le23> What had that robber brought to the cross? From the "fauce,' lurking place' to the judgment, from the judgment unto the •Valce ' lree' nom tne tree unt0 Paradise. ' He believed, whcre- ' the t fore he spake.' But even that very faith who did give, but Ph. uc, He that beside him hung? For nothing Tliou shalt save 10- ' them. 13. In anger the peoples Thou shalt bring down. Thou art angry and dost bring down, dost rage and save, dost terrify and call. For what is, In anger the peoples Tliou shall bring down? Thou fillest with tribulations all things, in order that being set in tribulations men may fly to Thee, lest by pleasures and a wrong security they be seduced. From Thee anger is seen, but that of a father. A father is angry with a son, the despiser of his injunctions: being angry with him he boxeth him, striketh, pulleth tho ear, Some ' tell out their life' to win souls to God. 00 with hand draggclh,to school leadeth. In anger the peoples Vkb. 7'/jom shall bring down. How many men liavo entered, — , how many mon bavo filled tho House of the Lord, in tho anger of Him brought down, that is, by tribulations terrified and with faith filled ? For to this end tribulation stirrcth up ; in order to empty the vessel which is full of wickedness, so as that it may bo filled with graco. In anger the peoples Thou shall bring down. H. Vor. 8. O God, my life I have told out to Thee. For that I livo hath boon Thy doing, and for this reason I toll out my lifo to Thco. But did not God know that which Ho had given? What is that which, thou tollest out to Him? Will thou teach God ? Fur bo it. Therefore why saith he, I have told out lo Thee? Is it porchanco becauso it profitclh Theo that I have told out my life ? And what doth it profit God? To tho advantage of God it doth profit. I have told out lo God my lifo, because that lifo hath been God's doing. In liko manner as. his lifo Paul tho Apostlo did tell out, saying, / that before was a blasphemer and a 1 Tim. persecutor and injurious, ho shall toll out his lifo. But ' ' mercy I have obtained. Ho hath told out his life, not for himself but for Him : because he hath told it out in such sort, that in Him men believo, not for his own advantages, but for the advantages of Him. For what saith that samo Paul ? Therefore Christ hath died, and halh risen, in order 2 Cor. that he thai tivelh, no more for himself may live, but for Him S(|0 that for all men hath died. If therefore thou livest, and*10"- livest not by thyself, because that thou shouldest livo Ho ' hath granted : tell out thy life, not for thyself, but for Him ; not thine own things seeking, not for thyself living, but for Him That for all men hath died. For of certain reprobate men what saith the same Apostle ? For all men seek their Philip. own things, not the things which are of Christ Jesus. If ' ' for this reason thou tellest out thy life, in order that it may profit thee, and other men it may not profit; for thyself thou tellost it out, not for God ; but if so thou tellest out thy life, in order that other men also thou mayest invite to receive life, which thou too hast received, thou tellest out thy life to Him from Whom thou hast received, and thou shall have a reward moro ample, because even out of that which thou 70 He that would put himself first falls into error. Psalm hast received, not ungrateful thou hast shewn thyself. O God, my life I have told out lo Thee. Thou hast put my tears in Thy sxgltt. Thou hast hearkened to mc imploring Thee. As also in Thy promise. Because as Thou hadst promised this thing, so Thou hast done. Thou hast said- Thou wouldest hearken to one weeping. I have believed, I have wept, I have been hearkened unto ; I have found Thee merciful in promising, true in repaying. As also in Thy promise. 15. Ver. 9. Turned be mine enemies backward. This thing to these very men is profitable, no ill to these men he is wishing. For to go before they are willing, therefore to be amended they are not willing. Thou warnest thine enemy to live well, that he amend himself: he scorned), he rejecteth thy word: " Behold him that adviseth me; behold him from whom I am to hear tho commandments whereby I shall live !" To go before thee he willeth, and in going before is not amended. He mindeth not that thy words are not thine, he mindeth not that tliy life to God thou tellest out, not to thyself. In going before therefore he is not amended : it is a good thing for him that ho be turned backward, and follow him whom to go before ho willed. Tho Lord to His disciples was speaking of His Passion that Mat.io, was to be. Peter shuddered, and saith, Far be it, O Lord, 22- there shall not be done this thing: ho that a littlo before had said, Thou art (he Christ, Son if the living God, having confessed God, feared lor Him to die, as if but a man. But the Lord Who so came that He might suffer, (for wo could not otherwise be saved unless with His blood we were redeemed,) a little before had praised the confession of Peter, Mat. 16, and had said, Because to thee flash and blood hath not 17- 18- revealed this thing, but My Father Which is in the heavens; therefore thou art Peter, and upon this Rock I will build My Church, and the gales of hell shall not overcome Her: and to thee I icill give the keys of the kingdom of Heaven. See ye after what sort He followed up a con fession true, godly, full of confidence, because he said, Thou art the Christ, Son of the living God. But immediately when the. Lord begiuneth to speak of His Passion, he feared lest He should perish by death, whereas we ourselves should perish unless lie died; and he saith, Far be it, O Lord, this How the God of all is especially His People's God. 7 1 thing shall not be done. And the Lord, to him to whom a Veb. little before He had .said, Blessed thou art, and upon this — - — Bock I will build My Church, saith, Go back behind, Satan, Mat.16, an offence thou art lo Me. Why therefore Satan is he, that23' a little before was blessed, and a Rock ? For thou savourest not the things which are qf God, He saith, but those things which are of man, A little before [he savoured] the things which are of God : " because not flesh and blood hath revealed to thee, but My Father Which is in tho Heavens." When in God he was praising his discourse, not Salan but Peter, from pelra : but when of himself and out of human infirmity, carnal love of man, which would bo for an impediment lo his own salvation, and that of the rest, Satan he is called. Why? Because to go before the Lord ho willed, and to the Leader heavenly, earthly counsel to give. Far be it, 0 Lord, this thing shall not be done. Thou sayest, Far be it. and thou sayest, 0 Lord : surely if Lord He is, in power He doeth : if Master He is, He knoweth what He doeth, He knoweth what He teacheth : but thou wiliest to lead thy Leader, teach thy Master, command thy Lord, choose for God: much thou goest before, go back behind. Did not this too profit these enemies ? Turned be Mine enemies backward; but let them not remain backward. For this reason let them be turned backward, lest they go before; but so that they follow, not so that they remain. Turned be Mine enemiesi backward. 10. Ver. 9. In whatsoever day I shall have called upon Thee, behold I have known that my God art Thou. A great knowledge. He saith not, I have known that God Thou art: but, That my God art Thou. For thine He is, when thee He succoureth : thine He is, when thou to Him art not an alien. Whence is said, Blessed the people of whom is the pg. 144, Lord the God of the same. Wherefore of whom is ? For of16, whom is He not ? Of all things indeed God Ho is : but of those men the God peculiarly He is said to be, that love Him, that hold Him, that possess Hiin, that worship Him, as though be longing to His own House : the great family of Him are they, redeemed by the great blood of the Only Son. How great a thing hath God given to us, that His own we should be, and He should be ours ! But in truth foreigners afar have been put from holy men, sons alien they are. See what of them 7'2 God gives outward things to all, Himself to His ovm. Psalm is said in another Psalm : O Lord, deliver me, he saith, from LYI- the hand qf alien sons, of whom the mouth hath spoken n—15.' vanity, and the right hand of them is a right hand of iniquity. And see the height of these same; but it is ' the height of the day,' that is, pride temporal. Of whom their sons, he saith, are as young plants firmly rooted, the daughters of them adorned as the similitude of a temple. The felicity of the present world he is describing, wherein men erring, and counting it as some great matter, the felicity true and everlasting seek not. Thence therefore theso aro sons alien, not sons of God: Of whom their sons, he saith, are as young plants firmly rooted, their daughters adorned as the similitude of a temple: their yar iters full, belching forth out of this unto this: their oxen fat, their sheep fruitful, multiplying in their goinys out : there is not falling of wall, nor going over, nor cry in the streets of them. And what followoth ? Blessed (hey have called (he people (o whom these things are. But who bavo called them? Sons alien, of whom the mouth hath spoken vanity. Thou, what sayest thou ? Blessed the people, of whom the Lord is the God of I he same. He hath taken from among thorn all other things which God giveth, and hath given God Himself. For all those things, brethren, of which the sons alien have made mention, God giveth; but even to aliens He giveth, but even Mat. 6, to evil men giveth, but oven to blasphemers giveth, He that makcth His sun lo rise upon good men and upon evil men, and raineth upon j'tist men. and upon unjust men. Some times these things lo good men Ho giveth, sometimes giveth not: and to evil men sometimes giveth, sometimes giveth not: for good nicii however Ho keepeth Himself, but for evil men lire everlasting. Thero is therefore an evil thing which Ho giveth not to good men, and there is a good thing which lie giveth not to evil men : thero are certain middlo things, both good things and evil things, which He giveth both to good men and to evil men. 17. Let us therefore lovo God, brethren, purely and chastely. Thero is not a chasto heart, if God for reward it worshipped). How so? Reward of the worship of God shall not we have? We shall bavo evidently, but it is God Himself Whom wo worship. Himself for us a reward shall He must be loved freely, not for outward rewards. 73 be, because we shall see Him as He is. Observe that a Veb. reward' thou shalt obtain. To His lovers our Lord Jesus— =4 — 1 John Christ saith what ? He that loveth Me, keepeth My com- 3, 2. mandments ; and he that loveth Me, shall be loved of My ^mf" Father, and I will love him. What therefore wilt Thou give John 14, him ? And Twill manifest Myself to him. If thou lovest not, too little it is : if thou lovest, if thou sighest, if freely thou worshippest Hiin, by Whom freely thou hast been bought ; for thou hadst not deserved of Hiin that He should redeem thee ; if upon consideration of His benefits towards thee thou sighest, and unquiet hast thy heart with longing for Him; do not beside Him ask any thing from Him, He is Himself sufficient for thee. Howsoever covetous thou art, sufficient for thee is God. For avarice sought to possess the whole earth, add also Heaven : more is He that hath made heaven and earth. I will tell you, brethren : in these human alliances consider a chaste heart, of what sort it is towards God: certainly human alliances are of such sort, that a man doth not love his wife, that loveth her because of her portion : a woman her husband doth not chastely love, that for theso reasons loveth him, because something he hath given, or because much he hath given. Both a rich man is a husband, and one that hath become a poor man is a husband. How many men proscribed, by chaste wives have been the more beloved ! Proved have been many chaste marriages by the misfortunes of husbands: that tho wives might not be supposed to love any other object more than their husband, not only have they not forsaken, but the more have they obeyed. If therefore a husband of flesh freely is loved, if chastely he is loved ; and a wife of flesh freely is loved, if chastely she is loved; in what manner must God be loved, the true and truth-speaking Husband of the soul, making fruitful unto the offspring of everlasting life, and not suffering us to be barren? Him, therefore, so let us love, as that any other thing besides Himself be not loved: and there takes place in us that which we have spoken of, that which we have sung, because even here the voice is ours: In whatsoever day I shall have called upon Thee, behold, I have known that my God art Thou. This is to call upon God, freely to call upon Him. Furthermore, of certain men 71 Unreal hopes and fears. What we can render to God. imalm hath been said what? Upon the Lord they have not called. JbLL Tho Lord they seemed as it wore to call unto themselves; and ''thoy besought Hint about inheritances, about increasing money, about lengthening this life, about the rest of temporal things: and concerning them tho Scripture saith what? Upon the Lord thoy have not culled. Therefore thero followcth what ? There they have feared with fear, whero there was no fear. What is, where there was no fear ? Lest money should bo stolon from them, lest any thing in their house should bo niado less ; lastly, lost they should have less of years in this life, than they hoped for them selves: but thero have thoy trembled with four, where thero Johnil,wus no fear. Such men they aro as were thoso Jews: If we 4Vl shall have let Him live, there will come the Romans, and will lake away from ms both place and nation. There they have feared a fear, where there was no fear. Behold, I have known that my God art Thou. Great riches of heart, great light of the eye interior, great confidence of security ! Behold, I have known that my God art Thou. 18. Ver. 10. In God I will praise the word, in the Lord I will praise the discourse : (ver. 1 1 .) in God I have hoped, I will not fear what man doeth unto me. Now this is tho 'v. 4. very sense which above1 hath been repeated. 10. Vor. 12. In me, 0 God, are Thy vows, which I will Ps. 70, render of praise lo Thee. " Vow yo, and render to the Lord your God." What vow, what render? Perchunco thoso animals which were offered at tho altars aforetime? No such thing offer thou : in thyself is what thou mayest vow and render. From the heart's coffer bring forth the incense of praise; from the store of a good conscience bring forth the sacrifice of faith. Whatsoever thing thou bringest forth, kindle with love. In thyself be the vows, which thou mayest render of praise to God. Of what praise? For what hath Ho granted thco? (Ver. 13.) For Thou hast resetted my soul from death. This is that very lifo which ho telletli out v. 8. to Him: 0 God, my l{fe I have told out to Thee. For 1 was what? Dead. Through myself I was dead: through Theo I am what ? Alivo. Therefore in me, 0 God, are Thy votes, which I will render of praise to Thee, Behold I lovo my God: no ono doth tour Him from mo: thut Satan cannot, rob us of our acceptable offerings. 75 which to Him I may give, no one doth tear from me, Ver. becauso in tho heart it is shut up. With reason is said with that former confidence, What should man do unto me?y-\i< Lot man rago, let him bo permitted to rage, bo permitted to accomplish that which ho uttomplcth : what is ho lo tako away ? Gold, silver, cattle, mon servants, maid sorvants, estates, houses, lot him tako away all things: doth ho by any means take away tho vows, which aro in mc, which I may render of praise to God? Tho tempter was permitted Job l, to tempt a holy man, Job ; in ono moment of time he took ' away all things: whatever, of possessions he had had, ho carried off: took away inheritance, slew heirs ; aud this not little by little, but in a crowd, at one blow, at one swoop, so that all things were on a sudden announced : when all was taken away, alone there remained Job, but in him wcro vows of praise, which ho might render to God, in him evidently there were : the coffer of his holy breast tho thieving devil had not rifled, full he was of that wherc- from ho might sacrifice. Hear what he had, hear what ho brought forth: 'The Lord halh given, the Lord halh taken Job l, away; as hath pleased the Lord, so hath been done: be the name qf the Lord blessed. O riches interior, whither thief doth not draw near! God Himself had given that whereof He was receiving ; He had Himself enriched hiin with that whereof to Him he was offering that which He loved. Praise from thee God required], thy confession God required]. But from thy field wilt thou give any thing ? He hath Himself rained in order that thou mayest have. From thy coffer wilt thou give any thing ? He hath Himself put in that which thou art to give. What wilt thou give, which from Him thou bast not received ? For what hast thou which l Cor.4., thou hast not received ? From the heart wilt thou give ? ' He too hath given faith, hope, and charity : this thou must bring forth : this thou must sacrifice. But evidently all the other things the enemy is able to take away against thy will ; this to tako away he is not able, unless thou be willing. Thoso things a man will loso even against his will: and wishing to have gold, will lose gold ; and wishing to have house, will lose house : faith no one will lose, except him that shall have despised her. 70 Job's trial, whether he served God for love. Psalm 20. In me, O God, are Thy vows, which I will render of - - praise to Thee: (ver. 13.) because Thou hast rescued my soul from death, mine eyes from tears, and my feet from slipping: that I may be pleasing before God in the light of the living. With reason ho is not pleasing to alien sons, that aro put afar off from holy men, because they have not the light of tho living, whence .they may see that which to God is pleasing. Light of the living, is light of tho immortal, light of holy men. Ho that is not in darkness, is pleasing in tho light of tho living. A man is observed, and tho things which belong to him; no ono knoweth of what sort he is: God seeth of what sort ho is. Sometimes even tho devil himself he escaped) ; except he tempt, ho findeth not: just as concerning that man of whom just now I have made mention. God knew him, and bore witness to him : the devil knew him not, and therefore had said, Doth Job by any means worship God for nought ? See to what a proof the enemy challengeth : there is perfection. See what the enemy throweth out for reproach : he saw a man serving God, in all things obeying, all things doing well; and because a rich man he was, and his house most prosperous, this thing he throweth out for reproach, that for this reason ho worshipped] God, because lie had given to him all thoso Job 1, things: Doth Job by any means worship God for nought? For this was true light, this tho light of tho living, that gratis ho should worship God. God saw in the heart of His servant His gratuitous worship. For that heart was pleasing in tho sight of the Lord in the light of tho living: tho devil's sight he escaped, because in darkness he was. God admitted the tempter, not in order that He might Himself know that which He did know, but in order that to us to be known and imitated He might set it forth. Admitted was the tempter ; he took away every thing, there remained the man bereft of possessions, bereft of family, bereft of children, full of God. Job 2, A wife certainly was left. Merciful do ye deem the devil, that he left him a wife r He knew through whom he had deceived Adam. He had left a help-mate for himself, not a comforter for the husband. He, therefore, being full of God, in whom vows there were, which he might render of praise, in order that he might shew that gratis he did worship God, not Being in Light, we may hope for those yet in darkness. 77 because so groat things ho had received ; even with the loss Vbb. of all things was a man of such sort, because Him that had — -L_ givon all things, he lost not: The Lord hath given, ho saith, Job l, the Lord hath taken away; as halh pleased the Lord, so21' hath been done: be the Name of the Lord blessed. More over, with wound smitten from head oven unto foot, whole nevertheless within, ho made answer to the woman templing, out of tho light of tho living, out of tho light of his heart > thou hast spoken as though one of the unwise women, that Jobs, is, as though one that hath not tho light of the living. For 10, the light of the living is wisdom, and the darkness of unwise men is folly. Thou hast spoken as though one of the unwise women: my flesh thou seest, the light of my heart thou seest not. For she then might more have loved her husband, if tho interior beauty she had known, and had beheld tho placo whore he was beautiful before the eyes of God : be causo in Him wcro vows which ho might render of praise to God. How entirely the enemy had forborne to invado that patrimony! How wholo was that which ho was possessing, and that because of which yet more to bo possessed ho hoped for, being to go on from virtues unto virtue. Thorefore, P«.84,J\ brethren, to this end let all theso things servo us, that God gratis we love, in Him hope always, neither man nor devil fear. Neither the one nor the other doeth any thing, except when it is permitted : permitted for no other reason can it be, except because it doth profit us. Let us endure evil men, let us be good men : because even we have been evil. Even as nothing' God shall save men, of whom wo dare to'Pr° despair. Therefore of no ono let us despair, for all mon whom wo suffer lot us pray, from God lot lis ncvor depart. Our patrimony lot Jlim bo, our hopo let Him bo, our safety lot Him bo. Ho is Himself hero a comfortor, thoro a rc- muncrator, every where Maker-alive, and of lifo tho Giver, not of another lifo, but of that wliorcof hath been said, / am JohnH, (he Way, and the Truth, and the Lifo : in order that both ' hero in tho light of faith, and there in tho light of sight, as it were in tho light of tho living, in tho sight of tho Lord wo may be pleasing. 78 Our Lord the Example for our Love. He can be followed. Lat. PSALM LVI1. LVI. EXPOSITION'. 1. We have heard in the Gospel just now, brethren, how loveth us our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, God with tho ' clroa Father, Man with us, out of our own selves, now at1 tho right hand of the Father; ye have heard how much He loveth us. For the measure of His own love He hath even Himself prescribed, and upon us hath laid it, saying that Jolmi3, His commandment is, that we should love one another. And that we should not inquire doubting and fretting how much we ought to love one another, and how much that perfect love is which is pleasing to God, (for that is perfect than which greater there cannot be,) He hath Himself John 15, expressed, hath taught, and He saith, Greater love than 13* this no one hath, than that a man should lay down his life for his friends. He hath Himself done that which He taught; the Apostles have done that which from Him they learned, and by us that it bo done they have preached. Let us also do thus; becauso even if we are not what lie was, in respect of this, that He created us, what lie was nevertheless we are, in respect of that which He was made because of us. And if He alone had done, perchance no one of us ought to dare to imitate Him : for in such sort He was Man, as that God also He was : but in that Man He was, servants have imitated Lord, and disciples Master; and they have done that have gone before us in. His own Family, our fathers indeed, but nevertheless our fellow-servants ; nor would God command that we should do this, if impossible He judged it, that this by man should be done. But considering thy weakness, dost thou faint under the command ? be comforted in the example. But even the example for thee is a great thing. Thero is present He that furnished tho example, to furnish also aid. Let us hear therefore in this Psalm ; for • Sermon to the Commonalty. Christ the End, in the sense of Perfection. 70 opportunely it chanceth, even by His provision, that there- Titlb. with doth harmonize tho Gospel, which commended) to us the love of Christ, Who His life hath laid down for us, in l John order that we also our lifo for tho brethren should lay down.'' It halh accorded and harmonized with this Psalm, so that we may seo in what manner our Lord Himself His life hath laid down for us. For this Psalm the Passion of tho Same doth sing. And since whole Christ is Head and Body, which truth well ye know I doubt not: the Head is our Saviour Himself, Who suffered under Pontius Pilate; WhoMut.27, now after that He hath risen again from the dead, is sitting m'^ at the right hand of the Father: but the Body of Him is the ]|*i '9- Church, not this or that, but in the whole world spread { 23.' abroad ; nor that only which now is among men that are living in tho present life, but in those also belonging to it, that have been before us, and in those that aro to be after us, even unto the end of the world. For the whole Church consisting of all faithful men, because all faithful men are members of Christ, hath that Head established in the Heavens that governed) His Body : and if separated II is in sight, yet joined It is in love. Because therefore whole Christ is Head and Its Body, therefore in all the Psalms let us so hear tho words of the Head, as that wo hear also the words of the Body. For He would not speak separately, because He would not bo separated, saying, Behold, with yow Mat.28, / am even unto the consummation qf the world. If with us He is, He speaketh in us, speaketh of us, speaketh through us ; because we also speak in Him : and therefore the truth we speak, because in Him we speak. For whenever in our selves and out of ourselves we shall have willed to speak, in a lie we shall remain. 2. Becauso then this Psalm is singing of the Passion of tho Lord, see what is the title that it hath : at the end. The end is Rom. Christ. Why hath He been called end ? Not as one that con- 10' 4* sumeth, but one that consummated]. For to consume, is to destroy: to consummate, to perfect. For whatever we speak of as ended, from the word ' end' we derive our expression. But in one sense we say, the bread hath been ended; in another sense we say, the coat hath been ended: there halh been ended the bread which was being eaten, there hath been ended the 80 David, the chosen King, persecuted by rejected Saul. Psalm coat which was being woven : the bread then hath been LVI1, ended so that it is consumed ; tho coat hath been ended so that it is perfected; the end therefore of our purpose is Christ : because however much we attempt, in Him we are made perfect, and by Him are made perfect, and this is our perfection, that unto Him we come home : but when unto Him thou shalt have come home, more thou seekest not ; thy end Ho is. For in like manner tho end of thy life is the placo whilhcr thou art tending, to which when thou shalt have arrived, then thou wilt stay: so the end of thy study, of thy purpose, of thy attempt, of thy intention, is He to Whom thou art tending, unto Whom when thou shalt have como home, more thou wilt not desire, because nothing better thou wilt have. Ho therefore Himself both an example of living to us hath set forth in ibis life, and the reward of living lie will give us in a future life. 1 0. At the end, corrupt not, for David himself, for the inscription of the title; when he fled from the face of Saul into a cavern. We referring to holy Scripture, do find indeed how holy David, lhat king of Israel, from whom too the Psalter of David hath received the name thereof, had suffered for persecutor Saul the king of his own people, as many of you know that have cither read or have heard tho Scriptures. King David had then for persecutor Saul: and whereas the ono was most gentle, the other most ferocious : the one mild, the other envious ; the one patient, the other cruel; the one beneficent, the other ungrateful: he endured l Sam. him with so much mildness, that when he had gotten him 24, 4.7. jnt0 his hands, him he touched not, hurt not. For David himself received power from the Lord God, so that if he would he might have killed Saul : and he chose to spare rather than to slay. But the other, not even by such a benefit was overcome, so as to cease to persecute. We find therefore at that time, when Saul was persecuting David, tho king now rejected pursuing tho future and predestinated king, that David himself fled from tho face of Saul into a cavern. What reference hath this to Christ? J f all things which then wore being done, wcro figures of things future, wo find there Christ, and by fur in the greatest degree. For this, corrupt not for the inscription of the title, I seo not The ' Title,' at the Crucifixion, kept lo shame the Jews. 81 how it belongeth to that David. For not any title was Title. inscribed over David himself which Saul would corrupt. But wo see in the Passion of the Lord that there had been written a title, King of the Jews: in order that ibis title Mat.27, might put to the blush these very men, seeing that from j0*hnIf) their King they withheld not their hands. For in 4hcm ,9> Saul was, in Christ David was. For Christ, as saith the Apostolic Gospel, is, as we know, as we confess, of the seed Ttom. l, of David after the flesh ; for after the G°dhcad He is above jiatt ( David, above all men, above heaven and earth, above angels, '• above all things visible and invisible ; because all things through Him were made, and without Him was not any John 1, thing made : nevertheless, having deigned to be made Man3- out of the seed of David, to us He came; because of the Luke l, tribe of David He was born, whence the Virgin Mary who2"2'4, bore Christ. The title therefore inscribed is this, King of Johnl9, the Jews. Saul, as we said, was the people of the Jews; ' David was Christ. The Jews were indignant, because there had been inscribed for title, King of the Jews : it shamed them Him lo have for King Whom to crucify they were able. For they saw not that the very Cross, whereon they nailed Him, would be on die brows of kings. When therefore they were indignant because of that title, they went to Pilate the judge, to whom they had given up Christ to be slain; and they said to him, Write not so, King of the Jews, but write that He said Himself thai He was King of the Jews. And because already it had been sung through the Holy Spirit, Unto lheend,corritpl not,for the inscription of the title: Pilate answered them, What I have written, I have written : Johnio, why do ye suggest to me falsehood ? I corrupt not truth. 4. We have heard what meaneth, corrupt not for the inscription of the title. What therefore is, When he fled from the face of Said into a cavern ? Which thing indeed the former David also did : but because in him we find not 1 Sam. the inscription of the tide, in the latter let us find the flight24'3- into the. cavern. For that cavern wherein David hid himself did figure somewhat. But wherefore hid he himself? It was in order that he might be concealed and not be found. What is to be hidden in a cavern ? To be hidden in earth. For he that fleeth into a cavern, with earth is covered so that VOL. in. o 82 How Our Lord ' hid Himself in a cave.' Phalm ho may not bo seen. But Jesus did carry earth, flesh which L.VIf: Ho had received from earth : and in it Ho conccalod Him self, in order that by Jews Ho might not bo discovered as iCor.2,God. For if they had known, never the Lord of glory 8* would they have crucified. Why therefore the Lord of glory found they not? Because in a cavern He had hidden Himself, that is, tho flesh's weakness to their cyos He presented, but tho Majesty of tho Godhead in the body's 'clothing, as though in a hiding-place of die earth, He hid. They therefore, not knowing tho God, crucified tho Man. " Neither die could He except in Man; nor be crucified could Ho except in Man; because not even held could I lobe except in Man. He offered to men wrongly seeking, earth ; llo kept for men rightly seeking, life. He fled therefore after tho flesh into a cavern from the face of Saul. But if this also thou wouldest understand in this way ; »to wit, that the Lord fled from the face of Saul, because He suffered; even unto that point Ho concealed Himself from the Jews, as actually to die. For however much the Jews were raging against Iliiii, until, He died, they still were thinking that He might be delivered, and shew by some miracle that lie was tho Son of God. This thing foretold hud been in the book of WW, 2, Wisdom: With death most shame fill let us condemn llimi 20 18 ' for there shall be respect to Hint tml of His ditcoiirse ; for if truly Son of God lie is, lie will take Him up and ¦it ill deliver Hiin from the hands of adversaries, Becauso therefore Ho was being crucified, and was not delivered, they believed Him not to bo Son of God. Wherefore reviling Him hanging on tho Tree, anil shaking their head, Mut.27,thoy did say to Him, If Son of God Thou art, come down ' from the Cross. Oilier men He hath saved, Himself to save He is not able. These words they wore saying as it is in the Wlwl.2,samo book of Wisdom, these things they thought and erred; for there blinded them their malice. For what great matter was it from the Cross to come down, to Hiin, for Whom an easy thing it was from the Tomb to rise again ? But where fore even unto death willed He to be patient? It was in order thut Ho might floo from the face of Saul into a cavern. For a cavern may bo understood as u lower part of ibo earth. And certainly, as is manifest uud certain to all, Our Lord with true human Soul prayed for mercy. 8d His Body in a Tomb was laid, which was cut out in a Ver. Rock. This Tomb therefore was the Cavern; thither He — ' — fled from the face of Saul. For so long the Jews did persecute Him, even until He was laid in a cavern, Whence prove we that so long they persecuted II im, until therein He was laid? Even when dead, and, on the Cross John 1 9, hanging, with lance they wounded Him. But when shrouded, the funeral celebrated, lie was laid in a cavern, no longer had they any thing which to the Flesh they might do. Hose therefore the Lord again out of that cavern unhurt, uncorrupt, from that placo whither lie had fled from tho face of Saul: concealing Himself from ungodly men, whom Saul prefigured, but shewing Himself to His members. For the members of Him rising again by His members were handled: for the members of Him, the Apostles, touched Him rising again and believed ; and behold nothing profited Lnke24, the persecution of Saul. Hear we therefore now the Psalm; because concerning the title thereof enough we have spoken, as far as the Lord hath deigned to give. 5. Ver. 1. Have pity on me, O God, have pity on ine, for in Thee hath trusted my Soul. Christ in tho Passion saith, Have pity on Me, O God. To God, God saith, Have pity on Me! He that with the Father hath pity on thee, in thee crieth, Have pity on Me. For that part of Him which is crying, Have pity on Me, is thine: from thee this He received, for the sake of thee, that thou shouldest be delivered, with Flesh He was clothed. The flesh itself crieth: Have pity on Mc, O God, have pity on, Me: Man himself, soul and flesh. For whole Man did the Word take upon Him, and whole Man the Word became. Let it not therefore bo thought that there Soul wus not, becauso tho Evangelist thus saith; The Word was made flesh, and dwelled in us. John I, For man is called flesh, as in another place saith tho Scrip- Ui lure, And all flesh shall see the salvation of God. Shall I«. 40, 5; anywise flesh alone see, and shall Soul not bo thero ? j2^0.) Again saith our Lord Himself of men, As Thou hast given to<>- Him power qf all flesh. Had He anywise over flesh alone 2.°'n ' received power, and not most chiefly over souls, which in the first place lie delivered ? Therefore there was soul, g2 84 Hope still in God, though iniquity abound. Psalm there was flesh, there whole man; and whole man with LVI1- the Word, and the Word with Man, and Man tho Word, one Man, and Word and Man ono God. Lot him say therefore, Have pity on me, 0 God, have pity on me. Let us not be afraid at the words of one asking pity and holding out pity. For this cause lie asketh, becauso lie holdeth it out: for this reason He became Man, because pitiful Ho was, not so as that Ho would bo born by tho necessity of II is lot, but so that Ho might deliver us from tho lot of our necessity. Hare pily on me, O God, have pity on me ; because in Thee halh trusted my soul. Tliou hearcst tho Master praying, learn thou to pray. For to this end 1 lo prayed, in order that Ho might teach how to pray : becuuso to this end Ho suffered, in order that llo might teach how to suffer; to this end Ho rose again, in order that llu might leach how to hopo for rising again. 0. And in the shadow of Thy wings I will hope, until iniquity pass over. This now evidently whole Christ doth say: here is also our voice. For not yet halh passed over, still rife is iniquity, And in the end our Lord Himself said Mat.24, there should bo an abounding of iniquity : And since iniqttily shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold; bit I he that shall hare persevered unto the end, lite same shall be saved. But who shall persevere even unto tho end, even unlil iniquity pass over? He that shall have been in the hody of Christ, ho that shall have been in tho members of Christ, and from tho Head shall bavo learned tho patienco of persevering. Thou passcst away, and behold passed aro thy tempta tions ; and thou goest into another life whither have gone holy men, if holy thou hast been. Into another lifo have gone Martyrs; if Martyr thou shalt have been, thou also goest into another lifo. Becauso thou hast passed away hence, hath by any means iniquity therefore passed away? There are born other unrighteous men, as there die somo unrighteous men. In like manner therefore as some un righteous men die and others are born : so somo just men go, and others are born. Even unto the end of the world ncitlier iniquity will be wanting to oppress, nor righteousness to suffer. And in the shadow of Thy wings I will hope, Our Lord raised by Himself as well as by the Father, 85 until iniquity pass over: that is, Thou shalt protect mo, and Veh. in order that by tho boat of iniquity I dry not up, Thou — '— '— shalt afford a shelter for me. 7. Ver. 2. / will cry to God most high. If most high He is, how hcareth He thee crying? Confidence hath been engendered by experience: to God, he'sailh, Who hath done good to me. If before that I was seeking Him, Ho did good to me, when I cry shall Ho not hearken to me ? For good to us tho Lord God hath done in sending to us our Saviour , Josus Christ, that J lo might die for our oflbnoes, and rise non)l 4, again for our justification. For what sort of men halh Ho20, willed His Son to die? For ungodly men. But ungodly men wcro not socking God, and bavo been sought of God. For Ho is Most High in such sort, as that not far from Him is our misery and our groaning: becauso "near is the Lord Ph. 34, to them that have bruised the heart." I will cry lo God 18# most high, God that halh done good lo me. 8. Ver. 3. lie halh sent from heaven and halh saved me. Now tho Man Himself, now tho Flesh Itself, now the Son of God after His partaking of ourselves, of Him it is manifest, how He was saved, and sent hath from heaven the Father and hath saved Him, hath sent from heaven, and hath raised Him again: but in order that yo may know,, that also the Lord Himself hath raised again Himself; both truths are written in Scripture, both that tho Father hath raisod Hiin again, and that Himself Himself hath raised again. Hoar yo how the Father hath raisod Him again: tho Apostlo saith, He hath been made, ho saith, obedient unto death, Phil, s, even the death of the Cross: wherefore God also hath8,0' exalted Him', and halh given Him a name which is above every name. Ye have heard of the Father raising again and exalting the Son ; hear ye how that He too Himself His flesh hath raised again. Under the figure of a temple He saith to the Jews, Destroy this Temple, and in three days I tw7/john2, raise it up. But the Evangelist hath explained to lis what19- it was that Ho said : But this, ho saith, Ho spake of the Temple of His Body. Now therefore out of the person of ono praying, out of tho person of a man, out of tho person of tho flesh, He saith, He hath sent from heaven, and halh saved mo. 9. He halh given unto reproach those that trampled on 80 The Jews, Christ's proud enemies, now made a reproach. Phalm me. Them that have- trampled on Him, that over Him dead LV1L have insulted, that Him as though man have crucified, because God they perceived not, them He hath given unto reproach. Sec ye whether it has not been so done. Tho thing we do not believe as yet to come, but fulfilled we acknow ledge it. The Jews raged against Christ, they were over bearing against Christ. Where? In the city of Jerusalem. For where they reigned, there they were puffed up, thero their necks they lifted up. After the Passion of the Lord thence they were rooted out ; and they lost the kingdom, wherein Christ for King they would not acknowledge. In what manner they have been given unto reproach, see ye : dispersed they have been throughout all nations, no where having a settlement, no where a sure abode. But for this reason still Jews they are, in order that our books they may carry lo their confusion. For whenever we wish to shew Christ prophesied of, we produce to the heathen these writings. And lest perchance men hard of belief should say that we Christians have composed these books, so that together with the Gospel which we have preached we have forged the Prophet, through whom there might seem to be foretold that which we preach : by this we convince them ; namely, that all the very writings wherein Christ hath been prophesied are with the Jews, all these very writings the Jews have. We produce documents from enemies, to con found other enemies. In what sort of reproach therefore are the Jews? A document the Jew carrieth, where from a Christian may believe. Our librarians they have become, just as slaves are wont behind their masters lo carry docu ments, in such sort that these faint in carrying, those profit by reading. Unto such a reproach have been given the Jews : and there hath been fulfilled that which so long before hath been foretold, lie hath given unto reproach those that trampled on me. But how great a reproach it is, brethren, that this verse they should read, and themselves being blind should look upon their mirror! For in the same manner die Jews appear in the holy Scripture which they carry, as appoarcth the face of a blind man in a mirror: by other men it is seen, by himself not seen. He hath given unto reproach those that trampled on me. 10. Tliou wast inquiring perhaps who) he said, He hath sent Mercy and Truth. in Chri.it delivered Christ. 87 from heaven and hath saved mo, What halh Ho sent from Vkh, hoavon ? Whom hath IIo sent from heaven ? An Angel hath Ho - - — sent, to save Christ, and through a servant is tho Lord saved? For all Angels aro creatines' serving Christ. For obedience ' Lnt. a there might have been sent Angels, for service they might have €lca "rt been sent, not for succour: as is written, Angels ministered Matt. 4, unto Him, not like men merciful to one indigent, but like sub- ' jeets to Ono Omnipotent. What therefore hath He sent from heaven, and hath saved me? Now wo hear in another verso what from heaven Ho hath sent. He halh sent from heaven Hisv.s. mercy and His truth. For what purposo ? And hath drawn v. 4. out my soul from the midst' qf the lions' whelps. Hath sent, ho saith, from heaven His mercy and His truth : and Christ Himself saith, I am Truth. There was sent therefore Truth, that it should draw out my soul hence from the midst of tho lions' whelps: there was sent mercy. Christ Himself wo find to bo both mercy and truth ; mercy in suffering with us, and truth in requiting us. This is the same that a little before I said, namely, that IIo Himself Himself did raiso again. For if Truth raised again Christ, and if Truth did draw forth tho Soul of Christ from tho midst of tho lions' whelps; in like manner as merciful He was in dying for us, so true He was in rising again to justify us. For IIo had said that He was about to rise again, and tho Truth could not lie, and being Truth and truth speaking, therefore true scars He shewed, because true wounds He endured. These scars the disciples held, handled, made evident to them selves : he cried out who thrust fingers into the pierced side, and saith, My Lord and my God. In mercy for him Hejohn20, had died, and in truth unto him had risen again. He halh29' sent from Heaven His mercy and His truth : and halh drawn out my soul from the midst of the lions' whelps. Who are the lions' whelps? That lesser* people, unto evil'minu- deceived, unto evil led away by the chiefs of the Jews : so tu* that these are lions, those lions' whelps. All roared, all slew. For wo are to bear even here tho slaying of thoso very men, presently in the following verses of this Psalm. 1 1. And hath drawn out, ho saith, my soul from the midst of the lions' whelps. Why sayest thou, And halh drawn out my soul? For what hadst thou suffered, that thy soul should 88 Our Lord 'slept' of His own power. Psalm be drawn out? / have slept troubled. Christ hath inti- LVI1- mated His death. Assuredly of old David we read that he fled into a cavern, nevertheless not that he slept in a cavern. Another David is in a cavern, another David there is that saith, I have slept troubled. We see the perturbation of Him, not that He was troubled, but that they were troubling. For 'troubled' He called Himself, after the notion of the men that were raging, not after the conscience of Him That gave way. They thought that they had disturbed Hiin, thought they had overcome, but He ' slept troubled.' So calm had been this disturbed one, that when He willed He slept. No one sleepeth disturbed: all men that are perturbed either from sleep are roused, or else are not suffered to go off to sleep. But He disturbed was, and slept. Great is the humility of Him disturbed, great the power of Ilim sleeping. By what power came it that He slept? From Johnio, that whereof He speaketh Himself, Power I have of laying down My life, and power qf taking it: no one takelh it from Me; but I do it lay down, and again I take it. They disturbed, and He slept. The type' of which thing Adam Gen. a, bore, when God sent upon him a slumber, in order that out 21.22. 0£ j^g sj(je j_je jjjjght llia]-c a help-mate for him. For was it that He could not make a wife for the first man even out of the side of one awake? Or did He for this reason will hiin to sleep, that he might not feel when a rib was being taken away from him ? In a word, who doth sleep so soundly, as that when a bone is plucked from him he would not awake? Ho that could without pain take away a rib from one sleeping, could do so from one awake also. But why willed he to do Johnio, it to ono sleeping? Because to Christ sleeping on the Cross thero was made a wife out of His side. For smitten was His side as lie hung, with a lance, and there flowed forth tho Sacraments of the Church. / have slept, he saith, troubled. And in another Psalm he manifesteth this thing, -in the place Ps. 3, 5. where he saith, I Myself* have slept; and, sleep I have g0 taken. There He expressed) His power. He might even there have said, / have slept : as He hath said here. But what is, I Myself have slept? It is, Because 1 have willed, I have slept. They have not driven mc unwilling unto sleep ; Vit of mine own will I have sle[;t, after the saving above The Jews His slayers, though by others' hands. 80 quoted, Power I have of laying down My life, and power Veb. / have qf taking it again. Wherefore there He continued) and saith, / have slept, and sleep I have taken, and have 18. risen up, because the Lord shall sustain me. 12. / have slept troubled. Whence troubled? Who troubling? Lot us see in what manner He brandeth an evil conscience upon the Jews, wishing to excuse themselves of the slaying of the Lord. For to this end, as the Gospel speaketh, to the judge they delivered Him, that they might not themselves seem to have killed Him. For when at that lime Pilate the judge had said to them, Take ye Him, andJohnls, after your Law judge Him : they made answer, For us it is ¦ not lawful to kill any man. To kill is not lawful, is it lawful to deliver to be killed ? For which doth slay ? He that hath yielded on hearing an outcry, or he that by outcry hath extorted that He should be slain ? Let the Lord Himself give testimony by whom He was slain, whether by that Pilate who unwillingly slew Him, whence also he scourged Him, and with garment of shame clothed Him, and when scourged brought Him forth before their eyes, in order that at all events being satiated with the punishment of His stripes, that He should be slain they should not extort. Therefore also when he saw them persevere, as we read, he washed his hands, and said, Innocent I am oflhebloodafMal.27, this Just One. Consider whether he was innocent, that did ' so much as yield to men clamouring; nevertheless, much more guilty they were that by clamour willed to slay Him. But let us question and hear the Lord, to whom He doth ascribe His death, for that He hath said, / have slept troubled. Let us question Him, and say, since Thou hast slept troubled, who have persecuted Thee? who have "slain Thee? was it perchance Pilate, who to soldiers gave Theo, on the Tree to be hanged, with nails to be pierced ? Hear who they were, (ver. 5.) Sons of men. Of them He speaketh, whom for persecutors He suffered. But how did they slay, that steel bare not? They that sword drew not, that made no assault upon Him to slay ; whence slew they ? Their teeth are arms and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword. Do not consider the unarmed hands, but the mouth armed : from thence the sword proceeded, wherewith Christ was to 00 llage of the enemy. Our Lord nevertheless exalted. Tsalm bo slain : in like manner also as from the mouth of Christ, LVZI- that wherewith the Jews were to be slain. For IIo hath loT" ' a sword twice whetted : and rising again He hath smitten thorn, and hath severed from them those whom Ho would make His faithful people. They an evil sword, lie a good sword: they evil arrows, He good arrows. For He hath Himself also arrows good, words good, whence He pierceth the faithful heart, in order that He may be loved. Therefore of one kind are their arrows, and of another kind their sword. Sons of men, their teeth are arms and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sabre. Tonguo of sons of men is a sharp sabre, and their teeth arms and arrows. When therefore did Mat.27, they smite, save when they clamoured, Crucijy, crucify? Joimio I**. And what have they dono to Thco, 0 Lord ? Let the <•• Prophet hero exult! For above, all thoso verses tho Lord was speaking : a Prophet indeed, but in tho person of tho Lord, because in die Prophet, is the Lord. And whenever thero speaketh iho Prophet in his own person, tho Lord Himself speaketh through Him, That to hiin dictateth tho truth which ho speaketh. Now therefore in tho person of the Prophet, hear ye, my brethren. This Prophet hath in spirit seen tho Lord humbled, slain, scourged, with buffets smitten, beaten with palms of hands, with spittle defiled, with thorns crowned, on tho treo hanged : them raging, Him bearing; them exulting, Him as if conquered, he hath soon in spirit: and then after all that humiliation, and their fury, Him to have risen again, and all those things which tho raging Jews hud dono to have been made void; and elated with joy, as though ho were seeing it come to pass, (ver. 0.) Be exalted, ho saith, above the Heavens, O God. Man on the Cross, and abovo the Heavens, God. Let them continue on tho earth raging, Thou in Heaven bo judging. Where aro they that were ruging? where are their teeth, tho arms and arrows? Have not " the stripes of them been made the arrows of infants ?" For in another plueo a Psalm this saith, desiring to prove them vainly to bavo raged, and vainly unto phrensies to have been driven headlong : for nothing they wcro ablo to do to Christ when for the time crucified, and afterwards when lie was rising again, and in Heaven was sitting : the arrows of infants have the stripes Heretics own His Godhead, disown His universal reign. 01 cf them been made. How do infants make to themselves Ver. arrows? Of reeds1? But what arrows ? or what powers ? or.- 1 canes. what bows ? or what wound ? Be Thou exalted above the Heavens, 0 God, and above all the earth Thy ylory. Where fore exalted above the Heavens, O God ? Brethren, God exalted above the Heavens we see not, but we believe : but above all the earth His glory to be not only we believe, but also see. But what kind of madness heretics are afflicted Against with, I pray you observe. They being cut off from the bond „a/(-,^" of the Church of Christ, and to a part holding, the whole losing, will not communicate with the whole earth, where is spread abroad the glory of Christ. But we Catholics are in all the earth, because with all the world we communicate, wherever the Glory of Christ is spread abroad. For we seo that which then was sung, now fulfilled. There hath been exalted above the Heavens our God, and above all the earth the Glory of the Same. O heretical insauity ! That which thou seest not thoir believest with me, that which thou seest thou denicst: thou believest with me in Christ exalted above the Heavens, a thing which we see not; and denicst His Glory over all die earth, a thing which we see. Be Thou exalted above the Heavens, O God, and above all the earth Thy Glory. 14. lie relurncth to the words of the Lord: and the Lord Himself beginneth to recount to us, as though speaking to us, the Prophet also exulting and saying, Be Thou exalted above the Heavens, O God, and above all the earth Thy Glory. Himself also strengthened] us, as though saying to us, What could they do to Me, that have persecuted Me ? But wherefore dolh He speak to us ? Because they do so to us too. But they do nothing who in like manner may persecute us. For let your Love see the Lord speaking to us, and exhorting us by His example; A trap3 they have'Miisci- prcpared for My feet, and have bowed down My Soul.pu m' They wished to bring It down as if from Heaven, and to the lower places to weigh It down: They have bowed My Soul: they have digged before My face a pit and themselves have fallen into it. Mc have they hurt or themselves ? Be hold He hath been exalted above the Heavens, God, and behold above all the earth the Glory of tho Same: the king- 92 Some seem to ' dig pits,' and not to fall therein. Psalm dom of Christ wo see, where is the kingdom of the Jews ? J.'XIL Since therefore they did that which to have dono they ought not, there hath been dono in their case that which to have suffered they ought: themselves have dug a ditch, and them selves have fallen into it. For their persecuting Christ, to Christ did no hurt, but to themselves did hurt. And do not suppose, brethren, that themselves alone hath this befallen, Every ono that prepureth a pit for his brother, it must needs bo that himself fall into il. Tako heed, my brethren, bavo Christian eyes, bo not deceived with things visible. For perelmnco to some one of you, because I have said this, thero huth como lo mind some man that halh chosen to play a cheat upon his brother, and hath chosen to contrive some snares for him, and ho h:ith contrived, and succeeded, and tho brother huth fallen into his snares, and ho hath been spoiled, or halh been oppressed, either by prison, or by false witness, or overreached by some wicked accusation: but in this case is seen the one oppressed, tho other to have oppressed: the one overcome, the other to have overcome : and a false thing is thought that which we have said, namely, that whosoever shall have prepared a pit for his brother, doth himself fall into it. I call upon you, as being Christians, that ye take an example from things which wo have already experienced. Heathens have persecuted Martyrs, and Martyrs have boon taken, have been bound, into prison have been thrust, to beasts given over, some with steel smitten, others with fire consumed ; bavo they conquered that wore persecuting, and conquered have boon the Martyrs ? Far bo it. Look for tho glory of tho Martyrs with God, look for tho pit of the heathen in a delved con science : for there is tho pit wherein fallcth an ungodly man, oven an ovil conscience. For supposest thou hiin into no pit to have fallen, who the light of Christ halh lost, and with blindness hath been smitten ? If he fell not into a pit, ho would see before him : he knoweth not where he goeth, in like manner as when ho that walketh in a road hath fallen into a pit, he hath lost the road. Ye see, then, all evil-doers to have lost the way, having been involved in misdeed. But now theo ho hath betrayed perchance into the hands of a robber, or into the bunds of some unjust man, or of a judge Yet they do fall, while the 'prepared heart' rejoices. 93 imposed upon by him, and thou art in oppression, he is Vgn. rejoicing, he exulting. Do not, I have already said, do not 8* ' have the eyes of heathens : Christian eyes have thou. Thou seest him that exulted) ; that very exultation is the pit of him. For better is tho heaviness of ono suffering unjust things, than tho rejoicing of one doing unjust things. Tho very rejoicing of one doing unjust things, is that samo pit; into it when a man shall bavo fallen, cyos ho loscth. For thyself thou grievest, because thou hast lost a garment; and for him thou grievest not, because he hath lost faith. Which of you with more grievous loss hath been smitten ? Behold he slayeth, thou art slain : he liveth, thou art dead. Far bo it! Where is tho faith of Christians ? where is be that dieth for a time ? Let him hear his Lord: lie that bclieveth t/ijohnil, Me, though he die, is living. Therefore, ho that bclieveth25, not, though he live, is dead. They have dug before my face a pit, and themselves have fallen into it. All evil men it must needs be that this befal. 15. But tho patience of good men with preparation of heart accopteth tho will of God : and glorieth in tribula tions, saying that which followcth : (ver. 7.) Prepared is my heart, O God, I will sing and play. What halh ho dono to mc ? He halh prepared a pit, my heart is prepared. IIo hath prepared pit to deceive, shall I not prepare heart to suffer? IIo bath prepared pit to oppress, shall I not prepare heart to endure ? Therefore ho shall fall into it, but I will sing and play. Hear the heart prepared in an Apostle, because he halh imitated his Lord: We glory, he saith, R0m. 5 in tribulations : because tribulation workclh, patience : 3- patience probation, probation hope, but hope makelft not ashamed: because the love qf God is shed abroad in our hearts through the Holy Spirit, Which hath been given to us. IIo was in oppressions, in chains, in prisons, in stripes, 2 Cor. in hunger and thirst, in cold and nakedness, in every wasting11'3'* of toils and pains, and ho was saying, We glory in tribula tions. Whence, but that prepared was his heart ? Therefore ho was singing and playing. Prepared is my heart, O God, prepared my heart ; / will sing and play. 10. Ver. 8. Rise up, my glory. IIo lhat hud fled from tho face of Saul into a cavorn, saith, Rise up, my glory: 94 Our Lord's Miracles the 'Psaltery /' Sufferings, the ' Harp.' Phalm glorified bo Jesus after His Passion. Rise up, psaltery and IlIII: harp. lie calleth upon what to rise? Two organs I soo : but Body of Christ ono I see, one flesh hath risen again, and two organs have risen. The one organ then is the Organs psaltery, the other the harp. Organs is the word used for all instruments of musicians. Not only is that called an organ, which is great, and blown into with bellows ; but whatsoever is adapted to playing and is corporeal, whereof for an instrument the player makclh use, is said to be an organ. But distinguished from one another are these organs; and I would, as far as the Lord granted) me, point out to you, both in what manner thoy aro distinguished, and where fore distinguished, and wherefore to both is said, Rise up. Already we have said, one flesh of the Lord hath risen Psaltery again ; and there is said, Rise up psaltery and harp. The psaltery is an organ, which indeed is carried in the hands of one that striketh it, and hath strings stretched, but that place whence the strings receive sound, that hollow wood which hangeth suspended, and when touched resoundeth because it is filled with air, this the psaltery hath in the upper part. Harp But the harp hath this sort of wood hollow and sounding on the lower part. Therefore in a psaltery the strings receive their sound from above, but in a harp the strings receive sound from a lower part: this difference there is between psaltery and harp. What therefore do these two organs figure to us ? For Christ tho Lord our God is waking up His psaltery and His harp ; and lie saith, / will rise up at the dawn. I suppose that here ye now perceive the Lord rising. Mark We have read thereof in the Gospel : see tho hour of tho 10 2 • ' " Resurrection. How long through shadows was Christ being sought? He hath shone, be He acknowledged; at the dawn He rose again. But what is psaltery? what is harp? Through His flesh two kinds of deeds the Lord hath wrought, miracles and sufferings: miracles from above have been, sufferings from below have been. But those miracles which He did were divine; but through Body He did them, through flesh He did them. The flesh therefore working things divine, is the psaltery: the flesh suffering things human is the harp. Let tho psaltery sound, let the blind be en lightened, let the deaf hear, let the paralytics be braced lo Truth of God seems shewn in Heaven, mercy on Earth ; yet 95 strength, the lamo walk, the sick riso up, the dead rise again; Vun. this is tho sound of tho Psaltery. Let thero sound also the — '¦ — harp, let Him hunger, thirst, sleep, bo held, scourged, derided, crucified, buried. When therefore thou socst in that Flesh certain things to havo sounded from abovo, certain things from tho lower part, ono flesh hath risen again, and in one flesh wo acknowledge bodi psaltery and harp. And these two kinds of things dono havo fulfilled tho Gospel, and it is preached in tho nations : for both the miracles and the sufferings of the Lord urc preached. 17. Therefore there halh risen psaltery and harp in the dawn, and ho confesseth lo the Lord; and saith what? (ver. 0.) I will confess to Thee among the peoples, 0 Lord, and will .'¦•,' play lo Thee among the nations: (ver. 10.) for magnified even unto the Heavens halh been Thy mercy, and even unto the clouds Thy truth. Heavens abovo clouds, and clouds below heavens: and nevertheless to this nearest heaven belong clouds. But sometimes clouds rest upon tho mountains, even so far in tho nearest air arc thoy rolled. But a Heaven above thero is, the habitations of Angels, Thrones, Dominions, Principalities, Powers. This therefore may pcrchanco scorn to bo what should have boon said; "Magnified even unto the Heavens Thy truth, and even unto the clouds Thy mercy." For in Heaven Angols praiso God, seeing the very form of truth, without any darkness of vision, without any admixture of unreality : they see, love, praise, aro not wearied. Thero is truth : but here in oilr own misery surely thero is mercy. For to a miserable ono must bo rendered mercy. For there is no need of mercy above, whero is no miserable one. I have said this because that it seemcth as though it might havo boon more fittingly said, Magnified even unto lite Heavens halh been Thy truth, and even unto the cloud* Thy mercy. For ' clouds' we understand to be preachers of truth, men bearing that flesh in a manner dark, whenco God both gleameth in miracles, and thundcrcth in precepts: and themselves arc thoso clouds of whom speaketh Isaias in tho person of the Lord, rebuking a certain vineyard, evil, barren, thorny, / will command My clouds, that they rain not upon I*. 6, o. it a shower: that is, / will command My Apostles, that they forsake the Jews, and to them preach not the Gospel, 90 Truth to the glorified; mercy to such as shall be in Heaven. Psalm but preach the Gospel in the good land of tho nations, LVI1- whence not thorns but grapes come forth. We know there fore the clouds of God to be the preachers of truth, Prophets, Apostles, all men that rightly expound the Word of truth, and have in themselves a light hidden, as clouds have that in them whereby they lighten : men therefore are clouds. What meaneth therefore, O Lord, For magnified even unto the Heavens hath been Thy mercy, and even unto the clouds Thy truth ? Truth is mighty above all among the Angels: but Thou hast given it to men also, and brought it down even to the clouds. Above, mercy the Angels seem not to need : but because to miserable men Thou shewest mercy, and by rendering to them mercy makest them Angels by partaking of the Resurrection, even unto the Heavens is Thy mercy. Glory to our Lord, and to the Mercy of the Same, and to the Truth of tho Same, because neither hath He forsaken by mercy to make us blessed through His Grace, nor defrauded us of truth : because first Truth veiled in flesh came to us and healed through His flesh die interior l Cor. eye of our heart, in order that hereafter face to face we may 13> 12- be able to see It. Giving therefore to Him thanks, let us say with the same Psalm the last verses, which sometime since too I have said, (ver. 11.) Be Tliou exalted above the Heavens, O God, and above all the earth Thy glory. For this to Hi in the Prophet said so many years before ; this now we see ; this therefore let us also say. jj£Ji_ PSALM LVI1I. EXPOSITION. Sermon to.the Commonality, wherein every where he confuleth the Donatists. 1. The words which we have sung must be rather heark ened to by us, than proclaimed. For to all men as it were in an assemblage of mankind, the Truth crieth, (ver. 1.) If truly indeed justice ye speak, judge right things, ye sons of The Law written in man's heart. 97 men. For to what unjust man is it not an easy thing to Ver. speak justico? or what man if about justice questioned, when — L he hath not a cause, would not easily answer what is just ? In as much as the hand of our Maker in our very hearts hath written this truth, That which to thyself thou wouldest not Tab. 4, have done, do not thou lo another. Of this truth, even before IJ'tt - that the Law was given, no ono was suffered to bo ignorant, 12. in order that there might bo some rule whereby might be judged even those to whom Law had not been given. But lest men should complain that something had been want ing for them, there hath been written also in tables that which in their hearts they read not. For it was not that they had it not written, but read it ihey would not. There hath been set before their eyes that which in their conscience to see they would be compelled ; and as if from without the voico of God were brought to them, to his own inward parts hath man been thus driven, tho Scripture say ing, For in the thoughts of the ungodly man there will beyfiii.), questioning. Where questioning is, there law. But because9' men, desiring thoso things which are without, even from themselves have become exiles, there hath been given also a written law : not because in hearts it had not been written, but because thou wast a deserter from thy heart, by Him that is every where thou art seized, and to thyself within art called back. Therefore the written law, what crieth it, to those that have deserted the law written in their hearts ? Rom, 2, Return ye transgressors lo the heart. For who halh taught jj"46 thee that thou wouldest have no other man draw near thy8- wife ? Who hath taught thee, that thou wouldest not have a theft committed upon thee? who hath taught thee, that thou wouldest not suffer wrong, and whatever other thing either universally or particularly might be spoken of? For many things there are, of which severally if questioned men with loud voice would answer, that they would not suffer. Come, if thou art not willing to suffer these things, art thou by any means the only man? dost thou not live in the fellowship of mankind ? He that together with thee hath been made, is thy fellow ; and all men have been made after the image of God, unless with earthly covetings they Gen. 1, efface that which He hath formed. That which therefore to26, VOL. III. h 98 Man's judgment tried in his own case. Pbalm thyself thou wilt not have to be done, do not thou to another. LVI11- For thou judgest that there is evil in that, which to suffer thou art not willing : and this thing thou art constrained to know by an inward law ; that in thy very heart is written. Thou wast doing somewhat, aud thero was a cry raised in thy hands: how art thou constrained to return to thy heart when this thing thou suffercst in tho hands of others ? Is theft a good thing ? No ! I ask, is adultery a good thing? All cry, No ! Is man-slaying a good thing ? All cry, that thoy abhor it. Is coveting tho property of a neighbour a good thing ? No ! is the voice of all men. Or if yet thou confessest not, there draweth near ono that covetcth thy property : bo pleased lo answer what thou wilt have. All men therefore, when of these things questioned, cry that these things are not good. Again, of doing kindnesses, not only of not hurting, but also of conferring and distributing, any hungry soul is questioned thus; " thou sufferest hunger, another man hath bread, and there is abundance with him beyond sufficiency, he knoweth thee to want, he giveth not: it displeaseth theo when hungering, let it displease thee when full also, when of another's hungering thou shalt have known. A stranger wanting shelter cometh into thy country, he is not taken in: he then crieth that inhuman is that city, at once among barbarians he might have found a home. He feeleth the injustice because he suf fereth ; thou perchance feelest not, but it is meet that thou imagine thyself also a stranger ; and that thou see in what manner he will have displeased thee, who shall not have given that, which thou in thy country wilt not give to a stranger." I ask all men. True are these things ? True. Just are these things ? Just. 2. But hear ye the Psalm. If truly therefore justice ye speak, judyc right things, ye sons of men. Be it not a justice of lips, but also of deeds. For if thou actest other wise than thou speakest, good things thou speakest, and ill thou judgest. For if thou actest as thou judgest; if asked which is better, gold or faith, thou art not so far perverse and erring from all truth as to answer that gold is better: thou preferrest therefore, when asked, to gold, faith; thou hast spoken justice. Hast thou hoard the Psalm? If truly Judgment of conscience between honesty and gold, 99 therefore justice ye speak, judge right things, ye sons of Ver. men. And where shall I prove thee not to judge as thou — - — hast spoken ? I already have got thine answer setting faith before gold. Behold from some place or other a friend hath come, and without witness gold he halh entrusted to thee; he alone knoweth this, and thou, as far as regardcth men. There is there another witness, that is not seen, and yet sceth: and the man to thee in a secret place and in thy closet perchance, in tho absence of witnesses, gold hath entrusted ; tho witness that is present, not in a chamber of walls is present, but in the couches of your consciences. He hath entrusted and hath departed, to no ono of his friends he hath mado it known, hoping himself to return and to receive from his friend that which ho had given: such is tho uncertainty of things human, he is dead, ho hath left an heir, hath left a son : the son knoweth not what his father had, what to thee he entrusted : return thou, return Is. 46,8. transgressor to the heart, there written the law is,: That Matt* 1% which to thyself thou wilt not have to be done, lo another do Tob. 4, thou not. Suppose thyself to have entrusted, to none of thy ,s' friends to have told it, to have died, to have left a son ; what wouldest thou wish to be rendered to him by thine own, friend? Answer, judge the case, the judge's tribunal is in thy mind, there is sitting there God, there is at hand for accuser conscience, for torturer fear. Amid things of men thou art, in the fellowship of men thou art, engaged: think what thou wouldest have to be rendered to thy son by thy friend. I know what answer thy thought maketh. So judge thou, as thou hearest judge, a voice there will be ; the voice of truth holdeth not its peace ; not with lips it crieth, but a cry is raised out of the heart: incline thine ear, there be thou with the son of thy friend. Thou seest perchance also a man in need wandering about, knowing not what his father had, where he hath placed it, to whom ho entrusted it; think also of thy son, suppose that man to live whom thou despisest as dead, thyself deem dead in order that thou mayest live. But something else covetousness doth enjoin ; doth enjoin contrary to God; God one thing, another thing covetousness: one thing in Paradise our Maker, another thing athwart it, the serpent, the deceiver. Let there come. h2 100 All men 'speak justice,' and ought to judge aright. Phalm into thy mind first thy fall; for this reason mortal thou art, —-"for this reason toiling, for this in tho sweat of thy fuco eating 17. 'bread, for this reason thorns and thistles for theo tho earth bcaroth : by example learn that which thou wouldcst not by precept. But cupidity prevailed! ; why not rather truth ? And where is that which thou wast speaking ? Behold, thou art meditating to deny the deposit of gold; behold, thou art meditating from tho heir of thy friend altogether to hide it. I had asked a littlo before which would be the more precious, and which would bo the better, gold, or good faith. Wherefore one thing sayest thou, another thing doest? Fcarest thou not this voice, //' truly justice ye speak, fudge right tilings, ye sons of men? Behold thou hast told mo that better is good faith, and in thy judgment better thou hast considered gold to be. Thou hast not judged as thou hast spoken ; true things thou hast spoken, and false things thou hast judged : therefore even when thou wast speaking justice, truly thou didst not speak. For if truly justice ye speak, judge right things, ye sons of men. AVhcn to mo concerning justice thou wast making answer, it was for shame, not with openness thou wust speaking. 3. But now to tho present case lot us come, if ye please. For the voice is that sweet voice, so well known to the ears of tho Church, the voice of our Lord Jesus Christ, and tho voice of His Body, tho voice of tho Church toiling, sojourning upon earth, living amid the perils of men speaking evil and of men flattering. Thou wilt not fear a threaten or, if thou lovest not a flatterer, lie therefore, of whom this is tho voice, hath observed and hath soon, that all men speak justice. For what man doth dare not to speak it, lest he bo called unjust? When, therefore, as though he wore hearing die voices of all men, and wcro observing tho lips of all men, ho cried out to them, If truly indeed justice ye speak, — if not falsely jnstico yo speak, if not one thing on lips doth sound, whilst another thing is concealed in hearts — judge right things, ye sons of men. Hear out of the Gospel His Mat. 12, own voice, tho very samo as is in this Psalm: Hypocrites, ' ' saith tho Lord to tho Pharisees, how are ye able yood things to speak, when ye are evil men? Either make the tree good, and the fruit thereof good ; or make the tree evil and Our Lord convicted men's false dealing. 1 0 1 the fruit thereof evil. Why wilt thou whiten thco, wall of Van. mud ? I know thy inward parts, I am not deceived by thy — — covering: I know what thou boldest forth, I know what thou coverest. For there was no need for Him, that anq one to John 2, 25 Him should bear testimony of man ; for He knew Himself what was in man. For He knew what was in man, Who had made man, and Who had been made Man, in order that He might seek man. See, therefore, if these words do not follow one another. ' Ye hypocrites, how are ye able good things lo speak, when ye are evil men ?' If truly, therefore, justice ye speak, judge right things, ye sons of men. Have ye not justice spoken of, when ye said, Master, we £mom; Mat.22, that just Thou art, and acceplest the person of no man? ' Wherefore guile in heart did ye conceal ? Wherefore the image of Caesar to your Creator did ye shew, and His image in your hearts did efface ? Hath not tho thing which ye spake been heard, and how ye would judge been tried ? Have ye not crucified Him, Whom to be just ye had pronounced ? If truly, therefore, justice ye speak, judge right things, ye sons of men. Why do I hear your speaking, tee know that just Thou art, when I foresee your judgment, Crucify, Crucify ? If truly, therefore, justice ye speak, judge right things, ye sons of men. For what have ye done by raging against God That was Man, and by slaying your King ? For was He no King to be, because Ho was slain by you, when IIo was to rise again ? In the title whereon had been written, King of the Jews, set upon tho Cross Mnt.27, of tho Lord, in three tongues, in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin,3'' a human judge know how to say, What I have written, Johnio, I have written : and did not God know how to say, Wltat22' I have written, I have written ? In any wise, your King He is; while alive, your King He is; when slain, your King He is: behold, He hath risen again, and in Heaven your King He is : behold, to come He is ; woe unto you, for your King He is. Go to now, and speak justice, and do not judge right things, sons of men.' Ye will not rightly judge, rightly ye shall bo judged. For He liveth That is your King, and Ho dieth no more, and death over Him shall noRom.fl, longer have dominion. Behold, Ho cometh; 'return yojji40 8i transgressors to the heart.' Behold, Ho shall como, be 102 Sins in purpose. One sin draws on another. Psalm amended before that Ho come ; * come ye before His face LVIII j^-y^~ in confession.' Behold, IIo shall come, your King He is. Ye remember the title upon tho Cross: but ye sec it not written : nevertheless it abideth ; on earth it is not read, but in Heaven it is kept. For do yo suppose that this inscription hath been corrupted ? And what saith the title of this Psalm ? At the end, for David himself, corrupt not, for the inscription of the title. Not, therefore, corrupted is that inscription of the tide. Your King is Christ, because Ps. 22, 0f all things Christ is King: for His is the kingdom, and He shall Himself have dominion of lite nations. If therefore King He is, behold before He come, He saith to you, I am still speaking, He said), Not yet am I judging : I that do so cry with menacing, am unwilling to smite with tho Judgment. If truly therefore justice ye speak, judge right things, sons of men. 4. But now yo do whut? Why thoso things to you do I speak ? (Vor. 2.) Because in heart iniquities ye work on earth. Iniquities perchance in heart alone ? Hear what followoth : both their heart hands do follow, and their heart hands do serve, tho thing is thought of, and it is dono ; or else it is not done, not because we would not, but because we could not, Whatever thou willest and canst not, for done God doth count it. For in heart iniquities ye work on earth. What next ? iniquities your hands knit together. What is, knit together? From sin, sin, and to sin, sin, because of sin. What is this ? A theft a man hath com mitted, a sin it is: he hath been seen, he seeketh to slay him by whom he hath been seen : there hath been knit together sin with sin : God halh permitted him in His hidden judgment to slay that man whom he hath willed to slay : he perccivoth that tho thing is known, ho seeketh to slay a second also; ho hath knit together a third sin : while these things he is planning, perchance that he may not bo found out, or that he may not be convicted of having done it, he consul telh an astrologer; there is added a fourth sin: the astrologer answered) perchance with some hard and evil responses, he runneth to a soothsayer, that expiation may be made; the soothsayer maketh answer that ho is not able to expiate: a magician is sought. And who could enumerate Sins joined to sins make strong fetters, 103 those sins which are knit together with sins ? Iniquities Vkr. your hands do knit together. So long as thou knittest — : — together, thou bindest sin upon sin. Loose thyself from sins. But I am not able, thou sayest. Cry to Him. Unhappy man I, who shall deliver me from the body of 'Rom. 7, this death? For there shall como the Grace of God, so that righteousness shall bo thy delight, as much as thou didst delight in iniquity ; and thou, a man that out of bonds hast been loosed, shalt cry out lo God, Thou hast broken P». 1 10, asunder my bonds. ' Thou hast broken asunder my bonds,' ' is what else but, ' Thou bast remitted my sins ?' Hear why chains they are: tho Scripture niaketh answer, with M18' rope. Isaias crieth, Woe lo them that draw sins lik? a long rope: what is it else but, Woe to them whose hands knit together iniquity? And because each one with his sins is bound fast, as also with his sins he is smitten, . the men that wero wickedly trading in tho Tcmplo tho Lord Jo'm8t, drovo out with a whip mado of small cords. But thou wilt not have now thy bonds to bo broken, becauso thou foulest not thy bonds, they even delight theo, and a pleasure thoy arc : thou shalt feel at the end, whon it shall bo said, Bind him hands and feet, and cast him forth into outer Mat. 22, darkness, there shall bo weeping and gnashing qf teeth. Thou dost shudder, dost fear, dost beat the breast, thou sayest Evil things aro sins, a good thing righteousness ,is. If truly therefore justice yo speak, judge right things ye sons of men. In your life let there be found your words; in your deeds let there be known your lips. Do not therefore knit together iniquity : because* unto you for a binding shall be applied whatsoever yo knit together. They hear not, not all • . howovor : and they that hear not are foro-known. 5. Ver. 3. Alienated are sinners from tho womb, thoy havo gono astray from tho belly, thoy havo spoken falso things. And whon iniquity thoy spoak, falso things thoy spouk : because deceitful U iniquity i and whon justice thoy spouk, falsa things thoy spoak: bocauso ono thing with 104 The wicked alienated from spiritual Birth. Psalm mouth they profess, another thing in heart they conceal. L in' Alienated are sinners from the womb. What is this ? Let us search more diligently: for perhaps he is saying this, because God hath foreknown men that are to be sinners Gen.2fi, even in the wombs of their mothers. For whence when Rebecca was yet pregnant, and in womb was bearing twins, Mai. 1, was it said, Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have haled? Rom. 9 For it was said, The elder shall serve the younger. Hidden 13< at that time was the judgment of God: but yet from the womb, that is, from the very origin, alienated are sinners. Whence alienated? From truth. Whence alienated ? From the blessed country, from the blessed life. Perchance alienated they are from the very womb. And what sinners have been alienated from the womb ? For what men would have been born, if therein they had not been held ? Or what men to-day would be alive to hear these words to no purpose, unless they were born ? Perchance therefore sinners have been alienated from a certain womb, wherein that charity was suffering pains, which speaketh through tho Apostle, Ool. 4, Of whom again 1 am in labour, until Christ bo formed in you, F.xpcct thou therefore; bo formed: do not to thyself ascribe a judgment which perchanco thou knowost not. Carnal thou art as yet, conceived thou hast been: from that very timo when thou hast received tho namo of Christ, by a sort of sacrament thou hast boon born in tho bowels of a mothor. For not only out of bowels a man is born, but also in bowels. First he is born in bowels, in order that be may be able to be born of bowels. Wherefore it hath been said Matt, l, even to Mary, For that which is born in thee, is of the Holy Uk.e\,SPirit- Not vet of Her B had been born, but already 35. in Her It had been born. Therefore there aro born within the bowels of the Church certain little ones, and a good thing it is that being formed they should go forth, so that they drop not by miscarriage. Let the mother bear thee, not miscarry. If patient thou shalt have been, even until thou be formed, even until in thee there be the sure doctrine of truth, the maternal bowels ought to keep thee. But if by thy impatience thou shalt have shaken the sides of thy mother, with pain indeed sho expelleth thee out, but more to thy loss than to hers. False sayings of Heretics against the Church, 105 6. Alienated are sinners from the womb, they have gone Vkb. astray from the belly, they have spoken false things. For— ^ — this reason therefore have they gone astray from the belly, because they have spoken false things ? Or rather have they not for this reason spoken falso things, because they have gone astray from the belly? For in the belly of the Church truth abideth. Whosoever from tins belly of the Church separated shall have boon, must needs speak falso things: must needs, I say, speak fulso things; whoso either conceived would not bo, or whom when conceived tho mother hath expelled. Thonce heretics exclaim against the Gospel, (to speak in preference of those, whom expelled we lament.) Wo repeat to them: behold'Christ hath said,// behoved Christ Luke24, to suffer, and from the dead lo rise again the third day, " I acknowledge there our Head, I acknowledge there our Bridegroom : acknowledge thou also with me the Bride : see what followeth; That there be preached in His name^^'^t repentance and remission of sins throughout all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. "Hither come, hither come." Behold the Church throughout all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. I say not, Hither come, Herself to thee doth come. But they making them deaf against the Gospel, and not permitting us to read ihc words of God, which they boast themselves to have kept from flame and would destroy with tongue, speak their own words, speak empty words: " Such "ee on an ono was a traditor, and such an one was a traditor." Aye,^ ' I too say, " Such an ono was a traditor, and such an one was a traditor:" and a true thing I say. But what is that to me ? Neither thou of those men whom thou namest to me in the Gospel dost read, nor I of those men whom I name in the Gospel do read. Let there be put aside out of the way our papers, let there come forth into the midst the writing of God : hear Christ speaking, hear the Truth speaking : That there be preached in His name, He saith, repentance and remission of sins throughout all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. " No," they say: " but what wo. say, hear thou, what saith the Gospel we will not hear." Alienated are sinners from the womb, they have gone astray from the belly, they have, spoken false things. We speak true things, because we have heard true things; that which the Lord 1 00 Heretics alien from our Spiritual Mother. Psalm saith, not that which man saith. It may be that man lie : LY1II.'it cannot be that Truth lie. Out of the mouth of truth I acknowledge Christ, the Truth itself: out of the mouth of truth I acknowledge the Church, the partaker of Truth. Let no one speak to me false things, of him that hath gone astray from the womb in the bowels of the Church, 1 should at first see what he would wish to teach me. 1 see hiin alienated from the womb, 1 see him -to have gone astray from the belly, and I am to hear from hiin what, but false things? They have gone astray from the belly, they have spoken false things. 7. Ver. 4. Indignation to them after the similitude of a serpent. A great thing ye are to hear. Indignation to them ajter the similitude of a serpent. As if we had said, What is that which thou hast said ? there followeth, As if of a deaf asp. Whence deaf? And closing its ears. Therefore deaf, because it closeth its ears. And closing its ears. Which ivill not hearken to the voice of men charming, and of the medicine medicated by the wise man. A s we have heard, because even men speak who have learned it with such research as they were able, but nevertheless it is a thing which the Spirit of God knoweth much better than any men. For it is not to no purpose that of this he hath spoken, but because it may chance that true is even that which we have heard of Theasp.the asp. When the asp beginneth to be aff'ected by the Marsian charmer, who calleth it forth with certain peculiar incantations, hear what it doeth — But meanwhile unto this give heed, brethren, (for this thing must be first mentioned, lest any one should hear as it were with hesitation:) the thing itself, from whence a simile is taken, by the Scriptures is not LukelS, commended ; but only thence a simile is drawn. For lie did not commend the unjust judge, who would not hear that Lukell, wj t]0W) anJ neither feared God nor regarded men ; and never theless from thence a simile tho Lord derived: nor did lie commend thut sluggard, who gave three loaves to one ask ing him, not because of friendship, but being overcome with importunity ; and yet from thence a simile He gave. And therefore from things not to be commended are derived in a manner a few similes. Or else if ye think we ought to countenance the Marsians, because of this thing ye hear in The deaf adder. Wilful deafness of some. 107 the Scripture of God; we must go also to the shows in the Ver. Theatre, because the Apostle saith, Not so I box, as ifr-^1 — smiling the air. For to box is to perform the pancratium. f>, 20." Now becauso from henco hath been taken a simile, . ought these shows to delight us? Or because he hath said, He that in a contest strivelh, in all things is abstemious: for this reason ought a Christian to attach himself to these vain and absurd contentions ? Give heed what is spoken to thee for a simile's sake, what is noted thee for avoidance. So there fore here also there hath been. given a certain simile derived from the Marsian, who maketh incantation to bring forth the asp from the dark cavern ; surely into light he would bring it: but it loving its darkness, w herein coiled up it hideth itself, when it will not choose to come forth, nevertheless refusing to hear those words whereby it feeleth itself to be constrained, is said to press one ear against the ground, and with its tail to stop up the other, and therefore as much as possible escaping those words, it cometh not forth to the charmer. To this as being like, the Spirit of God hath spoken of certain persons hearing not the Word of God, and not only not doing, but altogether, that they may not do it, refusing to hear. 8. This thing halh been done even in the first times of the faith. Stephen the Martyr was preaching the Truth, and lo minds as though dark, in order to bring them forth into light, was making incantation : when he came to make mention of Christ, Whom they would notlicar at all, of them the Scripture saith what? of them rclaleth what? They Aota 7, shut, he saith, their ears. But what they did afterwards,5'* the narrative of the passion of Stephen doth publish. They were not deaf, but they made themselves deaf. For because ears open in heart they had not, but because the might of the word through the cars of the flesh rushing in, even to the very ears of the heart was doing violence; they closed even the ears of the body, and took to stones. Behold the deaf asps, harder than the stones wherewith their charmer they stoned: ihey heard not the voice of him charming, and of the medicine medicated by the wise man. What is ' the medicine medicated by the wise man ?' Perchance ' medicine mixed' he may be calling ' medicine medicated.' Do we not there seek some other thing, how that if 108 That which it most healing hated by the unwilling. Pbalm already a medicine it be, it is also medicated ? Medi- LVIIL cinea there were in the Prophets, medicines there were in the Law, all the very precepts were medicines, and this medicine not yet had been medicated: by the coming of the Lord medicated was the medicine: this thing they could not bear. For because they were not being healed by the medicine, medicated was the very medicine by the coming of the Lord. Now was Stephen a medicated medicine chanting; this they would not hear: whence die medicine was medicated, against this tho cars they shut. For this thing they did at tho point where was named Christ. Tho indignation of thoso men, was us tho indig nation of a serpent. Why your oars do yo shut? Wait, hear, and if yo shall bo able, rage. Because they ehoso not to do aught but rago, they would not hour. But if thoy had heard, perchance they would havo censed to rago. Tho iudignution of thorn was as tho indignation of a serpent, Af-ni'int 0- Such men aro those also whom wo are suffering. iitttlJ,!"." At 1>IU imi l-l0)r ^""'H1'1 l,lllt tlioy alone hold the truth : God was not inactive, He hold not His pence: in His Church was preached tho Truth, in the bowels of tho Mutt. o,M°lhor wore disclosed their lies: there was laid open dial 14^ 10, which givolh light, thero was displayed tho City upon a P».3fl. liill not, and the candle was placed upon a candlestick, which givolh light to all that are in dm hoimo. l''or where llolli hid tho Church of Christ, where lieth hid Iho Truth of Dan. 2, Christ? Is not the sumo the Mountain that huth grown' oat "rind °' ll ve|,y Hlim-> Ht("U!> "»>d hath filled the whole fuce of tho ' orevlt.' oarth ? llonco thoy uro convinced, they havo nought to say against tho Church. And what for them hath remained? ••Wherefore seek yo us?" "What would ye have of us?" They say, " Depart from us." But they say also to their own people, " Let no one with them speak, no ono with them be united, no ono hear them." Tho indignation of them is the indignation of serpents: as of a deaf asp and closing its ears ; which will not hearken to the voice of men charming; and qf the medicine, that is, tho voice of tho medicine, medicated by the wise man. Is there not from hence understood what sort of medicine it is, when of voice he speaketh? Hath anywise medicine a voice? There is Pleasure in past and present evil stops the ears. 109 a certain medicine which hath voice. A medicine we carry, Vhh. the voice of it hear ye, not after the manner of deaf asps.. 3 If truly therefore of justice ye speak, judge right things, v. i. sons of men. There is a voice of medicine, and that too medicated by the wise man. For now hath come Christ to Matt. 6, fulfil the Law and the Prophets, to establish the truth itself, on which two commandments the whole Law hangelh Mat S3, and the Prophets. 10. Do we not perchance look for something even in the fact, that the asp is said so to shut the ears, as that one of them upon the earth it presseth, the other with its tail closcth up ? What meaneth this ? In the tail let the things behind certainly be understood ; in fact, past things, upon which now it behoveth us to turn our back, in order that we may aim at those things which are promised to us : therefore neither with our past nor with our present life ought we to be delighted. For to this the Apostle admonisheth us, saying, What fruit at any time Rom. 6, have ye had in those things wherein now ye blush ? He is 21" weaning them from remembering with pleasure things past, with a certain lust for enjoyment; lest we return in heart into Egypt. What of things present ? How doth he bid us that even these things should be despised ? Not regarding, he 2 Cor. saith, the things which are seen, but the things which are not*' 18' seen. For the things which are seen are temporal: but the things which are not seen are eternal. Also of the present life, he saith, If in this life only in Christ we are hoping, l Cor. more miserable we are than all men. Forget thou there- ' ' fore things past, wherein ill thou hast lived ; despise things present, wherein- temporally thou livest; lest by entangling thee, things present suffer thee not to attain unto things future. For if present life delighted) thee, ear upon earth thou hast laid : if with thy past things, even now that they have glided by, thou art delighted, ear with tail thou hast closed up. Thou oughtest therefore to go into light, to go forth from darkness, at hearing iho voice of the medicine medicated by the wise man : in order that now in light » The construction seems imperfect, the very Truth the two commandment* perhaps the true reading may be ' qui on which, &o.' veritate ipsa firmaret,' ' to establish by 110 Imitate the serpent in parting with the old skin, Phalm walking, and oxulting, thou mayost say, Tho things which Phil a aro behind I havo forgotten, unto tho things which are before 13. / am reaching forth. Ho hath not said, Tho things which are behind I have forgot/en, and with things present I am delighted. When ho saith, The things which are behind I have forgotten, he hath not closed up ear with tail: whon ho saith, Unto the things ivhich are before I am reaching forth, with these and things present ho hath not grown deaf, with reason hearing, with reason preaching, with reason exultcth tho tongue of him, preaching tho Truth in now light, the old scrvico being now laid aside. For for this purpose availeth tho subtlety of tho serpent, to imitate which tho Lord ex- Mat. 10, hortcth us. For He saith, Be ye subtle, as serpents. What 10- is, subtle as serpents? Offer all thy limbs to the smiter, 1 Cor. provided only tho Head thou keep entire. The Head of tho lb 3. man is Christ. But thero is weighing us down something like tho weight of a sort of hide, und as it were the old age of tho Col. 8,0. old man. Hear tho Apostle saying, You slnp/jing off' the 10- old man, and putting on the new. And how do ) put off, thou sayest, the old man ? Imitate the subtlety of tho serpent. For what doth the serpent, in order to put off" from itself the old coat? It squeezed] itself through a narrow hole. And where, thou sayest, do I find this narrow Matt. 7, n°le ? Hear : Strait and narrow is the way which leadeth u- to life, and few there are that enter in through it. Dost thou shrink back from it, and art thou not willing to walk therein, because few there are ? There must the old coat be laid aside, and at another place laid aside it cannot be. Or, if tliou art willing with thine oldness to bo impeded, weighed down, oppressed, do not go through the narrow way. But if thou art weighed down with a sort of oldness of thy sin, wild, o, and of thy past life; pass along it thou canst not. Becauso therefore the body, which is corruptible, weighelh down the soul: either let desires corporal not oppress thee, or let tho lusts of tho flesh be put off. Whence are they put off, except thou shalt have gone through the narrow way, unless thou shalt have been subtle as the serpent ? 11. Ver. 0. God halh broken utterly the teeth of them in their own mouth. Of whom ? Of them to whom indignation is as the similitude of a serpent, and of an asp closing up its Our Lord brake His enemies' teeth 'in their own mouth.' 1 1 1 cars, so that it hearcth not the voice of mon charming, and Ver. of medicino medicated by tho wise man. The Lord hath — : — done to them what ? Hath broken utterly the teeth qf them in their own mouth. It hath boon dono, ibis at first hath been dono, and now is being done. But it would huvo sufficed, my brethren, that it should havo been said, God hath broken utterly tho teeth of thorn. Wherefore, in their own mouth ? The Pharisees would not hear tho Law, would not hear tho precepts of truth from Christ, being like to that serpent and asp. For in their past sins they took delight, and present life they would not lose, that is, joys earthly for joys heavenly. Ono car thoy were shutting with delight in things past, another with delight in things present, therefore thoy would not hear. For whence is this, If we shall have 3 0^ \\t let Him go, thero will como tho Romans, and take aivay*9, both our place and nation ? They wcro unwilling indeed to loso their place, to earth they had pressed down their car, and therefore they would not hear thoso words medicated by tho wise man. It was said of them, that both covetous thoy were, and lovers of money: and all the lifo of them, even tho past, was described by tho Lord in tho Gospel. IIo that diligently readcth tho Gospel, findeth whence those men wcro closing up both cars. Let your lovo give heed : tho Lord hath done what ? Hath broken utterly the teeth qf them in their own mouth. What is, in their own mouth ? In such sort, that with their own mouth against themselves they should mako declaration : He hath compelled them with their mouth against themselves to give sentence. They Mat.22 would have slandered Him, because of tho tribute : IIo said "• 18 not, It is lawful to piay tribute, or, it is not lauful to pay tribute. And He willed lo break utterly their teeth, where with they were gaping in order to bite ; but in their own mouth IIo would do it. If Ho said, Let thero bo paid to Ca:sar tribute, thoy would havo slandered Him, becauso Ho had spoken evil to the naliou of the Jews, by making it a tributary. For because of sin they were paying tribute, having been humbled, as to them in the Law had been foretold. We have Him, say they, a maliguer of our nation, if He shall have bidden us to pay tribute: but if He soy, Do not pay, we have Him for saying that we should not be 112 Our Lord's answer on the Tribute, His question of St. John. Psalm under allegiance to Caesar. Such a double nooso as it were LVm,to catch the Lord they laid. But to whom had they come ? To Him that knew how to break utterly the teeth of them in Mat.22, their own mouth. Shew to Me the coin, He saith. Why 19- tempt ye Me, ye hypocrites? Of paying tribute do ye think? To do justice are ye willing? tho counsel of justice do yo seek? If truly justice ye speak, judge right things, ye sons of men. But now because in ono way yo speak, in another way judge, hypocrites ye are: Why tempt ye Me, ye hypo crites? Now I will break utterly your teeth in your mouth : shew to Me the coin. And they shewed it to Him. And He saith not, Caesar's it is: but asketh, Whose it is? in order that their teeth in their own month might be utterly broken. For on His inquiring, of whom it had the image and inscription, they said, of Caesar. Even now the Lord shall break utterly the teeth of them in their own mouth. Now ye have made answer, now have been broken utterly your Mat.22, teeth in your mouth. Render unto Cwsar the things which arc qf Cassar, and unto God the things which are of God. Caesar seeketh his image; render it: God seeketh His image; render it. Let not Caesar lose from you his coin : let not God lose in you His coin. And they found not what they might answer. For they had been sent to slander Him : and they went back, saying, that no one to II im could make answer. Wherefore ? Because broken utterly had been the teeth of them in their own mouth. Mat.2l, 12. Of that sort is also the following; In what power doest Mark Tliou these things? I also will ask of you one question, ll, 28. ansuer me. And He asked them of John, whence was the Baptism of John, from heaven, or of men r so that whatever they might answer might tell against themselves. They would not say out, of men, fearing men, lest they should be stoned by them ; because John for a prophet they counted ; to say, from heaven, they dreaded still more, lest they should confess Christ Himself; because John had preached of Christ. Straitened on both sides, on the one hand and on the other, they that were preparing to lay a charge gave an Mark answer of ignorance : they said, We know not. For a 1 ' 33, slander they were preparing, when they said, In what power dost Thou these things? so that if He said, Christ I am, as Our Lord's enemies confounded by their own words. 113 being arrogant, proud, a blasphemer, they would have assailed Vbb. Him. Ho would not say, Tho Christ I am : but Ho enquired — — about John, who had said that IIo was tho very Christ. But they dared not find fault with John, fearing lest by iho people thoy should bo slain: they darod not to say, A truo saying John hath spoken, lest it should bo said to them, Believe him. They wore dumb, thoy said that thoy know not : now to bite they wcro not able. , Whence were not able ? At once your thoughts run upon, Broken had been the teeth of them in their own mouth. 13. Tho Lord displeased that Pharisee, who to dinner had bidden Him, becauso a woman that was a sinner drew near to His feet, and ho murmured against Him, saying, If thisluVo 7, man were a prophet, He would know ichat woman, drew near to His feel. O thou that art no prophet, whence knowest thou that IIo know not what woman drew near to His feet ? Because indeed Ho kept not tho purifying of the Jews, which outwardly was as it were kept in the flesh, and was afar from the heart, this thing ho suspected of tho Lord. And in order that I may not speak at length on this point, even in his mouth Ho willed lo break utterly the teeth of him. For He set forth to him: "A certain usurer Luke 7, had two debtors, one was owing five hundred pence, the other fifty: both had not wherewithal to pay, he forgave both. Which loved him the more ?" To this end the one askcth, that the other may answer: to this end ho answoreth, that the teeth of him in his mouth may bo broken utterly. Ho answered confounded, shut out ho was: admitted she was to receive mercy, sho that had burst into a strango habitation, but had not drawn near to a strange God: The Lord halh broken utterly the teeth of them in their own mouth. 14. The jaw-bones of lions the Lord halh broken utterly, v. 6. Not only of asps. What of asps ? Asps treacherously desire to throw in their venom, and scatter it, and hiss. Most openly raged the nations, and roared like lions. Where fore V*.l,\. have raged the nations, and the peoples meditated empty things? When they were lying in wait for the Lord. Is it Mat.22, lawful to give tribute to Caesar, or is it not lawful? Asps17' they were, serpents they were, broken utterly were the teeth VOL. III. 1 114 Heretics' complaints, silenced by their own acts, Phalm of them in their own mouth. Afterwards they cried out, yLILL Crucilii. Crucifu. Now is there no tonguo of asp, but roar 23. ' 'of lion. But also /Ac jaw-bones qf lions the Lord hath Johnio, 0r0/cen utterly. Porchanco bore there is no need of that which ho hath not added, namoly, in the mouth of them. For men lying in wait with captious questions, were forced to be conquered with their own answer : but those men that openly were raging, were they by any means to be confuted with questions ? Nevertheless, even their jaw-bones were broken utterly : having been crucified, He rose again, ascended into heaven, was glorified as the Christ, is adored by all nations, adored by all kings. Let the Jews now rage, if they are able. They rage not : The jaic-bones of lions the Lord hath broken utterly. Against 15. We have also in the case of heretics this as a warning na°tiHt°." arRl precedent, because themselves also wo find to bo serpents with indignation mado deaf, not choosing to hear the ' medi- cino medicated by the wise man :' and in their own mouth the Lord halh broken utterly the teeth of them. How were they raging against us, accusing us as being persecutors, for excluding them from the Basilicas ? Now question them : ought heretics to be excluded from the Basilicas, or ought they not? Let them answer now, let them say that they ought not: the Maximianists demand back the Basilicas. But in order that the Maximianists may not recover the Basilicas, they say that heretics ought to be excluded. What is it therefore that ye were saying against us ? Are not your teeth utterly broken in your own mouth ? What have we to do with kings ? say they. What have we to do with emperors ? Ye on emperors do rely ! I ask also, What have ye to do with proconsuls, whom emperors have sent ? What have ye to do with laws, which against you emperors have given ? The emperors of our communion against all heretics have given laws: those men, in fact, they call heretics, who are not of their communion, among whom certainly you also are : if true are the laws, let them hold good even against you heretics ; if false are the laws, where fore do they hold good against your heretics ? Brethren, for a little space give heed, and understand what we have said : when they were pleading their causes against the Maxi- in treating those who parted from them as heretics. 1 15 mianists, in order that they might expel those that were by Veb. themselves condemned, and their schismatics, from places — '¦ — which they held of old, and where bishops had succeeded their predecessors; wishing to exclude these men from thence, they pleaded public laws, before the judges they came, said that they were themselves catholics, in order that they might be able to exclude heretics. Wherefore dost thou call thyself a catholic, in. order to have a heretic excluded; and wilt not rather be a catholic, that thou mayest not be excluded as a heretic? Now a catholic thou art, in order that thou mayest have power to exclude a heretic. For a judge could not judge otherwise than by his laws. They called them selves catholics, they were admitted to plead : they called the others heretics, he enquired whereby it might be proved: there was read the Council of Bagai1, whereby the Maxi-'SeeoD mianists were condemned, it was inserted in the Actaxxxvil. Proconsularia, it was proved that they having been con- Ser- "• demned ought not to hold the Basilicas, and the proconsul gave judgment according to law. According to what law? That which was passed against heretics. If against heretics, also against thee. Wherefore, saith ho, against me ? For I am not a heretic. If heretic thou art not, false are those laws : for by those emperors they were passed, that are not of thy communion : all that are not of their communion, by their laws they call heretics. I enquire not whether true they are, or false ; let that question be set aside, if still a question it is : meanwhile after thy account now I ask, True laws are they, or false laws are they? If true they are, let them be believed : if false they are, wherefore usest thou them ? Thou hast said to the proconsul, A catholic I am, • exclude thou a heretic. He enquired whence a man should be proved a heretic : thou producedst thy Council, shewedst that thou hadst condemned him. He, either conniving, or not understanding, nevertheless used the law in the capacity of judge ; and thou hast done by means of the judge that which by thyself thou art not willing to do ; for if the judge used the law of the emperor at thy instigation, why dost thou not use it for thy own correction ? Lo, he hath expelled thy heretic according to the law of his emperor : wherefore according to the same law wilt thou not have him expel thee I 2 110 The wicked pass away like winter torrents. Pkalm too ? We repeat what ye have done : behold, the Basilicas Hill- were held by tho Maximianists, now by you they are held : there have been excluded from them the Maximianists: thoro aro extant the orders of tho proconsuls, aro extant tho minutes of the proceedings, guards are accepted, cities stirred, mon expelled from their places. Wherefore? Becauso heretics they aro. Expelled by what law? Answer: let us seo whether yet your tooth are not broken utterly in your mouth. Falso is the law ? let it not hold good against thy heretic. True is tho law ? let it hold good also against thee. There is nothing which they can answer, God halh broken utterly the teeth of them in their own mouth. And therefore, wherever they cannot with slimy guile twine like asps, with open violence they roar like lions. There rush forth and rage armed bands of Circumeelliones, make havoc as much as they can, as much as ever they can. But also the jaw bones of lions the Lord hath broken utterly. 10. Ver. 7. They shall be despised like water running down. Be not terrified, brethren, by certain streams, which arc called torrents: with winter waters they arc filled up; do not fear: after a little it passeth by, that water runneth down ; for a time it roareth, soon it will subside : they cannot hold long, Many heresies now are utterly dead : they havo run in their channels as much as they were able, have run down, dried arc the channels, scarce of them the memory is found, or that they have been. They shall be despised like water running down. But not they alone ; the whole of this age for a dine is roaring, and is seeking whom it may drag along. Let all ungodly men, all proud men resounding against the rocks of their pride as it were with waters rushing along and flowing together, not terrify you, winter waters they are, they cannot id way flow: it must needs bo that they run down unto their place, unto their end. And nevertheless of this torrent of tho world tho Lord hath drunk. For Ho hath suffered here, tho very torrent Ho halh drunk, but in tho way IIo halh Ph. 1,1. drunk, but in tho passage over: because in way of sinners lie hath not stood. But of Him saith the Scripture what ? Pi. no, Of the torrent in the way He shall drink, therefore He shall lift up His Head: that is, for this reason glorified IIo hath been, because Ho hath died, for this reason hath risen again, Weakness for a lime no cause for despondency. 117 because He hath suffered. If He would not liave drunk in the Vbr. way of the torrent, He would not have died ; if He had not -J^ — died,, He would not have risen again ; if He had not risen again, He would not have been glorified. Therefore, Of the torrent in the way He shall drink, for this cause lie shall lift up His Head. Exalted is now our Head: let His members follow Him. They shall be despised like water running down. He hath bended His bow, until they be made weak. The menaces of God cease not: the bow of God are the menaces of God. The bow is bended, not yet it striketh. He hath bended His bow, until they be made weak. And many men have been made weak, terrified by the bending of that same bow. For hence was made weak he that said, What dost. Thou bid me to do? I am, He sajth, Act* 9, Jesus of Nazareth, Whom thou persecuiest. He that was " ' crying out from heaven, was bending the bow. Many men therefore that have been enemies, have been made weak; and having been converted, would not for long lift up their necks against the continuance of the bended bow. For in like manner also was he made weak that saith, in order that we might not fear to be made weak, When I am made weak, 2Cor.i2, then mighty I am. And when he was praying that from him 10- should be taken the thorn of the flesh, what had he for answer ? " Virtue in weakness is made perfect?' He hath 2Cor.l2, bended His bow, until they be made weak. 17. Ver. 8. Like wax melted they shall be taken away. For thou wast about to say, all men are not so made weak, like myself, in order that they may believe: many men do persevere in their evil, and in their malice. And of the same fear thou nothing: Like wax melted they shall be taken away. Against thee they shall not stand, they shall not continue: with a sort of fire of their own lusts they shall perish. For there is here a kind of hidden punishment, Hidden of it the Psalm is about to speak now, to the end of it. S^t of There are but a few verses; be attentive. There is a certain sinner8' punishment future, fire of hell, fire everlasting. For future punishment hath two kinds : either of the lower places it is, where was burning that rich man, who was wishing for him self a drop of water to be dropped on his tongue off the finger of the poor man, whom before his gate he had spurned, 118 Various kinds of punishment of sin. Phalm when ho suith, For I am tormented in this flame. And tho EuTwuT second is that at tho end, whereof, thoy aro to hear, that on 24. 'the left hand aro to bo set: Go ye into fire everlasting, that J}"' 25'hath been prepared for the devil and his angels. Thoso punishments shall be manifest at that time, when wc shall hay,e departed out of this life, or when at tho end of the world men shall have come to the resurrection of the dead. Now therefore is there no punishment, and doth God suffer sins utterly unpunished even unto that day ? There is even here a sort of hidden punishment, of the same he is treating now. This the Spirit of God would commend to our notice: this let us understand, of this beware, this avoid, and into those very terrible punishments we shall not fall. Perchance some ono will say to mc, Thero aro even here punishments, prisons, banishments, tortures, deaths, divers kinds of pains and tribulations. Thero aro indeed even these, and by God's judgment thoy ore dispensed: but to many men for pro bation, to many men for condemnation. Wo seo nevertheless sometimes with these punishinoiits just mon to bo afflicted, and to these punishinoiits unjust men to bo strangers: for which reason did totter tho foot of hiin that afterwards P«, 78, rejoicing saith, How good is the God of Israel to men right in heart ! But my own J'eel have been almost shaken, because I have been jealous in the case of sinners, be holding the peace of sinners. For ho had seen the felicity of evil men, and well-pleased he had been to be an evil man, seeing evil men to reign, seeing that it was well with them, that they abounded in plenty of all things temporal, such as ho too, being as yet but a babe, was desiring from tho Lord : and his foot did totter, oven until ho saw what at tho end is either to bo hoped for or to bo l'H,7a, feared. For ho suith in tho sumo Psalm, 'This thing is a labour before me, until I enter into the sanctuary of God, and understand unto the lust things. It is not therefore tho punishments of tho lower places, not the punishments of that fire everlasting after the resurrection, not thoso punish ments which as yet in this world aro common to just men and unjust men, and ofttimes more heavy are those of just men than thoso of unjust men ; but some punishment or other of the present lifo the Spirit of God would recommend The wicked wasted by their own lusts. 1 10 to our notice. Give heed, hear, ye me about to speak of Vbh. that which ye know : but a more sweet thing it is when it is — '¦ — declared in a Psalm, which, before it was declared, was deemed obscure. For behold I bring forth that which already ye knew: but because these things are brought forth from a place where ye have never yet seen them, it cometh to pass that even known things, as if they were new things, do delight you. Hear ye the punishment of ungodly men : Like wax, he saith, melted they shall be taken away. I have said that through their lusts this thing to them is done. Evil lust is like a burning and a fire. Doth fire consumo a garment, and doth not tho lust of adultery consume tho soul ? Of meditated adultery when the Scripture was speaking it saith, Shall one bind fire in his bosom, andProy.8, his garments shall he not burn up ? Thou boarost in thy bosom live coals ; burned through is thy vest ; thou bearcst in thought adultery, and Whole then is thy soul ? 18. But these punishments few men do see: therefore them the Spirit of God doth exceedingly recommend to our notice. Hear the Apostle saying, God halh given them up unto Rom. 1, the lusts of their heart. Behold, the fire from the face of which like wax they aro melting. For they loose themselves from a certain continence of chastity : therefore oven these samo men, going unto their lusts, as looso and molting are spoken of. Whcnco molting ? whonco looso ? From tho firo of lusts. God halh given them up unto the lusts of their heart, so that they do those things which beseem not, being filled full of all iniquity. And ho onumcratcth many things which aro sins, and saith thoy are tho punishments of sinners. For ho saith that tho first punishment is prido: nay, no punishment, but tho first sin is prido. Tho first sin is prido: the last punishment is fire everlasting, or fire infernal ; for hereafter it will be the punishment of men condemned. Between that first sin and this last punishment, the things which are intermediate are both sins and punishments. For of so many things speaketh tho Apostle as being done by thorn which aro execrable sins ; and ncvortholcss punish ments ho calloth thorn ; For this cause, he saith, God hath given up them unto the lusts qf their heart, unto uncleanness, so that they do those things which beseem not. And lest any 120 Sin, and moral blindness, no small punishment. Phalm one might think that he is afflicted only with those very LV1It> punishments wherewith now he is delighted, and that ho should not fear that which is to come at the end ; he halh Rom. 1, made mention of the last punishment; Who, though they 32, had known the justice of God, perceived not, ho saith, that they that do these things, are worthy of death, not only they that do them, but also they that consent lo men doing them. They that do those things are worthy of death. What things ? Those that above he hath enumerated to be in the number of punishments. For God hath given them up, he hath said, unto the lusts of their heart, so that they do those things which beseem not. For a man to be an adulterer, is at once a punishment: for a man to be a liar, covetous, fraudulent, a man-slayer, are even now punishments. Of what sins are they the punishments? Of former apostasy, of that prido. Eoolcn. The beginning of the sin of a man is to apostatise from God: jjji 12, and the beginning of all sin is pride. Therefore of sin itself Horn. 1, first he hath spoken. Who though they had known God, glorified Him not as God, nor gave thanks, but were empty in their thoughts, and their unwise heart was darkened. Now this darkening of heart is punishment. But whence doth it Rom. i, chance to them ? For saying themselves to be wise men, they became fools. Because, of themselves they used to say they had that, which from God they had received : or if they knew from whom they received it, Hiin they glorified not, from whom they knew themselves to have received: this is, saying themselves to be wise men, and there forthwith followed punishment: fools they became, and their unwise heart was darkened, saying themselves to be wise, they became fools. Is this a small punishment ? To speak of these punishments alone; is darkoning of heart, blindness of mind, a littlo punishment? If any ono committing a theft, immediately had lost an eye: all men would say that God being present had taken vengeance. The eye of the heart he hath lost, and is God supposed to have spared him ? Like wax melted they shall be taken away. 19. Ver. 7. There hath fallen upon them fire, and they have not seen the sun. Ye see in what manner he speaketh of a certain punishment of darkening. Fire hath fallen upon them, fire of pride, a smoky fire, fire of lust, fire of Original sin best conquered by early efforts. 121 wrath. How great a fire is it? He upon whom it shall ve"»- have fallen, shall not see the sun. Therefore hath it been said, Let not the sun go down upon your wrath. Therefore, Ephe». brethren, fire of evil lust fear ye, if ye will not to melt like4'26". wax, and to perish from the face of God. For there falleth upon you that fire, and the sun ye shall not see. What sun? Not that which together with thee see both beasts and insects, and good men and evil men : because He maketli Matt.6, His sun lo rise upon good men and evil men. But there is ' another sun, whereof those men are to speak, And the sun Wiid.5, hath not risen lo us, passed away are all those things as it were a shadow. Therefore we have strayed from the way of truth, and the liyhl of righteousness hath not shone to us, and the sun hath not risen to us. Wherefore, but because there hath fallen upon them fire, and. they have not seen the sun. There hath conquered them the lust of the flesh. And this lust hath come whence ? Give heed. From propagation thou hast been born together with that sin which thou mayest conquer : do not to thyself add enemies, conquer that with which thou hast been born. Into the arena of this life with it thou hast come, engage with that which together with theo halh gono forward. When this saino hath not' bccfi conquered, wherefore dost thou challenge troops of lusts ? For carnal pleasure, brethren, together with man is born. But ho that is well trained quickly soclh his enemy, and assailed), and slriveth, and quickly conquercth : for he is prepared for enemies that aro not yot increasing. But ho thut niaketh light of concurring that lust, with which by the propagation of sin ho hath been born, and still stirred) up '',;'; and advanced) many lusts; with difficulty overcometh them, and against himself being himself divided, with his own fire is burned up. Do not therefore hope as though there should be only those future punishments; see them present. There halh fallen upon them fire, and they have not seen the sun. 20. Ver. 8. Before that the bramble1 bringeth forth yourlRnam* thorns: as though living, as though in anger, it shall drink them up. What is tho bramble- ? Of prickly plants it is a kind, upon which thero are said to bo certain of the closest thorns. At first it is a herb ; and while it is a herb, soft and fair it is: but thereon thero aro nevertheless thorns to como forth. 122 Sin a trouble, that will one day bear thorns. Phalm Now therefore sins are pleasant, and as it were they do not ^ prick. A herb is the bramble ; even now nevertheless there is a thorn. Before that the bramble bringeth forth thorns: is bofore that of miserable delights and pleasures tho evident tortures come forth. Let them question themselves that love any object, and to it cannot attain ; let them see if they are not racked with longing : and when they have attained to that which unlawfully they long for, let them mark if they are not racked with fear. Let them see therefore here their punishments ; before that there cometh that resurrection, l Cor. when in flesh rising again they shall not bo changed. For ' ' all we sltallrise again, but not" all we shall bo changed. For thoy shall havo tho corruption of tho flesh wherein to bo pained, not that wherein to dio : otherwise oven thoso pains would bo ended. Then the thorns of that bramble, that is, all pains and piercings of tortures shall be brought forth. Wisd.s, Such thorns as they shall suffer that are to say, These are they whom sometimes we had in derision : thorns of the piercing of repentance, but of one too late and without fruit like the barrenness of thorns. The repentance of ibis time is pain healing: repentance of that time is pain penal. Wouldest thou not suffer those thorns ? here be thou pierced with the thorns of repentance ; in such sort that thou do that which Ps. 32, hath been spoken of, Turned I have been in sorrow, when i0'r teing the thorn was piercing*: my sin I have known, and mine made to iniquity I have not covered : I have said, I will declare pierce. . 7 against me my shortcoming to the Lord, and Thou hast remitted the ungodliness of my heart. Now do so, now be pierced through, be there not in thee done that which hath Ps. 36, been said of certain execrable men, They have been cloven Against asunder, and have not been pierced through b. Observe them the Do- that have been cloven asunder and have not been nierced natista. r through. Ye see men cloven asunder, and ye see them not pierced through. Behold beside the Church they are, and it doth not repent them, so as they should return whence they have been cloven asunder. The bramble here- » So several early writers and Mss. b These words are in the Vulgate, But the balance of authority as well as for ' they did tear me, and ceased not ' the sense is in favour of the received but St. Aug. does not notice them in reading. his comment on the Psalm. God punisheth in part even here, 123 after shall bring forth their thorns. They will not now have Vun. a healing piercing through, they shall have hereafter one — — penal. But even now before that the bramble producelh thorns, there hath fallen upou them fire, that suffereth them not to see the sun, that is the wrath of God is drinking up them while still living : fire of evil lusts, of empty honours, of pride, of their covetousness: and whatsoever is weighing them down, that they should not know tho truth, so that thoy seem not to bo conquered, so that they bo not brought into subjection oven by truth herself. For what is a more glorious thing, brethren, than to bo brought in subjection and to bo overcomo by truth ? Let truth overcome thee willing : for even unwilling she shall of herself overcome thee. Therefore that fire of evil desires, that hath fallen upon them, so that they see not the sun, hath drunk up the bramble, before that it produceth their thorns : that is, it hideth their evil life, before lhat the same life bringeth forth evident rackings at the end ; but in the anger of God lhat fire is concealing the bramble. For it is no little punishment that now they see not the sun, nor believe that thorns of punishment out of this evil life hereafter shall come forth. For ye, he saith, are a bramble, which bramble, that is, your own selves, living, that is, still set in this life, before that it bring forth in future judgment the evident thorns of your punishments, now in anger it drinketh up, that is, as if by sucking up suffereth it not to appear. The order of these words then, as far as I think, more perspicuously can be put together thus. There hath fallen upon them fire, and they have not seen the sun: which fire as though in anger, you as though living, a bramble it drinketh up, before that it. bringeth forth your thorns : that is, you yourselves whom a bramble it findeth, it drinketh up before death, before that the same bramble bringeth forth your thorns, that is, after death in that penal resurrection. But wherefore hath he not spoken of living, hut as though living, except because unreal is this life of ungodly men ? For they do not live, but seem to themselves to live. And wherefore not, in anger, but as though in anger, except because undisturbed God doeth this thing? For this also hath been written: Bui Thou, O Lord of virtues, with gentleness judgest. HeV/iid. 12, 18. 124 All are born under wrath, but need not abide so. Psalm therefore even when Ho threateneth is not angry. For Ho L^m- is not perturbed, but is as though angry, because He punisheth and avenged). And they that amended will not be, as it were live, but do not live. For the vengeance for the first sin, and that for those which they have added, abideth upon them; and the same is called the anger of God, because of the judgment of God it cometh. Whence John 3, the Lord of one not believing saith, But the anger of God 36' abideth upon him. For with the anger of God we mortal Ephes. men are born. Whence saith the Apostle, We also have ' ' been sometime by nature sons of wrath, as also the rest. What is, by nature sons of wrath, except that we bear with us the punishment of the first sin ? But if we turn ourselves, wrath is taken away, there is granted grace. Thou wilt not be turned, thou art adding even upon that thou wert born: as though in wrath thou art drunk up in the present time. "i.e. 21. Acknowledge therefore that punishment ', and rejoice ongma ^^ ^^ are nQ^ jfi ^g otner> aUye tnat are advancing and all ye that understand and love the truth, all ye lhat in your selves desire more the victory of truth than your own, that close not against the truth your ears, because of delight in present things and remembrance of past things: be not ye a 2Pet.2, dog returned to its own vomit. All ye that arc of such sort, seo yo the punishments of those that are not of such sort, and rejoice. As yet the punishments of the lower places havo not come, as yet firo everlasting hath not como: let him that is growing in God compare himself now with an ungodly man, a blind heart with an enlightened heart: compare ye two men, one seeing and one not seeing in the Tob. 4, flesh. And what so great thing is vision of the flesh ? Did 3—19 ' Tobias by any means have fleshly eyes? His own son had, and he had not; and the way of life a blind man to one seeing did shew. Therefore when ye see that punishment, rejoice, because in it ye are not. Therefore saith the Scrip ture, (ver. 0.) The just man shall rejoice when he shall have seen vengeance. Not that future punishment ; for see what followeth : his hands he shall wash in the blood of the sinner. What is this ? Let your lovo attend. When man- slayers aro smitton, ought anywise innocent men to go thither Good men the better for bad men's punishment. 1 25 and wash their hands? But what is, in the blood of the Ver. sinner lie shall wash his hands? When a just man seeth '. — the punishment of a sinner, he groweth himself; and the death of one is the life of another. For if spiritually blood runneth from those that within are dead, do thou, seeing such vengeance, wash therein thy hands ; for the future more cleanly live. And how shall he wash his hands, if a just man he is? For what hath he on his hands to be washed, if just he is? But the just man of faith shall live. Just Rom. i, men therefore he hath called believers: and from the time that thou hast believed, at once thou beginnest to be called just. For there hath been made a remission of sins. Even if out of that remaining part of thy life some sins are thine, which cannot but flow in, like water from the sea into the hold ; nevertheless, because thou hast believed, when thou shalt have seen him that altogether is turned away from God to be slain in that blindness, there falling upon him that fire so that he see not the sun — then do thou that now through faith seest Christ, in order that thou mayest see in substance, (because the just man liveth of faith,) observe the ungodly man dying, and purge thyself from sins. So thou shalt wash in a manner thy hands in the blood of the sinner. Therefore his hands he shall wash in the blood of the sinner. 22. Ver. 10. And a man shall say, Lf therefore there is fruit to a just man. Behold, before that there cometh that which is promised, before that there is given life everlasting, before that ungodly men are cast forth into fire everlasting, here in this life there is fruit to the just man. What fruit? In hope rejoicing, in tribulation enduring. What fruit to Rom. the just man ? We glory in tribulations, knowing that tribu-^m- '6) lalion worketh patience, but patience probation, but pro-3-1'6- bation hope : but hope confoundeth not : because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts through the Holy Spirit, that hath been given to us. Doth he rejoice that is a drunkard; and doth he not rejoice that is just? In love there is fruit to a just man. Miserable the one, even when he maketh himself drunken : blessed the other, even when he hungereth and thirsteth. The one wine-bibbing doth gorge, the other hope doth feed. Let him see therefore the 120 Evil state of the wicked may be seen even liere. Phalm punishment of the other, his own rejoicing, and let him !Y. Ill thinlc of God. He that hath given even now such joy of faith, of hope, of charity, of the truth of His Scriptures, what manner of joy is IIo making ready against the end ? In the way thus He fcedcth, in his home how shall He fill him? And a man shall say, If therefore there is fruit to the just man. Let them that see believe, and see, and perceive. Rejoice shall the just man when he shall havo seen vengeance. But if ho hath not eyes whence he may seo vengeance, he will bo made sad, and will not bo amended by it. But if he sooth it, ho sooth what difference thoro is between tho darkened oyo of tho heart, and the cyo enlightened of tho heart : between tho coolness of chastity and tho flame of lust, between tho security of hope and the foar thero is in crimo. Whon ho shull havo seen this, lot him separate himself, and wash his hands in the blood of tho same. Let him profit by tho comparison, and say, Therefore there is J'ruit to the just man: therefore there is a God judging them in the earth. Not yet in that life, not yet in fire eternal, not yet in the lower places, but here in Luke earth. Behold, that rich man yet is clothed with purple and ' ' fine linen, and yet fcasteth every day sumptuously. Not yet tho bramble hath brought forth thorns, not yet ho saith, I am tormented in litis flame : but even now there is blind ness of mind, oven now the cyo of the mind hath been quenched. If blind in eyes of flesh ho wore to sit down to his table, however rich it bo, miserable tliou wouldest call him: blind within, tho bread of Christ ho sceth not, and blessed is he? This no one saith but one alike blind. Therefore there is fruit to the just man; therefore there is a God judging them in the earth. 23. If somewhat too prolix wo havo boon, pnrdon us. We exhort you in tho name of Christ, to meditate profitably on thoso things which yo have heard. Because even to preach tho truth 'is' bought, if heart from tongue dissented) ; and to hear tho truth nothing profited), if a man upon the rock Matt. 7, build not. Ho that buildeth upon a Rock, is the same that hcareth and doeth: but ho that hearcth and doeth not, buildoth upon sand: he that neither hcareth nor doeth, buildeth nothing. But in like manner as ho that buildeth Neglect of hearing saves not. 127 upon sand, ruin for himself buildeth; so he that buildeth not Ver; upon a rock, the flood coming, without house is carried — — away. It is not possible to do any thing without both building, and upon a rock building : that is, both to hear and to do. And let not another man say, Why do I go forth to the Church ? for they that daily to the Church go forth, do not what they hear. They do it, nevertheless, in order that they may hear: thus they may come so to do it, as both to hear and to do: but thou, how very far thou art from doing, that so far art fleeing from hearing? But I, he saith, build not upon sand. Upon thee naked the flood will come: will it therefore not take thee off? will therefore the rain not slay thee ? will, for this reason, the winds not sweep thee away? Therefore I will come and will hear. But when thou shalt have heard, do. For if thou shalt have heard and shalt not have done, thou hast builded indeed, but upon sand. Because therefore without building standing, naked we are, but in a building planted upon sand, under ruin we are : it remaineth that upon a Rock we build, and what we have heard, that we do. PSALM LIX. L*T. LVI1I. EXPOSITION. Sermon I.» on the first part of the Psalm. I. As the Scripture is wont to set mysteries of the Psalms on the titles, and to deck the brow of a Psalm with the high announcement of a Mystery ', in order that we that are about to ' Sacra- go in may know (when as it were upon the door-post we have meatl read what within is doing) either of whom the house is, or who is the owner of that estate : so also in this Psalm there hath been written a title, of a title. For it hath, At the end, corrupt not for David himself unto the inscription qf the title. This is that which I havo spoken of, title of Title. • Delivered after the discovery of the error of Pelagiui. 128 The ' Title' in the Psalms, means that on the Cross. Psai.m For what the inscription of this title is, which to bo -11X' corrupted he forbiddoth, tho Gospel to us doth indicate. For whon tho Lord was being crucified, a title by Pilate was Mat. 27, inscribed and set, King of the Jews, in three tongues, JohnH) hf^brow, Greek, and Latin : which tongues in the whole 2o. world mostly do prevail. Therefore, if tho King of the Jews was crucified, tho Jews their King crucified; by crucifying Him, King of tho Gentiles also they made Him, rather than slew I lini. And indeed as much as in them lay, they destroyed tho Christ, but for themselves, not for us; and He died for us, and with His blood IIo redeemed us. And now the titlo is not corrupted: because He is King, not only of tho Gentiles, but also of the same Jews. But why ? Because they spake against Him, therefore were they able to over throw the dominion of their King? King He is, and abovo them. For this King an iron rod doth bear, wherewith lie P»- 2, both ruleth and breakcth. /, lie saith, have been set a King by Him over His holy Mount Sion, preaching the precept of the Lord. The Lord hath said to Me, My Son art Thou, to-day I have begotten Thee: ask of Me, and I trill give Thee the nations for Thine inheritance, and for Thy pos session the ends of the earth; 'Thou shall rule them with an iron rod, and as it were a vessel of the potter Thou shall break them in pieces. Whom shall Ho rule? whom shall He break in pieces ? Shall rulo men obeying, shall break in pieces men resisting. Therefore corrupt not is most proper aud prophetic ; since indeed even those Jews made sug- Johni9, gestion at that time to Pilate, and said, Do not write King :l of the Jews, but write, lhat Himself said thai He was King of the Jews; for this title, say they, hath established Him King over us. And Pilate, What I have written, I have written. And there was fulfilled, corrupt not. 2. Nor is this the only Psalm which hath an inscription of such sort, that the Title be not corrupted. Several Psalms thus are marked on the face, but however in all the Passion of the Lord is foretold. Therefore here also let us perceive the Lord's Passion, and let there speak to us Christ, Head and Body. So always, or nearly always, let us hear the words of Christ from the Psalm, as that we look not only upon that Head, the one Mediator between God and man, Christ sowdimes speaks for J lis Body, 120 tho Man Christ Josus : Who also after tho Divino Nature in Vkh. tho boginning was tho Word, God with God, which Word pj,y — was inado Flesh, and dwelled in us, flesh out of tho seed of 2, 6. Ill Abraham, out of tho sood of David by Mary tho Virgin : not j" '" ' therefore of Him alone, Who is our Hoad, let us think,' when wo hoar Christ speak; but lot us think of Christ, Head and whole- Body, a sort of entire Man. For to us is said, But yo 1 Cor. are the Body of Christ and members, by the Apostlo Paul. y'*J,\ And of Him is said by tho same Aposde, that Ho is tlia 1. «2- Head of tho Church. If therefore Ho is Head, wo Body ; {°wt ' whole Christ is Head and Body. For Noinotinios thou findest words which do not suit tho Head, and unless thou shalt have attached them to tho Body, thy understanding will waver: again thou findest words which aro proper for tho Body, and Christ nevertheless is speaking. In lhat placo wo must havo no fear lest a man bo mistaken: for quickly ho proceeded! to adapt to the Head, that which ho sooth is not proper for tho Mody. Himself in a word on tho Cross hanging in tho person of Iho Body spake, My God, My God, IY22,I. have regard unto Me, wherefore, hast Thou forsaken 71/c^ Mdt.27, For He had not forsaken Christ, by whom forsaken lie had not been : nor in truth did He come to us in such sort as to havo forsaken Him ; or did IIo so send Him, as from Him to have departed. But because man was deserted by God, that sinning Adam, who though ho was wont to rejoico before the face of God, being terrified by tho consciousness of sin, fled from his joy: and God did truly forsake him, becauso himself left God : since out of this Adam Christ had Gen. 3, received flesh, out of tho person of the same flesh, this Ho8' saith: because then our old man was nailed together wilh Horn. 0, Him to tho Cross. 3. Let us hear therefore what followeth : When Saul sent and guarded his house in order that he might kill him. This though not lo the Cross of the Lord, yet to tho Passion of the Lord doth belong. For Crucified was Christ, and dead, and buried. That sepulchre was therefore as it were tho house: to guard which the government of the Jews sent, Mat.27, when guards were set to the sepulchre of Christ. Thero isG0- indoed a story in the Scripture of the Reigns, of the occasion vol. in. k 130 The Jews watched the Tomb to make an end of Christ. Psalm when Saul sent to guard the house in order that he might LIX> kill David: but as much as he that hath written the Psalm 19, 11. hath taken thence, so much we ought to examine when of the title of the Psalm we are treating. Did he wish to intimate this only to us, that they sent to the house in order that it might be guarded, and he might be killed ? How then, if David figured Christ, to this end was the house guarded that Christ might be killed ; since in the Tomb Christ was not laid, until after lie had been slain on tho Cross? Refer this therefore to the Body of Christ: that to kill Christ was to take away the name of Christ, in order that men. might not believe in Christ, provided that the falsehood of the guards might gain credit, who were bribed to say, Mat. 28, that while they slept His disciples came and took Him ]3, away. This is truly to will to slay Christ, to extinguish the name of His Resurrection, in order that falsehood might be preferred to the Gospel. But in like manner as Saul effected not his purpose of slaying David: so this could not the government of the Jews effect, that the testimony of guards sleeping should avail more than that of Apostles watching. For what were the guards instructed to say? We give to you, they say, as much money as ye please ; and say ye, that while ye were sleeping there came His disciples, and took Him away. Behold what sort of witnesses of falsehood against truth and the Resurrection of Christ, His enemies, through Saul figured, did produce. Enquire, O unbelief, of sleeping witnesses, let them reply to thee of what was done in the Tomb. Who, if they were sleeping, whence knew it ? If watching, wherefore detained they not the thieves ? Let him say therefore what followeth. 4. Ver. 1. Deliver me from mine enemies, my God, and from men rising up upon me, redeem Thou me. There hath been done this thing in the flesh of Christ, it is being done in us also. For our enemies, to wit the devil and his angels, cease not to rise up upon us every day, and to wish to make sport of our weakness and our frailness, by decep tions, by suggestions, by temptations, and by snares of what soever sort to entangle us, while on earth we are still living. But let our voice watch unto God, and cry out in the Christ, in His Body, delivered from men of blood. 131 members of Christ, under the Head dial is in heaven, v> '<• (J s Deliver me j'rom mine enemies, my God, and from men ¦'-¦"—. rising up upon me, redeem Thou me. 5. Ver. 2. Deliver me from men working iniquity, and from men of bloods, save Thou me. They indeed' wcro men of bloods, who slew the Just One, in Whom no guilt they found: they were men of bloods, because when the foreigner washed his hands, and would have let go Christ, they cried, Crucify, Crucify, they were men of bloods, on whom when Mat.27, there was being charged the crime of tho blood of Christ, they made answer, giving it to their posterity to drink, His Mat.27, blood be upon us and upon our sons. But neither against His Body did men of bloods cease to rise up ; for even after the Resurrection and Ascension of Christ, the Church suffered persecutions, and she indeed first that grew out of the Jewish people, of which also our Apostles were. There at first Stephen was stoned, and received that of which he Act* 7, had his name. For Stcphanus doth signify a crown. Lowly stoned but highly crowned. Secondly, among the Gentiles rose up kingdoms of Gentiles, before that in them was fulfilled that which had been foretold, There shall adore p«. 71, Him all the Icings of the earth, all nations shall serve Him :1*' and there roared tho fiorceness of that kingdom against tho witnesses of Christ: thero was shed largely and .frequently the blood of Martyrs : wherewith when it had been shed, being as it were sown, tho field of tho Church more pro ductively put forth, and filled tho whole world as wo now behold. From these therefore, men of bloods, is delivered Christ, not only Head, but also Body. From men of bloods is delivered Christ, both from them that havo boon, and from them that arc, and from them that arc to be ; there is delivered Christ, both He that hath gone before, and He that is, and He that is to come. For Christ is the whole Body of Christ; and whatsoever good Christians that now are, and that have been before us, and that after us are to be, are an whole Christ, who is delivered from men of bloods ; nor is this voice void, And from men of bloods save Thou me. 6. Ver. 3. For behold they have hunted my soul. They have been able to hold, been able to slay, they have hunted my soul. P». 1 16, k2 "• 132 Who are called 'strong' in a bad sense. Pkai.m But where is, Thou hast broken asunder my bonds? Where is, _Ld?*L The trap is broken, and we are delivered? Where is that C 6. ' wherein we bless God, that hath not given us for a hunting to the teeth of them ? They indeed have hunted, but in the hands of men hunting He leaveth not us, That guardeth Israel. For, behold, they have hunted my soul: there have rushed upon me strong men. We must not however pass on from these strong men : diligently we must trace who are the strong men rising up. Strong men, upon whom but upon weak men, upon powerless men, upon men not strong ? And praised nevertheless are the weak men, and condemned are the strongmen. If it would be perceived who are strong men, at first the devil himself the Lord hath called a strong Mat. 12, man: No one, He saith, is able to go into the house of a 29 strong man, and to carry off his vessels, unless first he shall have bound the strong man. He hath bound therefore the strong man with the chains of His dominion : and his vessels He hath carried off, and His own vessels hath made them. For all unrighteous men were vessels of the devil, that believing have been made vessels of Christ: to whom Ephes. the Apostle saith, For ye have been sometime darkness, but R'oni. 9 noW H'jld in tho Lord : That maketli known His riches on 23- the vessels of mercy. These men therefore may be under stood as strong men. But there arc among mankind certain strong men of a blameablo and damnable strength, that are confident indeed, but on temporal felicity. That man doth not" seem to you to have been strong, of whom now from the Lukei2, Gospel hath been read: how his estate brought forth abundance of fruits, and he being troubled, hit upon the design of rebuilding, so that, having pulled down his old barns, he should construct new ones more capacious, and, these having been finished, should say to his soul, Thou hast many good things, soul, feast, be merry, be filled. Ps. 62, What sort of strong man seest thou? Behold a man that halh not set God for his helper, but hath hoped in the mttl- til tide of his riches. Seo how strong he is: And he halh prevailed, he Hitilh, in, his emptiness. 7. There aro also other men strong, not becauso of riches, not because of the powers of the body, not because of any * Perhaps ' doth not thut man.' Some 'strong' in self -righteousness. 133 temporally preeminent power of station, but relying on their Ver. righteousness. This sort of strong men must be guarded — : — against, feared, repulsed, not imitated : of men relying, 1 say, not on body, not on means, not on descent, not on honour; for all such things who would not see to be temporal, fleeting, falling, flying? but relying on their own righteousness. Such strength prevented the Jews from going in through the Mat. 19, eye of the needle. . For while on themselves they rely that24' just men they are, and think themselves to be as it were whole, the medicine they refused, and the Physician Himself they slew. Such strong men therefore, not weak, He came not to call, That said, They that are whole need not a Matt 0, Physician, but they that are sick: I am not come to call ' ' just men but sinners unto repentance. These wore the strong men that reviled the disciples of Christ, because their Master was going in unto sick men, and was feasting with sick men. Wherefore, say they, doth your Master eat with publicans Matt. 9, and sinners ? O ye strong men, to whom a Physician is not11' needful ! This strength to soundness belongeth not, but to insanity. For even than men phrensied nothing can be stronger, more mighty they are than whole men: but by how much greater their powers are, by so much nearer is their death. May God therefore turn away from our imita tion these strong men. For we must fear lest a man should desire to imitate these men. But the Teacher of humility, Partaker of our infirmity, giving to partake ofllis own Divinity, for this purpose coming down, that He might teach the way and become the Way, deigned very much to recommend His own humility to us ; and therefore by a servant to be John u, baptized disdained not, in order that He might teach us to jjatt 3 confess our sins, and to be made weak in order that we may 13. be strong ; to have rather the Apostle's voice, saying, When I am made weak, then mighty I am. How therefore 2 Cor. would he not be strong"? But these men that strong have ' desired to be, that is, that on their own virtue have desired to rely, as though being just, have stumbled upon the sloue R0m. 9, of stumbling: and the Lamb hath seemed to them to be a32, kid, and because as if He were a kid they slew Him, by the Lamb to be redeemed they deserved not. The same aro " Perhaps * quomodo' may be taken then, He chose not to be strong.' for ' rjuodammodo;' 'In some sense, 134 Christ's persecutors strong in self-righteousness, Psai.m therefore the strong men, that assailed Christ, commending LI-5-_ their own justice. Hear ye these strong men : when certain men of Jerusalem were speaking, having been sent by them to take Christ, and not daring to take Him ; (because when Ho would, then was Ho taken, That truly was strong:) Why therefore, say thoy, could ye not take Him ? And thoy niado answer, No one of men did ever so speak as He. And these John 7, strong men, Halh by any means any one of the Pharisees believed on Him, or any one of lite Scribes, but this people knowing not the Law? They preferred themselves to the sick multitude, that was running to the Physician : whence but because they were themselves strong ? and what is worse, by their strength, all the multitude also they brought over unto themselves, and slew the Physician of all. But lie also because He was slain, of His blood made medicino for sick men ; There have rushed upon Me strong men. To theso mighty strong men give heed : and seo whether a man should rely on any thing, when not even on righteousness he ought to rely. Now see where they lie that rely on riches, on strength of body, on nobility of family, on rank in the world, if whosoever on justice itself as if his own shall have relied, failed). There have rushed upon me strong men. Out of these strong men was he that vaunted his powers. LukelS, Thanks to Thee, he saith, / render, because I am not like 11 the rest of men, unjust, robbers, adulterers, as also this Publican: I fast twice in a week, lit lies I give of all things that I possess. Behold, a strong man vaunting his power, J or ( but on the other side observe a weak1 one afar off standing, < InAr- an^ m humility drawing near. But lite Publican, He saith, mum' stood afar ojf, and not even his eyes unto Heaven dared to 13. 'raise, but smote his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. Verily I say unto you, that Publican went down justified rather than lhat Pharisee. And observe the justice. For every one thut exalteth himself shall be humbled,- and he that humbleth himself shall bo exalted. There rushed on Rom.io, those strong men, that is, proud men, who knowing not God's righteousness, and their own righteousness wishing to set up, to the righteousness of God they did not submit. 8. Ver. 3. What next ? Neither iniquity is mine, nor sin mine, 0 Lord. There have rushed on indeed strong men on their own righteousness relying, they have rushed on, but How God is said to ' meet' and 'see.' 135 sin in me they have not found. For truly those strong men, Ver. that is, as it were righteous men, on what account would — - — they be able to persecute Christ, unless, it were as if a sinner ? But, however, let them look to it how strong they be, in the raging of fever not in the vigour of soundness: let them look to it how strong they be, and how as though just against an unrighteous man they have raged \ But, however, neither iniquity is mine, nor sin mine, O Lord. Without iniguity I did run, and I was guided. Those strong men therefore could not follow me running: therefore a sinner they have deemed me, because my steps they have not seen. 0. Ver. 4. Without iniquity I did run, and teas guided ; rise up to meet me, and see. To God is said, Without iniquity I did run, and was guided; rise up to meet me, and see. But why ? If He meet not, is Ho unable to see ? It is just as if thou wast walking in a road, and from afar by some ono thou couldest not be recognised, thou wouldest call to him and wouldest say, Meet me, and see how I am walking; for when from afar thou espiest me, my steps thou art not able to see. So also unless God were to meet, would Ho not see how without iniquity he was guided, and how without sin ho was running? This interpretation indeed we can also accept, namely, Rise up to meet me, as if ' help me.' But that which he hath added, and see, must be understood as, make it to be seen that I run, make it to be seen that I am guided: according to that figure wherein this also hath been said to Abraham, Now I know that Gea.m, thou fearest God. God saith, Now I know: whence, but 2" becauso I have made thee to know? For unknown to himself every one is before the questioning of temptation : just as of himself Peter in his confidence was ignorant, Mat. 26, and by denying learned what kind of powers he had, ~ ' in his very stumbling he perceived that it was falsely he had been confident: he wept, and in weeping he earned profitably to know what he was, and to be what he was not. Therefore Abraham when tried, became known to b Oxf. Mss. ' and how far they were quura ssevierint). The common reading righteous and raging against one un- is scarcely grammatical. righteous,' (et quam justi contra ini- 1 3(i Now Our Lord became as it were weak. Psalm himself: and it was said by God, Now I know, that is, — ™ now I have raado thoo lo know. In liko manner as glad is tho duy because it niaketh mon glad; and sad is bit terness becauso it makolh sad ono tasting thereof: so God's seeing is making to see. Rise up, therefore, ho suith, to meet, me, and see. What is, and see? And help mo, that is, in those men, in order that thoy may seo my course, may follow mc; lot not that seem to them to bo crooked which is straight, let not that seom to them to be curved which keepeth the rule of truth : For without iniquity I have run, and was guided: rise up to meet me, and see. 10. Something else I am admonished to say in this place by the loftiness of our Head Himself: for He was made weak oven unto death, and lie took on Ilim tho weakness Mat. 23, of flesh, in order that the chickens of Jerusalem IIo might gather under His wings, liko a hen showing herself weak with her little ones. For have we not observed this thing in some bird nl some time or other, oven in iIioho which build iii'hls before our eyes, iw the lioiiHo-HpamiWM, as swallows, so lo speak, our minimi gucnl.n, mt ntorlo«, as various sorts of birds, which before our eyes bullil nosls, and hutch eggn, fend chickens, as the very doves which daily wo see; and some bird to becomu weak wilh her chickens, havo wo not known, have wo not looked upon, havo wo not seen? in what way doth a hen experience ibis weakness ? Surely a known fact I inn speak ing of, which in our sight is daily taking place. How her voice groweth hoarse, how her whole body is made languid ? The wings droop, the feathers are loosened, and thou seest around the chickens some sick thing, and this is maternal love which is found as weakness. Why was it therefore, but for this reason, that iho Lord willed to be a lien, saying in the Holy Scripture, Jerusalem, Jerusalem, how often have I willed to gather thy sons, even as a hen her chickens under her wings, and thou hast not been willing? But Ho hath gathered all nations, like as a hen her chickens, Ho That hath been inado weak for our sakes, receiving flesh from us, that is, from mankind, crucified, despised, with buffets smitten, scourged, hanged on the Tree, wounded with Pom. the spear. Therefore this belongeth to maternal weakness, I'Poe, not to Majesty lost. Whereas dierefore such was Christ, and 2,8. His great humiliations a proof of love, 1 37 dierefore despised, and therefore astono of stumbling and u Veil rock of offence, and therefore many men have stumbled — ii— against Him: whereas such therefore He was, and never theless flesh without sin had taken upon Him, He was made partaker of our own weakness, not of our own iniquity; in order that even hereby, that with us He shared weakness, IIo might undo our iniquity. Therefore without iniquity I did run, and I was guided. Why, therefore, is He not to be acknowledged according to His Godhead, and why is that alone in Him to be considered, which for our sakes IIo was made, and not That whereby He made us? Evidently That also is to be considered : becauso a great proof of loving- kindness it is to know Who it was that for theo hath suffered, and what. No small ono it was, it was not in behalf of thee some great one, but in behalf of thoo weak, He tho Highest. What ? IIo having boon made a little one : Ho humbled Himself, having been made obedient even unto Phil. 2, death. Who? Hoar from abovo: Who when in the form pnjii3 of God He u as, thought it no robbery to be equal with God. <>• Therefore being equal with God, His own Self He emptied, faking the form of a servant, after the similitude of men having been, made, and in shape having been found as a man: and IIo emptied Himself in such wise, that IIo took unto Him that which lie was not, not so as to lose what Ho was. hi what manner therefore emptied? Becauso to thee of such sort I lo appeared, becauso to thco tho dignity which with tho Father IIo hath, IIo shewed not, because to thco now I lo presented weakness, reserved for tho purged hero- uftor brightness. Ho therefore that is oqual to tho Fathor of such sort was made : and nevertheless in tho very weak ness IIo must be acknowledged, not by sight, but by faith : in order that what to see wo arc not yet able, at least wo may believe, and by believing that which we do not see, even to seo wo may earn. With reason, after that Ho roso again, Ho saith to Mary Mugdulono, to whom IIo deigned first to appear: 'Touch Me not; for not yet I have ascended Johnio, lo the Father. What is this? A littlo after, the women touched ' Him. For returning from tho tomb, as Ho met them, thoy wor shipped Him, and held His feci: the disciples also folt IlisMat.28, scars. What is therefore, Touch Me not, for not yet have I0' 138 Our Lord would have His people know Who He is. Psalm ascended to the Father: but, do not believe Me to be this alone LIX- which thou seest, lest here also should abide thy seeing even as thy touching? For humble to thee I seem, not yet I have ascended to the Father. Whence also to you I have come down, and thence I have not departed : not yet thither I have ascended, since you I have not deserted. He came without departing, He ascended without deserting. But what is it that He ascendeth to the Father ? When to us He is known as equal with the Father. For we ascend by making progress, so that we may be strong enough to see this, to perceive this, to receive this however it be. For this reason therefore He deferred touching. He put it not away, He repelled not, He refused not. For not yet, He saith, Ps.19,6. have I ascended to the Father. ' From the hiyhesl Heaven is the going forth of Him,' saith another Psalm, ' and the meeting qf Him even unto lite highest of Heaven.' The highest of Heaven, that is, the highest in all spiritual things, the Father is: thenco the running forth of Him, and tho meeting even unto the highest of Heaven. He mecteth even unto the highest, is not said but of one equal. Lastly, when some things unequal we compare, and something short to some thing long we apply, to see how it is length to length, if unequal we shall have found it, then we are wont to say, It meeteth not ; but if equal it be, it meeteth. Therefore the meeting of Him is even unto the highest of Heaven, because equal He is with the Father, as such an One He would have Himself be known to His faithful, Who said, Touch Me not. This thing He would have to be granted by the Father to His faithful, Who was saying, Rise up unto meeting Me, and see: make it known, that with Thee I am equal. And see: what is, And see? Make it to be seen that with Thee I am John 14, equal. How long doth Philip say to Me, Shew to us the 8' Father, and it is sufficient for us? How long shall 1 say, So long a time am I with you, and the Father. know ye not: Philip, he thai hath seen Me halh seen also the Father: dost thou not believe lhat I am in the Father and the Father is in Me? And as yet perchance he believed not Him to be equal. Rise up to meet Me, and see. Make Me to be seen, make Thyself to be seen, make known to men Our equality. Let not the Jews think themselves to have The Church is she that seemed forsaken. 139 crucified a man. Though in Him there was crucified, only Vbb. so much as of Man there was: nevertheless they know not- * Whom they crucified. For if they had known, the Lord of1 C°r- Glory they never would have crucified. This Lord of glory ' in order that My faithful ones may know, Rise up to meet me and see. 11. And Thou, Lord God of virtues, God of Israel. Thou God of Israel, that art thought to be but God of ono nation, which worshipped! Thee, when all nations worship idols, Thou God of Israel, Give heed unto the Visiting all nations. Fulfilled bo that prophecy wherein Isaiah in Thy person Hpeaketh to Thy Church, Thy holy City, that barren ono of whom many more are the sons of Her forsaken than of hor that hath a husband. To Her indeed hath boon said, Rejoice, thou barren, that bcarest not; break forth and cry out, T»a. 64, thou that travailest not: for many more are the sons of Her ' forsaken than of her that hath a husband; nioi'o than of tho Jewish nation which hath an Husband, which hath received the Law, more than of that nation which had a visible king. For thy king is hidden, and moro sons to theo there aro by a hidden Bridegroom. Therefore to Her is said, Many more are the children of thee forsaken than of Her which hath an Husband. Secondly, the Prophet addeth, Enlarge the place Isa. 64, of Thy tabernacle, and Thy ' courts fix thou: there is no cause* j for theo to spare, extend further thy cords, and strong stakes set lugs thou again and again on tho right and on tho left. Upon the m™ right keep good men, on the left keep evil incn, until there Mnt.2fl, come tho fan: occupy nevertheless all nations; bidden to'^^g tho marriage be good men and evil men, filled bo the 12. marriage with guests ; it is the office of servants to bid, of the Mat.22, Lord to sever. Again and again on the right hand and on 9- the left stretch forth. For Thy seed shall inherit the nations : 3. and cities which had been forsaken Thou shalt inhabit: forsaken of God, forsaken of Prophets, forsaken of Apostles, forsaken of tho Gospel, full of demons. Cities which had been forsaken Thou shall inhabit, there is nothing for thee to fear. For Thou shalt prevail ; and blush not because abo minable Thou hast been. Therefore though there liave risen up upon thee strong men, blush not: when against the name of Christ laws were enacted, when ignominy and 140 Whom God is prayed not to leave unpunished. Psalm infamy it was to be a Christian. Blush not because abo- . LIX-. minable TJiou hast been: for confusion for everlasting Tliou shalt. forget, of the ignominy of Thy widowhood Thou shalt not be mindful. For I am the Lord that make Tliee, Tlie Lord is His name: and He that rescueth Thee, the Same, the God of Israel, shall be called the Lord of the whole earth. And Thou, Lord God of Virtues, God of Israel, give heed unto visiting all nations: give heed, I say, unto visiting all nations. 12. Ver. 5. Have not pity upon all men that work iniquity. Here evidently He is terrifying. Whom would He not terrify? What man falling back upon his own conscience would not tremble ? Which even if to itself it is conscious of godliness, strange if it bo not in some sort conscious of l John iniquity. For whosoever doeth sin, also doelh iniquity. Ph. 130 For if Thou shalt have marked iniquities, O Lord, what 3- man shall abide it ? And nevertheless a true saying it is, and not said to no purpose, and neither is nor will it be possible to be void, Have not pity upon all men that work iniquity. But He had pity even upon Paul, who at first as Saul wrought iniquity. For what good thing did he, whence Acts 9, he might deserve of God? Did he not hate His Saints unto death ? did he not bear letters from the chief of the priests, to the end that wheresoever he might find Christians, to punishment he should hurry them? When bent upon this, when thither proceeding, breathing and panting slaughter, as the Scripture testified of him, was he not from Heaven with a mighty voice summoned, thrown down, raised up ; blinded, lightened; slain, made alive; destroyed, restored ? In return for what merit? Let us say nothing; himself rather lTim.i,lcl us hear: / that before have been, he saith, a blasphemer, and persecutor; and injurious, but mercy I have obtained. Surely Thou wouldest not have pity upon all men that work iniquity: this in '.wo ways may be understood: either that in fact not any sins doth God leave unpunished ; or that i there is a sort of iniquity, on the workers whereof God hath indeed no pity. On these two heads briefly, as much as the time sufficeth for, something we would speak to your Love. 13. All iniquity, be it little or great, punished must needs be, either by man himself repenting, or by God avenging. For even he that repented) punisheth himself. Therefore, Such are the obstinate, and pleaders for sin. 14 1 brethren, let us punish our own sins, if we sock the mercy of Ver. God. God cannot have mercy on all men working iniquity 6- as if pandering to sins, or not rooting out sins. In a word, cither thou punishost, or IIo punished). Wilt thou thut Ho punish not? Punish thou. For oven that thing thou hast done which unpunished cannot bo: but by thyself bo it punished rather, in order that thou mayest do that which in tho Psalm hath been written, Let us come before* the face Ps.96,2. of Him in confession. What is, Let us come before the face ,/j™"*' of Him ? Before lhat Himself giveth heed to punish, do thou conic before Him in confession, and punish. Let not Him find any thing which He may punish. Because when thou punishost iniquity, thou doest equity. And therefore on thee God shall have pity, because God doth find thee now working equity. What is working equity ? Because this thing in thyself thou hatest, which IIo also hatcth : so that thou mayest begin to please God, because that thing in thyself thou punishest which displeaseth God. For it is not possible for sin to be left unpunished : for true is, Have Tliou not pity on all men lhat work iniquity. 14. But let us sec now another way in which this sentence may bo understood. Thero is a certain iniquity, on the worker whereof it cannot be that God have mercy. Ye enquire, perchance, what that is ? It is the defending of sins. When a man defendeth his sins, great iniquity he worketh : that thing he is defending which God hateth. And see how perversely, how iniquitously. Whatever of good he hath done, to himself he would have it to be ascribed ; whatever of evil, to God. For in this manner men defend sins in the person of God, which is a worse sin. What is this ? No one there is that would dare to say, good is adultery, good is manslaying, good guile, good falseswearing ; no one surely among men. For even they lhat do these things, make an outcry when they suffer them. By no means dierefore canst thou find a soul so perverse, so alien from the society of mankind and from sharing in the common blood of Adam, as that to him appeareth adultery to be a good thing, as I have said, or guile, robbery, false swearing. But how do they defend these things ? If God had not willed it, I should not have done this thing. Wilt thou have me do any thing 1 42 Some converted ' in the evening,' i. e. late. Psalm against my fato ? Then thou enquirest, what is fate : thou LIX- fleest to the stars. Thou inquirest who made and ordered Gen. i, the stars: God it is. Therefore thou defendest thy sin in 16' such sort, that thou layest blame on God. So the guilty is excused, so lhat the Judge may be charged. However on men working iniquity God hath no pity at all. Have Thou no pity on all men that work iniquity. 15. Ver. 6. Let them be converted at the evening. Of certain men he is speaking that were once workers of iniquity, and once darkness, being converted in tho evening. What is, in the evening ? Afterward. What is, at lite evening ? Later. For before, before that they crucified Christ, they ought to have acknowledged their Physician. Wherefore. when He had been crucified — rising again, into Heaven ascending — after that Ho sent His Holy Spirit, wherewith were fulfilled they that were in one house, and they began to speak with the tongues of all nations, there feared the cruci- fiers of Christ: they were pricked through with their eon- sciences, counsel of safety from the Apostles they besought, Acts 2, they heard, do penance, and be baptized each one of you in 38- the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, and your sins shall be remitted unto you. After the slaying of Christ, after the shedding of the blood of Christ, remitted are your sins. He so willed to die, that with His blood even the shedders of the same blood He redeemed. Ye have shed raging, drink ye confessing. With reason, let them be converted at even ing, and suffer hunger as dogs. Dogs the Jews called the Gentiles, as if being unclean. For even the Lord Himself, when after Him there cried a certain woman of Canaan, not of Judaea, unto the healing of her daughter desiring to pre vail with His mercy — He foreseeing all things — knowing all things — yet since her faith He willed to shew, de ferred the blessing, and kept her in suspense. And how de- Mat.15, ferred ? I am not, He saith, sent but to the sheep which have been lost of the house of Isruel. Israel, sheep: Gentiles, what? It is not good lo throw the bread of sons to dogs. The Gentiles therefore dogs He called, because of unclean- ness. But what of that woman hungering ? This moreover she disdained not: humbly she received reproach, and earned a blessing. But this must not be called a reproach, which The wicked repenting ' hunger as dogs.' 143 by the Lord had been said. If a servant say any such thing Ver. to his master, a reproach it is. When Ihe Lord saith even — - — any such thing to his servant, it may rather be called a con descension. Even 'so, she saith, Lord. What is even so?Mat.l6, A true thing thou sayest, surely a true thing thou sayest, a " dog I am. But even dogs, she saith, eat qf the crumbs which fall from the table of their masters. And immediately the Lord, 0 woman, great is thy faith. But lately a dog, now a woman. Whence now a woman, she that a little before was a dog ? By confessing humbly, by not dis daining that which by the Lord had been spoken. There fore the nations are dogs, and for this reason they are hungry. It is a good thing for Jews also to acknowledge themselves sinners; and though it be at evening, to be converted ; and to suffer hunger like dogs. For in ill sort had he been filled that was saying, I fast twice in a week. LukelS, But that publican was a dog, suffering hunger ; and thence for the blessing of the Lord was hungering he that was saying, ' Merciful be Tliou to me, a sinner.' Let these be converted, therefore, they also at evening, and suffer hunger as dogs. Let them yearn for the graee of God, perceive themselves to be sinners ; let those strong men be made weak, those rich men be made poor, those just men acknow ledge themselves sinners, those lions be made dogs. Let them be converted at evening, and suffer hunger as dogs. And they shall go around the city. What city ? That world, which in certain places the Scripture calleth ' the city of standing round1:' that is, because in all nations every1 E. v. where the world had encompassed the one nation of Jews,cjty,' where such words were being spoken, and it was called ' the ^f'.m'q. city of standing round.' Around this city shall go those 108, lb.' men, now having become hungry dogs. In what mauner shall they go around ? By preaching. Saul out of a wolf was made a dog at evening, that is, being late converted by Acts 9, the crumbs of his Lord, in His grace he ran, and went around the city. 16. Ver. 7. Behold, themselves shall speak in their mouth, and a sword is on the lips of them. Here is that sword twice whetted, whereof the Apostle saith, And the sword o/Eph. 6, the Spirit, which is the Word of God. Wherefore twice ' 144 The converted instruments of conversion. Pbalm whettod ? Whorcfore, but because smiling out of both '- Testaments ? With this sword were slain those whereof it Acts 10, was said to Peter, ' Slay, and eat.' And a sword is on the 13' lips of litem. For who hath heard? They shall speak in their mouth, Who halh heard? That is, thoy shall bo wroth with men that are slow to believe. They that a littlo before wcro even themselves unwilling to believe, do feel disgust from men not behoving. And truly, brethren, so it is. Thou seest a man slow before ho is made a Chrintian ; thou criest to him daily, hardly ho is converted: suppose him to bo converted, and then ho would havo all men to bo Chris tians, and wondereth that not yet they arc. It hath chanced out to him at evening to havo been converted : but becauso he hath been mado hungering liko a dog, ho hath also on his lips a sword; ho saith, Who hath heard? What is, Who U.H3,\.hath heard? ' Who halh believed our hearing, and to whom halh the arm of the Lord been revealed? For who halh heard?' The Jews believe not: they have turned them to the nations, and have preached. The Jews did not believe ; and nevertheless through believing Jews the Gospel went around the cily, and they said, For who hath heard? 17. Ver. 8. And Thou, Lord, shalt deride litem. ' Who halh heard?' All nations aro to be Christian, and ye say, Who hath heard? What is, ' shalt deride them?' As nothing Thou shall, esteem all nations. Nothing for Theo it shall be; becauso a most easy thing it will bo for all nations to believe in Thee. 18. Ver. 9. My strength to Thee I will keep. For those strong men have fallen for this reason ; becauso their strength to Thee they have not kept: that is, Ihey that upon me have risen up and rushed, on themselves have relied. But I my strength to Thee will keep: because if I withdraw, I fall; if 1 draw near, stronger I am made. For see, brethren, what there is in a human soul. It hath not of itself light, hath not of itself powers: but all that is fair in a soul, is virtue and wisdom : but it neither is wise for itself, nor strong for itself, nor itself is light to itself, nor itself is virtue to itself. There is a certain origin and foun tain of virtue, there is a certain root of wisdom, there is a certain, ho to spouk, if this also must bo said, region of No reliance on self. God's free mercy. 145 unchangeable truth : from this the soul withdrawing is made Vbr. dark, drawing near is made light. Draw near to Him, and be made light: because by withdrawing ye are made dark. Therefore, my strength, I will keep lo Thee: not from Theo will I withdraw, not on myself will I rely. My strength, lo Thee I will keep: because, 0 God, my lifter up1 Thou art.'^tater For where was I, and where am I ? Whence bast Thou taken me up? What iniquities of mine hast Thou remitted? Where was I lying? To what have I been raised up? I ought to have remembered these things: because in another Psalm is said, ' For my father and my mother have forsaken Ps. 27, me, but the Lord hath taken me unto Him.' My strength, to Thee I will keep : for, O God, my taker up Thou art. 19. Ver. 10. My God, the mercy of Him shall 1come before3 or pre- me. Behold what is, My strength, to Thee I will keep: on myself I will no ways at all rely. For what good thing have I brought, that thou shouldest have mercy on me, and shouldest justify me. What in me hast Thou found, save sins alone ? Of Thine there is nothing else but the nature which Thou hast created ; tho other things are mine own evil things which Thou hast blotted out, I havo not first risen up to Thee, but to awake mo Thou hast come : for His mercy shall come before me. Before that any thing of good I shall do, His mercy shall come before me. What answer here shall the unhappy Pelagius make ? 20. My God halh shewn to me among mine enemies. What saith he ? How great mercy He hath put forth concerning me, among mine enemies He hath shewed. Let one gathered compare himself with men forsaken, and one elect with men rejected: let the vessel of mercy compare itself with the vessels of wralh ; and let it see how out of one lump God hath made one vessel unto honour, another unto dishonour. What is, halh shewed to me among mine enemies? For so Tlom.o, ' God, willing to shew wrath, and to manifest His power, halh ' brought in, in much patience, the vessels of wralh, which have been perfected unto perdition. And wherefore this? In order that He might make known His riches upon the vessels of mercy. If therefore vessels of wrath He hath brought in, wherein He might make known His riches upon the vessels of mercy, most rightly hath been said, His mercy VOL. III. L 1-Jfl The Psalmist prays for his enemies. Psalm shall come before me: My God halh shewed to me among — — '- mine enemies : that is, however great mercy Ho hath had concerning me, to me Ho hath shewed it among those men, concerning whom He hath not had mercy. For unless the debtor bo in suspense, he is less grateful to him by whom the debt hath been forgiven. My God hath shewed to me among mine enemies. 21. Ver. 11. Butofthoencmios themselves what? Slay them not, lest sometime they forget Thy law. He is making request for his enemies, ho is fulfilling tho commandment. What is, Do not Thou havo mercy upon all men that work iniquity ; and, Slay them not, lest sometime they forget Thy law. in what manner hath IIo not mercy upon all men that work iniquity; and in what manner doth He not slay punot. them? Lest they forget Thy law. But here of His onemies be is speaking. What then ? Do His enemies work equity ? If any that aro enemies to Him work equity, then He doth Himself work iniquity. But because He doth Himself work equity, and moreover He that worketh equity doth in fact suffer iniquity from enemies ; it is evident that they that are enemies to a just man, do work iniquity. Whence therefore a little above, Have not Thou mercy upon all men that work iniquity ; and now of his enemies, He saith, Slay not them, lest sometime they forget Thy laic. ' Do not Thou,' there fore, ' have mercy on them,' that Thou mayest slay their sins. Slay not them of whom tho sins Thou slayest. But what is it to bo slain? To forget tho law of the Lord, it is real death, to go into the pit of sin : this indeed may be also understood of the Jews. Why of tho Jews, Slay not them, lest sometime they forget Thy law? Thoso very enemies of mine, that have slain me, do not Thou slay. Let the nation of the Jews remain : certes conquered it hath been by the Romans, certes effaced is the city of them, Jews are not admitted into their city, and yet Jews there are. For all those provinces by the Romans have been subjugated. Who now can distinguish the nations in the Roman empire the one from the other, in as much as all have become Romans and all are called Romans ? The Jews nevertheless remain with a mark; nor in such sort conquered have they been, as that by the conquerors they have been swallowed up. Not The Jews remain as a warning and an evidence. 147 without reason is thorc that Cuin, on whom, whon ho had Van. slain his brother, God sot a mark in order that no one should a-1-—- slay him. This is Iho mark which the Jews havo : they 10. ' ' hold fast by tho remnant of their law, thoy aro circum cised, thoy keep Sabbaths, thoy sacrifice tho Passover; thoy cut unleavened bread. Thoso aro therefore Jews, they havo not boon slain, they aro necessary to believing nations. Why so? In order lhat He may show to us among our enemies His mercy. My God halh shewn to me in mine enemies. He shewcth His mercy to the wild-olivo grafted on branches that have been cut off becauso of prido, Behold where they lio, that were proud, behold where thou hast been grafted, that didst lie: and be not thou proud, lest thou shouldest descrvo to bo cut off. My God, slay not them, lest sometime they forget Thy law. 22. Vor. 11. Scatter them abroad in Thy virtue. Now this thing hath been dono: throughout all nations thero have been scattered abroad the Jews, witnesses of their own iniquity and our truth. They havo themselves writings, out of which hath been prophesied Christ, and wo hold Christ. And if soinotiino perchance any heathen man shall have doubled, when wo have told him tho prophecies of Christ, at the clearness whereof ho is amazed, and wondering hath supposed that they were written by ourselves, then out of the copies of the Jews wc prove, how this thing so long timo before had been foretold. See after what sort by means of our enemies we confound other enemies. Scatter them abroad in Thy virtue : tako away from them ' virtue,' tako away from them their strength. And briny them down, my protector, O Lord. (Ver. 12.) The transgressions qf their mouth, the discourse of their lips : and let them be taken in their pride : and out of cursing and lying shall be declared consummations, in the anger qf consummation, and they shall not be. Obscure words thoso aro, and I fear lost thoy bo not well instilled. Now yo aro tired of hearing : there fore if it plcaso your Lovo ; what remained) lot us defer until to-morrow. The Lord will aid us to pay to you our debt : for oh His part we promise rather than from our selves. L2 148 How unbelieving Jews ' hold the Law.' SERMON II. ON THE SECOND PART OF PSALM LIX. 1. Yesterday's sermon, though protracted, hath left me a debtor against to-day; accordingly because the Lord hath willed, the timo for paying hath come. But in proportion as wo are earnest to repay, so ought .ye to be covetous to require : that is, in such sort that what He giveth and we render, (for He is Lord, we aro servants,) ye should so accept, as that there may be fruit through your hearing from your life. For a cultivated field, rendering no fruit, and ungrateful to the husbandman, instead of fruits bringing forth thorns, requireth not barn but fire. But the Lord our God, as ye see Hiin visit this earth with wonted rains, in like manner deigneth to visit with His Word our heart, as it were His field; and from our heart requireth fruits, because He knoweth both what there He sowetb, and how much rain He giveth. And because in truth without Him we are nothing, because also before we were, we were nothing, and whosoever is now a man, and willeth to be without Him, will be nothing else but a sinful one : and that is true which here hath boon said, My strength, lo Thee will I keep: since whatever we can do, unless with Hiin and to Him we keep it, by withdrawing we lose: our mind ought alway to watch not from Him to withdraw, but rather if afar it was, more and more to approach and draw near ; not with the step of the feet, not in the conveyance of carriages, not with the speed of animals, not with the lifting up of wings, but with purity of affections, and the integrity of holy morals. 2. Let us see therefore what remained) of this Psalm. For we had left off at the point, when he had begun to speak of his enemies, saying to God, (ver. 11.) Stay not them, lest sometime they forget Thy law. Although he had called them his enemies, nevertheless he asked of God that He would not slay them, and that they should not forget His law. To hold the law however, that is, not to forget the law, is not at once perfection, and, as it were, security about recompense, How unbelieving Jews' hold the Law.' 149 and no anxiety about punishment. For thoro aro thoy that v«n. hold tho law in memory, and fulfil it not in lifo : but thoy „ °'.. that fulfil it. in lifo, cannot but hold it in memory. There fore he that in morals doelh the commandments of God, and in a manner by his living taketh pains that that bo not wiped out which he holdelh in his heart, and by living calleth to his mind what in his heart hath been written of the law of God, the same doth fruitfully hold the law of God, he shall not be counted an enemy. For, behold, the Jews are ene mies, whom this Psalm seeineth to imply ; the law of God they hold, and therefore of them hath been said, Slay not them, lest sometime they forget Thy law: in order that the nation of Jews might remain, and by it remaining the number of Christians might increase. Throughout all nations they remain certainly, and Jews thoy are, nor havo they ceased to bo what they were : that is, this nation halh not so yielded to Roman institutions, as to have lost the form of Jews ; but hath been subjected to the Romans so as that it still rotainoth its own laws; which aro tho laws of God. But what in their case hath been done? Ye lithe mint anduat.23, cummin, and have forsaken the weightier matters of the®*'**' law, mercy, and judgment, straining a gnat, but swallowing a camel. This to them the Lord saith. And in truth so they are ; they hold the law, hold the Prophets ; read all things, sing all things : the Light of the Prophets therein they see not, which is Christ Jesus. Not only Him now they see not, when He is sitting, in Heaven : but not even at that time saw thoy Hiin, when among them humble He was walking, and they were made guilty by shedding the blood of the Same ; but not all. This even to day wo commend to tho notice of your Love. Not all : because many of thcin wore turned to Him Whom they slow, and by believing on Him, thoy obtained pardon oven for the shedding of His blood : and they have given an examplo for men ; how they ought not to despair that sin of whatsoever kind would be remitted to them, since even the killing of Christ was remitted to them confessing. Thence therefore hath been said, (ver. 9.) Because, O God, my taker up Thou art, my God, His mercy shall prevent me : that is, before any good deservings of mine, there preventeth me the mercy 150 God's mercy set forth by comparison. Psalm of the same ; and if nothing in me of good He shall have found, He doth Himself make me good, and He doth Him self justify one converted, and doth Himself admonish that one averted should be converted. (Ver. 10.) My God, He saith again, hath shewn to me among mine enemies : that is, how much Ho loveth me, and how much on me He bestoweth of His goodness, by comparison of mine enemies to mc He Rom. 9,showcth ; because while out of ono lump are the vessels of 21. wrath and the vessels of mercy, through the vessels of wrath the vessels of mercy learn how much of good on them God doth bestow. And secondly, (ver. 11.) Slay not them, lest sometime they forget Thy law: this hath been said of Jews. But what to them wilt Thou do ? Scatter them abroad in Thy virtue. Shew to them, that Thou art strong, not themselves, who, by relying on their own virtue, have not known Thy truth : not such as those strong men are, of whom hath been said, There have rushed upon me strong men : but such as Thou art, strong to scatter them abroad. And bring them down, my protector, O Lord: that is, scatter them abroad, in such sort that Thou forsake them not, lest sometime they foryet Thy law: and in that very thing protect mc, so that in tho scattering abroad of the same, I may have the evidence of Thy mercy. 3. And there followeth, (ver. 12.) The transgressions of their mouth, the discourse qf their lips. To what is joined, to what is connected this sentence ? The transgressions, ho saith, of their mouth, the discourse of their lips. Tho fol lowing words are not so connected as to teach us to what is joined this sentence. The transgressions, he saith, of their mouth, the discourse of their lips .- and let them be taken in their pride, and out of cursing and lying shall be declared consummations, in anger of consummation, and they shall not be. This lo bo obscure even yesterday we had declared, and accordingly wo had deferred the exposition for your minds when more fresh. Now then, since not yet fatigued ye arc with hearing, lift up your hearts to assist me with attention, lest perchance on account of tho seeming obscurity and perplexity thereof, our discourso may not bo sufficient to win your attention : and yo ought from yourselves also to contribute something, in order that what wo have not filled God sometimes slays the sin, spares the sinner. 151 up by our word, ye may supply by intelligence. Well then, Ver. this sentence hath been set in such wise in the middle, that — we do not readily see to what it is joined: The transgressions qf their mouth, the discourse of their lips. Let us go back then to words higher up. Because he had said, Slay not them, lest sometime they forget Thy law, them to wit whom he had called enemies ; he added two verses, scalier them abroad in Thy virtue, and bring them down, my protector, O Lord: and immediately he hath introduced, The trans gressions of their mouth, the discourse of their lips, that is, slay this, not themselves. Therefore, slay not them, lest sometime they forget Thy law; but there is something in them for Thee to slay, in order that thou mayest fulfil that which above hath been said, Do not Thou have mercy on all v. 5. men that work iniquity. Scatter them abroad therefore, and lead them down: that is, do not forsake, when Thou scattercst abroad ; because in not forsaking thou hiiaL something in them for Thco to do, though themselves Thou slayest not. What therefore wilt Thou slay? The transgressions of their mouth, the discourse of their lips. What in them wilt Thou slay ? The Crucify, Crucify, which they cried out, not them Matt. that cried out. For they willed to blot out, cut off, destroy jonni9 Christ: but Thou, by raising to life Christ, Whom theyC. willed to destroy, dost slay the transgressions of their mouth, the discourse of their lips. For in that He whom they cried out should be destroyed, liveth, they are taken with dread: and that He whom on earth they despised, in heaven is adored by all nations, they wonder: thus are there slain the transgressions of them, and the discourse of their lips. 4. And let them be taken in their pride. What is, let them be taken in their pride? Because to no purpose have strong men rushed on, and it hath fallen out to them as it were to think themselves to have done somewhat, and they have prevailed against the Lord. They were able to crucify a man, weakness might prevail and 'virtue be slain ; and they ' or thought themselves somewhat, as it were strong men, as itBtreDgt were mighty men, as it were prevailing, as it were a lion prepared for prey, as it were fat bulls, as of them in another place he maketh mention : Fat bulls have beset me. But P'- 22, what have they done in the case of Christ ? Not life, but 152 Mercy to the Jews in defeating their will. Pbalm death they have slain. That is, death in Him dying having -H^been effaced, and life rising again from death in Him living —for He did oven of Himself raise again Himself to life— because thero was in Him oven that which could not die, they have dono what ? Hear what they havo done : they pulled down tho Tomplo. But Himself did what ? In three John 2, days He raised to lile again tho samo. By this means, ,a therefore, were slain tho transgressions of their mouth, and tho discourse of their lips. And what now hath como to pass in thoso mon that havo been converted ? And let them be taken in their pride. For it was told to them, that Ho Aetai, Whom they slew rose again. They believed Ilim to havo 37:,2'4' risen again, because they saw that He, being in Heaven, thenco sent tho Holy Spirit, and filled thoso that on Ilim believed ; and they found themselves to have condemned nought, and to have done nought. Their doing issued in emptiness, the sin remained. Because therefore tho doing was made void, but tho sin remained upon the doers ; they wore laken in their pride, they saw themselves under their iniquity. It remained therefore for then) to confess the sin, and for Hiin to pardon, That had given Himself up to sinners, and to forgive His death, having been slain by men dead, and making alivo mon dead. They were taken there fore in their pride. 5. And out of cursing and lying shall be declared consum mations, in anger qf consummation, and they shall not be. This too with difficulty is understood, to what is joined the and they shall not be. What shall they not be ? Let us therefore examine the context above : when they shall have been taken in their pride, there shall be decluretl out of cursing and lying consummations. What are consumma tions ? Perfections : for to be consummated, is to be per fected. Ono thing it is to bo consummated, another thing to bo consumed. For a thing is consummated which is so finished as that it is perfected : a thing is consumed, which is so finished that it is not. Pride would not suffer a man to bo perfected, nothing so much hindereth perfection. For let your Love attend a littlo to what 1 am saying ; and seo an evil very pernicious, very much to bo guarded against. What sort of ovil do yo think it is? llow long could I Pride the chief est and deadliest sin. 153 enlarge upon how much evil there is in pride ? The devil Vbr. on that account alone is to be punished. Certes he is the — chief of all sinners : certes he is the tempter to sin : to him is not ascribed adultery, not wine-bibbing, not fornication, not the robbing of others' goods : by pride alone he fell. And since pride's companion is envy, ii must needs be that a proud man should envy : because of this vice, which doth necessarily follow pride, having fallen he also envied him that stood, and was at pains to lead man astray, lest he should be exalted to that place whence himself had been cast down. And therefore he earnestly endeavours to allure us to real sins, because we have a Judge of such sort as that before Him he cannot lay to our charge unreal sins. For if before a human judge our cause were to be pleaded, whom he might beguile with falso accusa tions, ho would not have to busy much in order to make us to sin: because by beguiling the judge he might both oppress the innocent, and bring over to himself them when overreached by him, and make them to be condemned together with himself; but now because he knoweth of such a Judge as cannot be deceived, and because he knoweth that He is just, and cannot accept persons; he desireth to bring before Him persons so guilty, as that it must needs be that He condemn them, because Just He is. He is therefore at pains to make us sin, of mere envy, which envy must needs accompany pride. Such an evil then is pride, which doth hinder perfection. If therefore a man vaunt himself of riches, vaunt himself of the beauty and of the powers of his body; all thoso things are but mortal: they are to bo laughed at that vaunt themselves of things mortal, by which things ofttimes either while living they are forsaken, or when dead they must needs forsake them: it is a capital sin, when a man hath well advanced, that with pride he is tempted, so as to lose all wherein he made progress. In a word, all vices in evil-doings are to be feared, pride in well-doings is more to be feared. It is no wonder then, that so humble is the Apostle, as to say, When I am made weak, then I ami Cor. strong. For lest he should himself be tempted by this sin, 12' 10, what sort of medicine doth he say was applied to him against swelling by the Physician, who knew what He was healing ? 154 Sins that humble us serve toward perfection. Phalm Lost by the greatness, ho saith, of the revelations I should be M*~ exalted, (here was given to me a thorn of my flesh, the U^-O.angel of Satan, to bujfet me: wherefore thrice tho Lord I besought, that it should depart from me : and He said to mc, My grace is sufficient for thee, for virtue in weakness is madeperfecl, Soo what tho consummations are. An Apostle, tho teacher of Gentiles, father of the faithful through tho Gospel, received a thorn of tho flesh whereby he might be buffetted. Which of us would daro to say this, unless ho had not been ashamed to confess this ? For if wo shall have said that Paul had not suffered this; while to him as it were honour we give, a liar wo make him. But becauso truthful ho is, and truth ho hath spoken ; it bchoveth us lo believe that there was given to him an angel of Satan, lest by the greatness of the revelations he should be exalted. Behold how much to bo feared is the serpent of pride. What there fore hath been dono to thoso men ? In their sin they havo been taken, for that they slew Christ, and by the very greatness of the sin they were tho more humbled, and in their greater humility they merited to bo raised up : this is, Let them be taken in their pride. And out of cursing and lying there shall be declared consummations : that is, for this reason they shall be mado the more perfect, because in cursing and lying they have been overtaken. For pride did not allow them to be made perfect; evil-doing took away pride through their confession, pardon effaced evil-doing through the mercy of God, and out of cursing and fying there were declared consummations; that is, it hath been said to man, thou hast seen what thou art, thou hast felt what thou art, thou hast strayed, made blind thou hast been, thou hast sinned and hast fallen, thou hast acknowledged thy weakness, beseech the Physician, do not think thyself whole ; whero is thy phrenzy ? Behold the Physician thou hast slain, Whom by slaying thou couldest not destroy ; nevertheless, as much as in thee lay, thou hast slain ; Out qf cursing and lying shall be declared consummations. Ye 21, 23. have done what belonged to cursing, O Jews : for cursed is Gal. 3, every one niai hangeth on a tree. Ye have crucified Christ, Mat.27, as though accursed yo havo dcomod Him. Add to cursing Mat.28,tyul8: Buav(l8 at tnc sepulchre yo placed : in order that they 12. ' Some punishment is intended for mercy. 155 might lie, yo gave money. Behold, Christ hath risen again : Vkr. where is the curse of the Cross which ye have made? where 2' 13- is the lying of the guards whom ye have bribed ? G. Ver. 12. Out of cursing and lying shall be declared (ver. 13.) consummations in the anger of consummation, and they shall not be. What is, in the anger of consummation shall bo declared consummations? There is an anger of consummation, and thoro is an anger of consuming. For every vengeance of God is called anger: sometimes God avengeth, to the end that He may make perfect; sometimes IIo avengeth, to the end that lie may condemn. How doth lie avenge, to tho end that Ho may make perfect? //tfHeb.13, scourge! h every son whom He receive! h. How doth Ho avenge, to tho end that IIo may condemn? When Ho shall havo set ungodly men on tho loft hand, and shall havo said to them, Go ye into fire everlasting, that hath been preparcd'bUt.ia, for the devil and his angels. This is tho anger of con- ' suming, not that of consummation. But there shall be declared consummations in the anger of consummation ; it shall bo preached by the Apostles, that where sin hath Rom, 6, abounded, grace shall much more abound, and the weakness ' of man hath belonged to tho healing of humility. Thoso men thinking of this, and finding out and confessing thoir iniquities, shall not be. ' Shull not bo' what ? In their pride. For above ho had said, Let them bo taken in their pride, and out qf cursing and lying shall bo declared consummations in the anger of consummation, and they shall not be, to wit in their pride, wherein they have been taken. 7. And they shall know how God shall have dominion of Jacob, and qf the ends of the earth. For before they thought themselves just men, because the Jewish nation had received the Law, becauso it had kept the commandments of God: it is proved to them that it hath not kept them, since in tho very commandments of God Christ it perceived not, becauso blindness in part has happened to Israel. Even the Jews Rom. ihomsclves seo that they ought not to despise the Gentiles, of11'25, whom they dcomod as of dogs and sinners. For just as alike thoy have been found in iniquity, so alike thoy will attain unto salvation. Not only to Jews, saith tho Apostle, but also even Rom, 2, to Gentiles. For to this end tho Slouo which tho buildors sot 10' 15fl A late conversion breaks down Jewish pride. Pbalm at nought, hath even been made for the Head of the corner, L1X- in order that two in Itself It might join : for a corner doth 22. 'unite two walls. The Jews thought themselves exalted and great: of the Gentiles they thought as weak, as sinners, as the servants of demons, as the worshippers of idols, and yet in both was there iniquity. Even the Jews have been Ps.i4 3. proved sinners ; because there is none that doeth good, there is not even so much as one : they have laid down their pride, and have not envied the salvation of the Gentiles, because they have known their own and their weakness to be alike : and in the Coiner Stone being united, they have together worshipped the Lord. And they shall know that. God shall have dominion of Jacob, and of the ends of the earth. Not only of Jews He shall have dominion, but also of the earth : which thing they had not known, if they had continued in their pride ; but in their pride they would be, if they still thought themselves righteous: but in order that they should not think themselves righteous, there were 'preached to them out of cursing and lying consummations in anger of consum mation ;' because they were taken in their pride, out of the curse which they made when Christ they slew. Behold what our Lord Jesus Christ hath done. He hath died at the hands of the Jews, and hath redeemed the multitude of the Gentiles: here was shed the blood, there it profited ; but it hath profited all men that have been converted ; becauso even they have acknowledged Him Whom they slew, and through Ilim for that very slaying, and for their great sin, they have obtained pardon. 8. What now then of the men themselves ? The, thing which hath been spoken of above : (ver. 14.) They shall be converted at evening : that is, oven if late, lhat is, after the slaying of our Lord Jesus Christ: They shall be converted at evening: and hereafter they shall suffer hunger as dogs. But as dogs, not as sheep, or calves : as dogs, as Gentiles, as sinners ; because they too have known their sin that thought themselves righteous. Of those of whom hath been said in Ps.16.4. another Psalm, After this they made haste : the same hath been said herein, at evening. For in that place it is thus : Multiplied were the weaknesses of them, after this they made haste. Whence have they made haste after this? Jew and Gentile united in mercy through Christ. J 57 Because multiplied were the weaknesses of them : for if still Ver. they thought themselves whole, they never would have mado -6'1 ' haste. Tho thing which therefore hath been implied in, ' multiplied were tho weaknesses of them :' tho sumo hath been said hero, Let them be taken in their pride, and out qf cursing and lying shall be declared consummations in the anger of consummation. And lhat which there hath been said in, after this they made haste: tho same huth boon said hero, And they shall not be, in their prido. And they shall know that God shall have dominion of Jacob, and of the ends of the world: and they shall be converted at eveniny. It is a good thing therefore for a sinner to bo humbled ; and no one is more incurable than he that thinketh himself whole. And tltey shall go around the city. Already, to wit yesterday, we have explained city ; it is the see p. * city of standing round ;' all nations. 143- 9. Ver. 15. They shall be scattered abroad in order lhat , . they may cat ; that is, in order that they may gain others, in order that into their Body they may change believers. But if they shall not be filled, they shall murmur. Because abovo also ho had spoken of the murmur of them, saying, For who halh heard? And Thou, 0 Lord, he saith, shalt v. 7. deride them, saying, Who hath heard? Wherefore? Be cause, as nothing Thou shalt count all nations. So also here, But if (hey shall not be filled, they shall murmur. 10. Let the Psalm be concluded. See ye the Corner Ephes. exulting, now with both walls rejoicing. The Jews were2'20, proud, humbled they have been ; Gentiles were despairing, raised up they have been : let them come to the Corner, there let them meet, there run together, there find the kiss of peace ; from different parts let them come, but with differing not come, those of Circumcision, these of uncircumcision. Far apart wore tho walls, but before lhat to tho Corner thoy camo : but in tho Corner lot thoin hold thcmsclvos, and now lot tho wljolo Church from both walls, say what? (ver. 10.) But I will sing of Thy power,. and I will exult in the morning of Thy mercy. In tho morning whon temptations havo been overcome, in the morning when tho night of this world shall have passed away; in the morning when no longer the lyings in wait of robbers and of the devil and of 1 5 8 Morning of Resurrection. God's persevering mercy. Psalm his angels we dread, in the morning when no longer by the LIX- lamp of prophecy we walk, but Himself the Word of God as it were a Sun we contemplate. And I will exult in the morning of Thy mercy. With reason in another Psalm is Ps. 5, 3. said, In the morning I will stand by T/iee, and I will meditate. With reason also of the Lord Himself the Resur rection was at dawn, that there should be fulfilled that which Pa.30,5. hath been said in another Psalm, In the evening shall tarry weeping, and in the morning exultation. For at even the disciples mourned our Lord Jesus Christ as dead, at dawn at Him rising again they exulted. / will exult in the morning of 'Iliy mercy. 11. For Thou hast become my taker up, and my refuge in the day of my tribulation. (Ver. 17.) My Helper, lo Thee I will play, because Thou, 0 God, art my taker up. What was I, unless Thou didst succour? How much despaired of was I, unless Thou didst heal? Where was I lying, unless Thou didst come to me ? Certes with a huge wound I was endangered, but that wound of mine did call for an Almighty Physician. To an Almighty Physician nothing is incurable. He taketh not leave of any one : it is needful that thou shouldest wish to be healed, it is needful that from His hands thou flee not. But even if thou wouldest not be healed, Pie admonisheth of thy wound that thou mayest be healed : and calleth thee back when turned away, and when fleeing as it were compelled) thee, and enticoth thee to return to Himself. In all things lie fulfilled) that which v. n. hath been said, His mercy shall prevent me. Think of that which hath been said, shall prevent me. If any thing of thine thou hast first brought, and by any good thing of thine hast merited the mercy of God, then He hath not prevented thee. But when dost thou even perceive that prevented thou hast been, except thqu perceive that which the Apostle ] Cor. saith, For what hast thou, which thou hast not received. But if thou hast received, why dost thou glory, as though thou hast not received? That is, His mercy shall prevent me. Lastly, thinking of all good things whatsoever we may have, either in nature or in purpose, or in conversion itself, in faith, in hope, in charity, in good morals, in justice, in fear of God ; all these to be only by His gifts, he hath No merits before Grace. 159 thus concluded : My God is my mercy. He being filled Ver. with the good things of God hath not found what ho l7, might call his God, save his mercy. O name, under which no one must despair! My God, he saith, is my mercy. What is, my mercy ? If thou say, my salvation, I per ceive that He giveth salvation; if thou say, my refuge, I perceive that thou takest refuge in Him ; if thou say, my strength, I perceive that IIo giveth to theo strength : my mercy, is what? All that I am is of Thy mercy. But have I merited of Thee, by calling upon Thee? That I should be, what have I done ? That I should be one to call upon Thee, what have I performed ? For if I have done any thing that I should be, then I was, before I was. Moreover if nothing I was before I was, no wise I have deserved of Thee, that I should be. Thou hast caused that I should be, and hast Thou not caused that good I should be? Thou hast granted to me to be, and could any one else grant to me that good I should be ? If Thou to me hast granted that I should be, and another to me hath granted that good I should be ; better is he that to me hath granted that good I should be, than He that to me hath granted that 1 should be. Moreover because than Thou no ono is better, no one than Thou more mighty, no one than Thou in mercy more abundant; from Whom I have received that I should be, from the Same 1 have received that good I should be. My God is my mercy. PSALM LX. Lat.LIX. EXPOSITION. Sermon preached lo the people a little while after the exposition of the former Psalm. 1. The title of this Psalm is somewhat long: but let it not frighten us, becauso the Psalm is short. As though therefore wo had heard a somewhat longer Psalm, thus let us attend thereto: forasmuch as to men fed and to be fed in the name of Christ we are speaking in the Church of God ; ] GO David's Victories typical of Christ. Psalm and to men not aliens to the savour of those writings whereto ~L*'.. the world is alien, these things ought not alway to be new. For if those things which very often yo havo heard, with pleasantness in the mouth of thought ye have ruminated, and have not in forgetfulness as though in belly buried them; that very same recollection and memory of yours will be able to aid us much, that we may not speak much for the purpose of explaining, to persons as if uneducated, those things which we know that you know already. Certainly we remember that you ofttimes have heard the thing which we are speaking of. Scarce is it possible in the Psalms to find any voices, but those of Christ and the Church, or of Christ only, or of tho Church only, which truly in part wo also arc. And for this ca-uso whenever wo recognise our voices, without emotion recognise them we cannot; and by so much tho more wo aro delighted, in proportion as in the same ourselves we feel to be. David tho king was ono man, but not ono man he figured; sometimes to wit he figured tho Church of many men consisting, extended even unto tho ends of the earth : but sometimes One Man he figured, Him he figured that is l Tim. Mediator of God and men, the Man Christ Jesus. In this 2>5- Psalm therefore, or rather in this Psalm's title, certain victo rious actions of David are spoken of, how he had done mightily in defeating certain enemies, and in making them tributaries ; when after the death of Saul his persecutor, he received his kingdom openly over Israel. For even before that he was suffering persecution, a king he was, but to God alone he was known. Afterwards therefore the kingdom having been made known, and visibly and notably received, he defeated those that in this title aro mentioned; and the title of the Psalm is set down as followeth : To the end, in behalf of those men that shall be changed unto the title's inscription, unto teaching for David himself, when he burned up Me sopotamia in Syria, and Syria Sobal, and turned Joab, and vide smote Edom, in the valley of salt-pits twelve thousand. We 2Sam.8.rcaci 0f theSe things in the books of the Reigns, that all those persons whom he hath named, were defeated by David, that is, Mesopotamia in Syria, and Syria Sobal, Joab», Edom. * Ho »eem« to tako ' Joah' an in the name of David'i officer, but of »omo acouHatlvo, an though it wcro not the conquered nation. Titles of the Psalms adapted to Ptophctic sense. 101 These things wcro done, and just as thoy were done, so there Title. they havo boon written, so they are read : let bin) read that will. Nevertheless, as the Prophetic Spirit in the Psalms' titles is wont to depart somowhat from the expression of things done, and to say something which in history is not found, and hence rather to admonish us that titles of this kind have been written not that wo may know things done, but that things future may be prefigured ; just as it was said that in the presence of Abimelcch ho ' changed his countc-rs. 34. nance, and let him go, and he departed ;' whereas the Scripture of the Reigns sheweth that he did this thing not in the presence of Abimelcch, but in the presence of king Achish : 2 Sam. so also in this title we find something whereby we are advised 2I' ' of some other thing. For in that narrative of wars and mighty deeds of king David, where all these nations, of whom we2Sam.s. have made mention, were defeated, that he burned up any place wc read not. But here this thing is inserted for this especial reason, that there it is not written that he burned up Mesopotamia in Syria, and Syria Sobal. But now let us begin to examine these things after the significations of things future, and to bring out the dimness of shadows into the light of the word. 2. What is to the end ye know. For the end of lite law *U to is Christ. Those that are changed ye know. For who but"x°x. they that from old life into new do pass ? For far be it that Ilom- . iO. 4. here a blamcablc change should be understood. It is not like that whereby Adam was changed from righteousness to Gen. 3, iniquity, and from delights to toil: but as they are changed — to whom hath been said, For ye were sometime darkness, Ephca. but now light in the Lord. But they are changed into the6'8' title's inscription. Ye know the title's inscription : a title was fixed upon the Cross of the Lord written, This is the Mat.27, King of the Jews: they are changed into this tide's inscrip- Jo'hn tion,, who into the kingdom of Christ do pass over from the 19, '"¦ kingdom of the devil. It is well that they are changed unto this title's inscription. But they are changed, as followeth, unto teaching. For when he had said, In behalf of those that shall be changed unto the title's inscription : ho added, for David himself unto teaching : that is, are changed not for themselves, but for David himself, and are changed unto VOL. III. m 162 IVhat Christ ' burns up,' « turns to fight,' cfc. P*alm teaching. For Clirist is not King in such sort, as if in tho Ty~\W world Ho wore to roign ; inasmuch as openly Ho said, My 36. kingdom is not of this world. Therefore into His teaching let us pass over, if unto the writing of the title we would be changed, not for ourselves, but for David himself: so that 2CoT.6,they which live, no longer unto themselves may live, but unto Him That for them hath died and hath risen again. When therefore would Christ have changed us, unless Ho had done Lukel2, that which He spake of, Fire I have come to send into the world? If therefore Christ came to send into tho world fire, to wit to its health and profit, wo must inquire not how lie is to send tho world into fire, but how into tho world firo. Inasmuch as therefore lie camo to send fire into the world, let us inquire what is Mesopotamia which was burned up, what is Syria Sobal ? The interpretations therefore of the names let us examine according to the Hebrew language, 1 Aram wherein first this Scripture was written. Mesopotamia1 ralm. they say is interpreted, exalted calling. Now the whole a Aram world by calling halh been exalte/l, Syria2 is interpreted lofty. But she which was lofty, burned up hath been and humbled. Sobal is interpreted empty antiquity. Thanks to Christ that hath burned her. Whenever old bushes are burned up, green places succeed ; and more speedily and more plentifully, and more fully grcon, fresh ones spring out, when firo hath gono before them to tho burning up of tho old. Let not therefore the firo of Christ bo feared, hay it Ii. 40,0. consumed]. For all flesh is hay, and all the glory of man as flower of hay. lie burnetii up therefore thoso things with that fire. And turned Joab. Joab is interpreted enemy. Thero was turned an enemy, as thou wilt under stand it. If turned unto flight, tho devil it is: if converted to tho faith, a Christian it is. How unto flight? From tho Johnl2, heart of a Christian: The Prince of this world, lie saith, now hath been cast out. But how can a Christian turned to the Lord bo an enemy turned ? Becauso he hath become a believer that had been an enemy. Smote Edom. Edom is interpreted earthly. That earthly one ought to bo smitten. For why should ono live earthly, that ought to livo heavenly? Thoro hath been slain therefore lifo earthly, let thero live lifo lftC49 ncavomy- For "s v}0 haVL' bornc tlie image of the earthly, Why 'twelve thousand' smitten, why in ' valley of salt.' 1G3 let us bear also the image of Him that is from Heaven. See Ver. it slain : Mortify your members which are upon earth. But—!- — when he had smitten Edom, he smote twelve thousand in the 3, 6. valley of salt-pits. Twelve thousand is a perfect number, to which perfect number also the number of the twelve Apostles is ascribed : for not to no purpose is it, but because through the whole world was lo ho sent tho Word, But tho Word of God, which In Cliiis.1, in in cloud*, that in, in the pvouchen* of truth. But the world of four parts doth consist. Tho four parts thereof are exceeding well known to all, and ofien in the Scriptures they are mentioned: they are tho same as the names of the four winds, East, West, North, and South. To Ezck. all these four parts was sent the Word, so that in the Trinity ' ' all might be called. The number twelve four times three do make. With reason therefore twelve thousand earthly things were smitten, the whole world was smitten: for from tho whole world was chosen out the Church, mortified from earthly life. Why in the valley of salt-pits ? A valley is humility : salt-pits signify savour. For many men aro humbled, but emptily and foolishly, in empty oldness thoy aro humbled. Ono suffereth tribulation for money, suffereth tribulation for temporal honour, suffereth tribulation for the comforts of this life; ho is to suffer tribulation and to bo humbled.: why not for tho sako of God ? why not for the sake of Christ? why not for tho savour of salt? Knowcst thou not that to thco hath been said, Ye are the sail of earth, Matt.6,1 ^? and, If the salt shall have been spoiled, for no other thing " will it be of use, but lo be cast out? A good thing it is therefore wisely to be humbled. Behold now are not heretics being humbled ? Havo not laws been made even by men to condemn them, against whom divino laws do reign, which oven before had condemned thcin ? Behold they ure humbled, behold thoy aro put to flight, behold persecution thoy suffer. but without savour; for folly, for emptiness. For now tho salt hath boon spoiled : therefore it hath boon cast out, to bo trodden down of men. Wo havo hoard tho title of tho Psalm, lot us hoar also tho words of tho Psalm. 3. Vor. 1. God, Thou hast driven us back, and hast de stroyed us. Is that David speaking that smote, that burned up, that defeated, and not they to whom He did these things, M 2 164 God overthrows in mercy, to restore. Paalm that is to say, their being smitten and driven back, that were — ovil men, and again their being made alivo and returning in order that thoy might be good men? That destruction indeed That David made, strong of hand, our Christ, whoso figure that man was bearing; He did those things, He made this destruction with His sword and with His fire : for both Lukei2,T-Te brought into this world. Both Fire I am come lo Mat. 10, send into the world, thou hast in the Gospel: and, A sword I have come to send into the earth, thou hast in tho Gospol. lie brought in fire, whereby might bo burned up Mesopotamia in Syria, and Syria Sobal : He brought in a sword whereby might bo sinitlen Edom. Now again this destruction was tnado for tho sake of ' thoso that are changed unto tho title's inscription.' Hear we therefore the voice of them : to their health smitten thoy were, being raised up let them speak. Lot them say, therefore, that are changed into something better, changed unto the title's inscription, changed unto teaching for David himself; let them say, God, Thou hast driven us back, and hast destroyed us: angrg Thou hast been, and hast had mercy on us. Thou hast destroyed us, in order that Thou mightost build us; Thou hast destroyed us that were ill budded, hast destroyed empty oldness ; in order that there may be a building unto a new man, building to abido for everlasting. Deservedly angry Thou hast been, Thou hast had mercy on us. Thou wouldest not have had mercy, unless Thou hadst been angry. Thou hast destroyed us in Thy anger: but Thy anger against our oldness hath been, in order that tho oldness might bo destroyed. But Thou hast had mercy upon us becauso of newness, because of those that are changed unto the title's 2 Cor. inscription : because even if our outward man is wasted. 4, 16. r . , , „ , ' yet our inward man is renewed from day to day. 4. Ver. 2. Thou hast moved the earth, and hast troubled it. How hath the earth been troubled? In the conscience of sinners. Whither go we ? whither flee we, when this Matt.3, sword hath been brandished, 'Do fie nance, for near halh drawn the kingdom of Heaven?' Thou hast moved the * contri. carlh, and hast troubled it. Ileal the crushintjs' thereof tioncs for moved it halh been. Unworthy it is to be healed, if moved it hath not been: but thou speakest, preachest, ' Hard things' appointed for God's own People. 1C5 threatoncst us with God, of coming judgment boldest not Vp.n. thy peace, of the commandment of God thou warnest, from 8' *'. theso things thou abstaincst not; and ho that hcareth, if ho feareth not, if he is not moved, is not worthy lo be healed, Another beared), is moved, is stung, smiteth the breast. sheddeth tears : Heal the crushings thereof, for moved it is. 5. After theso things, tho earthly ono smitten, oldness burned up, man changed into something better, thoso made light that were darkness, there followed) that which clso- whero hath been written, My son, drawing near to the Y,cc\w. service of God, stand in righteousness and fear, and prepare*' 1,J thy soul for temptation. Tho first labour is, that thou shouldest bo displeasing to thyself, that sins thou shouldest buttle out, that thou shouldest bo changed into something better : tho second labour, in return for thy having been changed, is to bear the tribulations and temptations of this world, and amid them to hold on even unto tho end. Of these things therefore when ho was speaking, whilo pointing out such things, ho added) whal ? (Ver. 8.) Thou hast shewn to Thy people hard things: to Thy pcoplo now, mado tributary after tho victory of David. Thou hast shewn to 'Thy people hard things. Wherein ? In persecutions which tho Church of Christ hath endured, when so much blood of martyrs was spilled. Thou hast shewn to Thy people hard things. Thou hast given us lo drink of tho wine of goading. Of goading is what? Not of killing. For it was not a killing that destroyed), but a modicino that sniartolh l. Thou ' lit. hast given us lo drink of the wine of goading. othu,r"" 0. Wherefore this? (Ver. 4.) Thou hast given to men fearing Thee, a sign lhat they should flee from the face of the bow. Through tribulations temporal, he saith, Thou hast signified to Thino own to flee from the wrath of firo everlasting. For, saith tho Apostlo Peter, Time it is that \ p„t. Judgment begin with the House of God. And exhorting4' ^' tho Martyrs lo enduranco, when iho world should rago, whon slaughters should bo made at tho hands of persecutors, whon far und wide blood of believers should bo spilled, when in chuins, in prisons, in tortures, many hard things Christians should suffer, in these liurd things, I say, lest thoy should faint, Peter saith to them, Time it is that Judgment begin, ICO Merciful threatening. What prayer ensures a hearing. Psai.m with the House of God; and if a beginning there be with us, —what sort of end shall be to them that believe not the Gospel l Pet. 4 of God? and if a just man scarce shall be saved, where shall 18- the sinner and the ungodly man appear? What therefore is to bo in the Judgment? Tho bow is bended, still in menacing posture it is, not yet in aiming. And seo what there is in tho bow : is there not an arrow to bo shot for ward? The string however is stretched back in a contrary direction to that in which it is to bo shot ; and tho more the stretching thereof hath gone backward, with the greater swiftness it started) forward. What is it that I have said ? The more the Judgment is deferred, with so much tho greater swiftness it is to come. Therefore even for temporal tribula tions to God let us render thanks, because He hath given to His people a sign, lhat they should flee from the face of the bow : in order lhat His faithful ones having been exercised in tribulations temporal, may be worthy to avoid the con demnation of fire everlasting, which is to find out all them thai do not believe these things. Tliou hast given to men fearing Thee a sign that they should flee from the face of the bow. 7. Ver. 5. That Thy beloved may be delivered: save me with Thy right hand, and hearken unto me. With Thy right hand save me, Lord : so save me as that at the right hand I may stand. Save me with Thy right hand: not any safety temporal I require, in this matter Thy Will be done. Rom. 8, For a time what is good for us we are utterly ignorant : for ' what we should pray for as we ought we know not:' but save me with Thy right hand, so that even if in this time I suffer sundry tribulations,. when the night of all tribulations hath been spent, on the right hand I may be found among the Mat.25, sheep, not on the left hand among the goats. Save me with Thy right hand, and hearken unto me. Because now I am Pa 22.2. deserving that which Thou art willing to give; not ' with the words of my transgressions' I am crying through the day, so that Thou hearken not, and ' in the night so that Thou hearken not, and that not for folly to me,' but truly for my warning, by adding savour from the valley of salt-pits, so that in tribulation I may know what to ask : but 1 ask life everlasting; therefore hearken unto ine, because Thy right God's promise in Christ cannot fail us. 107 hand I ask. Let therefore Your Love understand, how every Ver. faithful man having in heart the Word of God with fear, — - — fearing Judgment to como, living comincndably, so that because of hiin the holy namo of his Lord bo not ovil spoken of, implorcth many things after tho world's way and is not hearkened unto ; but for lifo everlasting always is hearkened unto. For what man would not ask for health, when he is sick ? And yet perchance to bo sick is good for him. It may be that on this point thou art not hearkened to : nevertheless, thou art not hearkened to at thy desire, in order that thou mayest be hearkened to for thy profit. But truly when this thing thou askest, that God should give to thee lifo everlasting, that God should give to thco the king dom of Heaven, that He should give to thee at the right hand of His Son to stand, when He shall havo come to judge tho earth, without care be thou, thou shalt receive, if now thou reccivest not: for not yet hath come the time that thou shouldest receive. Thou art hearkened unto and knowest not: what thou askest is doing, oven if thou knowest not wherein it is doing. In the root tho thing is, not yet in fruit. Save me with Thy right hand, and hearken unto me. 8. Ver. 0. God halh spoken in His Holy One. Why fearcst thou that there come not to pass that which God hath spoken ? If thou shouldest have any friend stern and wise, how wouldest thou say ? He hath spoken these things, there must needs come to pass that which he hath spoken : the man is stern, no levity he uscth, not easily from his resolution is he moved aside, that which he hath promised is stedfast. But nevertheless a human being he is, diat sometimes willelh to do that which he hath promised, and is not able. Of God there is not any thing that thou mayest fear; that truthful He is, is certain; that Almighty He is, is certain; to deceive thee He is not able, He hath means whence He may perform. Why then fearest thou lest thou be beguiled ? It is needful that thou beguile not thine own self, and that thou persevere even unto the end, when He is to give that which He hath promised. God hath spoken in His Holy One. In what Holy One of His? God teas inlCor.b, Christ reconciling the world to Himself. In that Holy One, of whom elsewhere ye have heard, " O God, in the Holy One P* 77, 108 The Church divideth the Gentiles, some accepting the yoke. Psalm is Thy way." God hath spoken in His Holy One. I will — is. rejoice and will divide Sichima. Because God hath spoken this thing, it will be dono : the voice of tho Church is, God hath spoken in His Holy One; she saith not the Words which God hath spoken, but becauso God halh spoken in His Holy One; nor can there bo dono any thing, except after tho manner lhat God hath spoken ; in consequence those things como forth : / will rejoice, and I will, divide Sichima, and the valley of tabernacles I will measure out. Sichima is interpreted shoulders. But according to history, Jacob returning from Laban his father in law with all his kindred, Gen. 35 hid the idols in Sichima which he had from Syria, where for *¦ a long time he had dwelled, and at length was coming from thence. But tabernacles he made there because of his sheep •Suecoth and herds, and called die place Tabernacles1. And these I will divide, saith the Church. What is this, / will divide Sichima ? If to the story where the idols were hidden is the reference, the Gentiles it signified! ; I divide the Gentiles. 2 The«». I divide, is what? For not in all men is there faith. I divide, 3' 2- is what? Some will believe, others will not believe: but nevertheless let them not fear that believe, among them that Mat.25, believe not. For divided they are even now in faith, here- after there shall be divided in the Judgment, sheep on the right hand, goats on the left. Behold we find in what manner the Church divideth Sichima. How doth it divide the shoulders, according to the interpretation of the name ? The shoulders arc divided, in order that their sins may burthen some men, while others may take up the burden of Christ. For godly shoulders He was requiring when Ho Mat. 1 1, said, For My yoke is yentle, and My burden is light. Another burden oppressed! and loadeth thee, but Christ's burden relieveth thee: another burden hath weight, Christ's burden hath wings. For even if thou pull off the wings from a bird, thou dost remove a kind of weight; and tho more weight thou hast taken away, the more on earth it will abide. She that thou hast chosen to disburden lieth there: she ffieth not, because thou hast taken off a weight : let there be given back the weight, and sho ffieth. Such is Christ's burden; let men carry it, and not be idle : let them not bo heeded lhat will not bear it; kl them bear it lhat will, and they The Church's ' Heap of Testimony' in her martyrs. 169 shall find how light it is, how sweet, how pleasant, how Ver. ravishing unto Heaven, and from earth how transporting: -— — / will divide Sichima, and the valley of tabernacles I will measure out. Perchance because of the sheep of Jacob, the valley of tabernacles is to be understood of the nation of the Jews, and the same is divided:. for they have passed from thence that have believed, the rest have remained without. 0. Ver. 7. Mine is Galaad. These names are read in the Scriptures of God. Galaad hath the voice of an interpre tation of its own and of a great Mystery : for it is interpreted the heap of testimony. How great a heap of testimony in the Martyrs? Mine is Galaad, mine is a heap of testimony, mine are the true Martyrs. Let others die for their ancient emptiness saltless, do they belong to die heap of testimony? For even if I shall have given up my body so that I be 1 Cor. burned, but have not love, it profitelh me nothing. But ' when in a certain place the Lord was admonishing of keeping peace, Ho put salt before: Have, He saith, in youi selves Mark 9, sail, and peace have ye among yourselves. Therefore, mine ' is Galaad ; but Galaad, that is, a heap of witness, in great tribulation evidently hath been made. Then meanly esteemed was the Church among men, then reproach on Her a Widow was being thrown, because Christ's She was, because tho sign of the Cross on her brow She was wearing: not yet was there honour, censure there was then : when therefore not honour, but censure there was, then was made a heap of witness ; and through the heap of witness was the Love of Christ enlarged; and through the enlargement of the Love of Christ, were the Gentiles possessed. There followeth, And mine is Manasses; which is interpreted forgotten. For to Her had been said, Confusion for ever-U.64,4. lasting Thou shall forget, and of l/ie reproach of Thy widowhood Thou shalt not be mindful. There was therefore a confusion of the Church once, which now hath been for gotten : for of Her confusion and of the reproach of Her widowhood now She is not mindful. For when there was a sort of confusion among men, a heap of witness was made. Now no longer doth any even remember that confusion, when it was a reproach to be a Christian, now no one reinembereth, now all have forgotten, now Mine is Manasses, and Ephraim 170 Christ fruitful by His Death. The Church Pbalm the strength qf My head. Ephraim is interpreted fruitful- ness. Mine, ho saith, is fruitfulnoss, and this fruitfulnoss is tho strength of My Head. For My Head is Christ. And John 12, whenco is fruitfulnoss tho strength of Ilim? Because unless Si' a grain were to fall into tho earth, it would not be multiplied, alono it would remain. Fall then to earth did Christ in His Passion, and there followed fruit-bearing in the Resurrection. And Ephraim is the strenyth qf My Head. Ho was hanging and was being despised : the grain was within, it had powers to draw after it all things. How in a grain do numbers of seeds lio hid, something abject it appeareth to the eyes, but 1 vln a power1 turning into itself matter and bringing forth fruit »vlrtu» is hidden; so in Christ's Cross virtue3 was hidden, thero appeared weakness. O mighty grain! Doubtless weak is IIo that hangcth, Doubtless boforo Ilim that people did wag tho Mat.27, head, Doubtless they said, If Son qf God He is, let Ilim 1°Cor l como down from the Cross. Hear the strength of 1 lim : that 25. which is a weak thing of God, is stronger than men. With reason so groat fruitfulnoss hath followed : it is mine, saith tho Church. 10. Ver. 7. Juda is my king: Moab the pot of my hope. ' Juda is my king:' what Juda ? He that is of tho tribo of (1 on.4t), Juda. What Juda, but IIo to whom Jacob himself said, H- ' Juda, thy brethren shall, praise theo,' Juda is my king. What therefore should I fear, when Juda my king saith, Mat. lo,' Four not them that kill the body?' Juda is my king: Moab 28- the pot of my hope. Wherefore pot ? Because tribulation. Wherefore of my hope ? Because there hath gone before Juda my king. For where IIo halh gone before, why fcarost thou to follow ? Where hath 1 lo gone before ? Through tribulations, through straits, through reproaches. Fenced was the way, but only before IIo passed along: now that Ho hath passed along, follow, now tho way is open by His v*. 14 1, passing along. Single I am, Ho saith, but until thut I pass l0- along: single is tho grain, but until it pass along: when it hath passed along, there will follow fruitfulnoss. Juda is my king. Therefore because Juda is my king : Moab is the pot of my hope. Moab is perceived in the Gentiles. For that Gen. 19, nation was bom of sin, that nation was born of the daughters 37, of Lot, who lay with their father drunken, abusing a father. with Him for her King, hopeth when tried by the wicked. 171 Better were it to have remained barren, than thus to have Ver. • 7 become mothers. But this was a kind of figure of them lhat — — abuse the law. For do not heed that law in tho Latin lan guage is of the feminine gender: in Greek of the masculine gender it is : but whether it be of the feminine gender in speaking, or of the masculine, the expression niaketh no difference to the truth. For law hath rather a masculine force, because it ruleth, is not ruled. But moreover, the Apostle Paul saith what? Good is the law, if any one use it 1 Tim. lawfully. But those daughters of Lot unlawfully used their ' * father. But in the same manner as good works begin to grow when a man useth well the law : so arise evil works, when a man ill useth the law. Furthermore, they ill using their father, that is, ill using tho law, engendered the Moab- ites, by whom are signified evil works. Thence the tribula tion of the Church, thence the pot boiling up. Of this pot in a certain place of prophecy is said, A pot heated by the Jerem. North wind. Whence but by the quarters of the devil, who ' hath said, / will set my seal at the North ? The chiefest I». 14, tribulations therefore arise against the Church from none except from those that ill use the law. What then ? Is the Church hence to fall off: and because of a pot, that is, abun dance of offences, will She not persevere even unto the end? Hath not Juda Her King foretold this unto Her ! Doth He not say to Her, Because iniquity shall abound, the love o/Mat.24, many shall grow cold? With boiling pot love groweth cold. 2- Wherefore the rather dost not thou, O love," against the pot grow warm ? Art thou ignorant that to theo hath been said, whon of that abundance of offences Thy King was speaking, He that shall have persevered unto tho end, tho same shall be saved? Persevere therefore even unto the end against the pot of offences. The pot of iniquity is hot, but mightier is the flame of love. Be not conquered, but persevere even unto the end. Why fearest thou the Moabites, the evil works of them that ill use the law? For why? Did not Juda thy king, that hath gone before, endure such men ? Knowest thou not that the Jews by ill using the law slew Christ? Therefore hope' thou; and where thy king hath >*;»<¦<• wilt not march forth in our powers: against ihcm Thou will10- not shew Thyself, Thou wilt not show Thy power, such as Thou hast shown in David, in Moses, in Joshua tho son of Nun, whon to thoir might tho Genliles yielded, and when tho 174 God with His Church, though He shew not Himself. Psalm slaughter had been ended, and tho great laying waste re- LX- paired, into the land which Thou promisedst Thou leddest in Thy people. This thing then Thou wilt not do, Thou wilt not march forth in our powers, but within Thou wilt work. What is, wilt not march forth ? Wilt not shew Thyself. For indeed when in chains the Martyrs were being led along, when they were being shut up in prison, when they were being led forth to be mocked, when to the beasts ' suhri- they were exposed1, when they were being smitten with the fur""" sworc^> wheu with fire they were being burned, were they not despised as though forsaken, as though without helper ? In what manner was God working within ? in what manner within was He comforting! in what manner to these men was He making sweet the hope of life everlasting ? in what manner was He not forsaking the hearts of them, where the 3 Oxf. man was dwelling2 in silence, well if good, ill if evil ? Was JM,88"]1 He then by any means forsaking, because He was not march- eth.' ing forth in the powers J of them ? By not marching forth in 'hosts' tne p°n'ers of them, did He not the more lead down the (virtuti- Church even unto Iduma;a, lead down the Church even unto the city of standing round? For if the Church chose to war and to use the sword, She would seem to be fighting for lifo present: but because she was despising life present, dierefore there was made a heap of witness for the life that shall be. 14. Thou therefore, O God, that wilt not march forth in our powers, (ver. 11.) Give to us aid from tribulation, and vain is the safety of man. Go now they that salt have not, and desire safety temporal for their friends, which is empty oldness. Give to us aid: from thence whence Thou wast supposed to forsake, thence succour. Give to us aid from tribulation, and vain is the safely of man. * virtu- 15. Ver. 12. In God we will do valour*, and Himself to '""• nothing shall bring down our enemies. We will not do valour with the sword, not with horses, not with breast plates, not with shields, not in the mightiness of an army, not abroad. But where? Within, where wo arc not seen. Where within? In God we will do virtue: and as if abjects, and as if trodden down, men as if of no consideration wo shall be, but Himself to nothing shall bring down our enemies. In a word, this thing hath been done to our One Christ speaketh in Ills whole Body, 178 enemies. Trodden down havo been tho Martyrs: by suffer- Vbr. ing, by enduring, by persevering even unto the end, in God iiiili they have done valour. .Himself also hath done that which followeth : to nothing Ho hath brought down tho enemies of them. Where are now the enemios of the Martyrs, except perchance that now drunken men with their cups do per secute those, whom at that timo phrensied men' did use wflh Btoncs to persecute ? PSALM LXL Lai, LX. kxposition. Sermon to the Commonalty. 1 . The above Psalm with your Love wc have undertaken to consider. Short it is, the Lord will be with us, to enable us to speak sufficiently and briefly upon it. As far as Himself shall havo aided that biddcth us to speak, so will I be to the willing subservient, as that I be not to them that aro dull, tedious, nor to (so) few, overmuch, nor to the engaged, burdensome. Tho titlo of it doth not dotain us. For it is Unto the end, in hymns, to David himself. In hymns, to wit in praises. Unto the end, to wit unto Christ. For the end of the law is Christ, for righteousness to every Uom.lo, one thai bclieveth. And David himself as no other ought4' we to understand than tho same Who camo out of tho seed of David, so that He might be Man among men, and might Mat. 1, make men equal to angels. But the voice in this Psalm (if 1- we are among the members of Him, and in the Body, even as upon His exhortation we have the boldness to trust) we ought to acknowledge to be our Own, not that of any foreigner. But I have not so called it our own, as if it were of those only lhat are now in presence ; but our own, as being of us that arc throughout the whole world, that are from the East even unto tho West. And in order that yo may know it thus to bo our voico, Ho spoakcth here as if ono Man : but 1 Ic 18 not Ono Man ; but even as Ono, tho Unity is speak- 170 Christ throughout the world in glory yet in trouble. Psalm ing. But in Christ wo all arc ono man : because of this . k^A- Ono Man the Head is in Heaven, and the members are yet toiling on earth : and becauso they, are toiling seo what Ho 'or, saith'. ' fy 2. Ver. 1. Hearken, 0 God, to my supplication, give heed Mss- to my prayer. Who saith? He, as if One. See whether one: (ver. 1.) From the ends of the earth to Thee I have cried, while my heart was being vexed. Now therefore not one : but for this reason one, because Christ is One, of Whom all we are the members. For what one man crieth from the ends of the earth ? There crieth not from the ends of the earth any but that inheritance, of which hath been said to Ps. 2,8. the Son Himself, Demand of Me, and 1 will give to Thee the nations for Thine inheritance, and for Thy possession the boundaries of the earth. This therefore Christ's possession, this Christ's inheritance, this Christ's Body, this Christ's one Church, this the Unity which we are, is crying from the ends of the earth. But is crying what? That whereof I have spoken above, Hearken, O God, to my supplication, give heed to my prayer: from the ends of the earth to Thee I have cried. That is, this thing to Thee I have cried : from the ends of the earth, that is, every where. 3. But wherefore have I cried this thing ? While my heart was being vexed. He sheweth himself to be through out all nations in the whole round world, in great glory, but in great tribulation. For our life in this sojourning cannot bo without temptation: because our advance is made through our temptation, nor does a man become known to himself unless tempted, nor can he be crowned except ho shall have conquered, nor can he conquer except he shall havo striven, nor can he strive except he shall have experienced an enemy, and temptations. This 'Man therefore is being vexed, that from tho ends of tho earth is crying, but never theless He is not forsaken. For ourselves who are His Body He hath willed to prefigure also in that His Body wherein already He hath both died and hath risen again, and into Heaven hath ascended, in order that whither the Head hath gone before, thither the members may be assured that they shall follow. Therefore us He did transfer by a figure into Himself, when He willed to be tempted of Satan. But now Christ the Rock on which the Church is exalted. 177 there was being read in tho Gospel, hotf the Lord Jesus Vbii. Christ in the wilderness was being tempted of the devil. : — Christ entirely was tempted of the devil. For in Christ Matt. 4, thou wast being tempted, because Christ of thee had for1' Himself flesh, of Himself for thee salvation ; of thee for Himself death, of Himself for thee life; of thee for Himself revilings, of Himself for thee honours ; therefore of thee for Himself temptation, of Himself for thee victory. If in Him tempted we have been, in Him we overcome the devil." Dost thou observe that Christ was tempted, and dost thou not observe that He conquered ? Acknowledge thyself in Him tempted, and in Him acknowledge thyself conquering. He was able from Himself to keep away tho devil : but if He were not tempted, to thee that must be tempted the lesson of conquering He had failed to give. Therefore it is no wonder, if that Man being set amid temptations is crying from the ends of the earth. But wherefore is he not being conquered ? On Ike Rock Thou hast exalted me. Now therefore here we perceive who is crying from the ends of the earth. Let us call to mind the Gospel: Upon this'Ma.t.ie, Rock I will build My Church. Therefore She crieth from " the ends of the earth, whom He hath willed to be builded upon a Rock. But in order lhat the Church might be builded upon the Bock, who was made the Rock ? Hear Paul saying: But the Rock was Christ. On Him therefore I Cor. builded we have been. For this reason that Rock whereon ' we have been builded, first hath been smitten with winds, Matt. 7, flood, rain, when Christ of the devil was being tempted. 24, Behold on what firmness He hath willed to stablish thee. With reason our voice is not in vain, but is hearkened unto : for on great hope we have been set: On the Rock Thou hast exalted me. 4. Ver. 3. Thou hast led me down, because Thou hast been made my hope. If He had not been made our own hope, He would not have led us down. He leadeth down as being a Leader, and on Himself leadeth as being the Way, and to Himself leadeth home as being the Country. He leadeth us down therefore. Wherefore? Because He hath been made our hope. Whence hath been made our hope ? Be hold, in the same manner as ye have heard that He was VOL. III. n 1 78 Christ made our ' Hope' by going before us. Psalm tompted, that He suffered, that He roso again, oven so IIo LX1, hath been made our hope. For what do wo say to ourselves when wo read of theso things ? God indeed will not destroy us for whose sake lie hath sent His Son, to bo tempted* to be crucified, to die, to rise again : for truly God doth not Rom. 8, despise us, for whoso sake His own Son Ho hath not spared, 32' but for us all halh delivered Ilim up. Thus therefore He hath been made our hope. In Ilim thou seest botb thy labour and thy reward; labour in His Passion, reward in His resurrection. Thus therefore Ho hath been made our hope. For wo havo two lives; but one wherein wo aro, tho other for which we hopo. That wherein wo are is known tons: that for which wo hopo is to us unknown. Endure that wherein thou art, and thou shalt have lhat which not yet ihou hast. How dost thou endure? So that thou bo not conquered by temptations. By His labours, temptations, sufferings, by His death, Christ hath pointed out to thee tho life wherein thou art: by llin Resurrection hath pointed out to dice tho lifo wherein thou shalt be. For we had known man be born and die ; man rising and living for everlasting we had not known: lie took upon Ilim that which thou knowest, and shewed to theo that which thou knowest not. For this reason therefore 1 le was made our hope in Iribula- Rom. 5, tions, in temptations. See the Apostle saying: Not this alone, but we glory also in tribulations, he saith, knowing that tribulation worketh patience, patience probation, pro bation hope, but hope confoundelh not: for the love of God hath been shed abroad in our hearts through the Holy Spirit, that hath been given to us. Therefore Himself Lath been Rom. 8, made our hope That hath given to us the Holy Spirit, and ' we walk now by hope; for we should not walk, unless wo hoped. Tho Apostlo Himself saith what? For that which a man seelh, why doth he hope for? But if thai which ice sec not we hope j or, by patience ice wait for it. And again, For by hope we have been saved. 5. Thou hast led me down, because Thou hast been made my hope: a tower of strength from the face of the enemy. My heart is vexed, saith that Unity from the ends of the earth, and I toil amid temptations and offences: the heathen envy, becauso thoy havo been conquered ; the heretics lio in How to fly to Christ as a Tower of strength. 1 79 wait, hidden in the cloak of the Christian name: within in Vkb. the Church itself the wheat suffereth violence from the chaff: — — amid all these things when my heart is vexed, I will cry from tho ends of tho earth. But thero forsaketh mc not the Samo that hath exalted me upon the Rock, in order to lead me down even unto Himself, because even if I labour, while the devil through so many places and times and occasions lieth in wait against me, He is to me a lower of strength, to whom when I shall have fled for refuge, not only I shall escape the weapons of the enemy, but even against him securely I shall myself hurl whatever darts I shall please. For Christ Himself is the tower, Himself for us hath been made a tower from the face of the enemy, who is also the Rock where on hath been builded the Church. Art thou taking heed that thou be not smitten of the devil? Flee to the Tower; never to that Tower will the devil's darts follow thee: there thou wilt stand protected and fixed. But in what manner shalt thou flee to the Tower ? Let not a man, set perchance in tempt ation, in body seek that Tower, and when he shall not have found it, be wearied, or faint in temptation. Before thee is the Tower : call to mind Christ, and go into the Tower. How dost thou call to mind Christ, in order that thou mayest go into the tower ? Whatever thou suffercst, meditate how He first hath suffered, and meditate with what end He suffered, to wit, that He should die and should rise again. For such an end do thou also hope, as in Him hath gone before, and thou hast gone into the Tower by not assenting to the enemy. For if thou shalt have assented to the enemy, then unto thee hath reached the dart of him fighting against thee. Do thou rather against him hurl weapons, wherewith he may be smitten, wherewith he maybe conquered. These weapons are what ? The words of God, thy faith, that same hope of thine, good works. I say not, so stay in that Tower as to be idle there, and let it suffice for thee that the enemy's weapons reach thee not: do there something, let not thy hands be at rest : good works of thine are swords that slay the enemy. 6. Ver. 4. A sojourner I will be in Thy tabernacle even unto ages. Ye see how he, of whom we have spoken, is he that crieth. Which of us is a sojourner even unto ages ? n2 180 The Church's whole sojourning on earth, long. P»alm For a few Jaya hero we live, and wo pass away : for sojourners -~— ~ hero wo aro, inhabitants in Hoaven wo shall bo. Thou art a sojourner in that placo where thou art to hear tho voice of tho Lord thy God, " Remove." For from that Homo over- lasting in the Heavens no ono will bid thee to. remove. Here therefore a sojourner thou art. Whence also is said in P». 39, another Psalm, A sojourner I am with Thee and a stranger, as all my fathers were. Hero therefore sojourners we are; JohnH, thore the Lord shall give to us mansions everlasting : Many are, IIo suith, tho mansions in My Father's house. Thoso mansions not as though to sojourners lie will givo, but as though to citizens to abide for everlasting. Hero however, brethren, because for no small timo the Church was to be on this earth, but because here shall bo the Church even unto Umculi. the end of tho world': therefore here lie hath said, A *iacuia. dweller I will be in Thy tabernacle even unto ages1. Let tho enemy rage, as ho will, let him fight against me, lyings in wait for mo lot him make ready, with offences let him besot me, and make my heart to bo vexed ; A sojourner I will be in Thy tabernacle even unto ages. The Church shall not be conquered, she shall not be rooted up, nor yield to temptations of whatever sort, until thero come this world's end, and from this temporal habitation that everlast ing one receive us, whereunto Ho shall load us homo That hath been made our hopo. A sojourner I will be in Thy tabernacle even for ages. If for a long time thou art to be a sojourner, (suppose to Him we were saying this,) thou must then toil on earth amid so great temptations: for if a few days were the Church's timo here, speedily there would be an end to the tempter's lyings in wait. Well, of a few days thou wouldest chooso that the temptations should be : but how would She gather together all Pier sons, unless for a long time She were to be here, unless even unto the end Sho were to be prolonged ? Do not envy the rest of mankind that horeafter shall be: do not, becauso thou hast already passed over, wish omitn'Torto cut clovvn tllD Dli(16e of mercy': be it here oven for ever. meroy.' And what of temptations, which needs must abound, by how much the more offences come? For Himself saith, because *£*•**> iniquity hath abounded, the love of many shall wax cold. But that Church, which crieth from the ends of the Prayer keeps us under the shadow of God's Wings. 181 earth, is in theso circumstances whereof he speaketh in con- Ver. dnualion. But he that shall have persevered even unto the -*~a' end, the same shall be saved. But whence shalt thou per severe ? What are thy powers amid so great offences, amid so great temptations, amid so great fightings ? With what powers dost thou conquer an enemy, whom thou seest not ? Canst thou anywise with thine own ? Nay, and inasmuch as even unto ages lhat sojourner shall bo hero, what hopo hath ho that ho may endure? (Vor. 4.) I shall be covered up in the veiling of Thy wings. Behold tho reason why wo aro in safety amid so great temptations, until there como tho end of the world, and ages everlasting receive us ; namely, becauso wo are covered up in tho veiling of His Wings. Thero is heat in tho world, but there is a great shade under tho wings of God. I shall be covered up in the veiling qf Thy wings. 7. Vor. 5. For Thou, 0 God, hast hearkened to my prayer. What prayer? That wherewith he beginneth: Hearken, 0 God, to my supplication, give heed unto my prayer: from the ends qf the earth to Thee I hare cried. ;This to Thco I have cried from the ends of tho earth. Therefore I shall be covered up in the veiling of Thy wings, because Thou hast hearkened to my supplication. We are admonished therefore, brethren, not to ceaso praying, so long as it is tho time of temptations. Thou hast given inheritance to men fearing Thy name. Let us continue therefore in the fear of God's name : the eternal Father deceivcth us not. Sons labour, that they may receive the inheritance of their parents, to whom when dead they arc to succeed: aro we not labour ing to receive an inheritance from that Father, to whom not dying wo succeed; but together with Ilim in tho very inheritance for everlasting uro to livo ? Thou hast given inheritance to men fearing Thy name. 8. Ver. 0. Days upon days qf the King Thou shalt add to tho years of Him. This is therefore the King of whom wo are tho members. A King Christ is, our Head, our King. Thou hast given to Ilim days upon days ; not only thoso days in that timo that hath end, but days upon thoso days without end. / will dwell, he saith, in tho houso of the p,,27 4, Lord, for length of days. Wherefore for length of days, but 182 Generations, mortal and immortal. Psalm because now is the shortness of days ? For every thing LXT- which hath an end, is short : but of this King are days upon days, so that not only whilo these days pass away, Christ reigneth in His Church, but the Saints shall reign together with Him in those days which have no end. There one day there is, and many days there are. Inasmuch as there are many days, I havo said just now, For length of days : inas- Ps. 2, 7. much as there is one day, thus is understood, My Son Thou art, I this day have begotten Thee. Of one day IIo hath spoken as this day: but that day is not set in the middle between yesterday and to-morrow, nor is the beginning thereof the end of yesterday, nor the end thereof the begin ning of to-morrow. For years of God have been also spoken Ps. 102, of: Bui Thou art the very Same, and Thy years shall not fail. In the same manner as years, so clays, so one day. Whatsoever thou wilt thou sayest of eternity. Whatever thou wilt thou sayest for this reason, because whatever thou shalt have said, it is too little that thou hast said. For thou must needs say somewhat, to the end that there may be something whereby thou mayest meditate on that which cannot be told. Days upon days of the King Thou shalt add to the years of Ilim, even unto the day of generation and of generation. Of this generation and of the genera tion thut shall be: of this generation which is compared to the moon, becauso as the moon iH new, waxelh, is full, wanolh, and vuuishcth, so uro these mortal generations; and of tho generation wherein wo aro born anew by rising again, and shall abide for everlasting with God, when now no longer we are like the moon, but like that of which said) the Mat.i3,Lorci} Then the righteous shall shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. For the moon by a figure in the Scriptures is put for the mutability of this mortal state. Tliere- LukelO, fore to Jericho was he going down that fell among robbers : because the city Jericho is a Hebrew name, and is in terpreted in Latin by moon. He was going down therefore as though from immortality lo mortality; and fittingly in the journey was he wounded by robbers and left half dead, even that Adam out of whom is the whole human race. Therefore days upon days of the King Thou shalt add to the years of Him, even unto the day of generation, of generation mortal God dishonoured by expecting Him to allow sin. 183 I tuko it: ofwhatodiur generation hath ho mudu mention? Vru. Hear, of what. — ~ — i). Ver. 7. Ha shall abide for ererl'tisliiig in the sight of God; according to what, or because of what? His mercy and truth who shall seek for Him? IIo suith also in another place, All the ways of the Lord arc mercy and (ruth, /o ''»• 25, men seeking His testament and Ills testimonies. Largo is tho discourse- of truth und mercy, but shortness wo havo promised. Briefly hear ye what is truth and mercy : because no small thing is that which hath been said, //// the ways of the Lord are mercy and truth.. Mercy is spoken of, becauso our merits God regarded not, but His own goodness, in order that Ho might forgivo us all our sins, and might promise lifo everlasting: but truth is spoken of, because Ho failoth not to render those things which He hath promised. Let us ac knowledge it here, and let us do it; so that, just as to us God hath shewn forth His mercy and His truth, mercy in forgiving our sins, truth in shewing forth His promises; so also, 1 say, let us execute mercy and truth, uvercy concerning tho weak, concerning the needy, concerning even our enemies; truth in not sinning, and in not adding sin upon sin. For ho that counted) much on tho mercy of God, hath suffered to steal into his mind the making God unjust, and tho thinking that if he shall havo continned a sinner, and shall have chosen not to depart from his iniquities, He will come, and will set him in that place, whero lie setteth His servants dial lo Him are obedient. And will it bo just, that Ho should set thee, continuing in sins, in that placo where He is to sot them that have departed from sins? Wilt thou bo unjust in such sort us. to make God also unjust? Whywilt thou then turn God unto thy will? Do thou be turned unto the will of God. Who is therefore ho that doeth this, save one out of thoso (cw, of whom is said, He lhat shall have continued unto the end, the same shall be saved? With reason hero also His mercy and truth who shall seek for Him ? . Why is thero 'for Him ?' Who shall seek, would be sufficient. Why hath he added, for Him, but because many men seek to learn His mercy and truth in His books? And when thcyj Cor.fi have learned, for themsch'cs they live, not for Him; their'5'.. own things they seek, not the things which are of Jesus 2,21. 184 Christ to be served to the end, and not for self. Psalm Christ : they preach mercy and truth, and do not mercy and L truth. But by preaching it, they know it: for they would not preach it, unless they knew it. But he that loveth God and Christ, in preaching the mercy and truth of the Same, doth himself seek her for Him, not for himself: that is, not in order that himself may have by this preaching temporal advantages, but in order that he may do good to His members, that is, His faithful ones, by ministering with truth of that which he 2 Cor. 5, knoweth : in order that he that liveth no longer for himself IB may live, but for Him that for all men hath died. His mercy and truth who will seek for Him ? 10. Ver. 8. So I will play music to Thy name, that I may render my vows from day unto day. If thou playest music to the name of God, play not for a time. Wilt thou for ever play ? wilt thou for everlasting play ? Render to Him thy vows from day unto day. What is, render to Him thy vows from day unto day? From this day unto that day. Con tinue to render vows in this day, until thou come to that Mat.24, day : that is, He that shall have continued even unto the end, the same shall be saved. LXJ. PSALM LXII. EXPOSITION. Sermon to the people. 1. The delight of divine sayings, and the pleasantness of Ps. 86, understanding the Word of God, while Himself that giveth the sweetness aideth our earth to give her fruit, do invite both us to speak and you to hear. I see that you hear without weariness, and I rejoice in the palate of your heart, where- from that which is wholesome is not rejected, but with eagerness it is taken in and profitably is retained. Let us speak therefore to you to-day also, as far as the Lord alloweth, of that Psalm which but now we have sung. The title of it is, Unto the end, in behalf of Idithun, a Psalm to David P?.ns9. nimself I ^collect that already ' to you hath been explained The advanced saint humble toward God. 185 what Idithun.is. For according to the interpretation of the Veb. Hebrew tongue, as to us it hath come down, in Latin Idithun is translated, leaping over them. Therefore he that is singing doth leap over certain men, on whom from above he lookcth down. Let us see how far he halh leaped over, and whom he hath leaped over, and in what place, though he halh leaped over certain men, he is situate, whence as from a kind of spiritual and secure position he may behold what is below, (uot so looking back as that he fall, but so that he that hath leaped over may stir up the indolent to follow,) and may extol the place, at which by leaping over he hath arrived. For this man that leapeth over is above something in such sort as that he is under some one : whence first to us he halh desired to .intimate the Person under whom he is protected, in order that his having passed over, may not be for pride but for advancement. 2. IIo being set, I say, in a certain fortified place, doth say, (ver. 1.) Shall not my soul be subject lo God? Forjho had heard, Ho that doth exalt himself shall be humbled; andMa,t.i3, he that humbleth himself shall be exalted: and fearful lest by leaping over he should be proud, not elated by those things which were below, but humble because of Him that was above ; to envious men, as it were threatening to him a fall, who were grieved that he had leaped over, he hath made answer, Shall not my soul be subject to God? Why is it that for me as it were leaping over ye seek for snares? either by assaulting ye would throw me down, or by leading astray ye would deceive me. Do I so remember what I am above, as that I am forgetful, whom I am below? Shall not my soul be subject to God ? Howsoever much I may draw near, howsoever much I may ascend, howsoever much 1 leap over, under God I shall be, not against God. Safely therefore 1 mount above other things, when He that is above all things doth hold me under Him. Shall not my soul be made sub ject to God? For from Himself is my salvation. For Himself is my God and my salvation, my laker up, I shall not be moved more. I know Who is above me, I know Who stretchelh forth His mercy to men that know Him, I know under the covering of Whose wings I should hope : / shall not be moved more. Ye are striving indeed, he saith to 186 None can prevail against those who are in Christ, Psalm certain, leaping over those very persons to whom he speaketh: p— - ¦—- ye indeed are striving that I should be moved, but let there H. not come to me the foot of pride. For, for this cause cometh about that which also in the same Psalm followed), nor let the hand of sinners remove me: to which agreeth, I shall not be moved, more. For to that which there hath been said, nor let the hand of sinners remove me, thero answoroth here, I shall not be moved more. But to that which thero hath been said, Let not there come to me lite foot of pride, there answered) here, Shall not my soul be made subject lo God? 3. Therefore, down from tho higher place fortified and protected, he, to whom the Lord hath been made a refuge, Ps. 90, he, to whom is God Himself for a fortified place, hath regard to those whom he hath leaped over, and looking down upon them speaketh as though from a lofty tower : for this also Ps. 61, hath been said of Ilim, A Tower of strength from the face of the enemy : he giveth heed therefore to them, and saith, How long do ye lay upon a man? By insulting, by hurling reproaches, by laying wait, by persecuting, ye lay upon a 'some man burthens, ye lay upon a man as much as a man can' cannot. Uear: m,t 'n order that a man may bear, under him is lie that hath made man. How long do ye lay upon a man? If to a man ye look, slay ye, all of you. Behold, lay upon, rage, slay ye, all of you. As though a wall bowed down, and as a fence smitten against; lean against, smite against, as if going to throw down. And where is, I shall not be moved more? But wherefore? I shall not be moved more? Because Him self is God my Saving One, my taker up, therefore ye men are able to lay burdens upon a man; can ye anywise lay upon God, Who protecteth man? 4. Ver. 3. Slay ye, all of you. What is that size of body in one man so great as that he may be slain by all? But wo ought to perceive our person, the person of the Church, tho person of the Body of Christ. For ono Man with His Head and Body is Jesus Christ, tho Saviour of tho Body and the Gon. 2, Members of the Body: two in ono Flesh, and in one voice, Klihod. n,u' '" ono passion, and, when iniquity shall have passed over, °, 31. in ono rest. The sufferings therefore of Christ aro not in Christ alono; nay, thoro are not any save in Christ. For if Christ thou undorstandest to bo I loud and Body, the sufferings Christ's sufferings in the Body not yet complete. 187 of Christ are not, save in Christ : but if Christ thou under- Vr.n. stand of Head alone, tho sufferings of Christ aro not in — - — Christ alone. For if the sufferings of Christ are in Christ alone, to wit in the Head alone ; whence saith a certain member of Ilim, Paul the Apostle, In order that I may supply Colons. what are wanting of the oppressions of Christ in my jlesh ? If ' therefore in the members of Christ thou art, whatsoever man thou art that art hearing these words, whosoever ihou art that dost not hear these words: (but however, thou dost hear, if in the members of Christ thou art:) whatsoever thing thou suffercst from those that are not in the members of Christ, was wanting to the sufferings of Christ. Therefore it is added because it was wanting; thou fillest up the measure, thou causest it not to run over: thou suffercst so much as was to be contributed out of thy sufferings to the whole suffering of Christ, that hath suffered in our Head, and doth suffer in His members, that is, in our own selves. Unto this our common republic, as it were each of us according to our measure payeth that which we owe, and according to the powers which we have, as it were a quota1 of sufferings we1 'oano- contributc. The store-house * of all men's sufferings will not 5 < pjri. be completely made Up, save whon the world shall haveator'a'' been ended. How long do ye lay upon man ? Whatever the Prophets have suffered from the blood of just Abel even unto the blood of Zacharias, hath been laid upon man*Jat,23» because there have preceded the advent of the Incarnation of Christ certain members of Christ: as in the birth of aGen.38, 27—28 certain one, though not yet the head came forth, there came forth the hand, but yet to the head was joined even the hand. Do not therefore think, brethren, that all just men, that have suffered the persecution of ungodly men, even those that have come before the Lord's Advent to foretell the Lord's Advent, belonged not to the members of Christ. Far be it that he should not belong to the members of Christ, who belongeth to the City which for King hath Christ. That alone is Jerusalem heavenly, the holy City. The King of this City is Christ: for Himself saith to Her, "Mother, p8. 87, Sion" a man will say. He saith to Her, " Mother ;" but *• _ as Man. For " Mother Sion" a man will say, and Man He was made in Her, and Himself the Most Highest hath 1 88 Christ, the Head, sent certain of His members before. Psalm founded Her. This King therefore of Her, that hath founded LXI1- Her, the Most Highest, Himself, in Her was made man most lowly. Himself therefore, before the Advent of His Incarnation, hath sent before Ilim certain of His Members, after whom foreshowing Himself to como there came also Gen.38, llimself, joined together with them. Reflect upon tho ' similitude of that man that was born: how hand before head coming forth, is both with tho head and under tho head. For in reference to Christ it was said, when tho excellence Romi of tho first people was being praised, and the natural branches 11,20. broken off wore grieved over: Of whom is the Adoption, ho 4, 5." ' sailh, and the testaments, and the establishment, of the law; of whom are the fathers, and out of whom is Christ after the jlesh, Who is above all, God blessed for ever. Out of whom is Ps.87,6. Christ after the flesh, as though out of Sion, because Man He was made in Her: because Christ is above all, God blessed for ever, because Himself hath founded Her, the Most Highest. Out of whom is Christ after the flesh, the Son of David; Who is abovo all, God blessed for ever, tho Lord of David. That whole City dierefore is speaking, from Mat.23, tho blood of righteous Abel oven to the blood of Zachurias. Thence also horouflcr from tho blood of John, through the blood of the Apostles, through tho blood of Martyrs, through tho blood of tho faithful ones of Christ, ono City speaketh, ono man saith, How long do ye lay upon a man? Slay ye all of you. Let us seo if yo efface, let us seo if yo extinguish, lot us soo if yo remove from tho earth the namo thereof, let us seo if yo peoples do not meditate of empty things, saying, Ps. 2, l. When shall She die, and when shall perish lite name of Pa.'Vl's' Her? ^s tnou(Jh ®ne we™ a wall bowed down, and a fence 13. smitten against, lean ye against Her, smite against Her. Hear from above : (ver. 2.) My taker up, I shall not be moved more: for as though a heap of sand I have been smitten against that I might fall, and the Lord hath taken mo up. 5. Vor. 4. Nevertheless, mine honour they have thought to drive back: conquered while they slay men yielding, by tho blood of tho slain multiplying tho faithful, yielding to thoso and no longer being able to kill ; Nevertheless, mine honour they have thought to drive back. Now because a Christian Spiteful thoughts against the Church when honoured. 1 89 cannot be killed, pains are taken that a Christian should be ver. dishonoured. For now by the .honour of Christians the hearts 4- of ungodly men aro tortured: now that spiritual Joseph, after Gpd,37, his selling by his brethren, after his removal from his home H; 39' into Egypt as though into the Gentiles, after the humi liation of a prison, after the made-up tale of a false witness, after that there had come to pass that which of him was said, Iron passed through the soul of him : now he is honoured, Ps. 105, now he is not made subject to brethren selling him, but corn Gen.42 he supplieth to them hungering. Conquered by his humility 5- and chastity, uncorruptness, temptations, sufferings, now honoured they see him, and his honour they think to check. For in their thoughts is this, The sinner shall see; for hePs. 112, cannot but see, since Vi City cannot be hid that is set upon ™" t. . a hill. The sinner, I say, shall see, and be angry; with hisM- teeth he shall gnash, and shall pine away. There lurketh in the heart and is hidden by the brow their venom, while they rage and aro indignant. Therefore here also of the thoughts of them he speaketh, Mine honour, he saith, they have thought lo drive back. For they dare not in words to profess what they think. Let us wish for them good things, even if they wish" evil things. Judge them, O God,* some let them fall down from their thoughts. For what is better < thjnk.' for them, what more profitable, than that they should fall Ph.6,10. from thence where they stand ill, in order that they too being amended may bo able to say, Thou hast set my feet upon a Ps.40,3. Rock. 0. Ver. 4, Nevertheless, they havo thought mine honour to drive back. Is it all against ono man, or ono man against all; or all against all, or ono against ono? Meanwhile, when ho saith, ye lay upon a man, it is as it wcro upon ono man : and when ho said), Slay all ye, it is as if ull mon were against ono man: but nevertheless it is also all against all, because also all aro Christians, but in One. But why must those divers errors hostile to Christ be spoken of as all together? Are they also one? Truly them also as one I dare to speak of: because there is one City and one city, one People and one people, King and king. One City and one city is what ? Babylon one, Jerusalem one. By what soever other mystical names besides She is called, yet One 1 90 The spiritual Jerusalem, and spiritual Babylon, TV^Tr" ^'tv f"ere i3 an^ one cuy » over m's tfte devil is ^in&» over Lthat Christ is King. For I remark tho Gospel in a certain place, and there movcth me that which I think doth move Mat. 22, you too. After that there were bidden many men to tho 10- marriage, good and bad, and tho marriage was filled with them that sat at meat: (for tho servants that were sent forth, as had been commanded, did bid both good men and bad men :) and the King came in to view them that were at meat, and Ho found a man not having a marriage garment, and Ho said to him that which ye know : Friend, whence hast thou come hither, not, having a marriage garment? But he was speechless: and IIo commanded him to be bound hands and feet, and to be cast into outer darkness. Thus there was removed from the banquet, and sent into punishment, sonic man or other in so great a multitude of guests. But yet the Lord, to shew that one man to be one body which consisted) of many, when lie commanded him to be cast out, and to be Mat.22, sent into condign punishment, hath added forthwith, For '''' many are called, but feu are chosen. What is this? What is this? Thou hast culled together crowds, there huth come a lingo multitude, Thou hast preached, hast spoken, they Pn,40,0.havo been ' multiplied above number,' filled is the marriage with guests, there is cast forth thence one man alone, and Thou sayest, For many are called, but few are chosen. Why not rather, All called, many chosen, one cast forth ? If He had said, For many are called, and more chosen, but few rejected: in the few perchance nearer the truth wo should perceive that one man. But now he saith that one hath been cast forth thence, and ho addeth, For many are called, but few chosen. Who are chosen, but they that have con tinued ? One having been cast forth, those that were chosen have continued. How is it that when one hath been cast forth out of many, few are chosen, except because in that one arc many ? All men that earthly things do mind, all men that do choose earthly felicity before God, all men that Philip, seek their own things, not the things which are of Jesus 2 21 Christ, to lhat one city belong, which is called Babylon mystically, and which hath for king tho devil. But all men who mind thoso things which are above, who on heavenly things do meditate, who with carefulness live in the world 'They are mixed here, but to be parted hereafter, 1 9 1 that they may not offend God, who are careful not to sin, Vn», who if sinning aro not ashamed to confess, hiimblo. mild, '¦ — holy, just, godly, good, all theso to that ono City do belong, which for King hath Christ. For the former on earth as it were is the greater in age, not by elevation, not by honour. For the former city was first born, the latter city was after born. For that began from Cain, this from Abel. These two Bodies, serving under two kings, to their several cities belonging, arc opposed to ono another oven unto the end of tho world, until there bo made out of the mixture a severing, and somo be set on tho right, others on tho left, and it bo said to tho former, Come, ye blessed of My Father, receive the Mat. 20, kingdom which for yon halh been prepared from the beginning3'' of llin world; but to tho latter, Go ye into firo everlasting, Mnt.aa. that halh been prepared for tho devil and his angels. For ' Christ saith this, Come, ye blessed of My Father, receive Iho kingdom, lhat for you halh been prepared from lite beginning of the world, as King of His City, victorious over all things. But lo those thut are sot on tho loft hand, us though lo a city of unrighteous men, Go yo, Ho saith, into fire everlasting, doth IIo by any means sever from them their king ? No. For He hath added, That halh been prepared for the devil and his angels. 7. Give heed, brethren, give heed, I entreat you. For it delighteth me yet to speak a few words to you of this beloved City. For most glorious things of Thee have been spoken, Ps.87,3. City of God. And, // I forget Thee, 0 Jerusalem, let mine Ps' ,37> own right hand forget me. For dear is the ono Country, and truly but ono Country, tho only Country: besides Her whatsoever we havo, is a sojourning in a strange land. I will say therefore that which yo may acknowledge, that of which yo may approvo : I will call to your minds that which yo know, I will not teach that which yo know not. Not first, l Cor. suith the Apostle, that which is spiritual, but that which is ' natural1, afterwards lhat which is spiritual. Therefore thoa^(fl/ former city is greater by age, becauso first was born Cain, Gen. 4, and afterwards Abel : but in these the elder shall servo tho(;'cn',26, younger. Tho former greater by age, the latter greater in23, dignity. Wherefore is the former greater by age? Becauso not first that which is spiritual, but that which is natural, jflc°g 192 Cain's city on new ground, David's on old captured. Psalm Wherefore is the latter greater in dignity? Because the .^X?1, elder shall serve the younger. But Cain builded a city, so 23. 'we have read: before there was any city, in the beginning Gen. 4, ^ things human, Cain builded a city. Doubtless thou wouldcst perceivo that already there had been born many men out of those two men, and out of those whom they had be gotten, so that there was a meet and convenient number, to "oivl- have impressed upon it the name of city'. Cain therefore tatls builded a city w here a city was not. There was builded also afterward Jerusalem, the kingdom of God, the Holy City, the City of God ; and set in the form as it were of a shadow signifying things future. Perceive ye therefore the great mystery, and bear in mind what I have quoted before, Not first that which is spiritual, but that which is natural, after wards the spiritual; for this reason therefore Cain first builded a city, and in that place he buided where no city was. But when Jerusalem was being builded, it was not builded in a place where there was not a city, but there was a city at first which was called Jebus, whence the Jebusites. This having been captured, overcome, made subject, there was builded a new city, as though the old were thrown Josh. 18, down ; and it was called Jerusalem, vision of peace, City of God. Each one therefore that is born of Adam, not yet doth belong to Jerusalem: for he beareth with him the off- * 'tra- shoot11 of iniquity, and the punishment of sin, having been consigned to death, and he belongeth in a manner to a sort of old citj^. But if he is to be in the people of God; his old self will be thrown down, and he will be builded up new. For this reason therefore Cain builded a city where there was not a city. For from mortality and from naughtiness every one setteth out, in order that he mav be made good hereafter. Rom. 6, For as by the disobedience of one man many were made sinners, so by the obedience of One Man many shall be 1 Cor. made just. And all we in Adam do die: and each one of ' ' us of Adam was born. Let him pass over to Jerusalem, he shall be thrown down old, and shall be builded new. As though to conquered Jebusites, in order that there may be 3, 9. lo. builded up Jerusalem, is said, Put ye off the old man, and M.'iM.' Put on ^e new- -A-n<* now t0 lnem builded in Jerusalem, Ephes. and shining by the light of Grace, is said, Ye have been Present intermixture qf Jerusalem and Babylon. 103 sometime darkness, but now light in the Lord. The evil city Vun. therefore from tho beginning oven unto the end doth run on, and the good City by the changing of evil men is builded » up. 8. And theso two cities are meanwhile mingled, at the end to be severed ; against each other mutually in conflict, the one for iniquity, the other for tho truth. And sometimes this very temporal mingling bringeth it to pass that certain men belonging to the city Babylon, do order matters be longing to Jerusalem, and again certain men belonging to Jerusalem, do order .matters belonging to Babylon. Some thing difficult I seem to have propoundod. Bo yo patient, until it bo proved by examples. For all things in tho old Lc°r: people, as writclh tho Apostle, in a figure used lo befall them: ' but they havo been written for our amendment, upon whom the end of tho world hath come. Regard therefore that pcoplo as also set to intimate an after people ; and seo then what I say. There wore 'great kings in J crusalem : itisa'Magnl, known fact, they are enumerated, aro named. They all^; were, I say, wicked citizens of Babylon, and they were ' Mali,' ordering matters of Jerusalem: all men from thence to be dissevered at the end, to no one but to the devil do belong. Again we find citizens of Jerusalem to have ordered certain matters belonging to Babylon. For those three children, Nabuchodonosor, overcome by a miracle, made the ministers Dan. 2, of his kingdom, and set them over his Satraps; and so there gg' 3' were ordering the matters of Babylon citizens of Jerusalem. Observe now how this is being fulfilled and done in the Church, and in theso times. All thoy of whom hath been said, What things they say do ye, but what things they do, Mat.22, do not, are citizens of Babylon, ordering the commonwealth ' of the City Jerusalem. For if they were ordering nothing of the City Jerusalem, whence What things they say do ye ? Whence, In the chair of Moses they sit? Again, if citizens they are of Jerusalem Herself, lhat shall reign for everlasting with Christ, whence, What things they do, do not ye, ex cept because they too are to hear, Depart from Me, all ye Lukel3, that work iniquity? It is therefore a thing known to you, '" that the citizens of the evil city do order certain doings of the good City. Let us see if now also citizens of the good VOL. in. 0 194 Citizens of Heaven may have to serve in the World. Psalm City do order certain doings of the evil city. Every earthly - commonwealth, sometime assuredly to perish, whereof the kingdom is to pass away, when there shall come that kingdom, Matt.6, whereof we pray, Thy kingdom come; and whereof hath Luke l Deen foretold, And qf His kingdom shall be no end: an 33. earthly commonwealth, I say, hath our citizens conducting the affairs of it. For how many faithful, how many good men, are both magistrates in their cities, and are judges, and are generals, and are counts, and are kings ? All that are just and good men, having not any thing in heart but the Ps. 87,3. most glorious things, which of Thee have been said, City of 1 anga. God. And as if they are doing bond-service' in the city which is to pass away, even there by the doctors of the Holy City they are bidden to keep faith with those set over them, lPet.2, whet her with the king as supreme, or with governors as though sent by God for the punishment of evil men, but for Ephes. the praise of good men: or as servants, that to their masters ' ' they should be subject, even Christians to Heathens, and the better should keep faith with the worse, for a time to serve, for everlasting to have dominion.. For these things do Ps.67,l. happen until iniquity do pass away. Servants are com manded to bear with masters unjust and capricious: the citizens of Babylon aro commanded to bo endured by the citizens of Jerusalem, shewing even more attentions, than if they wore citizens of the sumo Babylon, as though fulfilling the, Matt.6, He that shall have exacted qf thee a mile, go with him other angori. twain. This whole city dispersed, spread abroad, mingled, merit. pre addresseth in these words, and saith, (ver. 3.) How long do ye lay upon a man ? Slay all ye, both yo that are with out as though thorns in the hedges, or as though trees un fruitful in the woods, and ye that are within as though tares, or as though chaff, all ye as many as ye are, severed, mingled, to be endured, to be severed, slay all ye, as though against a wall bowed down, and a fence smitten down. (Ver. 4.) Nevertheless, mine honour they have thought to drive back. They have not spoken, but yet they have thought. Have thought to drive back mine honour. 9. I have run in thirst': For they were rendering evil Ps.38, things for good things: for them was I thirsting: mine » Thus Septuag; ; E. V. ' Their delight is in lie:' The Church, like Christ, thirsteth for converts. 195 honour they thought to drive back : I was thirsting to bring Vkr. them over into my body. For in drinking what do we, but — — send into our members liquor that is without, and suck it into our body ? Thus did Moses in that head of the calf. Exod. . 32 20 The head of the calf is a great sacrament. For the head of ' the calf was the body of ungodly men, in the similitude ofPs. 106, a calf eating hay, seeking earthly things: because all flesh isT^'40 6t hay. It was therefore, as I have said, the body of ungodly men. Moses being angered cast it into the fire, ground it to powder, in water scattered it, to drink to the people he gave it ; and the anger of the Prophet became handmaid to a prophecy. For that body is thrown into the fire of tribula tions, and by the word of God is ground to powder. For little by little they relinquish the unity of that body. For like as it were a garment, so by time it is wasted. And each one that is made a Christian is severed from that people, and as it were from the lump he is ground off. Combined they hate, broken off they believe. And what now is more evident, than that into that City Jerusalem, of which the people Israel was a type, by Baptism men were to be made to pass over ? Therefore in water it was scattered, in order that for drink it might be given. For this even unto the end this man thirsteth; he runneth and thirsteth. For many men He drinketh, but never will He be without thirst. For thence is, / thirst, woman, give Me to drink. That Samaritan John 4, woman at the well found the Lord thirsting, and by Him thirsting she was filled : she first found Him thirsting, in order that He might drink her believing. And when He was on the Cross, I thirst, He said, although they gave not to Him that John 19, for which He was thirsting. For for themselves He was^ttg thirsting: but they gave vinegar, not new wine, wherewith 17. are filled up the now bottles, but old wine, but old to its loss. For old vinegar also is said of the old men, of whom hath been said, For to them is no changing ; namely, that the Ps. 65, Jebusites should be overthrown, and Jerusalem be builded. 2s'am 5 10. So also the Head of this body «ven untd the end from 9- the beginning runneth in thirst. And as if to Him were being said, Why in thirst? what is wanting to Thee, O Body of Christ, O Church of Christ? in so great honour, in so great exaltation, in so great height also even in this world 0 2 1 90 Many honour the Church but outwardly. Psalm established, what is wanting to Thee ? There is fulfilled j~^ that which hath been foretold of Thco, There shall adore 11. ' Him all kings of the earth, all nations shall serve Him. For what therefore dost Thou thirst ? for what dost Thou thirst? with so many peoples art Thou not satisfied ? Of what peoples dost Thou speak ? Willi their mouth they were Mat.22, blessing, with their heart they were cursing. ' Many called, Mark 5, but few chosen.' A woman suffering with an issue of blood 27> touched the border of His garment, and was made whole : and when the Lord was admiring her touching, because He had perceived from Himself virtue to have gone forth, to wit for healing tho woman, lie said, Who hath touched Me? And the wondering disciples, Multitudes throng Thee, and Thou sayest, Who halh touched Me? And lie, Some one halh touched Me? As though He were saying, One woman hath touched, multitudes throng. They that at Jerusalem's festivals fill up the Churches, at Babylon's festivals fill up tho theatres : and for all they serve, honour, obey Her — not only those very persons that bear the Sacra ments of Christ, and hate the commandments of Christ, but also they, that bear not oven the mere Sacraments, Heathen though they be, Jews though thoy be, — they honour, praise, proclaim, but with their mouths they were blessing. I heed not tho mouth, Ho knoweth That hath instructed mo, with their heart they were cursing. In that place they wcro cursing, where mine honour they thought to drive back. 11. What dost Thou, 0 Idithun, Body of Christ, leaping over them ? What dost Thou amid all these things ? What wilt Thou ? wilt faint ? wilt Thou not persevere even unto Mat. 10, tho end? wilt Thou not hearken, He that shall have per severed even unto the end, the same shall be saved, though for Mat.24, lhat iniquity aboundeth, ihe love of many shall wax cold? 12- And where is it that Thou hast leaped over them ? where is Philip, it that Thy conversation is in Heaven ? But they cleave unto earthly things, as though earthborn they mind the Gen. 3, earth, and are earth, the serpent's food. What dost thou amid these things ? llowbeit although they do these things, although they think of these things, although they smite against, although they bear against me as if bowed down, although thoy perceive me now erect, and mine honour they Gold and chaff in the furnace together. 197 think to drive back, although with their mouth they bless, and Veb. with their heart curse, although they lie in wait where they ft'6' can, slander where they can : (ver. 5.) Nevertheless, lo God my soul shall be made subject. And who would endure so great things, either open wars, or secret lyings-in-wait ? Who would endure so great things amid open enemies, amid false brethren ? Who would endure so great things? Would a man? and if a man would, would a man of himself? I have not so leaped over that I should be lifted up, and fall : To God my soul shall be made subject: for from Himself is my patience. What patience is there amid so great scandals, except that if for that which we do not see we hope, through Rom. 8, patience we look for it ? There cometh ray pain, there will ' come my rest also; there cometh my tribulation, there will come my cleansing also. For doth gold glitter in the furnace of the refiner? In a necklace it will glitter, in an ornament it will glitter: let it suffer however the furnace, in order that being cleansed from dross it may come into light. This is the furnace, there is there chaff, there gold, there fire, into this bloweth the refiner: in the furnace burnetii the chaff, and the gold is cleansed; the one into ashes is turned, of dross the other is cleansed. The furnace is the world, the chaff unrighteous men, the gold just men; the fire tribu lation, the refiner God: that which therefore the refiner willeth I do; wherever the Maker setteth me I endure it. I am commanded to endure, He knoweth how to cleanse. Though there burn the chaff to set me on fire, and as if to consume me: that into ashes is burned, I of dross am cleansed. Wherefore? Because to God my soul shall be made subject: for from Himself is my patience. 12. What to thee is He, from whom is thy patience. (Ver. 6.) For Himself is my God and My Saving One, my Taker up, I will not remove hence. Because Himself is my God, therefore He calleth me: and my Saving One, therefore He justified] me: and my Taker up, therefore He glorifieth me. For here I am called and am justified, but there I am glorified ; and from thence where I am glorified, J will not remove. For a sojourner I am with Thco on earth as all my fathers were. Therefore from my lodging I shall remove, from my Heavenly home I shall not remove. 128 All true good has its source in God. Pbalm 13. Ver. 7. In God is my salvation and my glory. Saved ~i^ I shall be in God, glorious I shall bo in God : for not only 2. ' saved, but also glorious, saved, because a just man I have been made out of an ungodly man, by Hiin justified ; but glorious, becauso not only justified, but also honoured. For Rom, 8, (/[0Se whom He hath predestinated, those also He hath called. so Culling thorn, what hath Ho dono horo? Whom He hath called, the same also He hath justified ; but whom He hath justified, the same also He hath glorified. Justification thorc- foro to sulvation belongeth, glorifying to honour. How glorifying to honour belongeth, it is not needful to discuss. How justification belongeth to salvation, let us seek some proof. Behold there cometh to mind out of tho Gospel : there were some who to themselves were seeming to bo just men, and thoy were finding fault with the Lord because IIo admitted to the feast sinners, and with publicans and sinners was* eating; to'such men therefore priding themselves, strong men of earth very much lifted up, much glorying of their own soundness, such as they counted it, not such as they Matt.9,iiad( the Lord answered what? They that are whole need not a Physician, but they that are sick. Whom calleth He whole, whom calleth He sick 1 He continueth and saith, Matt.9, / have not come to call just men, but sinners unto repentance. He hath called therefore ' the whole' just mon, not because the Pharisees were so, but because themselves they thought so to be ; and for this reason were proud, and grudged sick men a physician, and being more sick than those, they slew tho Physician. He hath called whole, however, righteous men, sick, tho sinners. My being justified therefore, saith that man that leapeth over, from Himself I have: my being glorified, from Himself I havo: For God is my salvation and my glory. My salvation, so that saved I am : my glory, so that .honoured I am. This thing hereafter: now what? God of my help, and my hope is in God; until I attain unto Rom. 8, perfect justification and salvation. For by hope we are saved: but hope which is seen, is not hope. Until I shall Mat.i3lCorae to that glorifying, when the righteous shall shine in t}ie kingdom of their Father as the sun; meanwhile now amid temptations, amid iniquities, amid scandals, amid open assaults and crafty talkings, amid them that with their Hope in God in spite of adverse appearances. 199 mouth bless, and with their heart curse, amid them that V«r. ' mine honour think to drive back,' hero is what ? God of — - — my help: for He giveth help to mon striving. To men striving against whom ? Our wrestling is not against flesh Ephci. and blood, but against principalities and powers. God ' therefore is of my help, and my hope is in God. Hope it is, so long as that is not yet which hath been promised, and that is bcliovcd which is not yet scon : but whon it shall havo come, there shall bo salvation and glorifying: while those things are deferred, however; we are not forsaken : for God is of my help, and my hope is in God. 14. Ver. 8. Hope ye in Him, all the council of the people. Imitate ye Idithun, leap over your enemies; men fighting against you, stopping up your way, men hating you, leap ye over: Hope in Him all the council of the people: pour out before Him your hearts. Do not yield to them that say to yon, Where is your God ? My tears, he saith, have been Ph. 42, made for me bread day and night, while it is said to mc, ' ' day by day, Where is thy God ? Upon these things I havo meditated, and have poured out over me my soul. I havo called to mind what I hear, Where is thy God? I havo remembered those things, and havo poured out over mo my soul, socking my God, ' I havo poured out over mc my soul,' that to Him I might attain, not within myself did I abide. Therefore, hope in Ilim all the council qf the people. Pour out before Him your hearts, by imploring, by confessing, by hoping. Do not keep back your hearts within your hearts : Pour out before Him your hearts. That perisheth not which ye pour out. For He is my Taker up. If He taketh up, why fearcst thou to pour out ? Cast upon the Lord thy Ps. 66, care, and hope in Him. What fear ye amid whisperers, r^ i slanderers hateful to God, whore they aro ablo openly 30- 80- assailing, whore they aro unable secretly lying in wait, falsely praising, truly at enmity, amid them what foar yo? God is our Helper. Do thoy any wiso equal God ? Aro thoy anywiso strongor than Ho? God is our Helper, bo ye with out caro. ' If God is for us, who is against us ?' Pour out pom. 8, before Him your hearts, by leaping over unto Him, by lifting81, up your souls 5 God is our Helper. 15. And now having been set in a fortified place, in a 200 The false and wicked sometimes named as one man. Pjai.m tower of strength from the face of the enemy, have pity on '¦ those of whom ye were afraid : for ye ought to run in thirst : look down therefore upon them, now that ye are in that place stablished, and say ye, Ver. 9. Nevertheless, vain are the sons of men, and liars Ps. 4, 2. are the sons of men. " Sons of men, how long are ye heavy in heart?" Sons of men vain, sons of men liars, sons of men wherefore do ye love vanity and seek lying? With pity say these things, and be wise. If ye have leaped over, if Luke 6, ye love your enemies, if yc desire to throw down in order Ps. no, diat yo may build up, if Ilim ye love That ' judged) in °- tho nations, and lilleth up places that are fallen :' so to them Rom.i2,say yc these things, not hating them, not rendering evil for evil. Liars are the sons qf men in the balances, in order that they may deceive, being at one because of vanity. Certainly many men there are : behold there is that one man, that one Mat.22, man that was cast forth from the multitude of guests. They conspire, they all seek things temporal, and they that are carnal things carnal, and for the future they hope them, who soever do hope: even if because of variety of opinions they are in division, nevertheless because of vanity they are at Mat.l2, one. Divers indeed are errors and of many forms, and the kingdom against itself divided shall not stand : but alike in Mat.25, nu ;s tnc vv- ill vain and lying, belonging to one king, with whom into firo everlasting it is to be thrown headlong — these men because of vanity are at one. 16. And for them sec how He thirsteth, see how lie runneth in thirst. He turncth therefore Himself to them, thirsting for them : (ver. 10.) Do not hope in iniquity. For my hope is in God. Do not hope in iniquity. Ye that will not draw near and pass over, do not hope in iniquity. For I that have Rom. 9, leapt over, my hope is in God : and is there anywise iniquity with God ? Do not hope in iniquity. This thing let us do, that thing let us do, of that thing let us think, thus let us adjust our lyings in wait; Because of vanity being at one. Thou thirstest: they that think of those things against thee are given up by those whom thou drinkest, Do not hope in vanity. Vain is iniquity, nought is iniquity, mighty is nothing save righteousness. Truth may be hidden for a time, conquered it Riches not lo be coveted, nor trusted in. 201 cannot bo. Iniquity may flourish for a timo, abido it cannot. Veb, Do not hope upon iniquity : and for robbery be not covetous. i0' Thou art not rich, and wilt thou rob? What findest thou ? What losost thou ? O losing gains ! Thou findest money, thou losost righteousness. For robbery be not covetous. Poor I am, I have nothing. Therefore wilt thou rob ? What thou robbost thou socst : by whom thou art robbed seest thou not? Knowest thou not thino enomy goeth about, liko a roaring lion, and soekoth what ho may rob ? That prey l Pot. 6, which thou dosirest to rob is in a trap: thou seizest and art8, seized. For robbery thcreforo be not covetous, O poor man, lTlm.6, but fix thy desires upon God, That giveth lo us all things1 abundantly for enjoyment. He shall feed thee That hath made thee. Shall He That feedeth a robber not feed an innocent man ? He shall feed thee That maketh His sun to Matt.e, rise upon good men and evil men, and rainelh upon just men and unjust men. If IIo fcedoth men that aro to bo con demned, shall IIo not food men that are to be delivered ? Therefore for robbery bo not covetous. This hath been said to a poor man, that perchance will rob somewhat out of necessity. Let tho rich man come forth : I have no necessity, he saith, to rob: lo mc nothing is wanting, all things abound. And do thou too hear : if riches flow, upon them set not the heart, Tho former hath not, the latter hath : let not the former seek to rob that which ho hath not, let not the latter set heart upon that which he hath. If riches flow, that is, if they overflow, run as though from a fountain, upon them set not the heart: do not on thyself rely, do not in that place fix thyself: certainly even this fear thou, namely, if riches flow. Seest thou not that if there the heart thou shalt have set, thou also wilt flow ? Rich thou art,' arid behold *no longer thou covetcst further to have, becauso many things thou hast : hoar, Charge the rich men of this world not to be iTIm.fl, highminded. And what is, upon them set not the heart? Nor hope in the uncertainty of riches. Therefore if riches flow, set not upon them the heart, in riches do not trust, rely not, hopo not, lost it be said, Behold a man that halh not set God for his Pn.62,8. Helper, but halh hoped in the multitude of his riches, and halh prevailed in his vanity. Therefore, vain sons of mon, lying sons of men, neither rob, nor, if there flow riches, set 202 How ' God hath spoken once,' Psalm heart upon them : no longer love vanity, and seek lying. }f*V". For blessed is the man who hath the Lord God for his hope, ' and who hath not had regard unto vanities, and lying follies. Ye would deceive, ye would commit a fraud, what bring ye in order that ye may cheat. Deceitful balances. For lying, he saith, are the sons of men in the balances, in order that they may cheat by bringing forth deceitful balances. By a false balance ye beguile men looking on : know ye not that one is he that weighed), Another He that judgeth of the weight? He seeth not, for whom thou weighest, but He seeth That wcigheth thee and him. Therefore neither fraud nor robbery covet ye any longer, nor on those things which Lukei2, ye have set your hope: I have admonished, have foretold, s. Aug. sai'fi tms Idithun. ' 'habet.' 17, What followeth ? (Ver. 11, 12.) Once hath God spoken, these two things I have heard, that power is of God, and to Tliee, 0 Lord, is mercy, for Thou shalt render to each one after his works. There hath spoken Idithun, he hath sounded from the high place, to which he hath leapt over, he hath heard there somewhat, and hath spoken to us : but I am somewise troubled in that thing which he hath said to us, brethren, and until with you I share either the trouble or, it may be, my breathing again, I would have you atten tive. For we have brought the Psalm to an end by the help of the Lord: after these words which wo arc about to say, there remaineth nothing further for us to explain of this. Therefore strive with me, that wo may be able to understand this : and if I shall not have been able, and any one of you understandeth that which I am not able ; I shall rejoice rather than envy. Truly it is difficult to trace out in what way hath been placed first: Once hath God spoken: and secondly, when once He hath spoken, how I two things have heard. For if he had said, ' Once halh God spoken, this one thing I have heard:' he would seem to have cut off' half of this inquiry, so that we should simply inquire what is Once hath God spoken. But now we are going to inquire both what is, Once hath God spoken: and what is, These two things I have heard, though once Ho hath spoken. 18. Once halh God spoken. What sayest thou, Idithun ? If thou that hadst leapt over them art saying, Once He halh yet the Psalmist ' hath heard two things.' 203 spoken; I turn to another Scripture and it saith to me, In Vkb. many quarters and in many ways formerly God hath spoken I1' la.'. to the fathers in the prophets. What is, Once hath God i.° ' ' spoken? Is He not the God that in the beginning of man-Gen. 3, kind spake to Adam ? Did not the Selfsame speak to Cain, 'J' to Noo, to Abraham, to Isaac, to Jacob, to all the Prophets, o. &0.' and to Moses? Ono man Moses was, and how often to him spake God? Behold even to one man, not once but ofttimes God hath spoken. Secondly, He hath spoken to the Son when standing here, Thou art My beloved Son. God hath Matt.3, spoken to the Apostles, He hath spoken to all the Saints, ' even though not with voice sounding through the cloud, nevertheless in the heart where He is Himself Teacher '. ' Magis- ter Whence that one saith, / will hear what speaketh in. me the pB.86B. Lord God, for He shall speak peace to His people. What is therefore, Once hath God spoken ? Much hath that man leapt over in order to arrive at that place, where once God hath spoken. Behold briefly I have spoken to your Love. Here among men, to men ofttimes, in many ways, in many quarters, through creatures of many forms God hath spoken : by Himself once God hath spoken, because One Word God hath begotten. This Idithun, therefore, leaping over them, had leapt over with the glance of the mind, mighty and potent and surpassing, had leapt over the earth^ and what ever in the earth there is ; air, all the clouds out of which God hath spoken many things, and ofttimes, and to many men: had leapt over also all Angels with the glances of Faith. For this man leaping over was not held fast by earthly things, but like a flying eagle was borne beyond all the mist3 whereby is covered the whole earth. For the Wisdom" nebu- saith, And with mist I have covered the whole earth: heE^iu># arriveth at something clear, leaping over the whole creation, 24«3- and seeking God, and pouring out over himself his soul, he arriveth at the Beginning, and at the Word, God with God ; and he findeth of One Father, One Word ; and he hath seen how once God hath spoken, hath seen the Word by whom have been made all things, and in whom at the same time are all things, not diverse, not severed, not unequal. For it John 1, could not be but that God did Himself know that Which by the Word He made : but if that which He made He knew, 204 ' God spake once,' in His One Word, Psalm in Him there was that which was made before it was made. Lxir- For jf in Him was not that which was made before it was made, how knew He that which He made ? For thou canst not say that God made things He knew not. God therefore hath known that which He hath made. And how knew He before lie made, if there cannot be known any but things mado ? But by things made there cannot be known any but things previously made, by thee, to wit, who art a man made in a lower place, and set in a lower place : but before that all these things wcro made, they were known by Him by Whom they were made, and that which He knew He mado. Therefore in that Word by Which lie made all things, before that they were made, were all things ; and after they have been made there are all things ; but in one way here, in another there, in one way in their own nature wherein they have been made, in another in the art by which they have been made. Who could explain this ? We may endeavour : go ye with Idithun, and see. 19. Now therefore as we have been able, we have said in what way God hath spoken once: let us see in what way ' these two things he hath heard.' These two things I have heard. Perchance it is not a consecpience, that he should have heard these two things alone ; but, these two things, he saith, / have heard; certain two things which to us must needs be said, he halh heard. He hath heard perchance many other things, but it is not needful that they be said to John 10, us. For even tho Lord saith, Many things I have to say to you, but ye cannot bear them now. What is therefore, These two things I have heard? These two things which to you I am about to say not of myself to you I say, but what things 1 have heard I say. Once hath God spoken: One Word hath He, the Only-begotten God. In that Word are all things, because by the Word were made all things. One Coloss. Word hath He, in Whom all the treasures qf wisdom and 2 3. knowledge are hidden. One Word He hath, once halh God spoken. These two things, which to you 1 am about to say, these I have heard : not of myself I speak, not of myself I John 8, say: to this belonged) the I have heard, But the friend of the Bridegroom standcth and beared) Him, lhat ho may John 8, speak the truth. For he hearcth Him, lest by speaking a The ' two things' are Power and Mercy. 205 lie, of his own he should speak: lest thou shouldest say, Ver, Who art thou that sayest this thing lo me? whence dost "' 12, thou say this to me ? I have heard these two things, and 1 44. " ' that speak to thee that I have heard these two things, am one who also doth know that once God halh spoken. Do not despise a hearer saying to thee certain two things for thee so necessary; him, I say, that by leaping over the whole creation hath attained unto the Only-begotten Word of God, where he hath learned that once God halh spoken. 20. Let him therefore now say certain two things. For greatly to us belong these two things. (Ver. 11, 12.) For power is of God, and to Thee, O Lord, is mercy. Are these the two things, power and mercy? These two evidently: perceive ye the power of God, perceive ye the mercy of God. In these two things are contained nearly all the Scriptures. Because of these two things are the Prophets, because of these two, the Patriarchs, becauso of these the Law, because of these Him self our Lord Jesus Christ, because of these the Apostles, because of these all the preaching and spreading of the word of God in the Church, because of these two, because of the power of God, and His mercy. His power fear ye, His mercy love ye. Neither so on His mercy rely, as that His power ye despise: nor so the power fear ye, as that of mercy ye despair. With Him is power, with Him mercy. This Ps.75,7. man He humbleth, and that man He exalteth : this man He humbleth with power, that man He exalteth in mercy. For Rom. 9, if God, willing to shew wrath and to prove His power, hath 2- in much patience borne- with the vessels qf wrath, which have been perfected unto perdition — thou hast heard of power: inquire for mercy — and that He might make known, He saith, His riches unto the vessels qf mercy. It belongeth therefore to His power to condemn unjust men. And to Him who would say, What hast thou done? For thou, ORom.9, man, who art thou that should make answer to God ? Fear ' therefore and tremble at His power: but hope for His mercy. The devil is a sort of power; ofttimes however ho wishcth to hurt, and is not able, because that power is under power. For if the devil could hurt as much as he would ; no one of just men would remain, nor could any one of the faithful be on earth. The same through his vessels smiteth against, as 206 Evil is controlled. Justice abides with God. Ps alm it were, a wall bowed down : but he only smiteth against, so LXI1, far as he receiveth power. But in order that the wall may not fall, the Lord will support : for He that giveth power to the tempter, doth Himself to the tempted extend mercy. For according to measure the devil is permitted to tempt. Ps.80,6. And, Thou wilt give us to drink in tears in a measure. Do not therefore fear the tempter permitted to do somewhat: for thou hast a most merciful Saviour. So much he is per mitted to tempt as is profitable for thee, that thou mayest be exercised, mayest be proved ; in order that by thyself thou mayest be found out, that knowest. not thyself. For where, or from whence, ought we to be secure, except by this power l Cor. and mercy of God? After that Apostolic saying, Failhfttl is ' ' God, that doth not suffer you lo be tempted above that which ye are able. Rom. qi. Therefore power is of God: 'for there is no power but of God.' Do not say, 'And why doth IIo give to him a great power?' And, 'let Hiin not give power. Hath Ho justice that giveth power?' Unjustly thou canst murmur, Rom. 9, Ho cannot lose justieo. Is there anywise injustice with God? Far be it. This thing fix in heart, this thing from thy thought let not tho enemy chaso away. God may do something so as that thou mayest not know wherefore IIo doeth it: unjustly however Ho cannot do, with Whom iniquity there is not. For behold thou censurest God as if it were for injustice : (I am discussing with thco a question, attend to mo a little :) thou conldest not censure injustice, except it wore by seeing justice. Censurer of iniquity he cannot bo that tliscerncth not justice, wherewith when com pared he censurcth iniquity. For whence knowest tliou that this thing is unjust, unless thou know what is just ? For what if this also is just, which thou callcst unjust? " Far be it," thou sayest, " unjust it is:" and thou criest out as if with seeing eyes, seeing this thing to bo unjust, by some rule indeed of justice, with which comparing that which thou seest to be crooked, and perceiving it not to tally with the straightness of the rule, thou findest fault; liko an artizan, severing straight from crooked. Therefore I ask thee, this thing to bo just, whence seest thou ? Where, I say, seest Ihou this just thing, after seeing which, thou censurest an Our very notions of Justice come from God. 207 unjust thing? Whence is that something, wherewith thy Veb. soul is imbued, (though in many ways being in the dark,) "• lg- that something which glcamelh upon thy mind, whence this thing is pronounced just ? Is il possiblo that it hath not its fountain ? From thyself hunt thou thut which is just, and canst thou to thyself give justico? No one giveth to himself that which he hath not. Therefore when thou art unjust, thou canst not be just, except by turning thee to a certain abiding justice, whcrefrom if thou withdrawest, thou art unjust; to which if thou drawest near, thou art just. If thou withdraw, It decreaseth not, if thou draw near, It increaseth not. Where is therefore that justice ? Seek in earth: far be it. For not gold or precious stones thou art seeking, when thou art seeking justice. Seek in the sea; seek in the clouds, seek in the stars: seek in Angels, thou findest it in them, but themselves also from the Fountain drink it. For the justice of Angels is in them all, but from One it is received. Look back therefore, mount over, go to that place where once God hath spoken, and there thou wilt find the Fountain of justice, where is the fountain of life. For withPa.36,9, Tliee is the fountain of life. For if out of a little dew thou wouldest judge what is just and what is unjust; is there any- Rom. 9, wise iniquity with God, from Whom to thee as it were from14- a fountain flowcth justice, in so far as thou tastest of what is just, because in many ways unjustly thou dost but mis- taste ? God hath therefore the fountain of justice. Do not there seek iniquity, where is light without shadow. But plainly tho reason may escape theo. If the reason cscapcth thee, consider thy ignorance, see what thou art: attend to theso two things, For power is of God, and, to Thee, 0 Lord, is mercy. Seek not things too mighty for thee, and things Ecolm. too high for thee examine not, but what things the Lord3'**' halh commanded thee, on those things think alway. Be cause to theso two things which God hath commanded thco bolong those two things, For power is of God, and to Thee, 0 Lord, is mercy. Fear not tho enemy: so much ho doeth as ho hath received power to do, Ilim fear thou That hath tho chief power: Him fear, That doeth as much as Ho willeth, and That doeth nothing unjustly, and whatever He shall have done, is just. We might suppose something or other to be 208 What men do unjustly, God permits justly. Psalm unjust: inasmuch as God hath done it, believe it to be LXH.ju.st. 22. Therefore, thou sayest, if any ono slay an innocent man, doeth he justly or unjustly ? Unjustly certainly. Wherefore cloth God permit this ? Seo first that thou owe Is. 58,7- not this debt: break lo the hungry thy bread, and the homeless needy man lake thou into thy house: if thou shall have seen a naked man, clothe him. For- this is thy justice, for Isa. l, this thing the Lord hath commanded thee : Wash you, be ye 16—18, ciean^ taj.e away naughtinesses from your hearts, and from the sight of Mine eyes; learn to do good, judge for the fatherless and the icidow : and come and let us dispute, saith the Lord. Thou desirest to dispute before that thou doest any thing in consideration whereof thou mayest be worthy to dispute, why God hath permitted this. The counsel of God to toll to theo, O man, I am not able : this thing however I say, both thut tho man hath done unjustly that hath slain an innocent person, and that it would not have been done unless God permitted it : and though tho man hath done unjustly, yet God hath not unjustly permitted this. Lot iho reason lio concealed in that person whoever it be, for whose sako thou art moved, whose innocence doth much move thee. For to theo speedily I might make answer. IIo would not havo been slain unless he were guilty: but thou thinkest him innocent. I might speedily say this to thee. For thou couldcst not examine his heart, sift his deeds, weigh his thoughts, so that thou couldcst say to me, unjustly he was slain. I might easily therefore make answer : but there is forced upon my view a certain Just One, without dispute just, without doubt just, Who bad no sin, slain by sinners, betrayed by a sinner ; Himself Christ the Lord, of Ps.69,4.Whom we cannot say that He halh any iniquity, for those things which He robbed not He paid, is made an objection to my answer. And why should I speak of Christ? ' With thee I am dealing,' thou sayest. And I with thee. About Him thou proposest a question, about Ilim I am solving the question. For therein the counsel of God we know, which except by His own revealing we should not know: so that when thou shalt have found out that counsel of God, whereby He hath permitted His innocent Son to be slain by unjust men, and such a counsel as pleaseth thee, and such a counsel as cannot God just, men unjust, in Our Lord's Passion. 209 displease thee, if thou art just, ihou mayest behove that in Vkb. othor things ulso by His counsel God doeth iho same, but 18', it escaped thco. Ah ! brethren, need there was of die blood of a just ono to blot out tho handwriting of sins; need there was of an exumple of patience, of an cxuinplo of humility ; need thero was of tho Sign of the Cross to beat down the dovil and his angels; need for us thero was of the Passion of our Lord ; for by tho Passion of tho Lord redeemed hath been the world. How many good things hath the Passion of tho Lord dono ! And yot the Passion of this Just One would not havo been, unless unrighteous men had slain the Lord. What then ? is this good thing which to us huth been grunted by tho Lord's Pussion to be ascribed to tho unjust slayers of Christ? Fur ho it. Thoy willed, Clod permitted. Thoy guilty would have been, even, if only they had willed it: but God would not have permitted it, unless just it hud been. They willed to sluy: suppose that they had not been able: unjust they would have been, man -slayers they would liuvo been; who would doubt it?. For the Lord qurslionelh lhol\.\\,a. just, and the ungodly man : and in the though Is of the ungodly \vi«d.l, man questioning shall be. God doth scrutinize what each0, man bulb willed, not what he was able to do. Therefore if they hud willed, and had not been ablo and had not slain, unjust they would have continued, lo thee Christ's Pussion would not havo been given : an ungodly man therefore willed to do it to complete his condemnation ; he was permitted, in order that to theo it might be granted: that ho willed, is ascribed to tho iniquity of tho ungodly man ; thut he was permitted to do, is ascribed to tho power of God. Ho therefore unjustly willed, God justly permitted. Accordingly, my brethren, both Judas the foul traitor to Christ, and the persecutors of Christ, malignant all, ungodly all, unjust all, are to be con demned all : and nevertheless the Father His own proper Son hath not spared, but for the sake of us all He halh delivered Rom. 8, Him up. Order if thou art able ; distinguish if thou art able32, (these things): render to God thy vows, which thy lips have uttered : see what the unjust hath hero done, what the Just One. The one hath willed, the Other hath permitted : the one unjustly hath willed, the Other justly hath permitted. Let unjust will be condemned, just permission be glorified. vol. in. P 210 Christ not really harmed by His enemies. Psalm For what evil thing hath befallen Christ, in that Christ hath LXI1, died ? Both evil were they that evil willed to do, and yet nothing of evil did He suffer on Whom they did it. Slain was mortal flesh, slaying death by death, giving a lesson of patience, sending before an oxamplo of Resurrection. How groat good things of tho Just Ono wcro wrought by tho evil 1 ' mag- things of tho unjust ! This is tho groat mystery ' of God : that I1"1"'.11 'even a good thing which thou doest He huth Himself given it nu"V to thee, and by thy evil Ho doeth good Himself. Do not royal therefore wonder, God permitted], and in judgment permitted] : power,' Ho permitted), and in nieasurc,number, weight, lie permitted 1. Rom. 9, With Him is not iniquity : do thou only belong to Him ; on Himself thy hope set thou, let Himself be thy Helper, thy Ps. 61, Salvation : in Him be there the fortified place, the tower of l Cor. slrenglh, thy refuge let Himself be, and He will not suffer 10> 13, thee to be tempted above that which thou art able to bear, but will make with the temptation also an escape, that thou mayest be able to support it : so that His suffering thee to bear temptation, bo His power; His suffering not any more on thee to be done than thou art able to bear, be His mercy : for power is of God, and to Thee, 0 Lord, is mercy, because Thou wilt render to each one after his works. After treating of the Psalm, when an astrologer was pointed out among the people about him, he added: 23. That thirst of the Church, would fain drink up that man also whom ye see. At the same time also, in order that ye may know how many in the mixed multitude of Christians with their mouth do bless, and in their heart curse, this man having been a Christian and a believer re turned) as a penitent, and being terrified by the power of the Lord, turneth him to the mercy of the Lord. For having been led astray by the enemy when he was a believer, long time he hath been an astrologer, led astray, leading astray, deceived, deceiving, he hath allured, hath beguiled, many lies he hath spoken against God, That hath given to men power of doing that which is good, and of not doing that which is evil. He used to say, that one's own will did not adul tery, but Venus ; one's own will did not manslaying, but Mars ; and God did not what is just, but Jupiter; and many A penitent Astrologer in the Congregation,' ' 211 other blasphemous things, and not light ones. From how v«b. many Christians do yo think ho hath pocketed money ? "' la.'- IIow many from him have bought a lie, to whom wo used to say, Sons of men, how long are yc dull of heart, wherefore Ps. 4, 2. love ye vanity, and seek a lie '? Now, as of him must bo - believed, he hath shuddered at his lie, and being tho allurcr of many men, ho hath perceived at length that by tho devil ho hath himself boon allured, and ho turnoth to God a ponitont. Wo think, brethren, that because of great fear of heart it hath como to pass. For what must wo say ? If out of a hoathon an astrologer were converted, great indeed would bo the joy : but nevertheless it might appear, that, if ho had been con verted, ho was desiring tho clerical office in the Church. A penitent he is, ho seeketh not any thing savo mercy alone. He must be recommended therefore both to your eyes and hearts. Him whom ye see in hearts love ye, with eyes guard ye. See ye him, mark ye him, and whithersoever he . shall have gone his way, to the rest of the brethren that now are not here, point him out : and such diligence is mercy; lest that leader astray drag back1 his heart and take it by'a,-'re- _ , : * . ° ¦ , . J turn to.' storm. Guard ye mm, let there not escape you Jus con versation, his way; in order lhat by your testimony it may be proved to us that truly to the Lord he hath been turned. For report will not be silent about his life, when to you he is thus presented both to be seen and to be pitied. Ye know in the Acts of the Apostles how it is written, that many lost Acts 19, men, that is, men of such arts, and followers of naughty doctrines, brought unto the Apostles all their books; and there were burned so many volumes, that it was the writer's task to make a valuation of them, and write down the sum of the price. This truly was for the glory of God, in order that even such lost men might not be despaired of by Him that knew how to seek that which had been lost. Therefore this man had been lost, is now sought, found, led hither, heLukeifi, bringeth with him books to be burned, by which he had been to be burned, so that when these have been thrown into the fire, he may himself pass over into a place of re freshment. Know ye that he, brethren, once knocked at the Church door before Easter : for before Easter he began to ask of the Church Christ's medicine. But because the p2 212 The Psalms written by inspiration before Christ. Psalm art wherein he had been practised is of suCh sort as that it '¦ was suspected of lying and deceit, ho was put off that he might not tempt; at length however he was admitted, that ho might not more dangerously be tempted. Pray for him through Christ. Straightway to-day's prayer pour out for him to the Lord our God. For we know and are sure, that your prayer effaccth all his impieties. The Lord be with you. Lat. psalm lxiii. LXII. EXPOSITION. Sermon to the Commonalty. 1. Foil tho sake of those that perchance are as yet un skilled in the name of Christ ; for as much as from every quarter lie doth gather men together, Who for all men hath given His Blood, we must say in low words something which both they gladly may hear that know, and they may learn that know not. Those Psalms which we sing, before that our Lord Jesus Christ was born of the Virgin Mary, by the dictation of the Spirit of God were spoken and written down. For David was king among the nation of the Jews, which nation alone did worship One God, that hath made Heaven and earth, the sea and all things which in them are, whether the things which are seen, or the things which are not seen. But the rest of the nations either did worship idols, which with their hands they had made, or the creation of God, not the Creator Himself, that is, either sun, or moon, or stars, or sea, or mountains, or trees. For all these things God hath made ; and would have Himself to be praised in them, not them lo be worshipped instead of Himself. In Rom. 1, this same nation of Jews, I say, David was king, of whoso seed was born our Lord Jesus Christ of tho Virgin Mary ; becauso from him tho Virgin Mary derived her lineage, who Luko 2, cu(i i)car Christ: and so were theso Psalms spoken: and there was prophesied in them Christ to come after many years: and there was spoken of by those Prophets, that lived before our Lord Jesus was born of the Virgin Mary, Whr.' is fulfilled proves what is yet to come. 213 whosoever was to be in our times, which now we read of Title. and see : and much we rejoice, that our Hope hath been foretold by holy men, who 6aw not that thing fulfilled, but in the Spirit saw it as future : and we now read, and hear from readers, we discourse of those things ; and as they arc in the Scriptures, so we see them now fulfilled throughout the whole world. For this who would not rejoice ? Who would not hope for those things to come which not yet have come, because of those things which being now so many, have been fulfilled? For now, brethren, ye see,. how the whole world, the whole earth, all nations, all regions run unto tho name of Christ, and believe in Christ. Truly ye see this thing, after what sort every where aro overthrown the vanities of the heathen, ye see this thing, evident it is to you. Is this too a thing we have read to you from a book, and not one that is doing before your eyes? This whole thing therefore which ye see come to pass before your eyes, was written of, countless revolutions of years before, by those men whom now we read, when already we see those things fulfilled. But forasmuch as those things also have been written which have not yet come; how our Lord Jesus Christ is to come to judge, Who at first came that He might be judged ; (for He came at first humble, hereafter He is to come exalted ; He came that He might shew an example of patience, hereafter He is to come that He may judge all men according to their deserts, whether good men, or evil men ;) because, I say, not yet hath come this thing which we hope for, namely, that Christ is to come as the Judge of quick and of dead, we ought to believe it. The small part which remaineth let us believe is to come, when already we see so many things which then were future, now completed. For fool is he that will not believe the few things which remain, when he seeth so many things to be fulfilled, which then were not, when they were being foretold. 2. This Psalm therefore is spoken in the Person of our Lord Jesus Christ, both Head and Members. For that One Person that was born of Mary, and suffered and was buried, and rose again, and ascended into Heaven, and at the right hand of the Father now sitteth and intercedeth for us, is our Head. If He is the Head, we are the members : the whole Church of 214 Cltrist suffers in His people, and they 1a Him. Phalm Him which overy where is spread abroad, is the Body xf. tho — '¦ Same, wliorcof He is Himself tho Head. For not only th« boliovors that now aro, but thoy also that havo boon before us, and that after us are to be oven unto the end of tho world, do all belong to His Body: of which Body Himself is tho Head, That huth ascended into Heaven. Itocuuso dierefore Colons, now wo know Head and Hotly, Ho is Head, wo Body. When '» 18' wo hoar tho voice of the Same, both from tho Head wo ought to hear it, and from the Body too: becauso whatever He hath suffered, therein we also have suffered : becauso that which we also suffer in ourselves, Himself also suffereth. In like vide manner as if the head suffer any thing, is the hand able to 12C°G sa)' tmit '' suffereth not ? or if tho hand suffereth any thing, is tho head able to say thut it suffereth not ? or if tho foot suffereth any thing, is iho hand able to suy that it siifl'ereth not? Whenever one member of ours siilleretli any thing, all tho members liiinto lo succour the member which is Niill'cring, ll'.lhni'ul'oro when IIo wilfered, wo in Hiin did suffer, and IIo now halh ascended into lleavon, and silted! on tho right hand of the Father : whatever His Chinch sitll'urodi in tho tribulations of this world, in temptations, in necessities, in difficulties, (for thus Sho must needs bo Instniclnd, in order that with firo liko gold She may bo purged,) lliiiiMoll'suflerodi. Wo prove this thing, how wo in Coloss. Hiin havo suffered, by tho Apostio saying, But if dead ye are with Christ, why yet as though living about this world Rom. 6, do yc decree ? Also he saith, that our old man hath been °- crucified together with Him, that the body of sin might be made void. If therefore in Him we are dead, in Ilim also we Coloss. have risen again. For the same Apostle saith, But if ye have 3' u risen again with Christ, taste those things which are above, those things which arc above seek ye, where Christ is on the right hand of God sitting. If therefore in Ilim wo aro dead, and in Hiin havo risen again, and if Himself in us dieth, and in us risolh again ; (for Himself is the Oneness of Head and Body ;) not without reason the voice of the Samo is our voice, and our voice is also the voice of the Same. Let us hear there fore tho Psalm, and Christ speaking therein let us perceive. 3. This Psalm hath the Title, For David Himself, when lie was in the desert of Idttmwa. By the name of Idunuca Hunger and thirst of the soul, Sleep and Watching. 215 is undorstood this world. For Idunnca was a certain nation Vbb. of men going astray, where idols were worshipped. In no good sense is put this Idumsca. If not in a good sense it is l Sam. put, it must be understood that this life, wherein we suffer so see' on great toils, and wherein to so great necessities we are made .P"-62, subject, by the name of Idumasa is signified. Even here is a desert where there is much thirst, and ye are to hear the voice of One now thirsting in the desert. But if we . acknowledge ourselves as thirsting, we shall acknowledge ourselves as drinking also. For he that thirsteth in this world, in the world to come shall be satisfied, according to the Lord's saying, Blessed are thoy that hunger and thirst M»tt- 6> after righteousness, for the same shall be satisfied. There fore in this world we ought not lo love fulness. Here we must thirst, in another place we shall be filled. But now in order that we may not faint in this desert, He sprinkleth upon us the dew of His word, and leaveth us not utterly to dry up, so that there should not be in our case any seeking of us again, but that we may so thirst as that we may drink. But in order that we may drink, with somewhat of His Grace we are sprinkled : nevertheless we thirst. And what saith our soul to God ? 4. Ver. 1. God, my God, unto Thee from the light I watch. What is to watch ? It is, not to sleep. What is to sleep ? There is a sleep of the soul ; thero is a sleep of the body. Sleep of body we all ought to have : because if sleep of body is not taken, a man fainted), the body itself faiuteth. For our frail body cannot long sustain a soul watching and on the stretch on active works ; if for a long time tho soul shall have been intent on active pursuits, the body being frail and earthly holde.th her not, sustaineth her not for ever in activity, aud fainteth and falleth. Therefore God hath granted sleep to the body, whereby are recruited the mem bers of the body, in order that they may be able to sustain the soul watching. But of this let us take heed, namely, that our soul herself sleep not: for evil is the sleep of the soul. Good is the sleep of the body, whereby is recruited the health of the body. But the sleep of the soul is to forget her God. Whatsoever soul shall have forgotten her God, sloepoth. Therefore tho Appstlo saith to certain persons 216 Christ, our Light, should keep us watching. P«ai,m dial forgot thoir God, and being as it wore in sloop, did act ^¦^'tho follies of tho worship of idols— (For so aro thoy that worship idols, as thoy that soo hi slumbers empty visions: but if tho soul of iho same persons do wake up, slio under- standolh by whom sho hath boon made, und worshipped! not that which herself huth made) — Tho Apostle, I say, saith Ephos. to certain persons, Rise, thou that steepest, and rise up from 6' 14' the dead, and Christ shall enlighten thee. Was the Apostio waking up one sleeping in body? Nay, but he was waking a soul sleeping, in as much as he was waking her, in order that she might be lightened by Christ. Therefore as to these same watchings sailh this man, God, my God, unto Thee J'rom the light I watch. For thou wouldest not watch of thyself, Unless" there should arise thy Light, to wake ihee from sleep. For Christ lighteneth souls, and maketh them to watch: but if His light He taketh away, they slumber. For Ps.13,3. for this cause to Ilim there is said in another Psalm, Lighten mine eyes, that I may never slumber in death. Or if from Hiin being turned uway they slumber, lie is a present light to them, and they are not able to see, because they sleep. In like manner also is ho that sleepeth in body during the day; now the sun huth arisen, now is the day grown hot, and he is as it were in the night, because he watched) not that he may see the day that is already risen ; so in certain men, when Christ is now present, when the truth hath now been preached, there is yet a sleep of the soul. To those men Ephes. therefore, if ye watch, ye will be saying daily, Rise, thou that °» H" sleepest, and rise up from the dead, and Christ shall enlighten thee. For your life and your manners ought to watch iii Christ, in order that those Heathen men sleeping may perceive, and at tho sound of your watchings may bo awakened, and niuy themselves shuke off sleep, and may begin in Christ with you to say, 0 God, my God, unto 'Thee J'rom the light I watch. 5. Ver. 2. My soul hath thirsted for Thee. Behold that desert of Idumsca. See how here he thirsteth: but see what good thing is here, Halh thirsted for Thee. For there are they that thirst, but not for God. For every one that willeth any thing to be granted to him, is in the heat of longing ; » quanta the longing itself is the thirst of the soul. And see ye what ' The soul thirsts for Righteousness, the jlesh for Resurrection, 217 longings there are in tho hearts of men : one longeth for Vbb. gold, another longeth for silver, another longeth for posses- — — sions, another inheritance, another abundance of money, another many herds, another a wife, another honours, another sons. Yo seo those longings, how they aro in tho hearts of men. All men aro influincd with longing, and scarce is found ono to say, My soul, halh thirsted for Thee, For men thirst for tho world: and porcoivo not thomsolvcs to bo in tho desert of Idunicoa, whero thoir souls ought to thirst for God. Say wo thorefore, My soul hath thirsted for Theo: say all wo, becauso in tho harmony of Christ all wore ono soul: let this sumo soul thirst in Idumiea. 0. Hath thirsted for Thco, ho suith, my soul: in how many ways fur Thee my Jlesh also? A small thing it is that my soul hath thirsted, my flesh also hath thirsted. Consider if tho soul thirsteth for God, in what manner doth the flesh also thirst for God ? For when the flesh thirsteth, for water' i Oxf. it thirsteth : when the soul thirsteth, for the Fountain of M""-'ior Wisdom it thirsteth. From that very Fountain shall be water' made drunken our souls, as saith another Psalm, They shall pHi3(5 8< be mado drunken with the fruitfulnoss of Thy House, and with the flood of Thy delights Thou shalt give them to drink. Wisdom therefore must bo thirsted after, righteousness must bo thirsted after. With it wo shall not be satisfied, with it we shall not bo filled, save when this lifo shall havo boon ended, and wo shall havo como lo that which God hath promised. For God hath promised equality will) Angels : Lllke20, and now the Angels thirst not us wo do, thoy hunger not as 80. wo do; but they have tho fulness of truth, of light, of im mortal wisdom. Therefore blessed they are, and out of so grout blessedness, becauso thoy uro in that City, tho Heavenly Jerusalem, afar from whence wo now arc sojourning in a strungo land, they observo us sojourners, and they pity us, and by tho command of tho Lord thoy help us, in order lhat to this common country sometime wo may return, and there with thoin sometime with tho Lord's fountain of truth and eternity wo may bo filled. Now therefore lot our soul thirst : whence doth our flesh also thirst, and this in many ways? In many ways for Thee, ho saith, my flesh also. Because to our flesh also is promised Resurrection. As to our soul 218 In what sort we hope to rise again in the flesh. Psalm is promised blessedness, so also to our flesh is promised yEIL resurrection. Resurrection of the flesh of such sort is promised to us : hear ye, and learn, and hold fast what is tho hope of Christians, on account of which we are Christians. For not to this end are wo Christians, that wo may seek for ourselves earthly felicity, which ofttimes both robbers and wicked men havo. For tho sako of another felicity wo aro Christians, which then wo shall receive, when that wholo lifo of this world shall havo passed away. Thcreforo is promised to us resurrection of the flesh also ; and such a resurrection of the flesh is promised, as that this flesh which now we bear, shall rise again at tho last. And let it not seem to you a thing incredible. For if God hath made us that were not, is it a great thing for Ilim to make again us that were ? Therefore let not this seem to you to bo incre- diblo, becauso yo see dead men as it were decaying, and passing into ashes and into dust. Or if any dead man be burned, or if dogs tear him in pieces, do ye think that from this he will not rise again ? All things which are dismembered, and into a sort of. dust do decay, are entire with God. For into those elements of the world they pass, whence at first they have como, when we were made : we do not see them; but yet God will bring them forth, He knoweth whence, because even before we were, He created us from whence He knew. Such a resurrection of the flesh therefore to us is promised, as that, although it be the same flesh, that now wo carry, which is to rise again, yet it hath not the corruption which now it hath. For now because of the corruption of frailty, if we eat not, we faint and are hungry ; if we drink not, we faint and are thirsty ; if long timo we watch, we faint and sleep; if long time wo sleep, wo faint, therefore we watch ; if long time wo eat and drink, though for refreshment wo may eat and drink, tho very prolonged refreshment is a cause of fainting ; if long time we stand, wo arc wearied, therefore we sit ; and if long time we sit, there also are we wearied, and therefore wo rise up. Secondly, see how without any standing is our flesh : for infancy passeth away into boyhood, and thou seekest infancy, and infancy is not, for now instead of infancy isboyhood: again this same also passed) into youth, thou seekest boyhood and findest not: the young man becometh The flesh in its needs should seek to God. 219 a middlo aged man, thou seekest the young man and he is Vei». not : tho middlo aged man becometh an old man, thou seekest — '— a middlo aged man and findest not : and an old man dieth, thou seekest an old man and findest not : our ago therefore standcth not still : every where is weariness, every whero faintness, every where corruption. Observing what a hope of resurrection God promiseth to us, in all those our manifold faintings wo thirst for that incorruption : and so our flesh manifoldly doth thirst for God. In this Idumasa, in this desert, manifoldly as it toileth, so manifoldly doth it thirst; manifoldly as it is wearied, so manifoldly doth it thirst for that unwearying incorruption. 7. Nevertheless, my brethren, tho flesh of a good Christian and a believer oven in this world for God doth thirst : for if the flesh hath need of bread, if it hath need of water, if it hath need of wine, if it hath need of money, if this flesh hath need of a beast, from God it ought to seek it, not from demons and idols and I know not what powers of this world. For . there are certain who when they suffer hunger in this world, leave God and ask Mercury or ask Jove to give unto them, or her whom they call ' Heavenly",' or any tho liko demons: not for God their flesh thirsteth. But they that thirst for God, Oxf. every where Ought to thirst for Him, both soul and in flesh : for i n00.' to the soul also God giveth His broad, that is tho Word of Truth : and to the flesh God giveth the things which are neces sary, for God hath, made both soul and flesh. For tho sako of thy flesh thou askest of demons: hath God made the soul, and the demons mado the flesh ? Ho that hath made the soul, the Same hath made the flesh also : He that hath made both of them, the Same feedeth both of them. Leteitherpartofus thirst for God, and after labour manifold let either simply be filled. 8. But where thirsteth our soul, and our flesh manifoldly, not for any one but for Thee, O Lord, that is our God? it thirsteth where i In a land desert, and without way, and without water. Of this world we have spoken, tho same is Iduma?a, this is tho desert of Idumaia, whence the Psalm hath received its title. In a land desert. Too littlo it is to • Ed. Dun. refers to TertuUian Apol. inme goddons is mcntlonod as worship. xxiii. whero • Virgo Cuilcsti*1 Is re- ped together with Bcrocyntblu, tnt presi-ntod an 'promising rain,' and mot her of tbo gods. tit. Aug. do Civ. Dei, 11. 4. whero tho 220 Our consolations in the world are not of the u>wld. Psalm say desert, where no man dwelleth; it is besides, bothwithout XJJI- way, and without water. O that the same desert had even a way : O that into this a man running, even knew where he might thenee get forth ! He seeth no man to his comfort, he seeth no way whereby he may be free from the desert place. Therefore in that place he taketh lodging. 0 that there were even water, whence he might be refreshed, that from thence cannot get forth. Evil is the desert, horrible, and to be feared : and nevertheless God hath pitied us, and hath made for us a John 14, way in the desert, Himself our Lord Jesus Christ: and hath made for us a consolation in the desert, in sending to us preachers of His Word : and hath given to us water in the John 4, desert, by fulfilling with the Holy Spirit His preachers, in order that there might be created in them a well of water springing up unto life everlasting. And, lo! we have hero all things, but they arc not of the desert. Therefore what pro perly belongs to the desert this Psalm hath first noticed, in order that when thou too hadst heard in what evil case thou wast, whatever consolations thou mightest have here, either of associates, or of way, or of water, thou shouldest not ascribe to the desert, but to Him That hath deigned to visit thee in the desert. 9. Ver. 3. 'Titus in a holy thing I have appeared to Thee, thai I might see Thy power and Thy glory. At first ' my soul thirsted, and my flesh manifoldly for Thee in a desert, and in a land without way, and without water,' and thus in a holy thing I have appeared to Thee that I might see Thy power and Thy glory. Unless a man first thirst in that desert, that is in the evil wherein he is, he never arriveth at the good, which is God. But I have appeared to Thee, ho saith, in a holy thing. Now in a holy thing is there great consolation. / have appeared to Thee, is what? In order that Thou mightest see me : and for this reason Thou hast seen me, in order that I might soo Theo. / have appeared to Thee, that I might see. Ho hath not said, I have appeared lo Thee that Thou mightest see: but, I have appeared to Thee, lhat I might see Thy power and Thy glory. Whence Gal. 4, also the Apostle, Bid now, he saith, knowing God, nay having been known of God. For first ye have appeared to God, in order that to you God might bo able to appear. That God Himself the refreshment of the perfected. 221 / might see Thy power and Thy glory. In truth in that Vkr. forsaken place, that is, in that desert, if as though from - 3" - the desert a man striveth to obtain enough for his sus tenance, he will never see the power of the Lord, and the glory of the Lord, but he will remain to die of thirst, and will find neither way, nor consolation, nor water, whereby he may endure in the desert. But when he shall have lifted up himself to God, so as to say to Him out of all his inward parts, My soul hath thirsted for Tliee ; how manifoldly for Thee also my flesh! lest perchance even tho things neces sary for the flesh of others he ask, and not of God, or else long not for that resurrection of the flesh, which God hath promised to us : when I say, he shall have lifted up himself, he will have no small consolations. 10. Behold, brethren, in like manner as our flesh, so long as it is mortal, so long as it is frail, before that resurrection halh those comforts whereby we live, as bread, water, fruits, wine, oil : (if all these comforts and succours forsake us, even to continue we are unable ;) though not yet this flesh hath received that perfect soundness, wherein it will suffer no difficulty, no need : so also our soul, while here it is in this flesh, amid the temptations and dangers of this world, is still weak ; but hath moreover those same comforts of the Word, comforts of prayer, comforts of discourse : these things are to our soul as those to our flesh. But when our flesh shall have risen again, so that no longer of theso we have need, it will have a kind of position and condition of its incorruption : so also our soul will have to its food Himself the Word of God, by Which were made all things. John i, Nevertheless, thanks to God, Who now in this desert for- saketh us not, either in giving to us what is nec.essary for the flesh, or in giving to us what is necessary for the soul : and when by any necessities He instructeth us, He willelh that we should love Him the more; lest perchance through fulness we be corrupted, and forget Him. He withdraweth from us sometimes the things which are necessary, and grindeth us down ; in order that we' may know that Father and Lord He is, not only when comforting, but also when chastening. For He is preparing us for a certain inheritance i Oxf. incorruptible and great. If one cask, or one vessel1 of thine, **¦»._ > 222 Man appears to God in holiness through Christ. Psalm or whatever thou hast in thy house, thou art intending to T VT1T . ' leave to thy son, and that he may not lose it, thou mstruct- est him, and if with the whip for correction thou chastenest him, that ho may not lose that nothing of thine, which he is himself also to leave here, even as thou dost ; wilt thou not have our Father also to instruct us with the whippings even of necessities or tribulations, Who is going to give us such an inheritance as cannot pass away ? For as our inherit ance God will givo us Himself, so that Himself we may pos sess, and by Himself wo may bo possessed for .everlasting. 11. Therefore in a holy thing lot us appear to God, that IIo may appear to us: let us appear in holy longing, that IIo may appear to us in tho power and glory of the Son of God. For to many Ho halh not appeared : let them bo in the Holy One, that He may appear to them also. For many think Ilim to have been only man; because He is preached as having been born of man, crucified and dead, as having walked on earth, having eaten and having drunk, and as having dono all other things that aro human ; and they think Ilim to have been such an ono as arc the rest of men. But ye have heard but now when the Gospel was Johnio, being read in what terms He hath notified His Majesty : / and My Father are One. Behold how great a Majesty and how great an Equality with the Father hath come down to tho flesh because of our infirmity. Behold how greatly beloved we liuvo been, before that we loved God. If before that wo lovod God, so much by Him we wore beloved, as that His Son, Equal with Himself, llo mado a Man for our sake, what doth He reserve for us now loving Ilim ? There fore many men think it to be a very small thing that the Son of God hath appeared on earth ; because they arc not in the Holy One, to them hath not appeared tho power of tho Same and tho glory of the Same : that is, not yet havo they a heart mado holy, whence they may perceive the eminence of that , Th virtue, and may render thanks to God, nor that to which for 00n. their own sakes so great an One came, unto what a nativity, jtro.ct.on unt0 what ft passion? tljCy are „ot ab]e tQ geG) Hjs g]ory iseemn and His power1. foT'" 12- Ver- 4- For belter is Tliy mercy than3 lives. Many are » Lat. the lives of men, but one lifo God promisoth: and He mveth above. *¦ ° The life God gives in mercy better than all ours. 223 not this to us as if for our merits but for His mercy. For Vbb. what good thing have we done, to merit this ? Or what good 4- S-.. deeds of ours have gone before, that God should give to us His Grace ? Hath He found righteousnesses to crown and* not transgressions to forgive ? Nay, it would not have been unjust if He had willed to punish the transgressions which He hath forgiven. For what is so just a thing, as that a sinner should be punished ? Though a just thing it be, that a sinner should be punished ; it hath belonged to the mercy of Him not to punish a sinner but to justify him, and of a sinner to make a just man, and of an ungodly man to make a godly man. Therefore His mercy is better titan lives. What lives ? Those which for themselves men have chosen. One hath chosen for himself a life of business, another a country life, another a life of usury, another a military life ; one this, another that. Divers are the lives, but better is Thy life than our lives. Better is that which Thou givest to men amended, than that which perverse men choose. One life Thou givest, which should be preferred to all our lives, whatsoever in the world we might have chosen. For belter is Thy mercy than lives: my lips shall praise- Thee. My lips would not praise Thee, unless before mc were to go Thy mercy. By Thy gift Theo I praise, through Thy mercy Thee I praise. For I should not be able to praise God, unless He gave me to be able to praise Him. For better is Thy mercy than lives: my lips shall praise Thee. 13. Ver. 5. So I will speak, good of Thee in my life, and in Thy name I will lift up my. hands. ' So I will speak good of T/iee in my life.' Now in my life which to me Thou hast given, not in that which I have chosen after the world with the rest among many lives, but that which Thou hast given to me through Thy mercy, that I should praise Thee. So I will speak good of Thee in my life. What is so ? That to Thy mercy I may ascribe my life wherein Thee I praise, not to my merits. And in Thy name I will lift up my hands. Lift up therefore hands in prayer. Our Lord hath lifted up for us His hands on the Cross, and stretched out were His hands for us, and therefore were His hands stretched out on the Cross, in order that our hands might be stretched out unto good works : because His Cross hath brought us 224 Lift up pure hands to God, and not for vain things. Psalm mercy. Behold, He hath lifted up hands, and hath offered T XIII , -'for us Himself a Sacrifice to God, and through that Sacrifice have been effaced all our sins. Let us also lift up our hands to God in prayer: and our hands being lifted up to God shall not bo confounded,, if they bo exercised in good works. For what doth ho that lifteth up hands ? Whence hath it been commanded that with hands lifted up wc should l Tim. pray to God ? For tho Apostle saith, Lifting up pure hands without anger and dissension. It is in order that when thou liftest up hands to God, there may come into thy mind thy works. For whereas those hands are lifted up that thou mayest obtain that which thou wilt, those same hands thou thinkest in good works to exercise, lhat they may not blush to be lifted up to God. In Thy name I will lift up my hands. Those are our prayers in this Idumrca, in this desert, in the land without water and without way, where for Johni4,us Christ is the Way, but not the way of this earth. 14. And what shall 1 say, when I shall lift up my hands b in Thy name ? what shall I require ? Ah ! brethren, when ye lift up hands, ask what ye aro to require! For from the Almighty ye require. Some great thing require ye, not such things as they require that not yet have believed. Ye see what sort of things are given even to ungodly men. Art thou to require from thy God money? Doth lie not give it oven to wicked men, that in Hiin believe not? What great thing therefore art thou to require, which He giveth to evil men also? But let it not displease thee that those things which He giveth to evil men also, are so trifling that even to evil men they are worthy to be given : in order that those things which can be given even to evil men may not seem to thee as if they were great things. God's indeed are all earthly gifts: but see, how those things which He giveth even to evil men, are not to be esteemed as any thing great. There is another thing which He reserved) for us. But let us think of those things which He giveth even to evil men, and hence let us porceivo what thing Ho reserveth for good men. What things lie giveth to evil men seo ye: He giveth to them this light, see yo diat both good men and evil men seo it! the rain which cometh down upon the earth ; b Oxf. Mss. add, ' and what ahall I say when I lift them up P With what fatness we ask of God to be filled. 225 and from honce how great good things do spring? and thcnco is made distribution both to evil men and to good men, according to the Gospel saying, That maketh His sun Matt.:«, to rise upon good men and evil men, and raineth upon just 4fl" men and unjust men. Those gifts therefore which do spring either from rain, or from the sun, from our Lord indeed we ought to require, forasmuch as they are things necessary; but not those things alone, because those things are given both to good men and to evil men. What therefore ought wo to require, when we lift up hands ? For as best it could, tho Psalm hath spoken this. What is it that I havo said, as best it could? As best could human mouth unto human ears. For by means of human mouths these words have been spoken, and in certain figures they have been spoken, as all the weak, as all the babes could receive them. What hath he said? What hath he required? In Tlty name, he saith, / will lift up my hands. As going to receive what? As though with marrow and fatness my soul should be filled. Do ye think that this soul hath longed for any fatness of flesh, my brethren ? For he hath not longed for this as if it wcro sonic groat matter, namely, that fat rams or fat hogs for him should bo killed, or that ho should como to some tavern, where ho might find choice moats wherewith to fill himself. If we shall have supposed this, we are ' worthy to ¦ Some hear those words. Therefore something spiritual we ought ^j^'"" to perceive. Our soul hath a sort of fatness. For the souls which lack that wisdom, do grow thin ; and become so utterly attenuated, as that in all good works they speedily fall short. Why do thoy speedily fall short in all good works ? Becauso they havo not the fatness of their fulness. Hear the Apostle, speaking of a fat soul, giving command ment that every ono should work well. IIo saith what? A cheerful giver God loveth. Whence could a fat soul bo2Cor.9, fat, except by the Lord it were filled ? And nevertheless "• howsoever fat here it bo, what will it be in the world to come, where God will feed us ? Meanwhile in this sojourning, what we shall be then, cannot even be told. And perchance that fulness we desire here when we lift up our hands, at the time of which with fatness we shall be so filled, that all our want shall utterly perish, and for nothing wo shall long: vol. in. Q 226 All we can desire is to be found in God; Pbalm forasmuch as the whole will be before us, whatever we long I/Kill.^. ker(^ wnatever as a great matter we love here. Already our fathers are dead, but God liveth: here we could not always havo fathers, but there we shall alway have one living Father, when wo havo our father-land : whatever is our earthly land, there wo cannot alway bo ; and others must needs be born, and sons of elder citizens aro born, to shut out from thenco their fathers. For to this end a boy is born, to say to his elder, What docst thou here ? It must needs be that they that succeed and aro born should shut out them that have gone before them. There .all we alike shall live : there wjll be no successor, because there will be no predecessor. What sort of country is that ? But thou lovest here riches. God Himself shall be to thee thy riches. But thou lovest a good fountain . What is more passing clear than that wisdom ? What more bright ? Whatsoever is an object of love here, in place of all thou shalt have Him that hath made all things, as though with marrow and fatness my soul should be filled: and lips qf exultation shall praise Thy name. In this desert, in Thy name I will lift up my hands : let my soul bo filled as though with marrow and fatness, and my lips with exultation shall praise Thy name. For now is prayer, so long as there is thirst : when thirst shall have passed away, there passeth away praying and there succcedeth praising. And lips of exultation shall praise Thy name. 15. Vor. 7. If I have remembered Thee upon my bed, in the dawnings I did meditate on Thee : (ver. 8.) because Thou hast become my helper. His ' bed' he calleth his rest. When any one is at rest, let him be mindful of God ; when any one is at rest, let him not by rest be dissolved, and forget God: if mindful he is of God when he is at rest, in his actions on God he doth meditate. For the dawn he hath called actions, because every man at dawn beginneth to do something. What therefore hath he said ? If mindful I have been of Theeon my bed, in the dawnings also I was meditating on Tltee. If therefore I was not mindful on my bed, in tho dawn also I did not meditate on Thee. Can he that thinketh not of God when he is at leisure, in his actions think of God ? But ho that is mindful of Him when ho is at rest, on tho Same doth meditato when ho is doing, lest in action Our works in Christ must be those qf Light. 227 ho should como short. Therefore ho hath added what? And in tho dawnings I was moditating on 'Theo : becauso • Thou hast btteomo my helper. For unions God aid our good works, thoy cannot bo accomplished by us. And worthy things we ought to work : that is, as though in the light, sinco by Christ showing the way we work. Whosoever worketh evil things, in tho night he worketh, not in tho dawn ; according to the Apostle, saying, They that are drunken, in the night are 1 Tho». drunken; and they lhat sleep, in the night do sleep: let us that5' 7'.8' are of the day, be sober. He cxhorteth us that after tho day we should walk honestly : As in the day, honestly let us walk, ftom.18, And again, Ye, ho saith, aro sons of light, andsons of day ; wo j jbess. are not of night nor of darkness. Who arc sons of night, and 6> "• sons of darkness ? Thoy that work all ovil things. To such a degrco thoy arc sons of night, that thoy fear lost tho things which thoy work should be soon : and tho ovil things which openly thoy work, for this reason openly thoy work, becauso many men work thoso things : tho things which few men work, in secret thoy work : but thoy thut work such things openly, aro indeed in the light of the sun, but in tho darkness of the heart. No ono therefore in the dawn worketh, except him that in Christ worketh. But he that while at leisure is mindful of Christ, on the Same doth meditate in all his actions, and Ho is a helper to him in a good work, lest through his weakness ho fail. 16. And in the covering qf Thy wings I will exult, I am cheerful in good works, because over mo is tho covering of Thy wings. If thou protect mo not, forasmuch as I am a chicken, the kite will seize me. For our Lord Himself sailh in a cortain placo to that Jerusalem, a certain city, where IIo was crucified: Jerusalem, lie saith, Jerusalem, haw Mat. 23, often I have willed to gather together thy sons, as though a hen her chickens, and thou wouldest not ? Little ones wo are : therefore may God protect us under tho shadow of His wings. What when we shall have grown greater ? A good thing it is for us that eveu then He should protect us, so that under Him the greater, alway we be chickens. For alway He is greater, however much we may have grown. Let no one say, let Him protect me while I am a little one : as if sometime he would attain to such magnitude, as should Q2 228 We must keep close to God, humbly following. Pbalm be self-sufficient. Without the protection of God, nought •LX111, thou art. Alway by Him let us desire to be protected : then alway in Him we shall have power to be great, if alway under Him little we be. And in the covering of Thy wings I will exult. 17. Ver. 9. My soul hath been glued on behind Thee. Seo yo ono longing, see yo ono thirsting, seo yo how ho clcavoth to God. Lot thoro spring up in you this affection. If already it is sprouting, let it bo rained upon and grow : let it como to such strength, that yo also may say from tho whole heart, My soul hath been glued on behind Thee. Whero is that same glue ? Tho gluo itself is love. Have thou love, wherewith as with glue thy soul may be glued on behind God. Not with God, but behind God; that He may go before, thou mayest follow. For he that shall have willed to go before God, by his own counsel would live, and will not follow the commandments of God. Because of this even Peter was rebuked, when he willed to give counsel to Christ Who was going to suffer for us. For as yet Peter was weak, and knew not how great profit there was for mankind in the blood of Christ. Now the Lord, That had come to redeem us, and to give His blood a ransom for us, began to proclaim His Passion. Peter was alarmed for His Lord, as if He were about to die, Whom ho would havo had here alway to live just as he then saw Him : bocauso being given up to his carnal eyes, by carnal affection about tho Lord ho Mat. 16, was hold fast; and ho saith to Him, Far be it from 'TItec, ua. 23. q [or(i^ oe 'f/l0U merciful to Thyself. And tho Lord, Go back behind Mc, Satan : for thou, savourest not the things •He which are qf God, but the things which are of men. Whore- mean by fore, the things which are of men ? Because to go before Me 'has t'10U (lesfi'est> S° back behind Me, in order that thou mayest to attri- follow me : so that now following Christ he might say, My twofoW sou^ bull1 been glued on behind Thee. With reason he perion- addeth, Me Thy right hand hath taken up. My soul halh ou'/ ° been glued on behind Thee, me Tliy right hand halh taken Lord,asM„ Thig Christ hath said in us: that is in the Man 'Which appears * from his Ho was bearing for us, Which He was offering for us, He tetjonT nam sam tnis- The Church also saith this in Christ, she on Ps.i. saith it in Her Head: for she too hath suffered here great Persecutors seek in vain to destroy the Church. 229 persecutions, and by Her individual members even now he Vkb. suffereth. For what man belonging to Christ is not vexed ¦ — '¦ — with divers temptations, and do not tho dovil and his angels daily strive with him, in order that ho may bo led astray by some lust, by some suggestion, cither by promise of gain or fear of loss, or by promise of life or fear of death, either by the enmity. of some great man, or the friendship of some great man ? By every means the devil striveth in what way he may throw down : and in persecutions we live, and we have for our perpetual enemies, the devil and his angels : but let us not fear. The devil and his angels are as it were kites: under the wings of that Hen let us slay, and he is not able to touch us. For the Hen which protecteth us, is strong. Weak Sho is for our sako : but strong Sho is in Herself; our Lord Jesus Christ, the very Wisdom of God. Thorcforo the Church also saith this: My soul hath been glued on behind Thee, Thy right hand halh taken me up. 18. Vor. 9. But themselves in vain have sought my soul.. What havo they dono to me that havo sought to destroy my soul ? 0 that they were seeking my soul, so that they might believe with me : but they have sought my soul to destroy me. For they were not going to carry off the glue, wherewith my soul hath adhered behind Thee. For who shall separate Kom. 8, us from the love qf Christ ? shall tribulation, or distress, or ' persecution, or hunger, or nakedness, or sword? Thy right hand hath taken me up. Therefore because of that glue, and because of Thy right hand most mighty, in vain they have sought my soul. As many as have persecuted or desire to persecute the Church, of them this may be understood : chiefly, however, let us take this of the Jews, who sought to destroy the Soul of Christ, both in Himself our Head Which they crucified, and in His disciples whom afterwards they persecuted. They have sought my soul. Tliey shall go unto the lower places of the earth. Earth they were unwilling to lose, when they crucified Christ : into the lower places of the earth they have gone. What are the lower places of the earth ? Earthly lusts. Better it is to walk upon earth, than by lust to go under earth. For every one that in prejudice of his salvation desireth earthly things, is under the earth: because earth he hath put before him, earth upon himself 230 The Jews chose earth before Christ to their ruin. Psalm he hath put, and himself beneath he hath laid. They there- LXI1L fore fearing to lose earth, said what of the Lord Jesus Christ, when they saw great multitudes go after Him, forasmuch as John 11, He was doing wonderful things ? If we shall have let Him 48' go alive, there will come the Romans, and will lake away from us both place and nation. They feared to lose earth, and they went under the earth : there befel them even what they feared. For they willed to kill Christ, that they might not lose earth ; and earth they therefore lost, because Christ they slew. For when Christ had been slain, because the Mat.2l,Lord Himself had said to them, Tlie kingdom shall be taken from you, and shall be given up to a nal ion doing righteousness: there followed them great calamities of persecutions : there conquered them Roman emperors, and kings of the nations: they were shut out from that very placo whero they crucified Christ, and now that placo is full of Christian praiscrs : it hath no Jew, it hath been cleared of tho enemios of Christ, it hath been fulfilled with tho praiscrs of Christ. Behold, they havo lost at tho hands of the Romans the place, becauso Christ they slew, who tf> this end slew, that they might not lose the place at the hands of the Romans. Therefore, They shall enter into the lower places of the earth. 19. Vor. 10. They shall be delivered unto the hands of the sword. In truth, thus it hath visibly befallen them, they have been taken by storm by enemies breaking in. Portions of foxes they shall be. Foxes he calleth the kings of the world, that then were when Judaea was conquered. Hear in order that ye may know and perceive, that those he calleth foxes. Lukel3, Herod the king the Lord Himself hath called a fox. Go ye, 32> He saith, and tell that fox. See and observe, my brethren : Christ as King they would not have, and portions of foxes they have been made. For when Pilate tho deputy governor in Judaea slew Christ at the voices of tho Jews, ho said to Johnio, tllc same Jews, Your King shall I crucify? Becauso He was 18. called King of the Jews, and He was the true King. And they rejecting Christ said, We have no king but Cccsur. They rejected a Lamb, chose a fox : deservedly portions of foxes they were mado. "Mex 20. Vor. 11. The King in truth1, is so written, because vtro' they chose a fox, a King in truth they would not have. The Christ the true King. His enemies silenced. 231 King in truth : that is, the true King, to whom the title was Vbr. inscribed, when He suffered. For Pilate set this title in — scribed over His Head, The King of the Jewsfm the Hebrew, Greek, and Latin tongues : in order that all they that should pass by might read of the glory of the King, and the infamy of the Jews themselves, who, rejecting the true King, chose the fox Caesar. Tlie King in truth shall rejoice in God. They have been made portions of foxes : The King in truth shall rejoice in God. He Whom they seemed to themselves as if to overcome, when they crucified Him, at the time when , He was crucified did shed the ransom, wherewith He bought the round world. The King in truth shall rejoice in God : ' every one shall be praised that sweareth in the Same. Why shall every one be praised that sweareth in the Same ? Because for himself he hath chosen Christ, not a fox : because when those Jews insulted, then He gave that whence they might be redeemed. To Himself therefore we belong, that hath redeemed us, that for us hath conquered the world, not with armed soldiery, but with despised Cross. The King in truths/tall rejoice in God: every one shall be praised that sweareth in the Same. Who sweareth in Him ? He that promiseth to Him his life, that voweth to Him and payeth, he that becometh a Christian : this is what he saith in, Every one shall be praised lhat sweareth in the Same. For stopped up is the mouth of men speaking unjust things. How many unjust things have the Jews spoken ? How many evil things have spoken, not only the Jews, but also all men that for the sake of idols have persecuted the Christians ? When they were raging against the Christians, they were thinking that they could make an end of Christians: while they were thinking that they could make an end, the Christians grew, and they themselves have been made an end of. Slopped up is the mouth of men speaking unjust things. No one dareth now openly to speak against Christ, now all men fear Christ. For stopped up is the mouth of men speaking unjust things. When in weakness the Lamb was, even foxes were bbld against the Lamb. There conquered the Lion of the Rev. 6, tribe of Judah, and the foxes were silenced. For stopped6' up is the mouth of men speaking unjust things. Lat. PSALM LXIV. LX1II. t EXPOSITION. Sermon to the Commonalty. While keeping to-day the festival of the holy Martyrs' Passion, in the recollection of them let us rejoice, calling to mind what they suffered, and perceiving unto what they looked. For so great tribulations in the flesh they never would have endured, unless they had perceived with the mind a great rest. Over this Psalm, therefore, as bescemeth the aforesaid celebration, let us hastily pass. For yesterday many things your Lovo heard, and yet not even to-day have wo boon able to withhold our service from this festivity. Therefore though chiefly the Lord's Passion is noticed in this Psalm, neither could the Martyrs havo boon strong, unless they had beheld Ilim, That first suffered ; nor such things would thoy havo endured in suffering, as IIo did, unless thoy had hoped for such things in the Resurrection as IIo had shewed of Himself: but your Holiness kuowoth that our Head is our Lord Jesus Christ, and that all that cleave, unto Him are the members of Him the Head; and ye now have the voice of Him very well known to you, for asmuch as not from Head alone, but also from Body He speaketh, and tho voices of Him either signify or foretel not only Himself the Lord Jesus Christ, that hath now ascended into Heaven, but also tho members of Him about to follow their own Head: lot us acknowledge hero not only His voice, but also our own. And let no one say, that now-a- days in tribulation of passions wo aro not. For alway ye have hoard this fact, how in those times the whole Church together us it were was smitten ugainst, but now through individuals she is tried. Bound indeed is tho dovil, that ho may not do as much as ho could, that ho may not do as much as ho would : nevertheless, ho is permitted to tempt as much as is expedient to mon advancing. It is not expedient for us to bo without temptations: nor should wo besooch Those who yield to fear are *¦ swallowed alive.' 233 God that we be not tempted, but that we be not * led into Vbr. temptation.' ! 9. Ver. 1. Say we, therefore, ourselves also: Hearken, Oi^*"'6' God, to my prayer, while I am troubled ; from fear of the enemy deliver my soul. Enemies have raged against the Martyrs : for what was that voice of Christ's Body praying ? For this it was praying, to be delivered from enemies, and that enemies might not have power to slay them. Were they not therefore hearkened to, because they were slain; and hath God forsaken His servants of a contrite heart, and despised men hoping in Him ? Far be it. For who hath Ecelus. called upon God, and hath been forsaken; who hath hoped2' 10" in Him, and hath been deserted by Him? They were hearkened to therefore, and thoy wcro slain ; and yet from enemies thoy wcro dolivorcd. Others boing afraid gave consent, and lived, and yet tho same by enemies were swallowed up. The slain were delivered, the living were swallowed up. Thence is also that voice of thanksgiving, Perchance alive tliey would have swallowed us up. Many Ps. 124, men were swallowed up, and alive they were swallowed up, 3# many dead were swallowed up. They that thought the Christian faith to be vain, dead were swallowed up: but they who, knowing the preaching of the Gospel to be truth, knowing Christ to be the Son of God ; and believing this, and holding this inwardly, nevertheless yielded to the pains, and to idols did sacrifice, alive were swallowed up. Those wcro swallowed up, because they were dead: but these because thoy were swallowed up aro dead. For being swal lowed up they could not live, although alivo thoy wore swallowed up. Therefore for this praycth tho voice of tho Martyrs, From fear of the enemy deliver Thou my soul: not so that the enemy may not slay mo, but that I may not fear an enemy slaying. For that to bo fulfilled in the Psalm the servant prayeth, which but now in the Gospel the Lord was commanding. What but now was the Lord commanding? Fear not them that kill the body, but the soul are not able Matt. to kill; but Him rather fear ye, that halh power to kill both 10> 28, body and soul in the hell of fire. And He repeated, Yea, I Luke say unto you, fear Him. Who are thoy that kill the body 1 12» 6- Enemies. What was the Lord commanding? That they 234 Christ really protected from His enemies. Psalm should not be feared. Be prayer offered, therefore, that He LXIV,may grant what He hath commanded. From fear of the enemy deliver my soul. Deliver me from fear of the enemy, and make me submit to the fear of Thee. I would not fear him that killoth tho body, but I would fear Him that hath power to kill both body and soul in tho hell of fire. For not from fear would I bo frco : but from fear of tho enemy being froo, under fear of tho Lord a servant. 3. Vor. 2. Thou hast protected me from the gathering to gether ofmalignants, and from the multitude of men working iniquity. Now upon Himself our Head let us look. Like things many Martyrs have suffered : but nothing doth shine out so brightly as the Head of Martyrs ; in Ilim rather let us behold what they have gone . through. Protected he was from tho multitude of malignants, God protecting Himself, » Homi-the Son Himself and the Manhood 'which He was carrying "Ups?!. protecting His ffesh : becauso Son of Man He is, and Son of Hetrs. God j£e js ; son 0f God because of the form of God, Son of John 10, Man because of the form of a servant: having in His power 18' to lay down His life : and to take it again. To Him what could enemies do ? They killed body, soul they killed not. Observe. Too little therefore it were for the Lord to exhort the Martyrs with word, unless He had enforced it by example. Ye know what a gathering together there was of malignant Jews, and what a multitude there was of men working iniquity. What iniquity ? That wherewith they willed to kill the Lord Johnio, Jesus Christ. So many good works, Ho saith, I have shewn to you, for which of these will ye to kill Me? He endured all » Oxf. their infirm', He healed all their sick, He preached the ' infi'r- Kingdom of Heaven, He held not His peace at their vices, so mities.' tliat these same should have been displeasing to them, rather than tho Physician by whom they were being mado wholo : for all these His remedies being ungrateful, like men delirious in high fever raving at the physician, they devised the plan of destroying Ilim that had come to heal them ; as though therein they would prove whether He were indeed a man, that could die, or were somewhat above men, and would not suffer Himself to die. The word of these same men we perceive Wisd.2, in the wisdom of Solomon: with death most vile, say they, let us condemn Him ; let us question Him, for there will be The Jews guilty of His death through their words. 23o regard in the discourses qf Him ; for if truly Son of God He Veb. is, let Him deliver Him. Let us see therefore what was 3- done. 4. Ver. 3. For they have whet like a sword their tongues. 1 Sons of men ; their teeth are arms and arrows, and their Ps.6/,4. tongue is a sharp sword,' which saith another Psalm also ; so also hero, They have whet like a sword their tongues. Let not the Jews say, we havo not killed Christ. For to this ond they gave Him to Pilate tho judge, in order that they thomsolvos might seem as it wore guiltless of His death. For when Pilate had said to them, kill yo Him ; thoy replied, For Johnis, us it is not lawful to kill any one. The iniquity of their deed upon a human judge thoy wished to lay : but did thoy docoivo God tho Judgo ? With regard to what Pilato did, in tho very fact that ho did it, ho was somowiso an accomplice, but in comparison with thorn ho is himself much loss guilty. For ho slrovo as far as ho could to deliver Ilim out of their hands. For to this end ho scourged Ilim, and led Him forth John 10, to thorn. Not in persecution ho scourged tho Lord, but ' wishing to satisfy their fury, thut even so they might at length bo appeusod, and might coaso to wish to kill, whon thoy saw Ilim scourged. Ho did this also. But when thoy persisted, ye know how he washed his liands, and said, that he himself did it not', that he was pure of the blood of that1 Oxf. Man. Ho did it nevertheless. But if ho is guilty becauso, t|"„[]10 ho did it though unwillingly, aro thoy innocent who coiii-'H'Ht polled him to do it? Ily no means, hut ho gave sontenco Mut.sr, against Him, and commanded Ilim to bo crucified: and in34, a manner himself killed Hiin ; yo also, 0 yo Jews, killed Ilim. Whonco did yo kill Ilim ? With tho sword of tho tongue : for yo did whet your tongues. And when did yo smite, except when yo cried out, Crucify, Crucify? Lulu-33, 0. But on this account wo must not pass over that which hath como into mind, lest porchance tho reading of the Divine Scriptures should disquiet any one. Ono Evangelist saith that the Lord was crucified at the sixth hour, and Johnio, another at the third hour: unless we understand it, wo aroMark disquiotod. And when tho sixth hour was already beginning, 10> 26- Pilato is said to havo sat on tho judgment-Boat: and in reality whon tho Lord was lifted up upon tho trco, it was tho 230 Secret devices of the Jews against Christ. Psalm sixth hour. But another Evangelist, looking unto the mind LXI7'of the Jews, how they wished themselves to seem guiltless of the death of the Lord, by his account proveth them guilty, saying, that the Lord was crucified at the third hour. But considering all the circumstance of the history, how many things might have been done, when before Pilate the Lord was being accused, in order that He might be crucified ; we find that it might have been the third hour, when they cried out, Crucify, Crucify. Therefore with more truth they killed at the time when they cried out. The ministers of the magistrate at the sixth hour crucified, the transgressors of the law at the third hour cried out : that which those did with hands at the sixth hour, these did with tongue at the third hour. More guilty are thoy that with crying out were raging, than they that in obedience wore ministering. This is tho whole of the Jews' sagacity, this is that which they sought as some great matter. Let us kill and let us not kill: so let us kill, as that we may not ourselves be judged to havo killed. They have whetted like a sword their tongues. 6. They have bended the bow, a bitter thing. The bow he calleth lyings in wait. For he that with sword fighteth hand to hand, openly fighteth: he that shooteth an arrow deceivcth, in order to strike. For the arrow smiteth, before it is foreseen to come to wound. But whom could the lyings in wait of tho human heart escape? Would they escape our Lord Jesus Christ, Who had no need that any one should bear John 2, witness to Him of man? For Himself knew what was in man, as tho Evangelist testificth. Nevertheless, let us hear them, and look upon them in their doings as if the Lord knew not what they devise. They have bended the bow, a deadly thing, (ver. 4.) in order lhat they may shoot in secret One unspotted. The expression he used, they have bended the bow,is the same as, in secret: as if they were deceiving by lyings in wait. For ye know by what artifices they did this, how with money Mai.26,they bribed a disciple that clave to Him, in order that He might be betrayedto them, how they procured false witnesses; with what lyings in wait and artifices they wrought, in order that they might shoot in secret one unspotted. Great iniquity ! Behold from a secret placo there cometh an arrow, which striketh Ono unspotted, who had not oven so much of spot as They confirm their evil words against themselves. 237 could bo pierced with an arrow. A Lamb indeed He is un- Veb. spotted, wholly unspotted, alway unspotted ; not one from — '— '— whom spots havo been removed, but that hath contracted not any spots. For He hath made many unspotted by forgiving sins, being Himself unspotted by not having sins. That they may shoot in secret One unspotted. 7. Suddenly they shall shoot Him, and shall not fear. O heart hardened, to wish to kill a Man that did raise the dead ! Suddenly : that is, insidiously, as if unexpectedly,' as if not foreseen. For tho Lord was like to one knowing not, being among men knowing not what He knew not and what He knew: yea, knowing not that there was nothing that He knew not, and that He knew all things, and to this end had come in order that they might do that which they thought they did by their own power. Suddenly they shall shoot Him, and shall not fear. 8. Ver. 5. They have confirmed to themselves malignant discourse. ' Have confirmed:' there were done so great miracles, they were not moved, they persisted in the design of the evil discourse. He was given up to thejudgo: trembleth the judge, and they tremble not that to thejudgo have given Him up: trembleth power, and ferocity trembleth not: ho would wash his hands, and they stain their tongues. But wherefore this ? They have confirmed to themselves, malig nant discourse. How many things did Pilate, how many things that they might be restrained ! What said he ? what did ho ? But they have confirmed lo themselves malignant discourse : " Crucify, crucify." The repetition is the con- i,ui[023, firmation of the malignant discourse. Let us see in what21* manner they have confirmedto themselves malignant discourse. " Your King shall I crucify?" They said," We have no king Johnio, but Ceesar alone?' They have confirmed to themselves ma- 16' lignant discourse. He was offering for King the Son of God: to a man they betook themselves : worthy were they to have the one, and not have the Other. Further hear, in what manner they confirmed malignant discourse. " I find not any thing in this Man," saith the judge, " wherefore He is worthy 0/L0W3, death." And they that confirmed malignant discourse, said, 22.' " His blood be upon us and upon our sons." Tliey confirmed ^at'37' to themselves malignant discourse. Confirmed malignant discourse, not to the Lord, but to themselves. For how not 238 Man's real danger is from enemies within. Psalm to themselves, when they say, Upon us and upon our sons ? :That which therefore they confirmed, to themselves they confirmed : because the same voice is elsewhere, They dug before my face a ditch, and fell into it. Death killed not the Lord, but He death : but them iniquity killed, because they would not kill iniquity. 9. Doubtless, brethren, certain it is, that either thou killest iniquity, or art killed of iniquity. But do not seek to kill iniquity as though it were something without thee. To thyself look, see what fighteth with thee, and take heed lest it defeat thee : thy iniquity, thy enemy will not be slain : for it is without thyself, and against thyself thy soul rebellcth,. not any other thing. With some part thou adherest to God, with some part thou plcascst thyself in the world. That wherewith thou pleasest thyself in tho world fighteth against the mind which adhereth to God. Let it adhere, let it adhere, let it not faint, let it not give way, great help it hath. It con- quereth that which in it rebelleth against itself, if it per- severeth in fighting. There is sin in thy body, but let it not Rom. 6, reign. Let not therefore, he saith, sin reign in your mortal 12- body, to obey the lusts thereof. But if thou shalt not have obeyed; even if there be that which may persuade, that which may allure unto evil, by not obeying thou bringest it about that there reign not that which is, and thus it will come to puss hereafter that there be not that which was. l Cor. When? When death shall bo swallowed up into victory, ' ' when this corruptible shall havo put on incorruption, in that case thoro shall not be that which may fight against theo, there shall not bo any other thing which may delight thco but God. Therefore also thoso Jews hated tho Lord, sove reignty did delight them. Certain men saw that by Ilim sovereignty was being taken away from them, and because of their delight they rebelled against the Lord : whereas, if they had rebelled against their evil delight, the very hatred they would have conquered, and they would not have been conquered by it, and the Lord would have been to them a Saviour, Who had como to make them whole. But now they fostered the fever : they fought against the Physician : what soever the fever suggested, they did : whatsoever on the other hand the Physician commanded they neglected. Therefore Fain devices of the Jews lo escape guilt. 239 they rather were killed, not the Lord : for in tho Lord death Ver. was killed, in them iniquity lived : but because iniquity lived fi- °' in them, they were dead. 10. Ver. 5. They told, in order that they might hide traps: they said, Who shall see them? They thought they would escape Him, Whom they were killing, that they would escape God. Behold, suppose Christ was a man, like the rest of men, and knew not what was being contrived for Him : doth God also know not ? O heart of man ! wherefore hast thou said to thyself, Who seeth me ? when He seeth That hath made thee? They said, Who shall see them1 ? God did1 '«<" see, Christ-also was seeing: because Christ is also God. traps) But wherefore did they think that He saw not ? Hear the J?**- J Mss. words following. « »#.» 11. Ver. 6. They have searched out iniquity, they have failed, searching searchings: that is, deadly and acute de signs. Lit Him not be betrayed by us, but by His disciple: let Him not bo killed by us, but by the judge : let us do all, and let us seem to have done nothing. And whero is the Luke cry of the tongue, Crucify, Crucify ? So blind ye are, as deaf j^ 2Jg also to be. Feigned innocence is not innocence ; pretended 6. equity is not equity, but double iniquity; because both iniquity it is and pretence. Therein therefore those men failed searching searchings. By how much the more acutely they seemed to think it out for themselves, so much the more they failed ; because from the light of truth and equity into the depths of evil designs they were sunk. Justice hath a certain light of its own, it bedeweth and lighteneth a soul adhering to itself: but a soul turning away itself from the light of justice by how much the more it seeketh what it may find against justice, by so much the more from light it is thrust back, and in darkness it is sunk down. With reason therefore those men also, while searching out what they designed against the Just One, from justice were departing : and by how much the more from justice they were departing, by so much the more they were failing in searching searchings. Deep is their counsel for innocence : when Judas himself repented that he had betrayed Christ, and he threw down before them the money which they had given, they would not cast it into the treasury, and said, Money qf blood it is, Mat.27, o. 240 Christ knew all He permitted to be done agaist Him. Psalm lot us not cast it into the treasury. What is tho treasury ? Lxiv. The chest of God into which wore gathered those things which were cast for the need of tho servants of God. O man, let thy heart be rathor the chest of God, where may dwell the riches of God, where may be the coin of God, thy mind, I say, having tho image of thy Emperor. If it be so, what a pretence of innocence was that, not to cast into the chest the money of blood ; and the blood itself to cast upon the conscience ! 12. But what befel them ? They failed searching search ings. Whoncc? Because ho saith, Who shall see them? that i Oxf. is, that no ono saw ' them. This they were saying, this among .^"ij themselves they thought, that no ono saw them. Soo what »«o.' bofalleth an evil soul: it departed! from tho light of truth, and because itself seeth not God, it thinketh that itself is not scon by God. So also thoso men by doparling went into darkness, in order that themselves might not see God: nud they said, Who seeth us? Ho also saw whom they were' crucifying: they in their failing neither saw that Son nor tho Father. If therefore Ho also saw, why did lie sufl'or Him self to bo held by them, to bo killed by them ? Wherefore, if Ho saw, willed IIo thut their counsels should prevail against Ilim? Whoroforo? Ilocausomun IIo was for tho sako of man, and being God hid in man, that hud come to give an oxamplo. of patience to men knowing not, therefore Himself knowing Ho endured all things. 13. For what followeth? Vor. 0. There shall, draw near a man and a deep heart, and God shall bo exulted. They said, Who shall soo us? They fuilod in searching searchings, ovil counsels. There drew near a man to thoso sumo counsels, IIo suffered 1 limsclf to bo held as a man. For Ho would not have been held except He wcro mun, or havo been seen except He were man, or have been smitten except He were man, or have been crucified or have died except lie were man. There drew near a man therefore to all those sufferings, which in Him would have been of no avail except He were Man. But if He were not Man, there would not have been deliverance Philip, for man. There hath drawn near a Man and a deep heart, ' ' that is, a secret heart : presenting before human faces Man, keeping within God: concealing the form of God, wherein Godhead hidden in the Heart of Christ. 24 1 He is equal with the Father, and presenting the form of a veh. servant, wherein He is loss than die Father. For Himself— ^ — hath spoken of both : but one thing there is which He saith 2, 6. in the form of God, another thing in the form of a servant. He hath said in the form of God, land the Father are one: Johnio, .30 He hath said in tho form of a servant, For the Father wj0'hnU, greater than I. Whence in the form of God saith IIo, I™'.. and the Father are one ? Because when lie was in tho form 2, 0. of God, Ho thought it not robbery to bo equal with God. Whence in the form of a servant saith He, For the Father is greater than I? Because He emptied Himself, taking tho Philip. form of a servant. There drew near therefore a Man, and a ' deep heart, and God was exalted. Slain is the Man, and exalted is God. For His being slain was of human weakness, 2 Cor. His rising again and ascending was of power divine. There ' ' shall draw near a Man and a deep heart, heart secret, heart hidden : not shewing that which it knew, not shewing what it was. Thoy thinking that it was the whole which was seen, kill a Man in deep heart, and there is exalted God in heart divine: for by the power of His Majesty exalted He was. And whither went He exalted ? To that place from whence He withdrew not humbled. 14. There shall draw near a Man and a deep heart, and God shall be exalted. For this reason now attend ye, my brethren, to the deep heart of the Man. Of what Man ? Mother Sion, a Man shall say ; and Man He was made in Ps.87,5. Her, and Himself the Most Highest hath founded her. In that very city He was made Man, which He founded Himself, the same Most Highest that, in Her was made Man. Therefore there halh drawn near a man and a deep heart. Behold Man in a deep heart : see, as much as thou art able, if thou art able, God also in a deep heart. There drew near a Man : and because God He was, and because He was about to suffer willingly, and because He was about to give an example to the weak, as though God were about to suffer, but in man, but in the flesh, there followeth what? (Ver. 7.) Arrows of infants have been made the strokes of them. Whero is that savageness ? where is that roar of the lion, of the people roaring and saying, Crucify, Crucify ? Where are the lyings Lufce23, in wait of men bending the bow ? Have not the strokes o/johnl0 vol. hi. R 6. 2J2 Malice seemed to triumph, yet was powerless. Tsalm (hem been made the arrows of infants? Yo know in what ™ : manner infants mako to thoinselvos arrows of little canes. What do they striko, or whence do thoy strike ? What is the hand, or what the weapon ? what are the arms, or what the limbs ? Arrows of infants have been made the strokes of them. 15. Ver. 8. And the tongues of them have been made weak upon them. Let them whet now their tongues like a sword, let them confirm to themselves malignant discourse. •or, Dosorvodly to themsclvos thoy have confirmed1 it, because onwd!8"1 *"" louy1"'* of them hare been made weak upon them. Could Ps. 27, this bo strong against God ? ' Iniquity? ho saith, ' halh lied (VuIh ) tn ''"'"(A'"' '/"'"' loi'giK'11 uttvo been, mado weak upon them. Behold, tho Lord hath risen, That was killed. They were passing by before tho Cross, or wore standing and were looking upon Ilim, as so long before a Psalm had foretold: Ps. 22, They have pierced My hands and My feet, they havo told all My bones, but themselves have beheld and havo looked upon Mat.27, Me. Then tho head they wagged, saying, If Son of God Ho is, let Ilim come down from the Cross. They mado trial in a manner whether Ho was Son of God ; and as it wcro they found out that IIo was not, because, on their reviling Him, from the Cross He came not down : if He had come down from the Cross, Son of God He would have been. What thinkest thou of Him Who from the cross came not down, and from the tomb rose again ? What therefore did they effect? But even if tho Lord hud not risen again, what would thoy have effected, except what tho persecutors of the Martyrs have also effected? For tho Martyrs have not yet risen again, and nevertheless they have effected nothing; of them not yet rising again we are now celebrating the nativities. Where is the madness of their raging ? Arrows of infants have the strokes of them been made, and the tongues of them have been made weak upon them. To what did they bring those their searchings, in which searchings they failed, so that even, when the Lord was dead and buried, they set guards at the Mat.27, tomb ? For they said to Pilate, That deceiver; (by this ' ' name the Lord Jesus Christ was called, for the comfort of His servants when they are called deceivers;) they say dierefore to Pilato, That deceiver said when yet living, After Weak and vain devices qf the Jews. 2J3 three days I will rise again : command therefore that the Vbr. > sepulchre be guarded even unto the third day, lest perchance 8- , there come His disciples, and steal Him, and say to the people, He halh risen from the dead, and the last error shall be worse than the former. Pilate sailh. to them, Ye have a guard, go ye, keep it as ye know how. But they departing made fast the sepulchre, scaling the stone, and selling the guards. They sot for guards soldiers at the sepulchre. At tho earth quaking, the Lord roso again : such miracles wcro dono about tho sepulchre, that oven tho very soldiers that had como for guards were mado witnesses, if thoy chose to tell the truth: but the same covetousness which had led captive a disciple, the companion of Christ, led captive also the soldier that was guard of the sepulchre. We give you, Mat.28, they say, money ; and say ye, while yourselves were sleeping ii' l3- there came His disciples, and took Him away. Truly they failed searching searchings. What is it that thou hast said, 0 unhappy guile ? Dost thou so far forsake the light of the counsel of godliness, and sinkost into the depths of craftiness, as to say this, Say ye that while yourselves were sleeping, there came His disciples and took Him away ? Sleoping witnesses yo adduco : truly thou thyself hast fallen asleep, that in searching such devices hast failed. If thoy wcro sleeping, what could they seo ? if nothing they saw, how aro they witnesses? But they failed in searching searchings : failed of tho light of God, failed in the very completion of their designs: when that which they willed, nowiso they were able to complete, surely they failed. Wherefore this ? Because there drew near a Man and a deep heart, and God was exalted. For this reason afterwards when the resurrection of Christ had been made known, and the Holy Spirit camo and filled with boldnoss Acts 2, certain disciples that feared, so that no longer fearing death, they dared to preach what they had seen, after God had been exalted in His Majesty, Who for our weakness' sako humblo was judged ; and when the heavenly trumpets began to sound forth Him to como as Judge, Whom at first thoy had scon judged, then were troubled all men that saw them. God being exalted, as I have said, Christ being preached, Jews were seen by certain Jews, were seen failing in their searchings. r2 244 Christians freed from fear of the enemy. Psalm p'or those men saw, in tho name of Him that had boon LXiV' crucified and killed by their hands, so great miracles per formed : they withdrew in heart from those that continued in ungodliness: the hard-heartedness of the others was displeasing to them, they sought counsel for their own salvation, and they said to the Apostles, ' What shall we do?' There were troubled, therefore, all men that saw them : that is, they that perceived how their tongues were made weak upon them, they that perceived how in all their evil searchings of designs every where they failed. Those men were troubled. 16. Ver. 9. And every man feared. They that feared not, were not even men. Every man feared ; that is, every ono using reason to perceive the things which were done. Whence they that feared not, must rather be called cattle, rather beasts savage and cruel. A lion ramping and roaring is that people as yet. But in truth every man feared: that is, they that would believe, that trembled at the judgment to come. And every man feared : and they declared the works of God. Ho v. l. that said, From fear of the enemy deliver my soul, was the every man lhat feared. From fear of the enemy he was being delivered, but to the fear of God was being mado subject. He did not fear those that kill the body, but Him That hath Mat.io, power to cast both body and soul into Hell. They preached 2*- the Lord: for at first Peter feared, and feared the enemy, not yet was his soul delivered from the enemy. Having been Mat.20 questioned by the maid because he had been among His (J9. 7o. (ijsciplcs, he denied tho Lord thrice. The Lord rose again, confirmed the Pillar: now Peter proachcth without fear and with fear; without fear of them that kill the body, with fear Mat.io, of Him that both body and soul hath power of killing in tho 28' Hell of fire. Every man feared ; and they declared the works of God. For those Apostles declaring the works of God the chief priests brought before them, and threatened them, say- Acts 4, ing, diat in the name of Jesus they should not preach. And 18- thoy said, " Tell us, whom it behovelh us rather to obey, God or men?" What would they say? men rather than God? Without doubt they would answer nothing but, God rather. But they knew what things God commanded, and they despised the threatening priests. Hccauso therefore every man feared, man terrified not : and they declared the works What God was doing made known in tho end, 215 of God. If man feareth, lot not man terrify : for a man ought v"n« to fear Him by Whom man wus mado. That which is above - mon fear thou, and men shall not terrify thee. Death everlast ing fear thou, and for that which is present thou wilt not care. That pleasure uncorrupt, und the rest without spot, desire thou : and one promising thoso gifts louiporul, and tho whole world, thou wilt dorido. Lovo therefore and fear : lovo that which God promised), four that which God threuteneth : thou wilt neither bo corrupted by that which man promisulh, nor wilt be. frightened by that which he threuteneth. And every man hath feared: and they have declared the works qf God, and His doings they have perceived. What is, His doings they have perceived? Was it, O Lord Jesu Christ, that Thou wast U.o3, 7. silent, and liko a sheep for a victim wast being led, and didst not open before tho shearer Thy mouth, and we thought il>. 4. Thoc to bo set in smiting and in grief, and knowing how to ih. a. bear weakness ? Was it that Thou wast hiding Thy beauty, O Thou beautiful in form before tho sons of men? Was it I'h.40,2. that Thou didst not scoin to havo beauty nor grace ? Thou is, 53, 2. didst bear on tho Cross mon reviling and saying, If ' Son tf'Mut.27, God He is, let Ilim come down from the Cross. What 4<)' servant of Thino and beloved of Thine, perchance knowing Thy power, cried not out and said, O lhat now lie would como down, and all these that revile would be confounded ! But it was not so: Ho must needs have died for tho sako of men to die, and must rise again for the sake of men alway to live. This thing they, lhat would have had Him como down from the Cross, perceived not: but when He rose again, and being glorified ascended into Heaven, they per ceived tho works of God. They declared the works of God, and His doings they perceived. 17. Ver. 10. The just man shall rejoice in the Lord. Now tho just man is not sad. For sad wore tho disciples at tho Lord's being crucified ; overcome with sadness, sorrow ing thoy departed, they thought thoy had lost hopo. Ho rose again, oven when appearing to them IIo found them Luke24, sad. Ho hold tho oyos of two men that walked in tho way, lfl- &0, so that by them ho was not known, and IIo found diom groaniug and sighing, and He hold them until IIo had ex pounded tho Scriptures, and by the same Scriptures had 246 Tlie Righteous find cause at last to rejoice. Psalm shewn that so it ought to have been done as it was done. f^J' For He shewed in the Scriptures, how after the third day it 46. ' behoved the Lord to rise again. And how on the third day would He have risen again, if from the Cross He had come down ? Now ye that are sad in the way, if at the Jews reviling ye had seen the Lord come down from the Cross, how much would ye have been elated ? Ye would have rejoiced that the mouths of tho Jews He had so stopped. Await tho design of the Physician : in that He descendeth, in that Ho willeth to be killed, He is compounding an antidote. Behold now Ho hath risen again, behold now He speaketh, not yet is He known, in order that the more joy- Luke24, fully He may be known. Afterwards Ho opened tho eyes of them in the breaking of bread: they know Ilim, rejoice, cry out, The just man shall rejoice in the Lord. It was told John20, ono that was more hard-hearted, The Lord hath been seen, the Lord hath risen again. As yet he is sad, he bclieveth not. Except I shall have put forth, he saith, my hand, and shall have touched the scars of the nails, I will not believe. There is presented even the Body to be touched, he thrusteth the hand, handleth, crieth out, " My Lord and my God." The just man shall rejoice in the Lord. Those just men therefore rejoiced in the Lord, that saw, touched, and believed: what of the just that now are? because they see not, because they touch not, rejoice they not in the Lord ? And where is that voice of the Lord to Thomas John20, himself, Because thou hast seen Me, thou hast believed: 29 blessed are they that have not seen, and have believed? Therefore let us all rejoice in the Lord, let us all after tho faith be One Just Man, and let us all in one Body hold One Head, and let us rejoice in the Lord, not in ourselves : because our Good is not ourselves to ourselves, but He that hath made us. Himself is our good to make us glad. And let no one rejoice in himself, no one rely on himself, no one despair of himself: let no one rely on any man, whom he ought to bring in to be the partner of his own hope, not the giver of the hope. 18. Ver. 10. The just man shall rejoice in the Lord, and shall hope in Him; and all men shall be praised that are right in heart. Now because the Lord hath risen again, God delays justice for their improvement. 247 now because He hath ascended into Heaven, now because vkr. He hath shewed that there is another life, now becauso it is 10- evident that His counsels, wherein He lay concealed in deep heart, were not empty, because to this end That Blood was shed to be the price of the redeemed ; now because all things are evident, becauso all things have been preached, because all things have been believed, under the wholo of Heaven, the just man shall rejoice in the Lord, and shall hope in Him ; and all men shall be praised that are right in heart. Who are the right in heart? Ah! my brethren, we are always saying', and good it is for you to know, who are the1 Oxf. right in heart? They that all those things whatsoever in ,Mhs"^e this life they suffer, do ascribe not to any ignorance, but to often the counsel of God for their healing; and rely not on theirsa' ' own justice, so as to think that they unjustly suffer what they suffer, or that God is unjust, because he that sinneth more suffereth no more. Sec, brethren, these things we often speak of. Something thou feclcst, either affecting tho body, or the expenditure of thy property, or it is somo be reavement of those most dear to thec: do not regard d)oso whom thou knowest to be more wicked than thyself, (for perchance thou darost not to call thyself righteous, but thou knowest men worse than thyself.) both how they prosper in those respects, and are not chastised, so that the counsel of God should be displeasing to thee, and thou shouldest say, Grant I am a sinner, and for that reason I am chastened, why is he not chastened, in whom very great outrages I know? Whatsoever of evil I have done, have I by any means done so much as he ? Perverted is thy heart. How Ps. 73, good is the God qf Israel, but lo men right in heart. But1, thy feet arc slipping, because thou art jealous of sinners, beholding the peace of sinners. Allow Him to heal : He knoweth what He doeth, that knoweth the wound. The other is not lanced. What if he is despaired of? what if thou art being lanced, because thou art not despaired of? Suffer therefore whatever thou suffercst, with right heart. God knoweth what to give to thee, what to withhold from thee. Let that which He giveth thee serve for comfort, not for corruption : and let what He withholdeth from thee serve for patience, not for blasphemy. But if thou blasphcmest, and 248 Our Lord's example of submissive will. Psalm God is displeasing to thee, and thou art pleasing to thyself, LXIV" of perverted and crooked heart thou art: and this is the worse, that iho heart of God thou wouldest correct by thy heart, to make Him do what.thou wilt have, whereas thou oughtcst to do what IIo willeth. What then ? Thou wouldest make crooked the heart of God which alway is right, according to the depravity of thy own heart ? How much better to correct thy heart by the rectitude of God ? Hath not thy Lord taught theo this, of Whose Passion but now we were speaking ? Mat.20, Was Ho not bearing thy weakness, when IIo said, Sad is My soul even unto death ? Was He not figuring thyself in Ilim- lb. 30. self, when He was saying, Fatherf if it be possible, let there pass from Me this cup? For the hearts of tho Father and of the Son were not two and different: but in the form of a servant lie carried thy heart, that He might teach it by His example. Now behold trouble found out as it were another heart of thine, which willed that there should pass away that which was impending : but God would not. God consented) not to thy heart, do thou consent to the heart of God. Hear tho voice of Himself: Yet not what I will, but what Thou wilt, Father. 19. Tltere shall be praised, therefore, all men riyht in heart. What followeth ? If there shall be praised all men right in heart, there shall be condomned the crooked in heart. Two things are set before thee now, choose while thero is timo. If of right heart thou shalt havo been, at the right hand thou wilt be, and thou wilt be praisod. In what Mat. 25, manner ? Come, ye blessed of My Father, receive the kingdom which for you hath been prepared from the beginning qf the world. But if of crooked heart thou shalt have been, if thou shalt have mocked God, if His Providence thou shalt havo derided, if thou shalt have said in thy mind, truly God careth not for things human: if He did care for things human, would that robber have so much, and I innocent be in want ? of crooked heart thou hast become, there will como that Judgment, thero will appear all tho reasons on account of which God doeth all thoso things: and thou, that wouldest not in this life correct thy heart by the rectitude of God, and prepare thyself for tho right hand, whore thero shall be praised all men right in heart, wilt be on tho left, where at that time God's tillage and rain should bring fruit. 249 thou shalt hoar, Go ye into fire everlasting, that halh been Vbr. prepared for the devil and his angels. And will there bo Mat gfi' then timo to correct the heart? Now therefore correct, 41. brethren, now correct. Who doth hinder? Psalm is chanted, Gospel is read, Reader crioth, Preacher crieth; long-suffering is tho Lord; thousinnest, and He spare th ; still thou sinnest, still He sparcth, and still thou addest sin to sin. How long is God long-suffering? Thou wilt find God just also. We terrify because we fear ; teach us not to fear, and we terrify no more. But better it is that God teach us to fear, than that any man teach us not to fear. For every man hath feared, v. 9. and they have declared the works qf God. May God count us among those that have feared and have declared. Because we fear, we declare to you, brethren. We see your eagerness to hear the word, and we see your wishes to demand it, we see your yearnings. The soil is well watered with rain, may it bear grain, not thorns: for grain the barn is prepared, firo for thorns. Dost thou know what to do with thy land, and doth not God know what to do with His servant? That which raincth upon a fruitful field is sweet, and that which raineth upon a thorny field is sweet. Doth it find fault with the rain, because it hath borne thorns ? Will not that rain be witness in tho Judgment of God, and say, sweet I have come upon all ? Do thou therefore take heed what thou bringest forth, that thou mayest attend to what is being prepared for thee. Thou bringest forth grain, barn expect thou; bringest forth thorns, fire expect thou. But not yet hath come either the time of the barn or the time of the fire : now let there be preparation, and there will not be fear. In the name of Christ both we who speak are living, and ye to whom we speak aro living : for amending our plan, and changing evil life into a good life, is there no place, is there no timo ? Can it not, if thou wilt, be done to-day? Can it not, if thou wilt, be now dono? What must thou buy in order to do it, what specifics" must thou seek? To what Indies must thou sail? What ship prepare? Lo, while I am speaking, change the heart; and there is done what so often and so long while is cried out for, that it be done, and which bringeth forth everlasting punishment if it be not done. » Symplasia,probablymeaDing'com- and some other Mss. ' Templa Asim,' pounds ;' older Ed, ' emplastra ;' Oxf. ' Temples of Asia.' TLV\T- PSALM LXV. LXIV. EXPOSITION. Sermon to the Commonalty. The voice of holy prophecy must be confessed in the very title of this Psalm. It is inscribed, Unto the end, a Psalm qf David, a song of Jeremiah and Ezekiel, on account of the people of transmigration when they were beginning to go forth. How it fared with our fathers in the time of the transmigration to Babylon, is not known to all, but only to thoso that diligently study the Holy Scriptures, either by 2 Kings hearing or by reading. For the captive people Israel from 24' )4- the city of Jerusalem was led into slavery unto Babylon. But Jerem. holy Jeremiah prophesied, that after seventy years the people 29*10 ' woum return out of captivity, and would rebuild the very city Jerusalem, which they had mourned as having been overthrown by enemie3. But at that timo there, were prophets in that captivity of the people dwelling in Babylon, among whom was also the prophet Ezekiel. But that people was waiting until there should bo fulfilled the space of seventy years, according to the prophecy of Jeremiah. It came to pass, when the seventy years had been completed, the temple was restored which had been thrown down: and there returned from captivity a great part of that people. But whereas the lCor.lo, Apostle saith, these things in figure happened unto them, but they have been written for our sakes, upon whom the end of the world halh come : wo also ought to know first our cap tivity, then our deliverance : we ought to know the Babylon wherein we are captives, and the Jerusalem for a return to which we aro sighing. For these two cities, according to the letter, in reality are two cities. And the former Jerusalem indeed by tho Jews is not now inhabited. For after the crucifixion of the Lord vengeance was taken upon them with a great scourge, and being rooted up from that placo where, with impious licentiousness being infuriated, they had madly raged against their Physician, they havo been dispersed throughout all nations, and that land hath boon given to The two Cities, Jerusalem and Babylon. 251 Christians: and there is fulfilled what the Lord had said toTiTLB. them, Tlierefore the kingdom shall be taken away from Mat.21, you, and it shall be given to a nation doing justice. But ' when they saw great multitudes then following tho Lord, preaching the kingdom of Heaven, and doing wonderful things, the rulers of that city said, If we shall have let Him JohnH, go, all men will go after Him, and there shall come the Romans, and shall take from us both place and nation. That they might not lose their place, the Lord they killed ; and they lost it, even because they killed. Therefore that city, being one earthly, of a certain city everlasting in the Heavens did bear tho figure : but when that which was signified began more evidently to be preached, tho shadow, whereby it was being signified, was thrown down : for this reason in that place now the temple is no more, which had been constructed for the image of the future Body of the Lord. We have the light, tho shadow hath passed away : nevertheless, still in a kind of captivity we are : So long as we are, he saith, in lhelCoT.6, body, we are sojourning afar from the Lord. 2. And see ye the names of those two cities, Babylon and Jerusalem. Babylon is interpreted confusion, Jerusalem vision of peace. Observe now the city of confusion, in order that ye may perceive the vision of peace; thatyo may endure that, sigh for this. Whereby can those two cities be distin guished ? Can we anywise now separate them from each other ? Thoy are mingled, and from the very beginning of mankind mingled thoy run on unto tho end of tho world. Jerusalem received beginning through Abel, Babylon through Cain : for the buildings of tho cities were afterwards erected. That Josh.18, Jerusalem in tho land of the Jebusites was builded: for at28' first it used to be called Jebus, from thence the nation of tho Jebusites was expelled, when the people of God was delivered from Egypt, and led into tho land of promise. But Babylon was builded in tho most interior regions of Persia, which for a long time raisod its head above the rest of nations. Those two cities then at particular times were builded, so that there might be shewn a figure of two cities begun of old, and to remain oven unto the end in this world, but at tho end to be sovorod. Whoroby then can we now show them, that are mingled ? At that time the Lord shall show, whon some Ho 252 Citizens of Jerusalem captives in Babylon. Psalm shall set on the right hand, others on the left. Jerusalem • on the right hand shall be, Babylon on the left. Jerusalem Mat.25, is to hear, Come, ye blessed of My Father, receive the kingdom which for you hath been prepared from the beginning of the Mat.25, world. Babylon is to hoar, Go ye into fire everlasting, lhat 41' hath been prepared for the devil and his angels. Never theless, we can bring forward something, as far as the Lord allowed), whereby may be distinguished tho godly believers oven at this time, citizens of Jerusalem, from the citizens of Babylon. Two loves make up these two cities : love of God maketh Jerusalem, love of' the world maketh Babylon. Therefore let each one question himself as to what he loveth : and he shall find of which he is a citizen : and if he shall have found himself to be a citizen of Babylon, let him root out cupidity, implant charity: but if he shall have found himself a citizen of Jerusalem, let him endure captivity, hope for liberty. For many citizens of holy mother Jerusalem were being held corrupted by tho lusts of Babylon, and by tho vory corruption of lusts were mado as it were citizens of that city, and many still are so, and many that are to bo after us on this earth will be so: but the Lord, tho Builder of Jerusalem, knoweth what citizens of His IIo huth predestinated, whom IIo seeth under the dominion of tho devil, and who must be redeemed with the blood of Christ : the Same knoweth them before they know themselves. Under this figure then is sung this Psalm. In the title of which are set even two Prophets, who at that time were in the captivity, Jeremiah and Ezechiel, and they were singing certain things when they were beginning lo go forth. He beginneth to go forth, that is beginning to love. For there go forth many men secretly, and tho feot of them going forth aro tho heart's affections: but they go forth from Babylon. What is, from Babylon? From confusion. How do men go forth from Babylon, that is, from confusion? They that at first wcro confounded together with like lusts, begin by charity to bo distinct: being now distinct, thoy aro not confounded. Even if yet in body they ave mingled, yet by holy longing they are severed; and because of the corporal mingling not yet they have gone forth, because of the affection of the heart they have begun to go forth. Now therefore let us Songs of God's praise belong to Sion. 253 hear of, brethren, hear of, and sing of, and long for, that city Vbb. whereof wo arc citizens. And what are tho joys which aro '¦ — sung of to us ? In what manner in ourselves is formed again tho lovo of our city, which by long sojourning we had for gotten ? But our Father hath sent from dienco letters to us, God hath supplied to us tho Scriptures, by which letters there should bo wrought in us a longing for return : becauso by loving our sojourning, lo enemies wo had turned our faco, and our back to our father-land. What then is hero sung ? 3. Vor. 1 . For Thee a hymn is meet, O God, in Sion. That fatherland is Sion : Jerusalem is tho very sarno as Sion ; and of this nanio tho interpretation yo ought to know. As Jeru salem is interpreted vision of peace, so Sion ' Beholding1,' that' Spoou- is, vision and contemplation. Somo great incxplicablo sight " to us is promised : and this is God Himself thut hath builded tho city. Beauteous and graceful tho city, how much more beauteous a Builder it halh 1 For Thee a hymn is meet, 0 God, ho saith. But where ? In Sion : in Babylon it is not meet. For whon a man hcginnclh to bo renewed, already with heart in Jerusalem ho singeth, with the Aposdo saying, Our cow- Philip. versa! ion is in the Heavens. For in the flesh though walking,'^ Co't ho saith, not after the flesh we war. Already in longing wo 10,8. aro thero, already hopo into that land, as it wore an anchor, wo have sent before, lest in this sou being tos'sod wo suffer shipwreck. In liko manner therefore as of it ship which is at anchor, we rightly say that already sho is como to land, for still she rollelh, but to land in u manner sbo hath boon brought safe in tho teeth of winds and in tho tooth of storms; so against the temptations of this sojourning, our hopo being grounded in that city Jerusalem cuusoth us not to bo carried away upon rocks. Ho therefore that according lo Ibis hopo singeth, in that city singeth : let him therefore say, For Thee a hymn is meet, O God, in Sion. In Sion, not in Babylon. But now there thou art yet in Babylon. Thero I am, saith that lover and that citizen : there I am ; but in flesh, not in heart. But whereas of two things I havo spoken, namely, that I um there in flesh not in heart, with tho latter I sing, not with the former: for not in flesh I sing, but in heart. The flesh indeed sounding even tho citizens of Babylon hear, 254 The risen saints pay their vows in Jerusalem, Psalm but the heart's sound heareth the Builder of Jerusalem. Lxv' Whence saith tho Apostle, exhorting thoso same citizens to certain loving songs, and longings to return to that most fair Ephos. city, tho vision of peace, Singing, ho saith, and chanting b' i0' Psalms in your hearts to the Lord. What is, singing in your hearts ? Sing not from thence where yo are, namely, in Babylon: but from thence sing, where above ye dwell. Therefore, For Thee a hymn is meet, O God, in Sion. In Sion for Thee a hymn is meet, not in Babylon. Thoy that sing in Babylon aro citizens of Babylon ; oven the hymn of God Eoolus. unmeetly they sing. Hear the voice of Scripture. ' Praise is ' ' not seemly in the mouth of a sinner.' For Thee a hymn is meet, O God, in Sion. 4. And lo Thee shall there be paid a vow in Jerusalem. Here we vow, and a good thing it is that there wo should pay. But who aro thoy that hero do vow and pay not ? Mat.24, They that persevere not even unto the end in that which they p3" 76 have vowed. Whence saith another Psalm, Vow ye, and pay il- ye unto the Lord your God, : and, to Thee shall it be paid in Jerusalem. For there shall we be whole, that is, entire in the resurrection of just men : there shall be paid our whole vow, not soul alone, but the very flesh also, no longer corruptible, because no longer in Babylon, but now a body heavenly and changed. What sort of change is promised ? 1 Cor. For we all shall rise again, saith tho Apostle, but we &0' ' shall not1 all be changed. But who shall be, himself hath | "not" said: In the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump; for ing in there shall sound the trumpet, and the dead shall rise our text again incorrupt, (that is, entire,) and we shall be changed. But of what sort will be that change he continueth and saith : for it must needs be that this corruptible put on incorruption, and that this mortal put on immortality : but when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying which hath been written, Death halh been swallowed up in victory. Where is, O death, thy sting ? For now while there begin in us the first-fruits of the mind, from whence is the longing for Jerusalem, many things of corruptible flesh do contend against us, which will not contend, when death shall have The whole man a sacrifice when sin no more strives. 255 been swallowed up in victory. Peace shall conquer, and war shall be ended. But when peace shall conquer, that city shall conquer which is called the vision of peace. On the part of death thorefore shall bo no contention. Now with how great a death do wo contend ! For thonce aro carnal pleasures, which to us even unlawfully do suggest many things: to which wo givo no consent, but nevertheless in giving no consent wo contend. At first therefore tho lust of tho flesh hath led us following it, afterwards struggling against it hath dragged us ; then after grace received it hath begun neither to lead nor to drag, but still to contend with us : after contention will be also victory. Now although it cometh against thee, let it not overcome theo : hereafter, when death shall have been swallowed up in victory, even from fighting it will desist. What hath been said? The last enemy shall be l Cor. destroyed, even death. " I will pay my vow." What vow ? ' 2 V As it wore a holocaust. For a holocaust is then spoken of when fire consumeth the whole : a holocaust is a sacrifice where the whole is consumed : for oXov is translated whole, xaucny burning. Holocaust is a whole burned. Let there seize us then a fire, a fire divine in Jerusalem : let us begin to burn with love, until the whole mortal thing be consumed, and let that which may have been * against us, go for a sacri- ' Oxf. fice unto the Lord. Whence elsewhere is said, Deal kindly, < ^ , O Lord, in Thy good will with Sion, that builded may be Pa- 6i» the walls of Jerusalem : then Thou shalt accept the sacrifice qf righteousness, oblations, and holocausts. For Thee a hymn is meet, O God, in Sion, and to Thee shall be paid a vow in Jerusalem. We ask here, whether perchance mention is made to us of the King of that same city ; of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ; let us sing then until we arrive at more manifest tokens. For I could now say, that it is He to whom is said, For Thee a hymn is meet, O God, in Sion; and to Thee shall be rendered a vow in Jerusalem. But if I were to say it, I rather than the Scripture should bo believed, and thus perchance I should not be believed. Let us hear the following words. 5. Ver. 2. Hearken, he saith, to my prayer, unto Thee Joha\7, every flesh shall come. And we have the Lord saying, that ' there was given to Him power over every flesh. That King 250 Flesh of every kind brought into the Church, Psalm therefore bogan ovon now to appear, when thoro was being -lX— Lsaid, Unto Thee every flesh shall come. To Thee, ho saith, every Jlesh shall come. Wherefore to Ilim shall every flesh como ? Because flesh He hath taken to Him. Whither shall there come every flesh ? He took the first-fruits thereof out of the womb of the Virgin ; and now that the first-fruits have been taken to Him, the rest shall follow, in order that the holocaust may be completed. Whence then every flesh ? Every man. And whence every man ? Have all been foretold, as going to believe in Christ ? Have not many ungodly men been foretold, that shall bo condemned also ? Do not daily many men not believing die in their own unbelief? After what manner therefore do we understand, Unto Thee every flesh shall come? By every flesh he hath signified Jlesh of every kind: out of every kind of flesh ihcy shall conic to Thco. What is, out of every kind of flesh? Have there como poor men, and have thoro not come rich men? Have thero como humble men, and not come lofty men? Have there come unlearned men, and not come learned men? Havo there come men, and not come women? Have there come masters, and not come servants? Have there come old mem and not come young men ; or have there come young men, and not come youths ; or have there come youths, and not come boys ; or have there come boys, and have there not been brought infants ? In a word, have there come Jews", Acts 2, (for thence were the Apostles, thence many thousands of men at first betraying, afterwards believing,) and have there not come Greeks ; or have there come Greeks, and not come Romans ; or have there come Romans, and not come Bar barians? And who could number all nations coining to Ilim, to Whom hath been said, Unto Thee eveiy flesh shall come? Hearken unto my prayer, unto Thee every flesh shall come. 6. Ver. 3. The discourses of unjust men have prevailed over us, and our iniquities Thou shalt propitiate1'. What is, l/te discourses of unjust men have prevailed over us, and our iniquities Thou shall propitiate ? For as much as we were bom on this earth, we found those unjust men, whom we havo heard speaking. If I be able to explain what I mean, let ' Oxf. Mss. ' have there not come '• pmpiliabcris. One Ms. here, and J ov, 8, (for &c.) or have thero come Jews many below, ' pronitiabis ' anil not come Greeks &c.' Converts before misled by ungodly tongues. 257 the attention of your Love aid me. Every man, in what- Ver. soever place he is born, of that same land or region or city — - — learneth the language, is habituated to. the maimers and life of that place. What should a boy do, born among Heathens, to avoid worshipping a stone, in as much as his parents have suggested that worship ? from them the first words he hath heard, that error with his milk he hath sucked in; and because they that used to speak were elders, and the boy that was learning to speak was an infant, what could the little one do but follow the authority of elders, and deem that to be good, which they recommended? Therefore nations that are con verted to Christ afterwards, and taking to heart the impieties of their parents, and saying now what the prophet Jeremias himself said, Truly a lie our fathers have worshipped, vanity Jer- 16. which hath not profiled them — when, I say, now they say this, they renounce the opinions and blasphemies of their unjust parents. But because, in being imbued with such-like opinions and blasphemies, they acted upon the persuasions of those men, who in proportion as in age they had precedence, so were thought to have precedence due to them in authority; now he desiring to return to Jerusalem from Babylon, con- fesseth and saith, The discourses of unjust men have prevailed against us. There have led us away men teaching evil things, citizens of Babylon they have made us, we have left the Creator, have adored the creature : have left Him by whom we were made, have adored that which we ourselves have made. For the discourses of unjust men have prevailed over us : but nevertheless they have not crushed us. Wherefore ? ' Our impieties Thou shalt propitiate' Let your Love observe. Our impieties Thou shalt propitiate, is not said except to some priest offering somewhat, Whereby impiety may be expiated and propitiated. For impiety is then said to be propitiated, when God is made propitious to the impiety. What is it for God to be made propitious to impiety? It is, His becoming for giving, and giving pardon. But in order that God's pardon may be obtained, propitiation is made through some sacrifice. There hath come forth therefore, sent from God the Lord,' One our Priest; He took upon Him from us that which He might offer to the Lord; we are speaking of those same first-fruits of the flesh from the womb of the Virgin. This holocaust He offered vol. in. s 258 The vail removed on acknowledging Christ. Pnai.m to God. Ho stretched out His hands on the Cross, in order .1'2iV- that 1 lo might say, Let My prayer bo directed as incense in 2."* H1' Thy siyht, and tho lifting up of My hands an evening Mnt,27, sacrifice. As yo know, tho Lord about eventide hung on 40, the Cross: and our impieties were propitiated; otherwise they had swullowod us up: tho discourses of unjust men had prevailed over us; thoro had led us astray preachers of Jupiter, and of Saturn, and of Mercury : the discourses of ungodly men had prevailed over us. But what wilt Thou do ? Heb. 9, Our impieties Thou wilt propitiate. Thou art the priest, 7- Thou the victim; Thou die offerer, Thou tho offering. Heb. o, Himself is tho Priest, that now having entered into tho 1U'~0' places within the vail, alone there of those that have borne flesh, maketh intercession for us. For a figure of which thing, in that first people, and in that first temple, one priest used to enter into the Holy of Holier, all the people without used to stand : and he that alone entered into the parts within die vail, offered sacrifice for the people standing without. If it bo understood rightly, the Spirit maketh alive : if it bo not understood, the letter killed). But now when 2Cor.3, the Apostle was being read ye heard, The letter killelh, but the Spirit maketh alive. For what was being enacted in that people, the Jews knew not; nay, not even now do they 2 Cor. know. For of them hath been said, So long as Moses is ' ' being read, a vail is upon their heart. There the vail is a figure : but there shall bo taken away the figure, and there shall appear truth in themselves. But when shall the vail be 2 Cor. taken away? Hear tho Apostio: When thou shall have ' ' passed over to the Lord, the vail shall be removed. Where fore so long as thoy puss not over to tho Lord, so long as thoy read Moses, a vail they havo upon die heart. For this sacrament shone at that timo the face of Moses, so as that the sons of Israel could not look stcdfuslly upon tho face of hiin : (yc heard it but now when it was being read :) and a vail there was between tho face of Moses speaking, and tho people hearing the words. Through a vail they heard words, face they saw not. And what saith the Apostle ? i Cor. So that the sons of Israel could not look sledfaslly upon the "' face of Moses. They looked not stedfastly, be saith, even unto the end. What is, even unto the end ? Even until they The 'end' of all prophetic figures is in Him. 259 perceived Christ. For,saith the Apostle, For the end of the law Vbr. is Christ for righteousness unto every man believing. There Rom-i0 is indeed splendour in the face of Moses, but only as in a*. face carnal and mortal: could that be long-lasting or ever lasting? For death supervening, straightway it will be taken away. But the splendour of the glory of our blessed Lord Jesus Christ is everlasting. But that was a figure temporal, but this, which by that figure was being signified, is truth. They read therefore and perceive not Christ, they bring not down their stedfast looking even unto die end, because a vail set in the way withholdeth from them the sight of the interior splendour. And see there under the vail Christ: Our Lord Jesus Christ Himself saith, Lf ye believed Moses, John e, ye would believe also in die, for of Me he wrote. But our ' sins and impieties being propitiated through that evening sacrifice, we pass over to the Lord, and the vail is taken away : for which reason also when the Lord had been crucified, the vail of the temple was rent. Hearken to my Mat, 2?, prayer, unto Thee every flesh shall come. The discourses61, qf ungodly men have prevailed over us, and lo our impieties Thou shalt be propitious. 7. Ver. 4. Blessed is he whom Tliou hast chosen, and hast taken lo Thee. Who is he that is chosen by Him and taken to Him ? Was any one chosen1 by our Saviour Jesu Christ, iOxf. or was Himself after the flesh, because He is man, chosen ^^I1' 'taken and taken to Him? Thus it might be spoken as it were to and the Word of God, that was in the beginning, as saith the0 08Cn' Evangelist, In the beginning was the Word, and the Word jolm i, was with God, and the Word was God: because also the " same Son of God is the Word of God, of Whom also he saith, All things through Him were made, and without Him there ib. 3. Was not made any thing : wherefore there is said to that Son of God, because He is Himself our Priest, afterward when He had taken to Him flesh, Blessed is he whom Thou hast chosen, and hast taken to Thee: that is that Man wherewith Thou hast been invested, who had his beginning in time, being born of a woman, for a sort of temple of Him Who is alway for ever lasting, and for everlasting halh been. Or hath not rather Christ Himself taken to Him some blessed one, and the same whom He hath taken to Him is not spoken of in the «2 200 The Church one blessed Man, taken to Christ. Psalm plural number but in tho singular ? For ono man Ho hath — '¦ — - taken to Him, because unity Ho hath taken to Ilim. Schisms He hath not taken to Him, heresies He hath not taken to Him : a multitude they have mado of themselves, there is not one to be taken to Him. But they that abide in the bond of Christ and are the members of Him, make in a manner Ephes. one man, of whom saith the Apostle, Until we all arrive at ' ""' the acknowledging qf the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the age qf thej'ulness of Christ. There fore one man is taken to Him, to which the Head is Christ ; l Cor. because the Head of the man is Christ. The same is that 113. Ps! l, l. blessed man that hath not departed in the counsel of ungodly men, and the liko things which there arc spoken of: the same is He that is taken to Him. He is not without us, in His own members wo are, under one Head wo arc governed, by one Spirit we all live, one father-land we all long for. Let us see therefore what is spoken to Christ, whether to us it belong, and whether of ourselves it be said : let us question our consciences, that love let us search out diligently, and if as yet little is lhat love, and but lately born, (for perchance in some one lately it hath sprung up,) let him diligently root up the thorns springing beside it, that is, worldly cares, lest in growing they choke the holy seed. Blessed is He whom Thou hast chosen and taken to Thee. In Him let us be, and be taken to Him ; in Him let us bo, and chosen we shall be. 8. And to us He will give what ? He shall inhabit, he saith, in Thy courts. Jerusalem, that is, to which they sing that begin to go forth from Babylon : He shall inhabit in Thy courts: we shall be filled with the good things of Thy House. What are the good things- of the House of God? Brethren, let us set before ourselves some rich house, with what numerous good things it is crowded, how abundantly it is furnished, how many vessels there are there of gold and also of silver ;. how great an establishment of servants, how many horses and animals, in a word, how much the house itself delights us with pictures, marble, ceilings, pillars, re cesses, chambers:— all such things are indeed objects of desire, but still they are of the confusion of Babylon. Cut off all such longings, O citizen of Jerusalem, cut them off; if thou The beauty of God's House is that of Righteousness . 201 wilt return, let not captivity delight thee. But hast thou Veb. already begun to go forth ? Do not look back, do not loiter — -'— on the road. Still there are not wanting foes to recommend thee captivity and sojourning: no longer let there prevail against theo the discourses of ungodly men. For the House of God long thou, and for the good things of that Houso long thou: but do not long for such things as thou art wont to long for oilhor in thy house, or in iho house of thy neighbour, or in tho houso of thy patron. Other is tho good thing of that Houso. What need is thero that wo declare what are the good things of that House ? Lot that same man point them out, that singeth going out of Babylon. Wo shall be filled, ho saith, with the good things of Thy House. What aro those good things ? We had lifted up perchance tho heart to gold, to silver, and other precious things: do not seek such things, they weigh down, they lift not up. Hero therefore now upon those good things of Jerusalem, upon those good things of the House of the Lord, upon those good things of tho temple of the Lord, let us meditate : because tho House of tho Lord, is tho very same as tho Temple of the Lord. We shall bo filled with the good things of Thy House : Thy holy Temple is (ver. 6.) marvellous in righteous ness. Theso arc tho good things of that House. IIo hath not said, Thy holy Temple is marvellous in pillars, marvel lous in marbles, marvellous in gilded ceilings; but is marvellous in righteousness. Without thou hast eyes where with thou mayest seo marbles, and gold : within is an oyo wherewith may bo soon tho beauty of righteousness. If there is no beauty in righteousness, why is a righteous old man loved ? What bringeth ho in body that may pleaso tho eyes? Crooked limbs, brow wrinkled, head blanched with grey hairs, dotage every whero full of plaints. But perchance because thine eyes this decrepit old man pleascth not, thine ears he pleascth : with what words ? with what song ? Even if perchance when a young man he sang well, all with age hath been lost. Doth perchance the sound of his words please thine ears, that can hardly articulate wholo words for loss of tooth? Nevertheless, if righteous ho is, if another man's goods ho covctoth not, if of his own that ho possessed] ho distributed! to tho needy, if ho giveth good advice, and 26'2 He that would enjoy Righteousness, must desire it. Psalm soundly judgeth, if he believeth the entire faith, if for his i~- — -belief in the faith he is ready to expend even those very shattered limbs, for many Martyrs are even old men ; why do we love him ? What good thing in him do we see with the eyes of the flesh ? Not any. There is therefore a kind of beauty in righteousness, which we see with the eye of the heart, and we love, and we kindle with affection : how much men found to love in those same Martyrs, though beasts tare their limbs ! Is it possible but that when blood was staining all parts, when with the teeth of monsters their bowels gushed out, the eyes had nothing but objects to shudder at? What was there to be loved, except that in that hideous spectacle of mangled limbs, entire was the beauty of righteousness? Theso aro the good thingsof the House of God, with theso prepare thyself to bo satisfied. But in order that with them thou mayest bo satisfied, when thou shalt havo arrived there, for this it behovoth theo to hunger and thirst while thou art sojourning; for this thirst thou, for this hunger thou; because those same will be the good things of God. Hear thou thut king to whom these things are said, Who hath come that He may bring thco back, and for thy John 14, sake halh made Himself the Way. He saith what ? "Blessed Matt.6,"'^ which hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they $• shall be filled." Thy holy Temple is marvellous in righteous ness. And that same temple, brethren, do not imagine to be ought but yourselves. Love ye righteousness, and ye are tho Temple of God. 9. Ver. 5. Hearken to us, O God, our Saviour. lie hath disclosed now Whom he namcth as God. The Saviour specially is the Lord Jesus Christ. It hath appeared now ,2. more openly of Whom ho had said, " Unto Thee every flesh shall come." Hearken to us, O God, our Saviour. That One Man that is taken unto Him into the Temple of God, is both many and is One. In the person of One he hath v. 2. said, Hearken, 0 God, to my hunger: and becauso the same One of many is composed, now he saith, Hearken to vs, O God, our Saviour. Hear Ilim now more openly preached : Hearken to us, O God, our Saviour, the Hope of fill the. ends of the earth and in the sea afar. Behold wherefore huth been said, Unln Thee every flesh shall come Christ our Hope, while in this world's sea, 203 From every quarter they como. Hopo qf all the ends of the Vm. earth, not hopo of ono corner, not hopo of Judtoa alone, — '¦ — not hope of Africa alone, not hope of Pannonia, not hope of East or of West : but Hope of all the ends of .the earth, and in the sea afar: of tho very ends of the earth. And in the sea ajar: and becauso in tho sea, therefore afar. For tho sea by a figure is spoken of this world, with saltncss bitter, with storms troubled ; where men of perverse and depraved appetites havo become liko fishes devouring one another. Observe the evil sea, bitter sea, with waves violent, observe with what sort of men it is filled. Who desircth an inherit ance except through tho death of another ? Who desircth gain except by tho loss of another ? By the fall of others how many men wish to be exalted ? How many, in order that thoy may buy, desire for other men to sell their goods ? How they mutually oppress, and how thoy that aro able do devour ! And when one fish hath devoured, the greater the less, itself also is devoured by soino greater. 0 evil fish, prey thou wilt havo of a littlo fish, prey thou wilt bo mado to a great fish. Daily those things happen, before our faces they are ; we sec them, let us shudder at them. Lot us not do theso things, brethren, because tho hopo IIo is of tho ends of tho earth. If IIo wore not the hopo, and in the sea afar, Ho would not havo said to His disciples, / will make Mnit. 4, you fishers of men. Now in the sea being taken by the nets of tho Faith, we rejoice that wo there aro swimming yet within the nets ; because this sea yet is raging with storms, but tho nets, which have taken us, will be drawn out to shore. The shore is tho end of the sea. Thcreforo tho landing will bo at tho end of the world. Meanwhile within those same nets, brethren, let us live righteously: let us not by break ing the nets go forth without. For many have broken tho Tho nets, and have made schisms, and have gone forth without. n°™' Because evil fishes that were taken within the nets they said they would not endure ; they themselves havo become more evil than they whom they said1 they could not endure. Foriul.o™. thoso nets did take fishes boih good and evil. The Lord'c"'"'rf saith, The kingdom of Heaven is like to a sein cast into iheWlnt.n, sea, which gat hereth of every kind, which, when it had bcen*7~40' filled, drawing out, and sitting on the shore, they gathered the 204 ' Mountains' in the Church have their strength of God. Psalm good into vessels, but the evil they cast out: so it shall be, i^^- Ho saith, in the consummation ff the world. Ho sheweth what is tho shore, Ho shewed) what is tho end of tho sea. The angels shall go forth, and shall sever the evil from the midst of the just, and shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Ha ! ye citizens of Jerusalem that are within the nets, and are good fishes; endure the evil, the nets break ye not: together with them ye are in a sea, not together with them will ye be in the vessels. For Hope He is qf the ends qf the earth, Himself is Hope also in the sea afar. Afar, because also in the sea. 10. Ver. 0. Preparing mountains in His strength. Not in their strength. For He hath prepared great preachers, and those same He hath called mountains ; humble in themselves, exalted in Him. Preparing mountains in His strength. 2Cor. l. What saith one of those same mountains? We ourselves in 9- our own selves have had the answer of death, in order that in ourselves we should not trust, but in God that raiseth the dead. He that in himself doth trust, and in Christ trusted) not, is not of those mountains which He hath prepared in His strength. Preparing mountains in His strength: girded about in power. Poiver, I understand : girded about, is what ? They that put Christ in the midst, girded about they niako Ilim, that is on all sides begirt. Wo all have Him in common, therefore in tho midst Ho is: all wo gird Ilim about that bclievo in Ilim : and becauso our faith is not of our strength, but of His power; therefore girded about Ho is in His power; not in our own strength. 11. Ver. 7. That troubles t the bottom of the sea. He hath done this: it is seen what He hath done. For He hath prepared mountains in His slrenglh, hath sent them to preach: girded ubout He is by believers in power: and moved is die sea, moved is the world, and it beginnoth to persecute His saints. Girded about in power : that troublest the bottom of the sea. He hath not said, that troublest the sea ; but the bottom qf the sea. The bottom of the sea is the heart of ungodly men. For just as from the bottom more thoroughly all things are stirred, and the bottom holdeth firm all things: so whatsoever hath gone forth by tongue, by The world troubled will fear at God's Work. 205 hands, by divers powers for the persecution of the Church, Vkb. from the bottom hath gone forth. For if there were not the root of iniquity in the heart, all those things would not have gone forth against Christ. The bottom He troubled, per chance in order that the bottom He might also empty: for in the case of certain evil men He emptied the sea from the bottom, and made the sea a desert place. Another Psalm Ps.66,6. saith this, That turnelh sea into dry land. All ungodly and heathen men that have believed were sea, have been made land ; with salt waves at first barren, afterwards with the fruit of righteousness productive. That troublest the bottom of the sea : the sound of its waves who shall endure? Who shall endure, is what? What man shall endure the sound of the waves of the sea, the behests of the high powers of the world ? But whence are they endured ? Because He prepareth mountains in His strength. In that therefore which he hath said who shall endure ? he saith thus ; We ourselves of our own selves should not be able to endure those persecutions, unless He gave strength. That troublest the bottom of the sea : the sound of its waves who shall endure ? 12. Ver. 8. The nations shall be troubled. At first they shall be troubled: but those mountains prepared in the strength of Christ, are they troubled ? Troubled is the sea, against the mountains it dasheth: the sea breaketh, un shaken the mountains have remained. The nations shall be troubled, and all men shall fear. Behold now all men fear : they that before have been troubled do now all fear. The Christians feared not, and now the Christians are feared. All that did persecute do now fear. For He hath overcome That is girded about. with power, to Ilim hath come every flesh in such sort, that the rest by their very minority do now fear. And all men shall fear, that inhabit the ends of the earth, because qf Thy signs. For miracles the Apostles wrought, and thence all tho ends of the earth have feared and have believed. 13. Outgoings in morning and in evening Thou shalt delight: that is, Thou makest delightful. Already in this life what is there being promised to us? Outgoings thou shall delight in morning and in evening. There are outgoings in 200 God gives ' outgoings' from snares of gain or terror. Psalm morning, there are outgoings in the evening. By the morning -he signifieth the prosperity of the world, by the evening he signified] the trouble of the world. Let your Love give heed, (for in both a human soul is tried, both in prosperity lest it be corrupted, and in adversity lest it be crushed) — The morning signifieth prosperity, because the morning is glad, the sadness, as it were, of the night being overpast. But sad is the darkness, when the evening cometh on : therefore when tho evening, as it were, of the world came, He offered an evening sacrifice. Let ouch ono therefore not fear the evening; neither in tho morning let him be corrupted. Behold, soino ono or other, in order that thou mayost do soino evil thing, hath promised gain; it is morning: there smiled) upon theo a large sum of money, morning to thee it becometh. Do not bo bribed, and thou wilt havo an outgoing in tho morning. For if thou hast an outgoing, thou wilt not bo caught. For the promise of gain is like a bait in a trap; thou art scpieezed close, and there is no way of going out, thou art caught in the trap. But the Lord thy God hath given to thee an out going, lest with gain thou bo caught, when He saith to thee in heart, I am thy riches. Do not give heed to what the world promised], but to what tho Maker of the world promiseth. Thou niindest what God hath promised to thco doing righte ousness, thou dospisest what man promiseth theo to draw theo away from righteousness. Heed not then what tho world promises, but what the Maker of tho world, mid thou wilt liuvo an outgoing in the morning through the Lord's word saying, Mat.io, What doth it profit a man, if the whole world, he gain, but to his soul suffer loss. But he that could not with promised gain corrupt and allure thee to iniquity, will menace penalties, and will resort to hostility, and will begin to say to thee, If thou wilt not do this thing, I will shew thee, I will be doing, thou shalt have me for an enemy. At first when he was promising gain, it was morning to thee : but now evening draweth on, sad thou hast become. But He that halh given thee an outgoing in the morning, will give one also in the evening, hi the same manner as thou hast contemned tho morning of the world by the light of tho Lord, so contemn tho evening also by the sufferings of the Lord, in saying to thy soul, What more will this man do to mo, than my Lord hath suffered The earth watered and enriched through God's People. 207 for me? May I1 hold fast justice, not consent lo iniquity. yfn, Let him vent his rage on the flesh, the trap will be broken, 9~u» and 1 will fly to my Lord, That saith to me, Do not fear Ms*' them that kill the body, but the soul are not able to kill. »»' are the lands to harvest. Thero hath been therefore a first Domi- harvest, thero will be a second in the last age. The first Pj^ harvest was of Jews, becauso there were sent to them Prophets Lord ( proclaiming a coining Saviour. Therefore the Lord said to j'0i,n',| His disciples, See how white are the lands to harvest : the36- lands, to wit, of Judaua. Other men, He saith, have laboured, g°hn 4> and into their labours ye have entered. The Prophets laboured to sow, and ye with the sickle have entered into their labours. There hath been finished therefore the first harvest, and thence, with that very wheat, which then was purged, hath been sown the round world; so that there ariseth another harvest, which at the end is to be reaped. In the 270 Joy of the leaders of Christ's Hock in its abundance. Psalm second harvest have been sown tares, now here there is labour. Just as in that first harvest the Prophets laboured until the Lord came : so in that second harvest the Apostles laboured, and all preachers of the truth labour, even until at the end the Lord send unto the harvest His Angels. Aforetime, I say, a 'desert there Was, but the ends of the desert shall grow fal. Behold whero tho Prophets had given no sound, tho Lord of tho Prophets hath been received, The ends of the desert shall grow fat, and with exultation the hills shall be encircled. 18. Ver. 13. Clothed have been the rams of the sheep: ' with exultation' must be understood. For with what exult ation tho bills aro encircled, with the same are clothed the rams of the sheep. Rams are the very same as hills. For hills they are because of more eminent grace ; rains, becauso they are leaders of the flocks. Therefore those rams, tho Apostles, were clothed with exultation, they rejoice over their fruits, not without cause they have laboured, not without cause they have preached. Clothed have been the rams of the sheep : and the valleys shall abound in it heat. And the humble peoples shall bring forth much fruit. They shall shout: thence they shall abound with wheat, because they shall shout. What shall they shout? For a hymn they shall say. For one thing it is to shout against God, another thing to say a hymn ; one thing to shout iniquities, another thing to shout tho praises of God. If thou shout in blasphemy, thorns thou hast brought forth : if thou shoutest in a hymn, thou aboundest in wheat. t«t. PSALM LXVI. LXV. EXPOSITION. Sermon to the Commonalty, This Psalm hath on the title the inscription, For the end, a song of a Psalm of Resurrection. When yc hear for the end, whenever the Psalms are repeated, understand it for Rom.io, Christ: the Apostle saying, For the end of the law is Christ, The Jews had carnal hopes of the Resurrection. 27 1 for righteousness to every one believing. In what manner therefore hero Resurrection is sting, yo will hear, and whoso Resurrection it is, as far as Himself deigueth lo give and disclose. For tho Resurrection wo Christians know already huth como to pass in our Head, and in tho members it is to bo. Tho Head of tho Church is Christ, Iho members oI'CoIom. Christ are tho Church. That which hath preceded in tho''18' Head, will follow in tho Body. This is our hopo; for this wo believe, for this wo endure and persevere amid sp great pcrversencss of this world, hope comforting us, bcforel that hopo boconicth reality. For reality it will bo when both wo shall have risen again, and being changed into a heavenly form, shall havo been made equal to tho Angels. What Mat.22, man for ibis would dare to hope, unless Truth had protnised f'^^io it? But this hopo promised to themselves tho Jews lind,uu. and of their good and as it were just works thoy gloried much, because they hud received the Law, by living accord ing to which both hero thoy would havo carnal good things, and in the Resurrection of tho deud, they hoped for such things as hero (hey delighted in. For this cause to tho Sadducees, who denied a future Resurrection, the Jews were not able to make answer when they propounded a question which tho same Sadducees propounded to the Lord. For hence we perceive that they could not solve this question, because on the Lord's solving it they wondered. The Mat.22, Sadducees, I say, wcro propounding a question respecting a' certain woman, who had seven husbands, not at tho sumo lime, but succeeding ono another. For there was this provision of tho Law for multiplying tho people, that if a m-nt. man perchanco died without children, his brother (if brother M,a' ho hud) should tako his wife lo raise up sued unto his brother. When that- woman then was brought forward, who had hud seven husbands who hud all died without children, and who to fulfil this duty had married their brother's wife, thoy asked a question and said, In the Resurrection, of which of them. Mat.22, shall she be the wife? Without doubt tho Jews would not28, have been hard bested, would not have failed in that question, unless in the Resurrection for themselves they had hoped for such things as they Were in the habit of doing in this life. But the Lord promising equality with Angels, not any 272 Prophecy of joy in the Resurrection for ' all lands.' Psalm human corruption of the flesh, saith to thein, Ye err, know- M tm'% not the Scriptures, neither the power of God ; for in the 29. ' Resurrection, neither shall the women marry, nor shall the Lul«>20, mc/t iaj.e irives: for neither shall they begin to die, but shall be equal with the Angels of God. He hath proved lhat succession is necessary in a place where decease is mourned : there becauso there shall be no deceased, neither should successors be looked for. For unto this He hath subjoined For they shall not begin to die. Nevertheless, because tho Jews, though it be carnally, did hold the hope of future resurrection, they were glad that answer had been made to the Sadducees, with whom they had a dispute about this doubtful and obscure question. The Jews therefore did hold the hope of the resurrection of the dead: and they hoped that themselves alone would rise again to a blessed life because of the work of the Law, and because of the justifications of the Scriptures, which the Jews alone hud, and the Gentiles Rom.ll,had not. Crucified was Christ, blindness in part happened unto Israel, in order that the fulness of the Genliles might enter in : as the Apostle saith. The resurrection of the dead beginneth to be promised to the Gentiles also that believe in Jesus Christ, that He hath risen again. Thence this Psalm is against the presumption and pride of the Jews, for tho comfort of the Gentiles that aro to be called to the same hope of resurrection. 'or'soul' 2. In a manner, my brethren, the mind' of the Psalm ye have heard. Upon this which I have said, upon this which I have set before you, let your whole attention be fixed ; from hence let not any thought divert you : against the presumption of the Jews it is spoken, who because of tho justifications of the Law were hoping to themselves resur rection, and crucified Christ, Who was the First to rise again, Who will not have for His members to rise again the Jews alone, but all men that have believed in Him, that is, all nations. Thence he beginneth, (ver. 1.) Be joyful in God, Who? Every land. Not therefore Judaea alone. See, brethren, after what sort is set forth the universality of the Church in the whole world spread abroad : and mourn ye not only the Jews, who envied the Gentiles that grace, but still more for heretics wail ye. For if they are to be mourned, that Song of praise joined with music of good works, 273 have not boon gathered together, how much more they that Veii. being gathered together have boon divided ? Jubilate in God — '— every land. What is jubilate? Into the voice of rejoicings break forth if yc cannot into that of words. For 'jubilation' is not of words, but the sound alone of men rejoicing is uttered, as of a heart labouring and bringing forth into voice the pleasure of a thing imagined which cannot be expressed. Be joyful in God every land: let no one jubi late in apart: let every land be joyful, let the Catholic Church jubilate. The Catholic Church embraceth the whole: whosoever holdeth a part and from the whole is cut off, should howl, not jubilate. Be joyful in God every land. 3. Ver. 2. But play ye to His name. What hath he said ? By you playing let His name be blessed. But what it is to play, I told you yesterday, and I suppose Your Love to remember it. To play is also to take up an instrument which is called a psaltery, and by the striking and action of tho hands to accompany voices. If therefore yo jubilate so that God may hear ; play also something that men may both seo and hear : but not to your own name. For take heed that ye Matt 6, do not your righteousness before men that ye may be seen oj them. And for whose name, thou wilt say, shall I play, so that my works may not1 be seen of men 1 Attend to another passage, Let your works shine before men, that they way Matt 6, see your good deeds, and glorify your Father which is in Heaven. Let them see your good deeds, and glorify not you, but God. For if for the sake of yourselves being glorified ' ye do good works, we make the same reply as He made to certain of such men, Verily I say unto you, they have re- Matt, 6, ceived their reward : and again, Otherwise no reward ye W//ib'# i# have with your Father That is in Heaven. Thou wilt say, ought I, then, to hide my works, that I do them not before men ? No. But whatsaith He ? Let your works shine before men. In doubt then I shall remain. On one side Thou sayest to me, Take heed that ye do not your righteousness before men: on the other side Thou sayest to me, Let your good works shine before men ; what shall I keep ? what do ? what leave undone ? A man can as well serve two masters commanding different things as one commanding different things. I command not, 1 Most Mss. omit 'not,' making the reference two lines farther back. VOL. III. T 274 All praise is to be for God, not for men. Psalm saith the Lord, different things. Tho end observe, for the end — — : sing : with what end thou doest it, see thou. If for this reason thou doest it, that thou mayest be glorified, I have forbidden it : but if for this reason, that God may be glorified, I have commanded it. Play therefore, not to your own name, but to the name of the Lord your God. Play ye, let Him be lauded: live ye well, let Him bo glorified. For whence have yo that same living well ? If for everlasting ye had had it, ye would never have lived ill; if from yourselves ye had had it, ye never would havo done otherwise than have lived well. But play ye to His name. 4. Give glory lo His praise. Our whole attention upon the praise of God he directed], nothing for us he lcavelh whence we should be praised. Let us glory thence the more, and rejoice: to Him let us cleave, in Hiin let us be 1 Cor. l, praised. Ye heard when the Apostle was being iead, See ye 26. &c. y0ur calling, brethren, how not many wise after the flesh, not many miyhty, not many noble, but the foolish things qf the world God hath chosen to confound the wise; and the weak things of the world God hath chosen to confound the strong; and the mean things of the world God halh chosen, and those things which are not as though they were things that are, that those things which are might be made void. What hath he willed to say? What hath he willed to shew ? There hath come down the Lord, our God Jesus Christ, to restore' the human race, and to give His Grace to all men perceiving that it is His Grace, not their merits: and that no person whatever should glory in the flesh, the weak He chose. For thence was not chosen even that Nathanael. Matt. 9, For why dost thou suppose that He chose Matthew the publican, sitting at the receipt of custom, and chose not Nathanael, to whom the same Lord had borne witness, John l, saying, Behold a true Israelite, in whom guile is not? This Nathanael, I say, is found to havo been learned in the law. Not that learned men lie was not going to choose : but if the same at first He hud chosen, on account of their learning they would have thought themselves to have been chosen ; so those men's knowledge would have been praised, and the praise of the Grace of Christ would have been lessened. He • Oxf. Mss. and some others add, ' in the Spirit.' Christ chose the weak first, lest man should glory. 275 bare witness to one being a good trustworthy man, in whom Vkb. guile was not: but, nevertheless, him He took not umong — — those disciples, for whom at first He chose but ignorant men. And whence perceive we that he was skilled in the Law ? When he heard from one of those that had followed the Lord, saying, We have found the Messiah, which is interpreted Christ: he enquired whence, and it was told him, from Nazareth: then he, From Nazareth there may oeJohn l, some good thing. Without doubt he, that perceived that from Nazareth there might be some good thing, was skilled in the Law, and had well examined the Prophets. I know that there is in these words another way of reading, but by the wiser sort it is not approved, namely, that he seemed as it were to have despaired, when he heard and said, From Nazareth can there be any good thing? That is, can there any wise be? So uttering it as if he were in despair. But there followeth in that place, Come and see. These words, to wit, Come and see, may follow after either way of reading. If thou sayest, as if not believing, From Nazareth can there be any good thing? The answer is, Come and see lhat which thou believest not. Again, if thou sayest in confirmation, From Nazareth there may be some good thing ; the answer is, Come and see how truly good is that which I tell thee of from Nazareth ; and how rightly thou believest, come and experience. From hence nevertheless this man is supposed to have been learned in the Law, because, to wit, he was not chosen among the disciples by Him, Who chose the foolish l Cor. i, things of this world first, though the Lord had borne sq great ' testimony to him, saying, Behold an Israelite indeed, in John l, whom guile is not. But the Lord chose afterwards orators also ; but they would have been proud, if He had not first chosen fishermen ; He chose rich men; but they would have said that on account of their riches they had been chosen, unless at first He had chosen poor men: He chose Emperors afterwards; but better is it, that when an Emperor hath come to Rome, he should lay aside his crown, and weep at the monument of a fisherman, than that a fisherman should weep at the monument of an Emperor. For the weak things J ^°r# qf the world God hath chosen to confound the strong; and ' the mean things of the world God hath chosen, and those t 2 270 The glory of all good working due to God. Psalm things which are no. as though things that are, that those LXV1, things which are might be made void. And what followeth ? The Apostle hath concluded, That there might not glory before God any flesh. See ye how from us He hath taken away, that He might give glory: huth taken away ours, that He might give His own ; hath taken away empty, that He might give full ; hath taken away insecure, that He might give solid. How much more strong and firm is our glory, becauso in God it is ? Thou oughtest not therefore in thyself to glory; Truth hath forbidden it ; but that which tho Apostio saith, Truth hath commanded, ' He that glorieth, in God let him glory.' Give therefore glory lo His praise. Do not imitate the Jews, who as if to their merits desired to ascribo their justifications; and envied the Gentiles drawing near to Evangelical Grace, in order that all sins might be forgiven them ; as if the former had not any thing to be forgiven them; already, as if they were good workmen, were expecting their hire. And though yet they were sick, they thought them selves to be whole, and on that account more dangerously wore thoy sick. For if they had but been more slightly sick, they would not, as if they were phrcnsied, havo slain the Physician. Give ye glory to His praise. 5. Ver. 3. Say ye to God, How to be feared are Thy works! Wherefore to be feared and not to be loved ? Hear Ps.2,il.thou another voice of a Psalm: Serve ye lite Lord in fear, and exult unto Him with trembling. What meaneth this? Philip. Hear the voice of the Aposlle: With fear, he saith, and ' ' trembling, your own salvation work ye out. Wherefore with fear and trembling ? He hath subjoined the reason : Philip. flor God it is that worketh in you both lo will and lo work according to good will. If therefore God worketh in thee, by tho Graeo of God thou workest well, not by thy strength. Therefore if thou rejoicost, fear also : lest perchance thut which wus given lo a humble man bo tuken away from a proud ono. For thut yc nniy know this thing to havo como lo pass because of that very pride of the Jews, who justified themselves as though by tho works of the Law, and therefore Ps.20,7. fell ; another Psalm saith, These in chariots and those in horses, as though it were in certain steps and instruments of theirs for their raising up : but we, he saith, in the name of the They must own their blindness, who would have sight. 277 Lord our God will be magnified. These in chariots and Veb. these in horses: but we in the name qf the Lord our God — : — will be magnified. See how the former were exalted in themselves: see how the latter were glorying in God. Wherefore what followed: Their feet have been bound fastPa.20,8. and they have fallen : but we have risen and are erect. Hear our Lord Himself saying this same thing: /, He saith, John 9, have come, that they which see not may see: and they that see may be made blind. See on one side goodness, on the other ill intent as it were. But what is better than He? What more merciful? What more just? Why then, they that see not may see? Because of goodness. Why, and they that see may be made blind? Because of arrogance. And did they really see, and were they made blind? They saw not, but they thought they saw. For behold, see brethren, when tho Jews thomsolvos said, Aro wo blind, tho Lord saith to thoin, ff blind yo were, sin yo would not havo: but now John o, because yo say, . we see, your sin in you abideth. To the41. Physician thou hast come ; that thou seest sayest thou ? Then no more of eye-salves, alway blind thou wilt remain : confess thyself blind, that thou mayest deserve to be en- , lightened. Observe the Jews, observe the Gentiles. They that see not, may see, He saith : to this end I have come, lhat they which see may be made blind. Our Lord Jesus Christ Himself in the Flesh the Jews saw, the Gentiles saw not: behold they lhat saw, crucified; they that saw not believed. Therefore what hast Thou done, O Christ, against proud men ? What hast Thou done ? Wo sec, becauso Thou hast so deigned, and Thy members wo aro: we see. Thou hast hidden God, hast put forth Man. Wherefore this? That blindness in part to Israel might happen, and lheR°™. fulness of the Gentiles might enter in. To this end Thou ' hast hidden God, and Man before their faces Thou hast put. They saw, and saw not : they saw what Thou hadst taken, and they saw not what Thou wast : they saw the form of a Philip. servant, they saw not the form of God: the form of a servant, ' ' than which the Father is greater, not the form of God, be- JohnU, canse of which but now ye have heard, / and the Father are jo'i,ni0 One. They held what they saw, they crucified what they^o. saw; they insulted Him whom they saw, they acknowledged 278 Catholics not to be proud against Jews or Heretics. Psalm not Him that was concealed. Hear the Apostle saying, For LXVI- if they had known, the Lord of glory they would never have 8. °r' 'crucified. Therefore ye Gentiles that have been called, Rom-7 observe tho branches cut off becauso of severity, but your selves graffed in because of goodness, and made partakers of the fatness of the olive, not being high-minded, that is, not Eom. being proud. For thou bearest not the root, he saith, but n' 18' the root thee. Rather be afraid, because ye see the natural branches lopped off. For through the Patriarchs the Jews came, from the flesh of Abraham they were born. And what Rom.il, saith the Apostle? But thou sayest, broken were the branches, 19—21. tjal p migjti be graffed in. Well, because of unbelief they were broken off: but thou, he sailh, by faith slandest, be not highminded, but fear : for if the natural branches God hath not spared, neither thee will He spare. Observe therefore tho branches broken, and thyself graffed in : bo not exalted above tho broken branches, but rather say thou to God, How to be feared are Thy works! Brethren, if against the Jews of old, cut off from the root of the Patriarchs, we ought not to exalt ourselves, but rather to fear and to say to God, How to be feared are Thy works: how much less ought we not to exalt ourselves against the fresh wounds of the cutting off! Before there had been cut off Jews, graffed in Gentiles; from the very graft there have been cut off heretics; but neither against them ought we to exalt ourselves ; lest per chance he deserve to be cut off, that delighteth to revile them that are cut off. My brethren, a bishop's voice, however unworthy, hath sounded to youb: we pray you to beware, whosoever ye are in the Church, do not revile them that are not within ; but pray ye rather, that they too may be within. R.0™3 For God is able again to graft them in. Of the very Jews the Apostle said this, and it was done in their case. The Lord rose again, and many believed: they perceived not when they crucified, nevertheless afterwards they believed in Him, and there was forgiven them so great a transgression. The shedding of the Lord's blood was forgiven the man- 1 Cor. slayers, not to say, God-slayers : for if they had known, the Lord of glory they never would have crucified. Now to the manslayers bath been forgiven the shedding of the blood of h Some Oxf. Mss, ' My brethren, however their voice soundeth toward you.'' Our Lord's singular miracle, His rising lo live for ever. 270 Him innocent : and that same blood which through madness Ver. they shed, though grace they have drunk. Say ye, therefore, — - — to God, How to be feared are Thy works! Whence to bo foared ? Because blindness in part to Israel hath happened,Rom.\\, that the fulness qf the Genliles might enter in. O fulness2 ' of Gentiles, say thou to God, How to be feared are Thy works/ and so rejoice thou as that thou mayest fear, be not exalted above the branches cut off. Say ye unto God, How to be feared are Thy works. Q. Ver. % In the multitude qf Thy power Thine enemies shall lie to Thee. For this purpose he saith, lo Tliee thine enemies shall lie, in order that great may be Thy power. What is this ? With more attention hearken. The power of our Lord Jesus Christ most chiefly appeared in the Resurrec tion, from whenco this Psalm hath received its title. And rising again, lie appeared to His disciples. Ho appeared not Aotsio, to His enemies, but to His disciples. Crucified He appeared to all men, rising again to believers : so that afterwards also he that would might believe, and to hiin that should believe, resurrection might be promised. Many holy men wrought many miracles ; no one of them when dead did riso again : becauso oven thoy that by thorn wore raised to life, were raised to lifo to dio. Let your Lovo attend. Tho Lord making mention of His works said, Tho works believe ye, //"Jnlmio, Me ye ivill not believe. And there aro mentioned also tho past works of the Prophets ; and if thoy bo not tho same, yet many aro the same, many of tho same power. Tho Lord Mat.l4, walked upon tho sea, IIo bade Peter also walk. Was the samo j.;,^. ' Lord not in that placo when tho soa divided herself, that u»21, Mosos with tho pcoplo of Israel might puss over ? Tho samo Lord was doing thoso things. IIo that did thorn through His flesh, tho Samo did them through the flesh of His servants. Nevertheless, this thing through His servants IIo did not, (for Himself did all things,) that any one of themselves should have died and risen again unto life everlasting. Becauso therefore tho Jews might say, when the Lord did miracles, Moses hath dono thoso things, Elias halh dono, Eliscus hath dono thorn: thoy might for thomselvos say thoso words, becauso those mon also did raiso to lifo doad mon, and did many miracles: therefore whon from Him a sign wan do- 280 Christ's power in rising shewn through the ' lie* of enemies. Psalm manded, of the peculiar sign making mention which in Him- „ : self alone was to be, He saith, This generation crooked and Mat, 12, ,.• . . 11 7 89.40. provoking1 seeketh a sign, and a sign shall not be given to 1""""?~ it, except the sign of Jonas the Prophet : for as Jonas was Most in the belly of the whale three days and three nights, so shall ull'n be also the Son of Man in the heart of the earth three days aml , and three niahts. In what way was Jonas in tho belly of aunt- teroua" the whale ? Was it not so that afterwards alivo ho was vomited out? Hell was to the Lord what the whale was to Jonas. This sign peculiar to Himself He mentioned, this is the most mighty sign. It is more mighty to live again after having been dead, than not to have been dead. The greatness of the power of the Lord as He was made Man, in the virtue of the Resurrection doth appear. This tho Apostle Phil. 3, also noticeth, when he saith, Not having mine own righ- teousness which is of the Law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, which is of God righteousness in faith, to know Him and the virtue of His Resurrection. Thus it is 2 Cor. noticed also in another place : although He was crucified 13' 4- through weakness, yet He liveth in the virtue of God. Whereas therefore this great power of the Lord is in the Resurrection perceived, whence this Psalm hath received its title, what meaneth, in the multitude of Thy power Thine enemies shall lie unto Thee, but that thou understand it thus, Thine enemies shall lie to Thee in order that Thou mayest be crucified, Thou shalt be crucified in order that Thou mayest rise again ? The lie therefore of them shall redound to the praise of Thy great power. Wherefore are enemies wont to lie ? To lessen the power of some person, about whom they lie. To Thee, he saith, contrariwise it chanceth. For less would Thy power have appeared, if they had not lied to Thee. 7. Observe also the very lie of the false witnesses in the Gospel, and see how it is about Resurrection. For when to John 2, the Lord had been said, What sign shewest Thou to us, that Thou doest these things? besides that which He had spoken Mat.i2, about Jonah, through another similitude of this same thing also He spake, that ye might know this peculiar sign had John 2, been especially pointed out: Destroy this Temple, He saith, JU" 20' and in three days I will raise it up. And they said, In forty Their false witness marked the sign qf the Resurrection. 281 and six years was builded this temple, and wilt Thou in Vbii. three days raise it up ? And the Evangelist explaining what. ' it was, But this, he saith, spake Jesus of the Temple qf His John 2, Body. Behold this His power He said He would shew to ' mon in the samo thing as that from whence He had given tho similitude of a Temple, because of His flesh, which was tho Temple of tho Divinity hidden within. Whence the Jews outwardly saw tho Temple, tho Deity dwelling within they saw not. Out of thoso words of tho Lord falso witnesses made up alio to say against Ilim, out of thoso very words wherein lie mentioned His future Resurrection, in speukingoflbo Temple. For fulso witnesses, whon thoy were asked whut they had hoard Ilim say, alleged against Ilim : We hoard Him saying, /Mat.2fl, will destroy this Temple, and of tor three days I will raiso it mj,^. up. ' After three days I will raiso up,' they had heard: I\4,w. will destroy, thoy had not hoard : but had hourd 'destroy yc.' John 2, One word thoy changed and a few letters, in order to support their false testimony. But for whom changest thou a word, O human vanity, O human weakness? For tho Word, tho Unchangeable, dost thou change a word ? Thou changest thy word, dost thou change God's Word? Whence in another placo is said, And iniquity hath lied to themselves. pg, 27, Why therefore to Thco havo Thino enemies lied, to Whom 12, every land shouted) for joy ? In the multitude of Thy power Thine enemies shall lie to Thee. They will say, / will destroy, though Thou hast said, Destroy ye. Wherefore said they that Thou hadst said, I will destroy ; and said not that which Thousai&chifdeslroy ye? It was,as it wcro,in order that they might defend themselves from the charge of destroying the Temple without cause. For Christ, because He willed it, died: and nevertheless ye killed Him. Behold we grant you, O ye liars, Himself destroyed the Temple. For it hath been said by the Apostle, That loved me, and gave up Himself for Gal. 2, me. It hath been said of the Father, That His own Son Ro'm, 8f spared not, but gave Him up for us all. If therefore the32- Father gave up the Son, and the Son gave up His own Self, Judas did what ? The Father in giving up the Son to death for us did well : Christ in delivering up Himself for us did well : Judas in giving up his Master for his covetousness, Mat.26, did evil. For that which hath been given to us by tho 282 The lie of the guard also manifested Christ's Power. Psalm Passion of Christ, shall not be ascribed to the malice of LXVI- Judas: he shall have the reward of malice, Christ the praise of bounty. By all means be it that Himself destroyed the Templo, Himself destroyed that said, Power I have to lay lor life down My Soul', and power I have again to take it : no one is. uJ°' taketh it from Me, but I Myself lay it down from Me, and again I take it. Be it that Himself hath destroyed the Temple in His Grace, in your malice. In the multitude of Thy power thine enemies shall lie to Tliee. Behold they lie, behold they are believed, behold Thou art oppressed, behold Thou art crucified, behold Thou art insulted, behold head Mat.27, is wagged at Thee, If Son of God He is, let Him come down from the Cross. Behold when Thou wilt, life Thou layest John 19, down, and with lance in tho side art pierced, and Sacraments from Thy side flow forth; Thou art taken down from the Tree, wound in linens, laid in tho sepulchre, thero are sot guards lest Thy disciples tako Thco away ; there cometh the hour of Thy Resurrection, earth is shaken, tombs are cloven, Thou riscst again in secret, appearcst openly. Where then aro those liars ? Whero is tho false testimony of evil will? Have not Thino enemies in the multitudo of Thy power lied to Thee ? 8. Give them also those guards at the Tomb, let them Mat.28, recount what they have seen, let them take money and lie too: let them too speak, crooked men by crooked men ad monished, let there speak by Jews corrupted, they that in Christ would not be uncorruptcd ; let them speak, let them too lie. What will they say ? Let us see, speak yo : ye also will lie in tho multitudo of tho power of the Lord. What Mat,28, will yo say? While we wcro sleeping, thero came His dis ciples, and took Him away from tho Tomb. O folly, usloop indeed I Either thou wast awako, and shouldest have pre vented it: or thou wust asleep, and what was dono thou knowest not. Thoy too were addod to tho lio of the enemies : increased was tho number of liars, that increased might be tho reward of believers : becauso in the multitude of Thy power Thine enemies shall lie to Thee. Therefore they lied, in the multitude of Thy power they lied : to confound liars Thou hast appeared to men of truth, and Thou hast appeared to those men of truth whom Thou hast made men of truth. All nations invited to view God's Work. 283 9. Let Jews remain in their lies: to Thee, because in Ve». the multitude of Thy power they lied, let there be dono — that which followeth, (ver. 3.) Let every land worship Thee, and play to Thee, play to Thy name, O Most Highest. A little before, Most Lowly, now Most Highest: Most Lowly in the hands of lying enemies ; Most Highest above the head of praising Angels. Let every land worship Thee, and play to Tliee, play to Thy name, O Most Highest. 10. Come ye, and see the works of the Lord. O ye Gentiles O most distant nations, leave lying Jews, come confessing. Come ye, and see the works of the Lord: terrible in counsels above the sons qf men. Son of Man indeed He too hath been called, and verily Son of Man He became : very Son of God in the form of God ; very Son of Man in form of a Philip. servant: but do not judge of that form by the condition of ' others alike : terrible He is in counsels above the sons qf men. Sons of men took counsel to crucify Christ, being crucified He blinded the crucifiers. What then have ye done, sons of men, by taking keen counsels against your Lord, in whom was hidden Majesty, and to sight shewn weakness ? Ye were taking counsels to destroy, He to blind and save; to blind proud men, to save humble men : but to blind those same proud men, to the end that, being blinded they might be humbled, being humbled might confess, having confessed might be enlightened. Terrible in counsels above the sons of men. Terrible indeed. Behold blindness in Rom. part to Israel bath happened : behold the Jews, out of whom ' 8 ' was born Christ, are without: behold the Gentiles, that were against Judaea, in Christ are within. Terrible in counsels above the sons of men. 11. Wherefore what hath He done by the terror of His counsel ? He hath turned the sea into dry land. For this followeth, (ver. 5.) That halh turned the sea into dry land. A sea was the world, bitter with saltness, troubled with tempest, raging with waves of persecutions, sea it was : truly into dry land the sea hath been turned, now there thirsteth for sweet water the world that with salt water was filled. Who hath done this ? He that hath turned the sea into dry land. Now the soul of all the Gentiles saith what? ' My Ft. us, soul is as it were land without water to Thee.' That hath 6- 284 Our Joy in God when mortality is passed by. P«ai,m turned the sea into dry land. In the river they shall pass h^lhorer on fool. Thoso sumo persons that havo been turned into dry land, though they wore before soa, in the river on foot shall pass over. What is tho river ? Tho river is all tho mortality of tho world. Observe a river: some things como and pass by, olhor things that aro to pass by do succeed. Is it not thus with tho water of a river, that from earth springeth and floweth ? Every ono that is born must needs give place to one going to be born : and all this order of things rolling along is a kind of river. Into this river let not the soul greedily throw herself, let her not throw herself, but let her stand still. And how shall she pass over the pleasures of things doomed to perish ? Let her believe in Christ, and she will pass over on foot : she passcth over with Him for Leader, on foot she passcth over. What is, to pass over on foot? To pass over easily. She requireth no horse to pass over, she is not lifted up with prido to pass over the river: humble she passeth over, and the more safely she passcth over. In the river they shall pass over on foot. 12. There we will be joyous in Ilim. O yo Jews, of your own works boast yo : lay asido tho pride of boasting of your selves, take up the Grace of being joyous in Christ. For therein wo will be joyous, but not in ourselves : there we will be joyous in Him. When shall we joy? When we shall have passed over the river on foot. Life everlasting is promised, resurrection is promised, there our flesh no longer shall be a river: for a river it is now, while it is mortality. Observe whether there standcth still any age. Boys desire to grow up; and thoy know not how by succeeding years tho span of their lifo is lessened. For years aro not added to but tuken from them as thoy grow: just as the water of a river alway drawcth near, but from the source it withdrawcth. And boys desire to grow up that they may escape the thraldom of elders; behold they grow up, it cometh to pass quickly, they arrive at youth : let them that have emerged from boyhood retain, if they are able, their youth: that too passeth away. Old age succeedetlr: let even old age be everlasting; with death it is removed. Therefore a river there isd of « Oxf. Mss. add, ' Let euen old age * Oxf. Mss. ' is the mortality.' succeed for everlasting, let,' &o. Christ has passed through mortality to cure our fall. 285 flesh that is born. This river of mortality, so that it doth Veh. not by reason of concupiscence of things mortal undermine — - — and carry him away, he easily passeth over, that humbly, that is on foot, passeth over, He being leader That first halh passed over, That of the flood in the way even unto death P"- HO, hath drunk, and therefore hath lifted up the head. Passing over therefore on foot that river, that is, easily passing over that mortality that glideth along, there we will be joyous in Him. But now in what save in Him, or in the hope of Him ? For even if we arc joyous now, in hope we are joyous ; but then in Him we shall be joyous. And now in Him, but through hope : but then face 10 face. ' Cor. 13. There we will be joyous in Him. In whom ? In Him ' (ver. 7.) That reigneth in His virtue for everlasting. For what virtue havo we? and is it everlasting? If everlasting were our virtue, we should not have slipped, should not have fallen into sin, we should not have deserved penal mortality. He, of His good pleasure, took up that whereunto our desert Gen. 3, threw us down. That reigneth in His virtue for everlasting. ' °" Of Him partakers let us be made, in Whose virtue we shall be strong, but He in His own. We enlightened, He a light enlightening: we, being turned away from Him, are in dark ness ; turned away from Himself He cannot be. With the heat of Him we are warmed ; from whence withdrawing we had grown cold, to the Same drawing near again we are warmed. Therefore let us speak to Him that He may keep us in His virtue, because in Him we will be joyous That reigneth in His virtue for everlasting. 14. But this thing is not granted to believing Jews alone. Because the Jews did greatly lift themselves up relying on their own virtue, afterwards they understood in Whose virtue they were strong to their health, and certain of them believed : but that is not enough for Christ; much is lhat which He halh given, a great price He hath given, not for Jews aloue was that to avail which He hath given. The eyes of Him do look upon the Gentiles. Therefore, " The eyes of Him upon the Gentiles look. And what do we ?" The Jews will murmur; the Jews will say, " what He hath given to us, the same to them also ; to us Gospel, to them Gospel ; to us the Grace of Resurrection, and to them the Grace of Resur- 280 The Jews' disappointed murmuring silenced. Psalm rection ; doth it profit us nothing that we have received the LXV*- Law and that in the justifications of the Law we have lived, and have kept the commandments of the fathers ? Nothing will it avail ? The same to them as to us." Let them not strive, let them not dispute. Let not them lhat are bitter be exalted in their own selves. O flesh miserable and wasting, art thou not sinful ? Why crieth out thy tongue ? Let the Rom. s, conscience be listened to. For all men have sinned, and need 23' the glory of God. Know thyself, human weakness. Thou ltom. 5, didst receive the Law, in order that a transgressor also of 20 the Law thou mightest be : for thou hast not kept and fulfilled that which thou didst receive. There hath come to thee becauso of the Law, not the justification which the Law enjoinoth, but tho transgression which thou hast done. If therefore thero hath abounded sin, why envicst thou Grace more abounding. Be not bitter, for let not them that are bitter be exalted in their own selves. He seemcth in a manner to have uttered a curse in Let not them that are bitter be exalted; yea, be they exalted, but not in themselves. Let Mat. 23, them be humbled in themselves, exalted in Christ. For, "he 12. that humbleth himself shall be exalted ; and he that exalteth himself shall be humbled." Let not them that are bitter be exalted in their own selves. 15. Ver. 8. Bless our God, ye nations. Behold, there have been driven back they that are bitter, reckoning hath been made with them : some have been converted, some have continued proud. Let not them terrify you that grudge the Gentiles Gospel Grace : now hath come the Seed of Abraham, Gen. 12, in Whom are blessed all nations. Bless ye Him. in Whom ye are blessed, Bless our God, ye nations : and hear ye the voice of His praise. Praise not yourselves, but praise Him. What is the voice of His praise ? That by His Grace we are whatever of good we are. (Ver. 9.) Who hath set my Soul unto life. Behold the voice of His praise : Who hath set my Soul unto life. Therefore in death she was: in death she was, in thyself. Thence it is that ye ought not to have been exalted in yourselves. Therefore in death she was in thyself: where John 14, will it be in life, save in Him that said, / am the Way, the Truth, and the Life ? Just as to certain believers the Apostle Ephes.6, saith, Ye were sometime darkness, but now light in the Lord. We suffer much, but nothing that need move us. 287 Darkness therefore in yourselves, light in the Lord : so death in Veb. yourselves, life in the Lord. Who halh set my Soul unto life. 10,11, Behold, IIo hath set our Soul in life, because we believe in Him ; unto lifo He hath set our Soul : but what further need is thoro, save that wo persovcro oven unto the end ? And this who shall givo, savo Ho of whom in continuation hath boon said, and hath not given unto motion my feet ? Ho huth set my Soul unto life, He guideth tho feet that thoy stumble not, be not moved and given unto motion ; He maketh us to live, lie makelh us to persevere even unto the end, in order that for everlasting wo may live. And halh not given unto motion my feet. 16. Wherefore hath He said this, And hath not given unto motion my feet ? For what hast thou suffered, or what couldest thou suffer, that thy feet should be moved ? What ? Hear the words which follow. Wherefore have I said, hath not given unto motion mg feel? Because many things we have suffered, on account of which our feet would have been moved from the way, unless Ho had guided, and not given them unto motion. What are these things? (ver. 1 0.) For thou hast proved us, 0 God; Thou hast fired us as silver is fired. Hast not fired us like hay, but liko silver : by applying to us fire, Thou hast not turned us into ashes, but Thou hast washed off uncloanncss, Thou hast fired us, as silver is fired. And see in what manner God is wroth against thorn, whoso Soul Ho hath set unto life. Thou hast led us into a trap : not that we might be caught and die, but that we might be tried and delivered from it. Thou hast laid tribulations upon our back. For having been to ill purpose lifted up, proud we were : having been to ill purpose lifted up, we were bowed down, in order that being bowed down, we should be lifted up for good. Thou hast laid tribulations on our back: (ver. 1 1.) Thou hast set men over our heads. All these things the Church hath suffered in sundry and divers persecutions: She hath suffered this in Her individual members, even now doth suffer it. For there is not one, that in this life could say that ho was exempt from these trials. Therefore there aro set oven men over our heads : we endure those whom we would not, we suffer for our bolters thoso whom wo know to be worse. But if sins be wanting, a man is justly superior: 288 Fire of trouble hardens against water of ease, Psalm but by how much there are more' sins, by so much he is LXVI' inferior. And it is a good thing to consider ourselves to be sinners, and thus endure men set over our heads : in order that we also to God may confess that deservedly we suffer. For why dost thou suffer with indignation that which He doeth Who is just? Thou hast laid tribulations upon our back: Thou hast set men over our heads. God seemeth to be wroth, when He doeth these things : fear not, for a Father He is, He is never so wroth as to destroy. When ill thou livest, if He spareth, He is more angry. In a word, these tribulations are the rods of Him correcting, lest there be a sentence from Him punishing. Thou hast laid tribulations upon our back : Thou hast set men over our heads. 17. We have passed through fire and water. Fire and water are both dangerous in this life. Certainly water seemeth to extinguish fire, and fire seemeth lo dry up water. Thus also these are the trials, wherein aboundeth this life. Fire burnetii, water corrupted] : both must be feared, both the burning of tribulation and the water of corruption. When ever there is adversity, and any thing which is called un- happiness in this world, there is as it were fire: whenever there is prosperity, and the world's plenty floweth about one, there is as it were water. See that fire burn thee not, nor water corrupt. Be thou strong against the fire, thou must needs be baken ; as though thou wert a clay vessel, thou art cast into the furnace of fire, in order that the thing which hath been formed may be made strong. The vessel then now by fire being made strong feareth not the water : but if the vessel shall not have been hardened by fire, like mud in water it will be dissolved. Hasten not to the water: through fire pass over to the water, that thou mayest pass over the > Sacra- water also. Therefore also in the mystic rites ', and in ™Exor- catechising and in exorcising2, there is first used fire. For cism be- whence ofttimes do the unclean spirits cry out, 'I burn,' if Baptism that is not fire? But after the fire of Exorcism we come to Baptism : so that from fire to water, from water unto refresh ment. But as in tho Sacraments, so it is in the temptations of this world : the straitness of fear draweth near first, in place of fire ; afterwards fear being removed, we ought to be afraid lest worldly happiness corrupt. But when tho fire 'Refreshment,' and ' perfect sacrifice,' in the Resurrection. 281) hath not made theo burst, and when thou hast not sunk in Vbb. tho water, but hast swum out ; through discipline thou passcst 13, over to rest, and passing over through firo and water, thou art lod forth into a placo of refreshment. For of thoso things whereof tho signs aro in tho Sacramonts, thoro aro iho very realities in that perfection of lifo ovcrlusting. So soon us wo shall havo passed over to that placo of refreshment, dearly beloved brethren, thero no enemy wo shall fear, no tcmplor, no envious person, no fire, no water; thero an ovcrlusting placo of refreshment there will be. A place of coolness' it is1 rffrl- callcd, becauso of tho rest therein. For if thou say, it is heat, eer um it is true : if thou say, it is a cool place, it is true. For if the cool place thou understand amiss, we are as it were torpid there. But we are not torpid there, but we rest : nor though it be called heat, shall we be hot there, but we shall be fervent in spirit. Observe that same heat in another Psalm : nor is there any one that Itideth himself from IheP'- 19, heat thereof. What saith also the Apostle ? In spirit fervent. Ron).i2 Therefore, we have gone over through fire and water: and11- Thou hast led us forth into a cool place, 18. Observe how not only concerning a cool place, but neither of that very fire to be desired ho halh been silent : (vor. 13.) I will, enter into Thy Houso in holocausts. What is a holocaust ? A wholo sacrifico burned up, but with firo divine. For a sacrifice is called a holocaust, when tho wholo is burned. One thing are the parts of sacrifices, another thing a holocaust : when the whole is burned and tho whole consumed by fire divine, it is called a holocaust: when a part, a sacrifice. Every holocaust indeed is a sacrifice: but not every sacrifice a holocaust. Holocausts therefore he is promising, the Body of Christ is speaking, the Unity of Christ is speaking, I will enter into Thy House in holocausts. All that is mine let Thy firo consume, let nothing of mino remain to mc, let all bo Thine. But this shall bo in the Resurrection of just mon, whon both this corruptible shall bo clad in in- \ cor, corruption, and this mortal shall bo clad in immortality, then 10> 0i> shall come to pass that which hath been writton, ' Death is swallowed up in victory.' Victory is, as it wcro, firo divino t whon it swallowed) up our death also, it is a holocaust. Thero remainoth not any thing mortal in the flesh, thero VOI,. III. u 290 Vows duly distinguished. Marrow of the Holocaust. Pbalm remaineth not any thing culpable in the spirit: the whole of LXVI- mortal life shall be consumed, in order that in lifo everlasting it may be consummated, that from death we may be preserved > Oxf. in life '. These therefore will be the holocausts. Mss.add j9 An(j wj)at si)an there he in the holocausts? I will that hom&ic' render to Thee my vows, (ver. 14.) which my lips have distin guished. What is the distinction in vows? This is the distinc tion, that thyself thou censure, Hiin thou praise : perceive thyself to be a creature, Ilim the Creator: thyself darkness, Ps. 18, Him the Enlightenor, to Whom thou shouldestsay, Thou shalt light my lamp, 0 Lord my God, Thou shall enlighten my darkness. For whenever thou shalt have said, 0 soul, that from thyself thou hast light, thou wilt not distinguish. If thou wilt not distinguish, thou wilt not render distinct vows. Render distinct vows, confess thyself changeable, Him un changeable: confess thyself without Ilim to be nothing, but Himself without thee to be perfect ; thyself to need Him, but Ps. 16, Him not to need thee. Cry to Ilim, I have said to the Lord, ' ¦ My God art Thou, for my good things Thou needest not. Now though God taketh thee to Ilim for a holocaust, lie groweth not, He is not increased, He is not richer, He becometh not better furnished: whatsoever Tie maketh of thee for thy sake, is the better for thee, not for Him that maketh. If thou distinguishes! theso things, thou rendercst the vows to thy God which thy lips have distinguished, / will render to Thee my vows, which my lips have distinguished. 20. And my mouth hath spoken in my tribulation. How sweet ofttimes is tribulation, how necessary? In that case what hath the mouth of the samo spoken in his tribulation ? (Ver. 15.) Holocausts mar rowed I will offer to Thee. What is marrowed ? Within may I keep Thy love, it shall not be on the surface, in my marrow it shall be that I love Thee. For there is nothing more inward than our marrow : the bones are more inward than the flesh, the marrow is more inward than those same bones. Whosoever therefore on tho surface loveth God, desireth rather to please men, but having some other affection within, he ofl'ereth not holo causts of marrow : but into whosesoever marrow He looked), him He rcceiveth whole. Holocausts marrowed I will offer to Thee, with incense and rams. The rams are tho rulers of Even ' he-goats' accepted when duly offered. 201 thcChurch: the whole Body of Christ is speaking: thisisthe Veb. thing which he offcreth to God. Incense is what? Prayer. ^-^- Wilh incense and rams. For especially the rams do pray for the flocks. / will offer to Thee oxen with he-goals. Oxen we find treading out corn, and the same are offered to God. The Apostle hath said, that of the preachers of the Gospel must be understood that which hath been written, Of the ox treading out com the mouth thou shall not muzzle. 1 Cor. Doth God care for oxen? Therefore great are thoso rams, p'e„'(i great the oxen. What of the rest, that perchance are con- 25, 4. scions of certain sins, that perchance in the very road have slipped, and, having been wounded, by penitence are being healed? Shall they too continue, and to the holocausts shall they not belong ? Let them not fear, he hath added he-goats also. Holocausts, he saith, marrowed I will offer to Thee, with incense and rams; I will offer to Thee oxen with he-goats. By the very yoking are saved the he-goats ; of themselves they have no strength, being yoked to bulls they are accepted. For they have made friends of the mammon of iniquity, that Luke the same may receive them into everlasting tabernacles. ' Therefore those he-goats shall not be on tho left, because they have made to themselves friends of tho mammon of iniquity. But what he- goats shall be on tho left? They to whom shall bo said, I hungred, and ye gave me not tfo <£«/.• Mat. 26, not they that have redeemed their sins by alms-deeds. 21. Ver. 16. Come ye, hear, and I will tell, all ye that fear God. Lot us como, lot us hear, what he is going to tell, Come ye, hear, and I will tell. But to whom, Come ye, and hear? All ye that fear God. If God ye fear not, I will not tell. It is not possible that it be told lo any where the fear of God is not. Let the fear of God open the cars, that there may be something to enter in, and a way whereby may enter in that which I am going to tell. But what is he going to tell ? How great things He halh done lo my soul. Behold, he would tell : but what is he going to tell ? Is it perchance how widely the earth is spread, how much tho sky is ex tended, and how many are the stars, and what aro tho changes of sun iand of moon? This creation fulfillcth its course : but they that have very curiously sought it out, the Creator thereof have not known. This thing hear, this thing Wisd. V 2 I3' ' 292 The soul taught of God cries with its own voice. Tsalm receive, 0 ye that fear God, how great things He hath done to my soul: if ye will, to yours also. How great things He hath done to my soul. (Ver. 17.) To Ilim with my mouth I have cried. And this very thing, he saith, hath been done to his soul ; that to Hiin with his mouth he should cry, hath been dono, he saith, to his soul. Behold, brethren, Gentiles wo wcro, even if not in ourselves, in our parents. And what 1 Cor. suith tho Apostio ? Ye know, when Genliles yu were, to ,3'9' idols without speech bote yu ueitt. up, being led. Let tho Church now wiy, how great things lie halh done lo my soul. To Ilim with my vioitlh I have cried. I a mini lo a slono wus crying, to a deaf slock I was crying, to idols deaf and dumb I wus speaking: now the imago of God huth been Jerem. turned to tho Crealor thereof. 1 thut wus saying lo a stock, ' ' My father thou art; and to a stone, Thou hast begotten mc: Matt. o, now nay," Our Father, Which art in Heaven." To Him °' with my mouth I hare cried. ' Willi my mouth' now, not with tho mouth of another. When I wus crying to stones l Pot, i,/w the vain conversation of fathers' tradilion, with tho 18 . mouth of others I was crying: when I have cried to tho Lord, that which Himself hath given, that which Himself hath inspired, to Ilim with my own mouth I have cried, and have exalted Him under my tongue. What is, 1 have cried with my mouth, and have exulted Him under my tongue? Hiin in public 1 have preached, Ilim in secret I havo con fessed. Too little it is to exalt God with tonguo; but also under the tongue, so that of what thou speakest being assured, of the same in silence thou mayest meditate. To Him with my mouth I have cried, and I have exalted Him under my tongue. See how in secret he would be uncorrupt that offereth marrowed holocausts. This do ye, brethren, this imitate, so that ye may say, Come ye, see how great things He hath done to my soul. For all those things of which he telleth, by His Grace are done in our soul. See the other things of which he speaketh. 22. Ver. 18. If I have beheld iniquity in my heart, may not the Lord hearken. Consider now, brethren, how easily, how daily men blushing for fenrof men do censure iniquities ; lie hath done ill, lie hath done basely, a villain the fellow is: this perchuncc for man's sake ho suith. See whether Hoiv we are not to ' regard' iniquity. 293 thou beholdest no iniquity in thy heart, whether perchance Veb. that which thou censurest in another, thou art meditating to 18- do, and therefore against him dost exclaim, not because he hath done it, but because he hath been found out. Return to thyself, within be to thyself a judge. Behold in thy hid chamber, in the very inmost recess of the heart, where thou and He that seeth are alone, there let iniquity be displeasing to thee, in order that thou mayest bo pleasing to God. Do not regard it, that is, do not love it, but rather despise it, that is, contemn it, and turn away from it. Whatever pleasing thing' it hath promised to allure thee to sin; whatever grievous thing it hath threatened, lo drive thee on to evil doing; all is nought, all passeth away: it is worthy to be despised, in order that it may be trampled upon ; not to bo eyed lest it be accepted. [Forc it maketh suggestion sometimes through thoughts, or through the words of evil men in conference. For evil communications do corrupt good manners: do thou1 Cor. regard them not. But too little it is to do so in countenance, ' too little it is to do so in tongue : in heart do not regard, that is, do not love it, do not accept it. For to put' regard '"respec . turn for love is of daily occurrence : in the first place, because of God we say, He hath regarded me. What is, hath regarded me ? For saw He not thee before ? Or was He looking upward, and by thy prayers hath He been reminded to cast His eyes upon thee ? Ho did see thee before too ; but in, He halh regarded me, thou meanest, He halh loved me. And to a man that seeth thee, and of whom thou makest request, that he may pity thee, thou sayest, Regard me. What is, regard me? Love; attend to ine; pity me.. There fore he hath not said, If I have beheld ' iniquity in my heart, because no iniquity at all is suggested to the human heart. There it is suggested, there will not cease suggestion ; but let there be made no regard. For if thou regardest iniquity, thou lookest back ; and incurrest the condemnation of the Lord, saying in the Gospel, No one pulling hand upon the Luke 9, plough and looking back is fit for the kingdom of God.62, What, therefore, ought I to do ? What the Apostle saith, Those things which are behind forgetting, unto those things Philip.a, I J, « The part in hrackets is omitted in ' Ben. ' adspexi.' Oxf. Mss. as above, me good Mss. Ben. 'conspexi.' 294 Perseverance in prayer fails not to obtain hearing. Psat.m which are before stretching forth. For behind, all our doings LXVL which have passed away are iniquitous. No one out of good Rom. 3, hath come to Christ : all men have sinned, by believing they 23' are justified. Perfect righteousness there will not be, save in that life : nevertheless for our progress in goodness good "et morals by Himself are1 inspired, by Himself are given. Do not therefore reckon up thine own merits, do not. And if iniquity maketh suggestion, do not consent, for ho saith what ?] If I have beheld iniquity in my heart, may not the Lord hearken. 23. Ver. 19. Therefore God hathhearkcitedtome. Because I have not beheld iniquity in my heart. And He hath listened to the voice of my prayer. 24. Ver. 20. Blessed be my God, that hath not thrust away my supplication and His mercy from me. Gather the sense y. 16. from that place, where he suith, Come ye, hear, and I will tell you, allye that fear God, how great things He hath done to my soul : he. hath both said the words which ye have heard, and at the end thus he hath concluded: Blessedbe my God, that hath not thrust away my supplication and, His mercy from me. For thus there arriveth at tho Resurrection he that speaketh, whero already we also are by hopo: yea both it is we ourselves, and this voice is ours. So long therefore as hero we are, this let us ask of God, that lie thrust not from us our supplication, and His mercy, thut is, that we pray continually, and He continually pity. For many become feeble in praying, and in the newness of their own conversion pray fervently, afterwards feebly, afterwards coldly, after wards negligently : as if they have become secure. The foe watched) : thou sleepest. The Lord Himself hath given LukelS, commandment in the Gospel, how it behoveth men always to ' °- pray and not to faint. And he giveth a comparison from that unjust judge, who neither feared God, nor regarded man, whom that widow daily importuned to hear her; and he yielded for weariness, that wus not influenced by pity : and tho naughty judge suith to himself, Though neither God I fear, nor men I regard, even becauso of lite weariness which this widow daily pntlelh upon me, I will hear her cause, and will avenge her. And the Lord suith, If a naughty judge hath done this, shall not yotir Father avenye His chosen, Our blessing God, the fruit of His blessing us. 296 that lo Him do cry day and night? Yea, I say unto you, Vttn. He shall make judgment of them speedilg. Therefore let us-20'.- not faint in prayer. Though He putteth off what He is going to grant, Ho putteth it not away: being secure of His promise, let us not faint in praying, and this is by His good ness. Therefore he hath said, Blessed is my God, that halh not thrust away my supplication and His mercy from me. When thou hast seen thy supplication not thrust away from thee, be secure, that His mercy halh not been thrust away from thee. PSALM LXVII. Lat. LXVI. EXPOSITION. Sermon to the Commonalty. 1. Your Love remembereth, that in two Psalms, which have been already treated of, we have stirred up our soul to Ps. 103. bless the Lord, and with godly chant have said, Bless Mom,10*' O my soul, the Lord. If therefore we have stirred up our soul in those Psalms to bless, the Lord, in this Psalm is well said, (ver. ] .) May God hare pity on us, and bless us. Let our soul bless the Lord, and let God bless us. When God blesseth us, we grow, and when we bless the Lord, we grow, to us both are profitable. He is not increased by our blessing, nor is Ho lessened by our cursing. He that curscth the Lord, is himself lessened : he that blesseth the Lord, is himself increased. First, there is in us tho blessing of tho Lord, and the consequence is that wo also bless tho Lord. That is tho rain, this the fruit. Therefore thero is rendered as it wore fruit to God the Husbandman, raining upon and tilling us. Let us chant these words with no barren devotion, with no empty voice, but with true heart. For most evidently God the Father hath beon culled aJohnifl, Husbandman. The Apostle saith, Gods husbandry ye are, i*Cor.3, God's building ye are. In things visible of this world, the 9- vino is not a building, and a building is not a vineyard : but 290 Now God is the Husbandman, though men cultivate. Pbalm we are the vineyard of the Lord, because He tilleth us for LXV! I 'fruit; the building of God we are, since He Who tilleth us, ICor.3, dwelleth in us. And what saith the same Apostle ? I have 01 7' planted, Apollo hath watered, but the increase God hath given. Therefore neither he that planteth is any thing, nor he lhat walerelh, but He that giveth the increase, even God. He it is therefore That giveth the increase. Are those per chance the husbandmen ? For a husbandman he is called that planteth, that watereth : but the Apostle hath said, / have planted, Apollo halh watered. Do we enquire whence l Cor. himself hath done this ? The Apostle maketh answer, Yet ' ' not I, but the Grace of God with me. Therefore whither soever thou turn thee, whether through Angels, thou wilt find God thy Husbandman ; whether through Prophets, the Same is thy Husbandman; whether through Apostles, the very Same acknowledge to be thy Husbandman. What then of us ? Porchunco wo are the labourers of thut llusbundmun, and this too with powers imparted by Himself, and by Grace granted by Himself. Himself therefore both tilleth, and giveth the incrciiMo. But a human husbandman tilleth a vineyard only so fur us to plough, prune, upply other menus which belong to tho diligence of husbandmen : to rain upon his vineyard ho is not ublo. But if porchunco ho is ublo to water, of whose power is it? Himself indeed guideth the water into a channel, but God filloth the spring. Lastly, in his vineyard he cannot give increase to his tender shoots, he cannot shape the fruit, he cannot qualify the seeds, he cannot rule the seasons of production. But God, that can do all things, is our Husbandman ;, we are secure. Perchance some one saith, " Thou sayest that our Husbandman is God. Nay, but 1 say that the Apostles are husbandmen, who have said, I have planted, Apollo hath watered." If I of myself say it, let no one believe : if Christ saith it, woe to him that JohnlB, believeth not. The Lord Christ therefore saith what? lam the Vine, ye the branches, My Father the Husbandman. Let therefore earth thirst, and give forth the voices of her thirst: Ps. 143, as it hath been written, My soul is as earth without water for Thee. Let therefore our earth, we ourselves, longing for the rain of God, say, May God have pity on us, and bless us. All, even temporal blessings, are from God only, 297 2. Lighten His countenance upon us. Thou wast per- Ver. chance going to enquire, what is bless us ? In many ways '' men would havo themselves lobe blessed of God: ono would have himself to ho blessed, so that ho may have a houso full of the necessary things of this life ; another desircth himself to bo blessed, so that he may obtain soundness of body with out flaw; another would have himself to bo blessed, if per chance he is sick, so that he may acquire soundness ; another longing for sons, and perchance being sorrowful because none arc born, would have himself to be blessed so that ho may have posterity. And who could number tho divers wishes of men desiring thcmsolvcs to bo blessed of tho Lord God ? But which of us would say, that it wus no blessing of God, if either husbandry should bring hiin fruit, or if any man's houso should abound in plenty of things temporal, or if iho very bodily health bo cither so maintained that it bo not lost, or, if lost, bo regainod ? For tho fruitfulnoss of women and the chuslo vows of mon desiring sons, belong to whom «?avo to tho Lord God ? For Ho that created when there was nothing, doth Himself by succession of offspring cause to continue that which Ho hath builded. God makclh theso things, God giveth theso things. Too littlo it is for us to suy, God maketh these things, God giveth these things; butalono IIo maketh, alono Ho giveth. For what if God niaketh these things, but some one also maketh theso things, thut is not God? IIo makclh theso things, and alono niaketh them. And without reason theso things are sought cither from men, or from demons ; and whatsoever good things tho enemies of God receive, from Him thoy receive; and while from others thoy seek thoin, when thoy receive, unknowingly from Ilim they receive than. In liko manner as when they are punishod, and think themselves by others to bo punished, unknowingly by Him thoy are punished : so also, when thoy abound, are filled, are saved, aro delivered, even though they know not this, and either to men or demons or lo angels they ascribe it, they have it not except from Him with whom is power over all things. May we so have spoken of these things, brethren, that whosoever longeth for even those earthly things, either for the cravings of necessity, or for any infirmity, should long for them from no one except from Him Who is 298 What things God gives to the good and the evil alike. Psalm the Fountain of all good things, and the Creator and Renewer1 £jg5: of the universe. atoruni- 3. But some gifts there are which God giveth even to His ver80' enemies, others which God koepeth only for His friends. rum. ' ' ' What are the gifts which He giveth to His enemies ? Thoso which I havo enumerated. For not good mon alono have houses * salvl. full of things necessary, nor do good men alone cither in health" abide or from sickness grow well, nor do good men alone have sons, good men alono money, good men alone other things meet for this lifo temporal and transient: evil men also havo these things, and sometimes they arc wanting to good men : but they arc wanting to evil men also, and ofttimes to these rather than to those ; sometimes to those rather than to these they abound. God hath willed these temporal things to be promiscuous: because if to good men alone He were to give them, evil men also would think that for the sake of these things God must be worshipped: again, if to evil men alone Ho were lo give these things, weak good men would fear to be converted, lost those things to them should perchance be wanting. For a soul being as yet weak is less able to receive tho kingdom of God, God our Husbandmam must feed her. For even the tree that now mightily withstandeth tempests, when from the grouud it sprung, was but a herb. That Husbandman thcreforo knoweth how not only to prune and purgo mighty trees : but also how to protect the tender plants at their first springing. For this reason, dearly bo- loved, as I began to say, if to good men alone these things were given, all men for the sake of receiving these things would wish to be converted to God : again, if to evil men alone they were given, weak men would fear lest when they were converted, they should lose that which evil men alone could have. Indiscriminately they arc given both to good men and evil men. Again, if from good men alone they should be taken away, there would be that same fear on the part of weak men, so that thoy would not bo converted to God: again, if from evil men alone thoy should bo taken away, tho only punishment would bo thought to bo that samo wherewith evil men are smitten. In that therefore He giveth them to good men, He comfortcth them on their journey: in that He giveth them to evil men also, He Good men suffer, lest they should hope in this life. 209 warnelh good men to long for other things which they havo Vun. not with ovil men in common. Again, from good men IIo — '— taketh thoiu away whenever Ho willoth, in order that they may question themselves of their own powers, and they muy find out themselves, that perchance were hidden from them selves, whether now they be able to say, The Lord hath Job 1, given, the Lord hath taken away; as halh pleased the Lord,21' so hath been done; be the name of the ljord blessed. For that soul both blessed the Lord, and, being rained upon with the fatness of blessing, rendered back her fruits: The Lord halh given, the Lord halh taken away. IIo hath withdrawn iho gifts, but hath not withdrawn the Giver. Every soulProv. that is blessed is simple, not cleaving to things earthly norLxx'. with glued wings grovelling, but beaming with tho brightness of virtues, on tho twin wings of twin lovo doth spring into tho free air; and seelh how from her is withdrawn that whereon sho was treading, not that whereon sho was resting, and she suith securely, The Lord halh given, the I/)rd hath taken away ; as it hath pleased, the Lord, so halh been done: be the name of the Lord blessed. He hath given, and He hath taken away: there remaineth He that hath given, and He hath taken away that which He hath given : be His name blessed. To this end therefore these things are taken away from good men. But let not perchance any weak man say, when shall I be of so great virtue, as was holy Job ? The mightiness of the tree thou wonderest at, because but now thou hast been born: this great tree, whereat thou wonderest, under tho branches and shade whereof thou coolest thyself, hath been a switch. But dost thou fear lest there be taken away from theo these things, when such thou shalt have become ? Observe that they aro taken away from evil men also. Why therefore dost thou delay conversion ? That which thou fearest when good to lose, perchanco if evil thou wilt lose still. If being good thou shalt have lost them, there is by thee the Comforter that hath taken them away : the coffer is emptied of gold; the heart is full of faith: without, poor thou art, but within, rich thou art : thy riches with thee thou carriest, which thou wouldest not lose, even if naked from shipwreck thou shouldest escape. Why doth not the loss, that perchance, if evil, thou wilt lose, find thee 300 Wise men provide for the winter like the Ant. p«ALMgood; forasmuch as thou seest evil men also suffer loss? LXVII. -gut wjtk g,.eater loss they are stricken : empty is tho house, more empty tho conscience is. Whatsoever evil man shall have lost those things, hath nothing to hold by without, hath nothing within whereon he may rest. Ho flceth when ho hath suffered loss from tho placo where before iho eyes of mon with tho display of riches ho used to vaunt himself; now in the oyes of mon to vaunt himself he is not ablo : to himself within ho returned! not, because he hath nothing. Prov. 0, He hath not imitated the ant, he huth not gathered to himself % 30' grains, while it was summer. What have I meant by, while it was summer? While he had quietude of life, while he had this world's prosperity, when he had leisure, when happy ho was being called by all men, his summer it was. Ho should have imitated the ant, he should have heard tho Word of God, he should have gathered together grains, and ho should have stored thein within. Thero had como tho trial of tribulation, thoro hud como upon hiin u winter of numbness, tempest of fear, the cold of sorrow, whether it were loss, or any (lunger to his safety, or any bereavement of his family; or any dishonour and humiliation; it wus winter; tho ant fullcth buck upon thut which in slimmer she hath gathered together ; and within in her secret store, where no inun seelh, she is recruited by hor summer toils, When for herself she was gathering together theso stores in summer, all men suw her: when on those she feedelh in winter, no one seeth. What is this ? See the ant of God, he riseth day by day, he hasteneth to the Church of God, he praycth, he heareth lection, he chantetb hymn, he digestcth that i or' at which he hath heard, with himself he thinketh thereon, he bome" storeth within grains gathered from the threshing-floor. They that providently heav those very things which even now aro being spoken of, do thus,. and by all men are seen to go forth to the Church, go back from Church, to hear sermon, to hear lection, to choose a book, open and read it : all those things are soon, when they are done. That ant is treading his path, carrying and storing up in the Hight of men seeing him. Thoro cometh winter sometime, for to whom cometh it not ? There chunceth loss, there chanceth be reavement : other men pity him perchance as being miserable, Either loss or yain comes better to the good. 301 who know not what the ant hath within to cat, and they say, Vkb. miserable ho whom this hath befallen, or what spirits, dost 1- thou think, hath he whom this hath befallen ? how afflicted is he? He measureth by himself, hath compassion according to his own strength ; and thus he is deceived : because the measure wherewith he measureth himself, he would apply to him whom he knoweth not. He seeth him diatTiath suffered loss, or is humbled, or is stricken with bereavement. What thinkest thou ? ' That man hath done some evil thing, that this should befal him. Such a heart, such a mind let mine enemies have.' Thou knowest not, 0 man, thou art indeed thine own enemy, that through tho summer gathei'est not together for thyself what he hath gathered. Now within tho ant is feeding on the labours of summer : but her gathering together thou wast ablo to see, her eating thou canst not see. In these words; brethren, as far as the Lord hath allowed, as far as He hath deigned to supply and in struct our infirmity and lowliness, as much as we are capable of according to our measure, we have explained why God giveth all these things promiscuously, both to good men and to evil men, and why He takcth them away both from good men and evil men. He hath given to thee, be not lifted up. He hath taken away from thee, be not heart-broken. Thou fearcst lest He lake away, He can take away from an evil man also : it is better that being good that which is of God thou losest, but God Ihou keepest. So also it is with that evil man, him we are exhorting : thou art going to suffer loss, (who is not going to suffer bereavement ?) some chance will fall upon thee, some calamity by a side blow, every where the world is full of such, instances are never wanting : I am speaking to thee in summer, grains for thee to gather are not wanting: observe the ant, O sluggard, gather in summer while thou art able; winter will not suffer thee to gather, but to eat that which thou shalt have, gathered. For how many men so suffer tribulation, that there is no opportunity either to read any thing, or to hear any thing, and they obtain no admittance, perchance, to those that would comfort them. The ant hath remained in her nest, let her see if she hath gathered any thing in summer, whereby she may recruit herself in winter. 302 How God is said to ' lighten His Countenance' on us. Psalm 4, But now since God blcssoth us, why doth He bless us? yWH'yyi,^ blessing doth this voice require, That God may bless us? The blessing which lie koopclh for His friend)*, which to good 111011 ulouo I f « giveth. Do not for 11 gnat matter desire that which evil men also receive: bocuiwo Mint. A, God is good, IIo dolh thoso things, tho Sumo that maketh *6' His sun to rise upon good men and evil men, and raineth upon just men and unjust men. What therefore is thero especially for good men? What especially for just men? May He lighten His face upon us. That Sun's face Thou lightenest upon good men and evil men, Thine own face lighten Thou upon us. There see that light as Matt. 6, well beasts, as both good men and evil men. But ' blessed 8" they qf pure heart ; for they shall see God.' May He lighten His face upon us. There is a double interpretation, both must be given : lighten, he suith, Thy face upon us, shew to us Thy countenance For God doth not ever light His countenance, as if ever it had been without light: but IIo lighleth it upon us, so that what wus hidden from us, is opened to us, and that which wus, but to us was hidden, is unveiled upon us, thut is, is lightened. Or else surely it is, ' Thy iniuge lighten upon us :' so that ho said this, in, lighten Thy countenance upon us: Thou bust imprinted Thy coun- Gen. 1, tonanco upon us ; Thou hast made us alter Thine image and Thy likeness, Thou hast made us Thy coin; but Thine image ought not in darkness to remain: send a ray of Thy wisdom, let it dispel our darkness, and let there shine in us Thy imago ; let us know ourselves to be Thine image, let us hear SonRof what hath been said in tho Song of Sonars, // Thou shalt Sol is ¦ ' ' not have known Thyself, 0 Thou fair one among women. For there is said to the Church, If Thou shalt not have known Thyself What is this ? If Thou shalt not havo known Thyself to have been made after the image of God. O Soul of the Church, precious, redeemed with the blood of the Lamb immaculate, observe of how great value Thou art, think what hath been given for Thee. Let us say, therefore, and let us long that He may tighten His face upon us. Wc wear His face : in like manner as the faces of emperors are spoken of, truly a kind of sacred face is that of God in His own image: but unrighteous men know not in themselves The ' way' sought, shewn from this Psalm to be Christ. 303 the imago of God. In order that the countenance of God Veb. may be lightened upon them, dicy ought to say what? Thou^ — shalt light my candle, 0 Lord my God, Thou shalt light my 28.* ' darkness. I am in the darkness of sins, but by the ray of Thy wisdom dispelled be my darkness, may Thy countenance appear; and if perchance through me it appeareth somewhat deformed, by Thee be there reformed that which by Thee hath been formed. May He lighten, therefore, His face upon us. 5. Ver. 2. That we may know on earth Thy way. On earth, here, in this life, we may know Thy way. What is, Thy way? That which leadeth to Thee. May we ac knowledge whither we arc going, acknowledge where we are as we go ; neither in darkness we can do. Afar Thou art from men sojourning, a way to us Thou hast presented, through which we must return to Thee. Let us acknowledge on earth Thy way. What is His way wherein we have desired, That we may know on earth Thy way? We are going to enquire this ourselves, not of ourselves to learn it. We can learn of it from the Gospel: I am the Way, the Lord saith: Christ Johnl4, hath said, / am the Way. But dost thou fear lest thou ' stray? He hath added, And the Truth. Who strayeth in the Truth ? He strayeth that hath departed from the Truth. Tho Truth is Christ, the Way is Christ: walk therein. Dost thou fear lost thou dio before thou attain unto Him ? / am the Life: I am, IIo saith, the Way and the Truth. and the Life. As if IIo were saying, What fearcst thou? Tlirough Me llton wallccst, lo Me thou icalkcst, in Me thou restesl. What therefore incaneth, We may know on earth Tliy Way, but ' wo may know on earth Thy Christ?' But let the Psalm itself reply: lest ye think that out of other Scriptures there must be adduced testimony, which per chance is here wanting: by repetition he hath shewn what signified, That we may know on earth Thy Way: and as if thou wast inquiring, " In what earth, what way ?" In all nations Thy Salvation. In what earth, thou art inquiring? Hear: In all nations. What way art thou seeking? Hear: Thy Salvation. Is not perchance Christ his Salvation? And what is that which the old Symeon hath said, that old Luke 2, man, I say, in the Gospel, preserved full of years even unto 304 All nations confess to God in His true Church. Psalm the infancy of the Word? For that old man took in his iHE- hands the Infant Word of God. Would He that in the womb deigned to be, disdain to be in the hands of an old man? The Same was in the womb of tho Virgin, as was in the hands of the old man, a weak infant both within the bowels, and in die old man's hand, to give us strength, by Whom were made all things; (and if all things, even His very mother.) He came humble, He came weak, but clothed with a weakness to be changed into strength B, because 2 Cor. though He was crucified of weakness, yet He liveth qf the 13> 4' virtue of God, the Apostle saith. He was then in the hands of an old man. And what saith that old man ? Rejoicing that now he must be loosed from this world, seeing how in his own hand was held He by Whom and in Whom his Luke 2, Salvation was upheld; he saith what? Now Thou letlest go, he saith, O Lord, Thy servant in peace, j'or mine eyes have seen Tlty Salvation. Therefore, May God bless us, and have pity on us; may He lighten His countenance upon us, that we may know on earth Thy Way! In what earth ? In all nations? What Way ? Thy Salvation. 0. What followeth, because the Way of God is known on earth, because the Salvation of God is known in all nations ? (Ver. 3.) Let the peoples confess lo Thee, O God ; confess to Thee, he saith, all peoples. There standetli forth a heretic, • Oxf. and he saith, In Africa I1 have peoples: and another from ~s" ' T another quarter, And I in Galatia have peoples. Thou in Africa, he in Galatia: therefore I require one that hath them every where. Ye have indeed dared to exult at that voice, when ye heard, Let the peoples confess to Thee, 0 God. Hear the following verse, how he speaketh not of a part : Let there confess lo Thee all peoples. Walk ye in the Way together with all nations ; walk ye in the Way together with all peoples, O sons of peace, sons of the One Catholic Church, walk ye in the Way, seeing as ye walk. Wayfarers do this to beguile their toil. Sing ye in this Way; I implore you by that Same Way, sing ye in this Way : a new song sing ye, let no one there sing old ones : sing ye ihe love- songs of your father-land, let no one sing old ones. New Way, new wayfarer, new song. Hear thou the Apostle ' Oxf. Mss. add ' into strength.' Tlie * new song' belongs to the ' whole Earth.' 305 exhorting thee to a new song: Whatever therefore is in Veb. Christ is a new creature ; old things have passed away, — : — behold they have been made new. A new song sing ye in the way, which ye have learned on the earth. In what earth ? In all nations. Therefore even the new song doth not belong to a part. He that in a part singeth, singeth an old song : whatever he please to sing, he singeth an old song, the old man singeth : divided he is, carnal he is. Truly in so far as carnal ho is, so far he is old ; and in so far as he is spiritual, so fur now. See what saith tho Apostle: I could iCor.3, not speak to you as if to spiritual, but as if to carnal. Whonco provcth ho thoin carnal? For while one saith, I am ll>. 4. qf Paul ; but another, I of A polios: arc yc not, ho saith, carnal? Thcreforo in tho Spirit a now song sing thou in tho safo way. Just as wayfarers sing, and ofttimes in tho night sing. Awful round about all things do sound, or rather Ihoy sound not around, but are still around ; and the more still the more awful; nevertheless, even they that fear robbers do sing. How much more safely thou singest in Christ! That way hath no robber, unless thou by forsaking the way fallest into the hands of a robber. Sing, I say, safely a new song in the way which thou hast known upon earth, that is, in all nations. See thou how he singeth not with thee that new song, that would be in a part. Sing ye, he Ps. 96, saith, to the Lord a new song, and in continuation, Sing ye 1- to the Lord all the earth. Let the peoples confess to Thee, O God. They have found out Thy way, let them confess to Thee. The very singing is confession, confession of thy sins and of the virtue of God. Thine own iniquity confess thou, the Grace of God confess thou : thyself blamo thou, Him glorify thou; thyself censure thou, Him praise thou : in order that also when Himself cometh He may find thee thine own punisher, and He may hold out to thee Himself as thy Saviour. For why fear ye to coufess, that havo found out this way in all nations? Why fear ye to confess, and in your confession to sing a new song together with all the earth; in all the earth,. in catholic peace, dost thou fear to confess to God, lest He condemn thee that hast confessed ? If having not confessed Ihou liest concealed, having confessed thou wilt bo condemned. Thou fearest to confess, that by vol. in. * 300 Confession to God compared with confession to man. Pbalm not confessing canst not be concealed : thou wilt be con- LXVII-demned if thou hast held thy peace, that mightest have been delivered, by having confessed. Let there confess to Thee peoples, O God, confess to Thee all peoples. 7. And because this confession leadeth not to punishment, he continueth and saith, (ver. 4.) Let the nations rejoice and exult. If robbers after confession made do wail before man, let the faithful after confessing before God rejoice. If a man be judge, the torturer and his fear exact from a robber a confession : yea sometimes fear wringclh out con fession, pain extortcth it : and he that waileth in tortures, but feareth to be killed if ho confess, supportcth tortures as far as he is able : and if ho shall have been overcome by pain, he giveth his voice for death. Nowise therefore is he joyful ; nowise exulting : before he confesseth the claw tcareth* him ; when he hath confessed, the executioner leadeth him along a condemned felon : wretched in every case. But let the nations rejoice and exult. Whence ? Through that same confession. Why ? Because good He is to Whom they confess : He exaeteth confession, to the end that He may deliver the humble ; He condemned! one not confessing, to the end that He may punish the proud. There fore be thou sorrowful before thou confessest ; after having confessed exult, now thou wilt be made whole. Thy con science had gathered up evil humours, with boil it had swollen, it was torturing thee, it suffered thee not to rest : the Physician applied) the fomentations of words1*, and some times He lanceth it, lie applied] the surgeon's knife by the chastisement of tribulation : do thou acknowledge the Phy sician's hand, confess thou, let every evil humour go forth and flow away in confession : now exult, now rejoice, that which remaineth will be easy to be made whole. Let there confess to Thee peoples, O God : confess to Thee all peoples. And because they confess, let the nations rejoice and exult, for Thou judgest the peoples in equity. No one deceiveth Thee: lot him be glad that must be judged, that huth feared Ilim that was to judge. For he hath looked before, and » ' Exnrut ungula,' perhaps the §. 3. Tr. p. 329. torture referred to in ir\cvpo.s koto- k So Hon.; Oxf. Mss. ' fcrramenta {oikorrd. S. Chrys. on Stat, Horn. xx. verborum.' 'Tho instruments of words.' Men corrected beforehand rejoice in judgment. 307 hath como before the face of Him in confession ; but He, Veb. when lie shall havo come, shall judgo the peoples in equity, p— 55— What will avail thoro tho cunning of tho accuser, where 2. conscionco is witness, whore thou wilt bo and thy causo, where tho Judgo requireth no witness? An Advocate Ho hath sou t to thoo : for tho sako of Him and through Him confess thou, plead thy causo, and IIo is Counsel for tho penitent, and the Petitioner of pardon for him if confessing, and thejudgo of hiin if innocent. Wilt thou indeed possibly fear for thy causo where thy Advocate will bo thy Judgo ? Let the nations rejoice, therefore, and exult, for Thou judgest the peoples in equity. But they will havo to fear lest they bo judged to their hurt: let them give up themselves to bo amended to Ilim who seeth thein that must be judged. Here let them bo amended, and not fear when they shall bo judged. Seo thou what he saith in another Psalm: 0 God, in ThyVt.ai, name save me, and in Thy virtue judge me. What saith ho ? ' Unless first Thou save mc in Thy name, I ought to fear the timo when Thou shalt judgo mo in Thy virtue: but if first Thou save mo in Thy namo: why shall I fear Ilim judging in virtue, whoso safely hath gone before in His name ? So also in this passago, let there confess lo Thee all peoples. And lest ye should suppose that something must be feared in confession, let the nations rejoice, he saith, and exult. Why rejoice and exult ? Because Thou judgest the peoples in equity. No one givoth bribe against us, no one bribed) Thee, no 0110 bcguiloth Thoo. Therefore bo thou secure. But what of thy cause? No one bribcth God, it is evident: let Hiin not perchance therefore bo more to bo feared, becauso no wise Ho can bo bribod. How therefore art thou secure ? According to that which but now hath been said, 0 God, in Thy name save me, and in Thy virtue judge me. So hero also ; let the nations rejoice and exult, for Thou judgest the peoples in equity. And that unrighteous men may not fear, ho halh added, and the nations on the earth Thou directest. Depraved wore tho nations and crooked wcro the nations, pcrvcrso wcro tho nations ; for the ill desert of their depravity, and crookedness and perverscness, the Judge's coming thoy feared : thoro cometh the hand of the same, it is stretched out mercifully to the peoples, they aro guided in x 2 308 Sinners called to repent by preventing Grace, Psalm order that they may walk the straight way ; why should they LX\ll.fear ^e ju(lg0 to come, that have first acknowledged Dim for a Corrector? To His hand let them give up themselves, Himself guideth the nations on the earth. But guided nations are walking in the Truth, are exulting in Him, are doing good works ; and if perchance there cometh in any water (for on sea they are sailing) through the very small holes, through the crevices into the hold, pumping it out by good works, lest by more and more coming it accumulate, and sink the ship, pumping it out daily, fasting, praying, Matt. 6, doing almsdeeds, saying with pure heart, Forgive us our debts, as also we forgive our debtors — saying such words walk thou secure, and exult in the way, sing in tho way. Do not fear, the Judge : before thou wast a believer, thou didst find a Saviour. Thee ungodly lie sought out that He might redeem, thee redeemed will He forsake so as to destroy ? And the nations on earth Thou directest. 8. He cxulteth, rejoiced), exhorted), he repeateth those same verses in exhortation. (Ver. 5.) Let the peoples confess toThee, O God, let all peoples confess to Thee. (Ver. 6.) The earth hath given her fruit. What fruit? Let all peoples con fess to Thee. Earth it was, of thorns it was full ; there came tho hand of One rooting them up, there came a calling by His majesty and mercy, the earth begun to confess; now tho earth giveth her fruit. Would she give her fruit unless first sho were ruined on ? Would she give her fruit, unless first the mercy of God hud como from abovo ? Let them read to mo, thou sayest, how iho eurth being rained upon gave her fruit. Hear Matt, a, of tho Lord ruining upon her: Do penance, for the kingdom 9- of heaven is at hand. Ho raiiitth, and that same rain is thunder; it terrified] : fear thou Him thundering, and re ceive Him raining. Behold, after that voice of a thundering and raining God, after that voice let us sec something out of Luke 7, the Gospel itself. Behold that harlot of ill fame in the city burst into a strange house into which she had not been in vited by the host, but by One invited she had been called; 'Oxf. called' not with tongue, but by Grace. The sick woman knew repent diat she had there a place, where she was aware that her » vuoata' physician was sitting at moat. Sho is gono in, that was a sinner; sho daretli not draw near save to tho feet: she The Blessing of God multiplies His Church. 309 weepeth at His feet, she washeth with tears, she wipeth with Vkb 7. hair, she anointclh with ointment. Why wonderest thou?- The earth hath given her fruit. This thing, I say, came to pass by the Lord raining there through His own mouth ; there came to pass the things whereof we read in the Gospel; and by His raining through His clouds, by the sending of the Apostles and by their preaching the truth, the «arth more abundantly hath given her fruit, and that crop now hath filled the round world. 9. See what secondly is said ; May God bless us, even our God; (ver. 7.) May God bless us. Bless us, as already I have said, is again and again may He bless, may He multiply blessings. Let Your Love observe that even, now .the fruit of the earth was first in Jerusalem. For from thence began the Church: there came there the Holy Spirit, and filled full Acts 2, the holy men gathered together in one place ; miracles were 1- 4* done, with the tongues of all men they spake. They were filled full of the Spirit of 'God, the people were converted that were in that place, fearing and receiving the divine shower, by confession they brought forth so much fruit, that all their goods they brought together into a common stock, making distribution to the poor, in order that no one might call any thing his own, but all things might be to them in common, and they might have one soul and one heart unto God. Acta 4> For there had been forgiven' them the blood which they had i or shed, it had been forgiven them by the Lord pardoning, in'"1™11' order that now they might even learn to drink that which they had shed. Great in that place is the fruit : the earth hath given her fruit, both great fruit, and most excellent fruit. Ought by any means that earth alone to give her fruit? May there bless us God, our God, may there bless us God. Still may Ho bless us: for blessing in multiplication is wont most chiefly and properly to bo perceived. Let us prove this in Genesis ; see the works of God : God mado light, and God made a division between light and darkness: the light HcGen-h called day, and the darkness Ho called night. It is not said, He blessed the light. For the same light rcturneth and changeth by days and nights. He calleth the sky the firmament between waters and waters: it is not Said, Ho blessed the sky : He severed the sea from the dry land, and 3 1 0 GotFt promises fulfilled a pledge of the future. P»ai,m namod both, the dry land earth, and tho gathering together of — ' tho waters sea : neither hero is it said, God blessed. Wc como to thoso things which were to have the seed of fruitfulnoss, Gen. l, and the things which sprang out of the waters. For these very things have the greatest fruitfulness in multiplying; and the Lord blessed them, saying, Grow, and be multiplied, and replenish the waters of the sea, and let winged creatures be multiplied over the earth, So also when Ho mudo sub ject all things toman, whom He mudo after I lis own iinugo, it v. 9B. is written, And God blessed, saying, Grow, ami be multiplied, mid replenish Iho face of the earth. Therefore of blessing tho proper power in for lniiltiplioulion, inn) for replenishing tho i'ueo of the einlli. Hear also In this I Win : May Gotl bless ¦us, even our God, may Gotl bless us. And for what uvuilolh that blessing ? And let alt the ends qf the worltl Jear Ilim. Therefore, my brethren, so abundantly in tho name of Christ God hath blessed us, that Ho filleth tho entire face of tho earth with His sons, adopted into His kingdom, coheirs of His Only-Begotten. An only Son He begot, and One He would not have Ilim to bo : an Only Son Ho begot, I say, and One IIo would not have Him to remain. He made for Him brethren ; though not by begetting, yet by adopting, Ho mado thein co-heirs with Ilim. Ho mado Him first a partaker of our mortality, in order that we might believe ourselves to bo able to be partakers of His Divinity. 10 Let us observe our price. All things have boon foretold, all things arc boing shewn forth, tho Gospel goelh through tho round world : every labour of mankind ut this time bcureth witness, all things arc boing fulfilled, that in the Scriptures havo been foretold. Just as up to tho present day all things havo come to pass, so also the things which remain are to come to pass. Let us fear the judgment-day, the Lord is to come. He that came humble, will come exalted : He that came to be judged, will come to judge. Let us acknowledge Him humble, in order that we may not dread Him exalted : let us embrace Hiin humble, in order that we may long for Him exalted. For to men longing for Him He will come gracious. Those long for Him that have kept His faith and have done His com mandments. For even if we will not, He will come. Let us will therefore that He come, Who will come, even if we will not. Our renewal is by Christ, as the Eagle's by the Rock, fyc. 311 How should we will that He come ? By living well, by doing Veb. well. Let not things past please us; things present not hold us; — - — let us not ' close the ear' as it were with tail, let us not press p«. 53, down the car on the ground ; lest by things past we bo kept6* back from hearing, lest by ihings present we be entangled and prevented from meditating on things future ; let us reach forth Phil. 3, unto those things which are before, let us forget things past. 13' And that for which now we toil, for which now we groan, for which now we sigh, of which now we speak, which in part, however small soever, we perceive, and to receive are not able, we shall receive, we shall throughly enjoy in the resurrection of the just. Our youth shall be renewed asPs. 103, an eagle's, if only our old man we break" against the Rock of5- Christ. Whether those things be true, brethren, which are said of the serpent, or those which are said of the eagle, or whether it be rather a tale of men than truth, truth is never theless in the Scriptures, and not without reason the Scrip tures have spoken of this : let us do whatever it signifieth, and not toil to discover how far that is true. Be thou such an one, as lhat thy youth may be able to be re newed as an eagle's. And know thou that it cannot be renewed, except thine old man on the Rock shall have been broken off: that is, except by tho aid of the Rock, except by the aid of Christ, thou wilt not be able to be renewed. Do not thou because of the pleasantness of the past life be deaf to the word of God : do not by things present be so held and entangled, as to say, I have no leisure to read, I have no leisure to hear. This is to press down the ear upon the ground. Do thou therefore not be such' an one: but be such an one as on the other side thou findest, that is, so that thou forget things past, unto things before reach thyself out, in order that thine old man on the Rock thou mayest break off. And if any comparisons shall have been made for thee, if thou hast found them in the Scriptures, believe : if thou shalt not have found them spoken of except by report, do not very much believe them. The thing itself perchance is so, perchance is not so. Do thou profit by it, let that comparison avail for thy salvation. Thou art un- • On Ps. 103, 5, he says, that tho sive growth of the heak againBt a canto is said to break off an excea- rook. 312 Do we desire God's kingdom ? Peril of men's praise. Psalm willing to profit by this comparison, by some other profit, "it mattereth not provided thou do it: and, being secure, wait for the Kingdom of God, lest thy prayer quarrel with thee. For, O Christian man, when thou sayest, Thy Matt.6, Kingdom come, how sayest thou, Thy kinydom come? Examine thy heart: see, behold, Thy kinydom come: He crieth out to thee, I come: dost thou not fear? Often we have told Your Lovo: both to preach the truth is nothing, if heart from tongue dissent : and to hear tho truth is nothing, if fruit follow not hearing. From this place exalted as it were we aro speaking to you: but how much we arc beneath your feet in fear, God knoweth, Who is gracious to tho humble ; for the voicos of men praising do not give us so much pleasure as the devotion of men confessing, and the deeds of men now righteous. And how we have no pleasure but in your advances, but by those praises how much We are endangered, He knoweth, Whom we pray to deliver us from all dangers, and to deign to know and crown us together with you, saved from every trial, in His Kingdom. ^j PSALM LXV11I. EXPOSITION. 1. Of this Psalm, the title seemeth not to need operose discussion : for simple and easy it appeared]. For thus it standeth : For the end, for David Himself a Psalm of a Song. But in many Psalms already we have reminded you what is at Rom.10, the end. -for the end of the Law is Christ for riyhteousness to every man believing : He is the end which maketli perfect, not that which consumethor destroyed]. Nevertheless, if any oneendeavoureth to inquire, what racaneth, a Psalm of a Song: why not either Psalm or Song, but both ; or what is the difference between Psalm of Song, and Song of Psalm, because even thus of some Psalms the titles are inscribed : he will find perchance something which we leave for men more acute and more at leisure than ourselves. Certain before us Distinction of ' Psalm' and ' Song.' 3 1 3 have distinguished between Song and Psalm ; so that because Title. a Song with the mouth is pronounced, but a Psalm with the - accompaniment of a visible instrument, that is with a Psaltery, is sung, by a Song there seemcth to bo signified tho under standing of the mind, but by a Psalm tho works of the body. For instanco, in this very sixty-seventh Psalm which we havo undertaken to treat of, that which hath been said, namely, Sing ye to God, Psalm ye to His name : certain have dis- v. 4. tinguished as followeth ; to wit, Sing ye to God, seemeth to have been said, because those things which within herself the mind doelh, to God are known, by men are not seen ; but because good works arc to be seen by men to the end Matt. 8, that they may glorify our Father Who is in Heaven, with 16" reason hath been said, Psalm ye to His name, that is, to its fame far and wide, so that laudably His name may be pro nounced. This distinction in some other place, as far as I recollect, I myself also have followed. But I remember that we have also read, Psalm ye to God: as signifying, that suchps.47,6. things as visibly wc work well, not only to men, but also to God, aro pleasing. But not all things which to God aro pleasing, can also be pleasing to men, because they cannot see them. Whence a marvellous thing it is, if in the same manner as both are read, both Sing ye lo God, and Psalm ye lo God; so in some other place there can be read, Sing ye to His name. But if This also in the holy Scrip tures is found to be spoken, the above distinction in vain hath been worked out. I am moved also by the consider ation, that under a general name they arc rather called Psalms than Songs; so that the Lord said, What things have LukeM, been written in the Law and in the Prophets and in the ' Psalms concerning Me. And the book itself is called tho book of Psalms, not of Songs : as it is written, IIo saith, in Acts I, the book of tho Psalms, whereas rather according to that20, distinction, it would scorn that they ought to havo boon called Songs ; for a Song oven without a Psalm thoro may be, but a Psalm without a Song thoro cannot bo. For thero may be thoughts of the mind, whereof there are no corporal works : but there is no good work whereof there is in the mind no thought. And thus in both cases Songs are used, not in both cases Psalms : and yet, as I have said, generally 314 God, i. e. Christ, arisen, hath put his enemies to flight. Psalm they are called Psalms, not Songs ; and the book of Psalms, LKVJn- not of Songs. And if the meanings of the words be under stood and examined, where the title is only of a Psalm, and where only qf a Song, and where not the Psalm of a Song, as iii this, but the Song of a Psalm is inscribed; I know not whether this difference can bo proved. In fine, as wo com menced, leaving these things to those who are able and who have opportunity to make such distinctions, and to define them by a certain rulo for the differences ; let us, as fur as wo aro enabled by the help of the Lord, consider and treat of the text of this Psalm. 2. Ver. 1. Let God rise up, and let His enemies be scattered. Already this hath come to pass, Christ hath risen Kom. 9, up, Who is over all things, God blessed for ever, and His enemies have been dispersed through all nations, to wit, the Jews; in that very place, where they practised their enmities, being overthrown in war, and thence through all places dispersed : and now they hate, but fear, and in that very fear they do that which followeth, And let them that hate Him flee from His face. The flight indeed of the mind is fear. For in carnal flight, whither flee they from the face of Him, jeffec- "who every where shewcth the efficacy1 of His presence? Ps. 139, Whither shall I depart, saith he, J'rom Thy Spirit, and from °' Thy face whither shall Ijlee? With mind, therefore, not with body, they flee; to wit, by bc'ing afraid, not by being hidden ; and not from that face which they see not, but from that which they are compelled to see. For the face of Ilim hath His presence in His Church been called. Whence to Mat.26,thdn at enmity with Ilim He said, Hereafter ye shall see l\' 30.d the Son °f Man coming in clouds. Even as He hath come in His Church, spreading Her abroad in the whole round world, wherein His enemies have been dispersed. But He Is. 5, 6. hath come in such clouds as He speaketh of, in, " / will command My clouds, that they rain not upon it rain." Let them, therefore, that hate Him flee from the face of Him : let them be afraid at the presence of His holy believers, of Mat.26, whom ue Saith, In as much as lo ono of My least ones yo have done it, to Me ye have dono it. 3. Ver. 2. As smoke faileth, let them fail. For thoy lifted up themselves from the fires of their hatred unto the vapour- Fire of repentance, or of judgment, melteth sinners. 315 ing of prido, and against Hoavcn setting their mouth, and Vun. shouting, Crucify, Crucify, Ilim taken captive thoy derided, -.-4j-Tjr Him hanging thoy mocked: and being soon conquered byo. that very Person against Whom thoy swelled victorious, they vanished away. As wax melteth from the face of fire, so let sinners perish from the face of God. Though pcrchanco in this passage ho hath referred to those men, whoso hard- hcartedncss in tears of penitonco is dissolved : yet this also may bo understood, that ho threatened) future judgment ; because though in this world like smoke, in lifting up them selves, that is, in priding themselves, thoy have melted away, there will como to them at the last final damnation, so that from His faco they will perish for everlasting, when in His own glory He shall have appcarcd» like fire, for tho punish ment of tho ungodly, and tho light of the righteous. 4. Lastly, there followed), (ver. 3.) And let just men be joyous, and exult in the sight qf God, let them delight in gladness. For then shall they hear, Come, ye blessed of My Mat. 25, Father, receive yo the kingdom. Let them bo joyous, thorcforo, that havo toiled, and exult in the siyht qf God. For thoro will not bo in this exultation, as though it wore before mon, any empty boasting ; but (it will bo) in tho sight of Him who unerringly looked) into that which He halh granted. LetPa.2,n. them delight in gladness: no longer exulting with trembling, as in this world, so long as human life is a trial upon earth, ^h1' 5. Secondly, he turncth himself to thoso very persons to whom he hath given so great hopo, and to them while hero living ho speaketh and exhorteth : (ver. 4.) Sing ye to God, psalm ye lo His name. Already on this subject in tho expo sition of tho Title wo havo before spoken that which socincd moot. lie singeth to God, that livoth to God: IIo psalmoth to His name, that worketh unto His Glory. In singing thus, in psalining thus, that is, by so living, by so working, a way make yo to Him, ho saith, that hath ascended abovo theu,M,l, setting. A way mako yo to Christ: so that through tho beautiful foot of men telling good tidings, tho hearts of men believing may have a way opened to Ilim. For the Same is He that hath ascended above the selling: either bocause the new lifo of one turned to Him received] Him not, except the old life shall have set by his renouncing this world, or because 316 Joy of Resurrection. The Desolate made God's dwelling. Psalm He ascended above the setting, when by rising again He '¦ conquered the downfall of the body. For The Lord is His \Cor.2,name. Which if they had known, the Lord of glory they never would have crucified. 6. Exult ye in the sight of Him, O ye to whom hath been said, Sing ye to God, psalm ye to the name of Him, a way make ye to Him that hath ascended above the selling, also exult in 2 Cor. 6, the sight qf Him : as if sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing. For while ye make a way to Him, while ye prepare a way whereby He may come and possess the nations, ye are to suffer in the sight of men many sorrowful things. But not only faint not, but even exult, not in the sight of men, but in the sight of Rom.12, God. " In hope rejoicing, in tribulation enduring .•" exult ye in the sight of Him. For they that in tho sight of men trouble you, shall be troubled by the face of Hi in, (ver. 5.) the Father of orphans and Judge qf widows. For desolate they suppose them to be, from whom ofttimes by the sword Mat.10, of tho Word of God both parents from sons, and husbands a4- from wives, are sovercd : but persons destitute and widowed havo tho consolation qf the Father of orphans and Judge of widows: they have tho consolation of Hiin that say lo Ilim, Ps. 27, For my father and my mother have forsaken me, but the l Tim Lord halh taken up me : and they that have hoped in the 6, 6. Lord, continuing in prayers by night and by day : by whose face those men shall be troubled when they shall have seen Johni2, themselves prevail nothing, for that the whole world hath 19, gone away after Ilim. 7. For out of those orphans and widows, that is, persons destitute of partnership in this world's hope, the Lord for Himself doth build a Temple : whereof in continuation he saith, The Lord is in His holy place. For what is His place v.6. he hath disclosed, when he saith, God that maketh to dwell men of one mood in a house: men of one mind, of one sen timent: this is the holy place of the Lord. For when ho had said, The Lord is in His holy place : as though we were inquiring in what place, since He is every where wholly, and no place of corporal spaco contuineth Ilim; forthwith he hath subjoined somewhat, that wo should not seek Ilim apart from ourselves, but rather being of one mood dwelling in a house, we should deserve d>at He also Himself deign to Grace fits men for God to inhabit. 317 dwell among us. This is tho holy place of the .Lord, tho Van. thing that most men scok to havo, a pluco whore in prayer — - — thoy may bo hearkened unto. Let themselves bo therefore that which they seek, and what they speak of in their hearts, that is, in such chambers of theirs let them afflict themselves, P». 4,4. dwelling of one mood in a house ; as that by the Lord of the great house they may be dwelled in, and by themselves may be hearkened to. For there is a great house, wherein not 2 Tim. only golden vessels are, and silver vessels, but also wooden 2»20' and earthen. And some indeed there are unto honour, others for dishonour; but if any shall have purged their own selves from the vessels of dishonour, they shall be of one mood in the house, and shall be the holy place of the Lord. For as in a great house of a man, the Lord thereof doth not abide in every place whatsoever, but in some place doubtless more private and honourable: so God dwelleth not in all men that aro in His house, (for IIo dwelleth not in the vessels of dishonour,) but His holy placo aro they whom Ho maketh lo dwell of one mood, or of one manner, in a house. For what aro called rgiirot in Greek, by both modi and mores, (moods, and manners,) in Latin may be inter preted. Nor hath the Greek writer, Who maketh lo dwell, but only, maketh to dwell. The Lord, then, is in His holy place. What is that place? God Himself maketh it for Himself. For God maketh to dwell men qf one mood in a house: this is His holy place. 8. But to prove that by His Grace He buildeth to Himself this place, not for the sake of the merits preceding of those persons out of whom He buildeth it, see what followeth : (ver. 6.) Who leadeth forth men fettered, in strength. For He looseth the heavy bonds of sins, wherewith they were fettered so that they could not walk in the way of the com mandments : but He leadeth them forth in strength, which before His Grace they had not. Likewise men provoking that dwell in the tombs: that is, every way dead, taken up with dead works. For these men provoke Him lo anger by withstanding justice: for those fettered men perchance would walk, and are not able, and are praying of God that they may be able, and are saying to Him, From rpy necessities leadVa. 26j me forth. By whom being heard, they give thanks, saying, l7- 318 Some raised to Life that were ' buried' in sin. Pbalm Thou hast broken asunder my bonds. But theso provoking p'~TuT mon tnat dwell "' tno tombs, ai'o °f that kind, which in 10." ' another passage tho Scripture pointcth out, saying, From a fj0^"' dead man, as from ono that is not, confession perishoth. Prov. Whence there is this saying, When a sinner shall have como 18 3 ' ' into the depth of evil things, he despiseth. For it is ono thing to long for, another thing to fight against righteous ness : one thing from evil to desire to bo delivered, another thing one's ovil doings to defend rather than to confess: both kinds nevertheless the Grace of Christ leadeth forth in strength. With what strength, but thut wherewith against sin even unto blood thoy aro to strive? For out of ouch kind are made meet persons, wliorcof to construct His holy place; those being loosened, these being raised to life. For even Lukei3, of the woman, whom Satan had bound for eighteen years, Johnll by His command He loosed the bonds ; and Lazarus' death 43# by His voice He overcame. He that hath dono these things in bodies, is able to do more marvellous things in characters, v. 6. and to make men of one mood to dwell in a house : leading forth men fettered in strength, likewise men provoking that dwell in the tombs. 9. Ver. 7. 0 God, when Thou wentest forth before Thy people. His going forth is perceived, when Ho appeared] in His works. But He appeared) not to all men, but to them that know how to spy out His works. For I do not now speak of those works which are conspicuous lo all men, Heaven and earth and sea and all things that in them are ; but the works whereby He leadeth forth men fettered in strength, likewise men provoking that dwell in the tombs, and maketh them of one manner to dwell in a house. Thus He goeth forth before His people, that is, before those that do perceive this His Grace. Lastly, there followeth, When Thou wentest by in the desert, (ver. 8.) the earth was moved. A desert wcro tho nations, which knew not God : a desert they were, where by God Himself no law hud been given, whero no Prophet had dwelled, and foretold the Lord to conic. When, then, Thou wentest by in the desert, when Thou wast preached in the nations ; the earth was moved, to tho faith earthly men were stirred up. But whence was it moved ? For the heavens dropped from the face qf God. Difficulties in taking this Psalm literally. 319 Perchance here some one called) to mind that time, when in Veb. the desert God was going over before His people, before the sons of Israel, by day in tho pillar of cloud, by night in the Exod. brightness of fire ; and determineth that thus it is that the ' ' heavens dropped from the face of God, for manna He rained Exod. upon His people : that the same thing also is that which ' ' followeth, Mount Sina from the face of the God qf Israel,". 8. (ver. 9.) with voluntary rain severing God to Thine inherit ance, namely, the God that on Mount Sina spake to Moses, when He gave the Law, so that the manna is the voluntary rain, which God severed for His inheritance, that is, for His people; because them alone He so. fed, not tho other nations also : so that what next he saith, and it was weakened, is understood of the inheritance being itself weakened; for they murmuring, fastidiously loathed the manna, longing for Numh. victuals of flesh, and those things on which they had bcen11'^6' accustomed to live in Egypt. But in these words, if the exact meaning only of the letter, not a spiritual sense, be to be looked for, it ought to be shewn according to an exact corporal sense of them, who at that time, being fettered, and even dwelling in the tombs, were led forth in strength. Secondly, if that people, to wit that inheritance of God, who with loathing rejected the manna, was made weak, there ought not to follow, But Thou didst perfect it: but, But Numb. Thou didst smile it. For God being offended by those 1X'1-33' murmurings and loathings, a mighty plague followed. Lastly, all those men in the desert were stricken down, nor were any of them except two found worthy to go into the land ofNumb. promise. Although even if in the sons of them that inherit- 34' ance be said to have been perfected, we ought more readily to hold to a spiritual sense. For all those things in a figure l Cor. did happen to them; until the day should break, and thes0|'.s0Dg shadows should be removed. 2> 1'- 10. May then the Lord open to us that knock; and may the secret things of His mysteries, as far as Himself vouch safed), be disclosed. For in order that the earth might be moved to the Truth when into the desert of the Gentiles the Gospel was passing, the Heavens dropped from the face of God. These are the Heavens, whereof in another Psalm is sung, The Heavens are telling forth tlie glory of God. For Ps.19,1. 320 Tlie work not less God's because through men. psalm ©f these a little after is there said : There are neither speeches p8 19 - nor discourses, wherein the voices of them are not heard: 3, tie. int0 every land the sound of them hath gone forth, and into the ends qf the earth the words of them. However, to those heavens must not bo ascribed so great glory, as though from men that Grace came into the desert of the Gentiles, that the earth might be moved to the Truth. For the Heavens dropped not from themselves, but from the face of God, to wit, He dwelling in them, and making them of one manner to dwell in a house. For the same also are the mountains, Ps. 121, whereof is said, I have lifted mine eyes to the mountains, 1 whence shall come help to me. And nevertheless, lest on men he should seem to have set hope, immediately he hath ib. 2. added, My help is from tlie Lord, Who hath made Heaven Pi.7e,i.aiid earth. For to Him in another place is said, Thou enlightening marvellously, from the everlasting mountains: though it be from the everlasting mountains ; nevertheless it is Thou enlightening marvellously. So here also, the Heavens dropped; hut from the face of God. For even these very Ephes. persons have been saved through fat lit, and this not of them- 2' 8-10- selves, but God's gift it is, not of works, lest perchance any man should be lifted up. For of Himself we are the work- ver. 6. manship, ' that maketh men of one mood to dwell in a house.' 11. But what is that which followeth, Mount Sina from the face of the God of Israel ? Must there be understood dropped; so that what he hath called by the name of Heavens, the same he hath willed to be understood under the name of Mount Sina also; just as we said that those are called mountains, which were called Heavens ? Nor in this sense ought it to move us that He saith mountain, not mountains, while in that place they were called Heavens, not Heaven : Ps.l9,l.for in another Psalm also after it had been said, The Heavens are telling forth the glory of God: after the manner of Scrip ture repeating the same sense in different words, subsequently ib. there is said, And the firmament lellelh the works of His hands. First he said Heavens, not Heaven : and yet after wards not firmaments, but firmament. For God called the Gon. l firmament Heaven, as in Genesis hath been written. Thus 8- then Heavens and Heaven, mountains and mountain, are not a different thing, but the very same thing: just as Churches How the Law is ' made perfect' by the gift of Grace. 32 1 many, and the One Church, arc not a different thing, but tho Vkb. very samo thing. Why then Mount Sina, which gendercth ^-^ — unto bondage? as saith the Apostle. Is perchance the Law 24. ' itself to be understood in mount Sina, as that which the Heavens dropped from the face of God, in order that tho earth might be moved ? And is this the very moving of the earth, when men are troubled, because the Law they cannot fulfil ? But if so it is, this is the voluntary rain, whereof in confirmation he saith, Voluntary rain God severing to Thine infieritance : because He hath not done so to any nation 'Ph. 147, 20. and His judgment He hath not manifested lo them. God therefore set apart this voluntary rain to His inheritance because He gave the Law. And there was made weak, either the Law, or the inheritance. The Law may be under stood to have been made weak, because it was not fulfilled; not that of itself it is weak, but becauso it maketh men weak, by threatening punishment, and not aiding through grace. For also the very word the Apostle hath used, where he saith, For lhat xohich was impossible of the Law, wherein it was R" was made weak through the flesh, because flesh fulfillelh not3- that which through the Spirit is fulfilled, that is, through spiritual grace; saith also, That the righteousness of the Rom. fi, Law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. This is then the sense of, But thou hast made it perfect ; namely, that The fulness qf the Law is Rom.13, love ; and, The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts, not j"- through ourselves, but, through the Holy Spirit that hath s. been given to us ; this is, But Thou hast made it perfect, if He be understood to have made perfect the Law; but if VOL. III. y 322 The ' voluntary rain' best understood of Grace. Psalm the inheritance, more easy is the understanding thereof. For — "if for this reason the inheritance of God is said to havo been made weak, that is, the people of God to have been made Rom. 5, weak bv the giving of the Law, to wit, because the Law 20, entered in, in order that transgression might abound : then also that which followeth, But Thou hast made it perfect, is ibid. understood by that which also in the Apostle followeth, but where transgression abounded, grace did more abound. For Ps.16,4. transgression being abundant, the weaknesses of them were ue' multiplied, and afterwards they made haste: because they groaned and called upon Him; in order that by His aid there might be fulfilled that, which by His command was not ful filled. Grace 12, There is in these words yet another sense: which luntary seemcth to mc more to approve itself. For much more in rain, accordance with tho context, grace itself is understood to be the voluntary rain, because with no preceding merits of works Itom. it is given gratis. For if grace, no longer of works: otherwise lCoMB gi'oce no longer is grace. For unworthy I am, ho saith, to be °- )0- called an Apostle, because I persecuted the Church of God: but bq the grace of God I am what I am. This is tho James voluntary rain. For voluntarily He hath begotten us with '• 18- the word ff Truth. This is the voluntary rain. Thence Ps.5,12. elsewhere is said, Willi the buckler of Thy goodwill Thou hasl crowned us. That ruin, when God was going over in tho desert, that is, was boing preached in the nations, Ihc Heavens dropped: not however from themselves, hut from i Cor. the face of God, since oven they themselves by the grace of ' ' God are what they aro. And therefore, Mount Sina, ho himself also who laboured more than they all, yet not ho himself, but the grace of God with him, in order that more abundantly he might drop upon the nations, that is, upon Rom. the desert, where Christ had not been preached, lest upon Philip', another's foundation ho should build ; he himself, I say, was 3> 5« an Israelite of the family of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin : Gal. 4, and he himself therefore unto bondage had been gendered, being of the earthly Jerusalem, which is in bondage with her sons, and so he persecuted the Church. For what he himself Gal. 4, hath intimated : As then he that after the flesh had been begotten was persecuting him that after the Spirit had been What is meant by ' Mount Sina,' or ' the God of Sina.' 323 begotten, even so now. But mercy he obtained, because Veb. ignorant he did it in unbelief. We wonder, then, how the —~- Heavens dropped from the face of God: let us wonder more, i, l.i." how did Mount Sina, that is, ho that before was perse- Philip. curing, a Hebrew of the Hebrews, after the Law a Pharisee. ' ' But why should we wonder ? For not from himself, but as followeth from the face qf the God of Israel, of whom he saith himself, and upon the Israel of God: of whom theGa,-6> Lord said), Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom guile is not. jonn l, This voluntary rain then, with no merits of good works pre- 7- ccding, God sot apart for His inheritance And it was made weak. For ho acknowledged himself not to bo any thing of himself; that not to his own powers, but to tho grace of God must bo ascribed what he is. lie acknowledged that which hath been said, In my infirmities I will glory. He acknow- 2 Cor. lodged that which huth been said, Be not highminded,biitn'om[ fear. Ho acknowledged that which hath been said, But to'1) 10, tTniiiciJ humble men He giveth, grace. And it was made weak, buli,o. Thou hast made it perfect: because virtue in weakness is 2 Cor. perfected. Somo copies indeed, both Latin and Greek, have ' ' not Mount Sina; but, from the face of the God of Sina, from the face qf the God of Israel, That is, The Heavens dropped from the face of God: and, as if enquiry wcro mado of what God, from the face of the God, ho saith, of Sina, from the face of the God of Israel, that is, from tho fuco of the God that gave tho Law to tho pooplo of Israol. Why then the Heavens dropped from the face qf God, from the faco of this God, but becauso thus was fulfilled that which had been foretold, Blessing He shall give that halh given lhep»M,o. Law? Tho Law whereby to terrify a man that rolieth on^'83- human powers ; blessing, whereby Ho delivered) a man that Vulg. hopeth in God. Thou then, O God, hast made perfect °0e,a' r Thine inheritance ; because it is made weak in itself, in order that it may bo made perfect by Thco. 13. Ver. 10. Thine animals shall dwell therein. Thine, not their own ; to Thoo subject, not for themselves free; for Thco needy, not for themselves sufficient. Lastly, ho con tinued!, Thou hast prepared in Thine own sweetness for the needy, O God. In Thine own sweetness, not in his mootnoss. For tho needy ho is, for he hath boen made woak, in order y2 32* The Word given as food to the Preachers of the Gospel. P»ai,m that ho may bo mado perfect : he hath acknowledged himself LXVI"' indigent, that he may be replenished. This is that sweetness, Ps. 85 whereof in another place is said, The Lord shall give sweet- 12, ness, and our land shall give her fruit : in order that a good work may be done not for fear, but for love ; not for dread of punishment, but for love of righteousness. For this is true and sound freedom. But the Lord hath prepared this for one wanting, not for one abounding, whose reproach is that Ps. 1-23, poverty : of which sort in another place is said, Reproach to *' these men that abound, and con tempt to proud men. For thoso he hath called proud, whom ho hath called them that abound. 14. Ver. 11. The Lord shall give the Word: to wit, food for His animals which shall dwell therein. But what shall these animals work to whom He shall give the Word ? What but that which followeth? To them preaching the Gospel in much virtue. With what virtue, but with that strength wherein He leadeth forth men fettered ? Perchance also here ho speaketh of that virtue, wherewith in preaching the Gospel they wrought wondrous signs. 15. Who then shall give the Word to men preaching the Gospel with much virtue ? (Ver. 12.) The King, he saith, of the virtues of the Beloved. The Father therefore is King of the virtues of the Son. For the Beloved, when there is not specified any person that is beloved, by a substitution of name, of the Only Son is understood. Is not the Son Himself King of His virtues, to wit of the virtues serving Himself? Because with much virtue the King of Virtues shall give the Word to men preaching the Gospel, of Whom Ps. 24, it hath been said, The Lord of Virtues, He is the King of 10, Glory? But his not having said King of Virtues, but King of lite Virtues of the Beloved, is a most usual expression in the Scriptures, if any one observe: which thing chiefly appeareth in those cases where even the person's own name is already expressed, so that it cannot at all be doubted that it is tho samo person of whom something is said. Of which sort also is that which in the Pentateuch in many passages is found : And Moses did it, as the Lord commanded Moses. Ho said not that which is usual in our expressions, And Moses did, as the Lord commanded him; but, 'Moses did as the Lord Repetition of names. Who is ' Kiny of the Virtues' 325 commanded Moses,' as if one person were the Moses whom He Veb. commanded, and another person the Moses who did, whereas 12- it is the very same. In the New Testament such expressions are most difficult to find. From thence nevertheless is that which tho Apostio saith, Concerning His Son Who was madeRom.\, for Him of the seed if David after the flesh, Who was pre-3 4' destined lo be the Son of God in virtue after the Spirit of sanclification by lite resurrection qf the dead of Jesus Christ our Lord: as though one person were tho Son of God who was made of tho seed of Duvid after tho flesh, and another person Josus Christ our Lord, whereas Ho is ono and tho sumo. But in the old Hooks this expression is frequent : and there fore when it is used somewhat obscurely, by evident instances of tho liko kind it must bo understood; as in this Psuhn, whereof wo uro trcuting, somewhat obscurely it halh been used. For if Jesus Christ were said to be King of tho virtues of Jesus Christ., it would bo as clear as this, Moses did as tho Lord commanded Moses : but because there huth boon said, King of the virtues of the Beloved, it is no slight matter that it should come to pass that the Same is King of tho virtues, as is also tho Beloved. The King, therefore, of the virtues of the Beloved, thus may be understood, as if it were to bo said, the King of His virtues, because both King of Virtues is Christ, and tho Beloved is the very same Christ. However, this souse hath not so great urgency, as that no other can be accepted : because tho Father also may bo understood as King of tho virtues of His Beloved Son, to Whom tho Beloved Himself saith, All Mine arc Thine, and Thine Mine. Johnir, But if perchance it is asked, whether God the Father of tho Lord Jesus Christ can be called King also, I know not whether any one would dare to withhold this name from Him in the passage where the Apostle saith, But to the King l.Tim. qf ages, immortal, invisible, the only God. Because even if ' this be said of the Trinity itself, therein is also God the Father. But if we do not carnally understand, O God, Thy pa.72,l. Judgment lo the King give Thou, and Thy justice to the Son of the King : I know not whether any thing else hath been said than, ' to Thy Son.' King therefore is the Father also. Whence lhat verse of this Psalm, King of the virtues of the Beloved, in cither way may be understood. When 320 Christ beautifies His house with spoils of Satan. Psalm therefore he had said, The Lord shall give the Word to men I X VI II ¦'• preaching the Gospel with much virtue: becauso virtue itself by Him is ruled, and served) Ilim by Whom it is given; the Lord Himself, he suith, Who shall give the Word to men preaching tho Gospel with much virtue, is tho King of tho virtues of tho Beloved. 10. In the next placo there followeth, Of the Beloved, and of the beauty of the House to divide the spoils. The repe tition belongeth to eulogy: though this repetition all tho copies have not, and tho more careful mark it wilh a star put before it, which marks are called asterisks, whereby they would have to be noted, that there are not in the Septuagint Version, but there are in the Hebrew, those words which are distinguished by such marks. But whether it be repeated, or whether it be received as spoken once, tho word *'Di- which huth been set down, namely, Beloved', I suppose ^f'iJj, that thus must bo understood that which followed), and of signifies (/ie oeauty of a house to divide lite spoils; as if there were choice, said, Chosen even to divide the spoils of the beauty oj'a house, that is, Chosen even for dividing tho spoils. For beautiful Christ hath made His House, that is, the Church, by dividing to Her spoils : in the same manner as the Body is beautiful in the distribution of the members. ' Spoils' moreover those are called that are stripped off from conquered i'oes. What this is the Gospel adviseth us in the passage where wo read, Mat.12, No one goeth into the house of a strong man lo spoil his vessels, unless first he shall have bound the strong man. Christ therefore huth bound tho devil with spiritual bonds, by overcoming deulh, and by usc.cnding from Hell above tho Heavens: Ho huth bound him by tho Sucrunicnt of His Incuruution, because though finding nothing in Him deserving of death, yet ho wus permitted to kill: and from him so bound IIo took uway his vessels us though they were spoils, Ephc«. yor ]1(. was working in the sons of disobedience, of whoso 2,2. unbelief ho made use to work his own will. These vessels the Lord cleansing by tho remission of sins, sanctifying these spoils wrested from the foe luid prostrate and bound, these Ephes. He hath divided to tho beauty of His House; making some iCor. apostles, some prophets, some pastors and doctors, for the 12, 12. work 0f tile ministry, for the building up of the Body of Construction of the Text. 327 Christ. For as the body is one, and hath many members, Vbb. and though all the members of the body are many, the body 1Co ' .a is one: so also is Christ. Are all Apostles? Are all 29. Prophets? Are all Powers? Have all the gifts of healings? Do all speak with tongues ? Do all interpret ? But all these l Cor. things worketh one and the same Spirit, dividing lo each one ' his own gifts, as lie willelh. And such is the beauty of the house, whereto the spoils are divided, that a lover thereof with this fairness being enkindled, crieth out, 0 Lord, I have loved P»- 26, the grace of Thy House. 17. Now in that which followed), ho turneth himself to address the members themselves, whereof the beauty of the House is composed, saying, (ver. 13.) If ye sleep in the midst qf the lots, wings of a dove silvered, and between the shoulders thereof in the freshness qf gold. First, we must here examine the order of the words, in what manner the sentence is ended; which certainly awaiteth,when there is said, If ye sleep: secondly, in that which he sailh, namely, icings of dove silvered, whether in the singular number it must be understood as being, ' of this wing" thereof, or in tho plural ' '.hujus as, ' these wings3.' But tho singular number the Greek ex- a™1^ cludoth, whoro always in tho plural wo read it written. ButPonnn!' still it is uncertain whether it bo, these wings; or whether, ' O yo wings,' so as that ho may soem to speak to the wings themselves. Whether therefore by tho words which havo preceded, that sentence bo ended, so that tho order is, The Lord shall give the Word to men preaching the Gospel ivilh much virtue, if ye sleep in the midst of the lots, 0 ye wittys of a dove silvered: or by these which follow, so that the order is, If ye sleep in the midst of the lots, the wings of a dove silvered with snow shall be whitened in Selmon : that is, the wings themselves shall be whitened, if ye sleep in the midst of the lots: so that he may be understood to say this to them that are divided to the beauty of the House, as it were spoils, that is, if ye sleep in the midst of the lots, O ye that are divided to the beauty of the House, through the manifest- j^or. ation of the Spirit unto profit, so that to one indeed is given ' through the Spirit the word of wisdom, to another the word of knowledge after the same Spirit, lo another faith, to another kinds of healings in the same Spirit, Sfc. if then ye sleep 328 ' Sleeping betwixt the lots,' reding on both Testurnents. Pbalm in the midst of the lots, then the wings of a dove silvered LXVlfl — ' with snow shall be whitened in Selmon. It may also be thus: If ye being the wings of a dove silvered, slet-p in the midil of the lots, with mow they ahull be whitened in Selmon, so as that those wen he understood who through grace receive remission of bins. Whence also of the Church Herself, is said in the Song of Songs, Who in She that goeth upuhitened? For ibis promiseof Godishcldouithrough the Prophet, saying, If your sins shall have been like scarlet, like snow I w ill whiten thein. It may also thus be understood, so that in that which hath been said, wings of a dove silvered, there be understood, yo shall bo, so that this is the sense, O ye that like as it were spoils to the beauty of tho houso are divided, if ye sleep in the midst of the lots, wings of a dove silvered ye shull be: that is, into higher places yo shall be lifted up, adhering however to the bond of the Church. For I think no other dove silvered can be belter perceived here, than that whereof flung of hath been said, One is My dove. But silvered She is because °* ' ' with divine sayings she huth been instructed : for the sayings Ps. 12, of the Lord in another place are culled silver willtjirt: refined, purged, sevenfold. Some great good thing therefore it is, to sleep in the midst of tho lots, which some would have to bo the Two Testaments, no diat lo' sleep in the midst of the « inter lots'' is to rest on the authority of those Testaments, that is, meilioi to acquiesce iii the testimony of either Testament : so that cterOi. . whenever any thing out of them is produced and proved, all strife is ended in peaceful acquiescence. But if so it be, of what else do men preaching the Gospel with much virtue seem to be reminded, but lhat the Lord shall give them the Word thut they may be able to preach, if only they sleep in the midst of the lots? For to them the Word of Truth is given, if only the authority of the two Testaments is not forsaken by them : so that they themselves are also the wings of a dove silvered, by the preaching of whom the glory of the Church is borne unto Heaven. 18. Between the shoulders, however. This is indeed a part of the body, it is a part about the region of the heart, at the hinder parts however, that is, at the back : which part of lhat dove silvered he saith is ' in the greenness of gold,' that is, in the vigour of wisdom, which vigour I think cannot bo Wings of the dove, the Two Commandments. 329 better understood than by love. But why on the back, and vmi. not on the breast? Although I wonder in what sense this ^ Ps.9l 4. word is put in another Psalm, where there is said, Between His shoulders. He shall overshadow thee, and under His wings thou shalt hope: forasmuch as under wings there cannot be overshadowed any thing but what shall be under the breast. And in Latin, indeed, between the shoulders, perchance in some degree of both parts may be understood, both before and behind, that we may take shoulders to be the parts which have the head betwixt them ; and in Hebrew perchance the word is ambiguous, which may in this manner also be understood : but the word that is in tho Greek, /xeTaipgsva, signifieth not any thing but at the back, which is between the shoulders. Is there for this reason there the greenness of gold, that is, wisdom and love, because in that place there are in a manner the roots of the wings ? or because in that place is carried that light burden ? For what arc even the wings themselves, but the two commandments of love, whereon hangeth the whole Mat.22, Law and the Prophets? what is that same light burden, but40- that same love which in these two commandments is fulfilled? I*"- For whatever thing is difficult in a commandment, is a light thing to a lover. Nor on any other account is rightly under stood the saying, My burden is light, but because He giveth Mat.li,. the Holy Spirit, whereby love is shed abroad in our hearts,^ fi in order that in love we may do freely that which he that 6. doeth in fear doeth slavishly ; nor is he a lover of what is right, when he would prefer, if so be it were possible, that what is right should not be commanded. 19. It may ako be required, when it hath not been said, if ye sleep in the lots, but in the midst of the lots; what this is, in the midst of the lots. Which expression indeed, if more exactly it were translated from the Greek, would signify, in the midst between the lots*, which is in no one of the inter preters I have read : therefore I suppose, that what hath been said signified] much the same, to wit the expression, in the midst qf the lots. Hence therefore what seemeth to me I will explain. Ofttimes this word is wout to be used for » ' Inter medium clerorum.' The other might mean, between or among the tho mirldlomost lots. 330 The ' lots,' the Two Testaments; ' sleep,' their agreement. Pbalm uniting and pacifying one thing and another, that they — '¦ may not mutually disagree : as when God is establishing His 1 testa- covenant1 between Himself and His people, this word tho Scripture useth; for instead of that expression which is in Latin between Me and you, the Greek hath, in the midst of Me and you. So also of the sign of Circumcision, when God Gen. 17, speaketh to Abraham, He saith, There shall be a testament *' between Me and thee and all thy seed : which the Greek hath, in the midst of Me and thee, and the midst of thy seed. Gen. 9, Also when He was speaking to Noc of the bow in the clouds to establish a sign, this word very often lie repeated] : and that which tho Latin copies have, between Me and you, or between Mo and ovcry living soul, and whatever suchlike expressions there are used, is found in the Greek to be, in the middlo of Mo and you, which is av£ /xeo-ev. David also and 1 Sam. Jonathan establish a sign between thein, that they may not disagree with a difference of thought : and that which in Latin is expressed, between both, in the middle of both, the Greek hath expressed in tho same word, which is avoi. petrov. But it was best that in this passage of the Psalms our translators said not, ' among the lots,' which expression is more suited to the Latin idiom ; but, in the midst of the lots, as though ' in the midst between the lots,' which rather is the reading in the Greek, and which is wont to be said in the case of those things which ought to have a mutual consent. The Scripture therefore commandeth to sleep in the midst of the lots, them that either are the wings of a dove silvered, or by this it is granted to them to be so. Furthermore, if these lots signify the two Testaments, of what else are we admonished but that against the mutual agreement of the Testaments0 we should not fight, but in understanding them should acquiesce, and ourselves should be the sign and evidence of their agreement, while we perceive that die one saith nothing against the other, and with peaceful admiration, like a vision » cleros in sleep, we prove it ? But why in the ' lots -' the Testaments should be perceived, though this word is Greek, and the Testament is not so named, the reason is, because through a testament is given inheritance, which in Greek is called « Sen. • Testamentis inter se con- • ea Testamenta inter se consentire.' Bentientibus.' Most Mss. (and Oxf.) 'Lots,' the two Inheritances; * Sleep,' waiting for the better. 331 xkygovoplx, and an heir xAijfioi *• them by the excellence of the gifts; for even the milk itself whence curd is made, in a wonderful manner signifieth grace; for it floweth out of the overflowing of the mother's bowels, and of a sweet compassion unto babes freely it is poured forth. But in tho Greek the case is doubtful, whether it bo tho nomimitivo or the accusative : for in that language Christ the ' Mountain,' not as other Mountains. 335 mountain is of the neuter gender, not of the masculine: Ver. therefore some Latin translators have not translated it, unto — 1!L_ the Mountain of God, but, the Mountain of God. But I think, unto Selmon the Mountain of God, is better, that is, unto the Mountain of God which is called Selmon : according to tho interpretation which, as we best could, we have explained above. 23. Secondly, in the expression, Mountain of God, Moun tain full of curds, Mountain fruitful, let no one dare from this to compare the Lord Jesus Christ with the rest of the Saints, who are themselves also called mountains of God : for we read, Thy righteousness is like the mountains of God: Ps. 36, whence the Apostle saith, that we may be the righteousness ^Cot.s qf God in Him. Of which mountains also in another place 21. is said, Thou enlightening marvellously from the everlasting Ps.76,4. mountains: becauso to them life everlasting hath been given, and through them the preeminent authority of the Holy Scriptures hath been established; but with Ilim enlightening by means of them, to Whom is said, Thou enlightening. For, 7^ have lifted up mine eyes unto the Mountains, whence there Ps. 121, shall come help lo me : and yet my help is not from thoso ' same mountains of themselves ; but, my help is from the Lord, }hii- "• who hath made Heaven and earth. For one of those very mountains greatly excelling, when he had said, that he laboured more than they all; saith, yet not I, but the graced Cor. of God with me. That no one therefore might dare even to ' compare the Mountain beautiful in form before the sons of?*. *$, men, with mountains the sons of men ; for there were not wanting men to call Him, some John Baptist, some Elias, Mat. 16, some Jeremias, or one of the Prophets ; He turneth to them and saith, (ver. 16.) Why do ye imagine* mountains full1 ""V": of curds, a mountain, he sailh, wherein it hath pleased God lo dwell therein ? " Why do ye imagine3 ?" For as they arc a^r'/oo* . light, because to themselves also hath been said, Ye are ihe'^j^^ Light of the world,h\it some thing different halh been called14* the true Light which enlighteneth every man: so they are John 1, mountains ; but far different is the Mountain prepared on the ijai> 2 top of the mountains. These mountains therefore in bearing2- that Mountain are glorious : one of which mountains saith, " but from me far be it to glory, save in the Cross of our Lord 6«J. 0, 14. 330 God in Christ otherwise than as in the Saints. Phalm Jesus Christ,throngh Whom tome the worldhathbecncrucified, fCor. l and I to the world: so that he that glorielh, not in himself, but 31 • in-the Lord may glory." Why then do ye imagine mountains full qf curds, that Mountain wherein it hath pleased God to dwell therein? Not because in other men He dwelleth not, Coloss. but because in them through Him. For in Him dwelleth all 2 9 . i Kingnthe fulness of the Godhead, not in a shadow, as in the temple 8> 27# made by king Solomon, but bodily, that is, solidly and truly. 2 Cor.fi, For God was in Christ reconciling the world la Himself. Which whether wo tako to bo spoken of the Futher, because Ho John 14, snjt], Himself, But the Father in Me abiding Himself doeth His works : I in the Father and the Father in Me : or whether thus it bo understood, God wus in Christ, the Word was in Man: yet the Word wus in the flesh in such a manner John l, that tho Word mudo flesh wus oven properly named us One1, 'solus *'"lt 's' ITmn *° tn0 W°'d in the one Person of Christ wus conjoined. Why then do ye imagine mountains full of curds, that mountain wherein it hath pleased. God to dwell in Him? Far otherwise indeed than in those mountains, whereof ye imagine even this Mountain to be one. For not because through the grace of adoption they are sons of God, is therefore any one of them the Only-Begotten, to Whom IIo Ps. no, should say, Sit on My right hand, until I lay Thine enemies '• beneath 'Ihyfeet. For the Lord shall inhabit even iiti/o lite end: that is, (hose niounlains not to be compared with this Mountain, the Lord Himself shall inhabit, Who is tho Isa. 2, Mountain prepared on tho top of the mountains; in order 2' that lie may conduct them unto tho end, that is, unto llini- Rom.10, self, to be beheld as He is, as God. For the end of the Law is Christ for righteousness lo every one believing. God there fore it hath pleased to dwell in that mountain, Which hath been prepared on the top of the mountains : to Whom Ho Matt. 3, saith, Thou art My beloved Son, in Whom I have been well pleased. But that same Mountain is the Lord, Who shall inhabit other mountains unto the end, on the top of whom l Tim. jje nath been prepared. For there is One God, and One Mediator of God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, Mountain Johni7,0f niounlains, as Saint of saints. Whence He saith, ' I in them and Thou in Me.' Why then do ye imagine mountains full of curds, the mountain, wherein it halh pleased Gotl to Ten thousands of the Church are God's Chariot. 337 dwell in Him ? For those mountains full of curds that Ver. Mountain the Lord shall inhabit even unto the end, that — something they may be to whom He saith, for without Me Johnio, nothing ye are able lo do. 24. Thus cometh to pass that also which followeth ; (ver. 17.) The Chariot qf God is of ten thousands manifold: or of tens of thousands manifold: or, ten times thousand times manifold. For one Greek word, which halh there been used, (/.ugtoirXatriov, each Latin interpreter hath rendered as best he could, but in Latin it could not be adequately expressed : for a thousand with the Greeks is called %fXi«, but /xugiaXej are a number of tens of thousands: for one /xogiaj are ten thousands. Thus a vast number of saints and be lievers, who by bearing God become in a manner the chariot ' ' see St. of God, he hath signified under this name. By abiding in rjua and guiding this, He conducteth it, as though it were HisHom-1- Chariot, unto the end, as if unto some appointed place. For, the beginning is Christ; secondly, they lhat are of Christ, at l Cor. the appearing of Him; then the end. This is Holy Church : 16' M' which is that which followeth, thousands of men rejoicing. For in hope they are joyful, until they be conducted unto Rom. the end, which now they look for through patience. For ' ' admirably, when he had said, Thousands of men rejoicing: immediately he added, The Lord is in them. That we may not wonder why they rejoice, The Lord is in them. For Acts 14, through many tribulations we must needs enter into the ' kingdom of God, but, The Lord is in them. Therefore even a Cor. 6, if they are as it were sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing, though 10' not now in that same end, to which they have not yet come, yet in hope they are rejoicing, and in tribulation patient: for, The Lord is in them, in Sina in the holy place. In the interpretations of Hebrew names, we find Sina interpreted commandment : and some other interpretations it has, but I think this to be more agreeable to the present passage. For giving a reason why those thousands rejoice, whereof the Chariot of God doth consist, The Lord, he saith, is in them, in Sina in the holy place: that is, the Lord is in them, in the commandment; which commandment is holy, as saith the Apostle : Therefore the law indeed is holy, and the com- Rom. 7, mandment is holy, and just, and good. But what would the '*' vol. in. z 338 Our Lord, ascending, gave gifts, and received in His Body. Psalm commandment profit, unless the Lord were there, of Whom ,*^H- it is said, For God it is that worketh in you both to will and Philip. ' ¦' 2, la. to work according to good will? For commandment without 2 Cor.3, tj1Q Lord's aid js letter killing. For, the Law entered in, that Rom. 5, there might abound transgression. But because the fulness 20 « Ro'm.13 "/ ^w Law is Love, therefore through Lovo the Law is J0- fulfilled, not through fear. For the Love of God hath been o. ' ' shed abroad in our hearts through the Ihdy Spirit, Which halh been given to us. Therefore thoso thousands do rejoice. For they do tho righteousness of tho Luw so far as they arc aided by tho Spirit of Grace : for the Lord is in them, in Sina in the holy place. 25. In the next place, turning his address to the Lord Himself, (ver. 18.) Thou hast gone up, he saith, on high, Thou hast led captivity captive, Thou hast received gifts in men. Of this the Apostle thus maketh mention, thus ex- Eph. 4, poundeth in speaking of the Lord Christ : But unto each m 1 ft ' one of us, he saith, is given grace after the measure of the giving of Christ : for which cause he sailh, He hath gone up on high, He hath led captive captivity, He hath given- gifts lo men. But thai He halh gone up, what is it, but that also He halh gone down into the lower parts qf the earth ? He thai hath gone down is the Same also that hath gone up above all Heavens, that He might fulfil all things. To Christ therefore without doubt hath been said, Thou hast gone up on high, Thou hast led captivity captive, Thou hast received gifts in men. And let it not move us that the Apostle making mention of that same testimony saith not, Thou hast received gifts in men ; but, He hath given gifts unto men. For ho with Apostolic authority hath spoken thus according to the faith that the Son is God with tho Father. For in respect of this He hath given gifts to men, sending to them the Holy Spirit, Which is the Spirit of the Father and of the Son. But foras much as the self-same Christ is understood in His Body which is the Church, wherefore also His members are His l Cor. saints and believers, whence to diem is said, But ye are the 12> 27- Body of Christ, and the members, doubtless He hath Himself also received gifts in men. Now Christ hath gone up on Markie.high, and sittelh at the right hand of the Father: but unless He were here also on the earth, He would not thence have ' Captivity led captive,' the enemy or his prisoners. 339 cried, Saul, Saul, why persccutest thou Me ? When the Same Ver. saith Himself, Inasmuch as lo one of My least ye have done-— — '¦ it, to Mc ye have done it : why do we doubt that He received! 4. in His members, the gifts which the members of Hiin re-^'25' ceivc ? 26. But what is, Thou hast led captivity captive? Is it because He hath conquered death, which was holding captive those over whom it reigned ? Or hath he called men them selves captivity, who were being held captive under the devil ? Which thing's mystery even the title of that Psalm doth contain, to wit, when the house was being builded after *** Title the captivity : that is, tho Church after the coming in of tho Vulg. ' Gentiles. Calling therefore those very men who were being held captive a captivity, as when ' the service1' is spoken of militia there aro understood those that serve also, that same cap tivity he saith by Christ hath been led captive. For why should not captivity be happy, if even for a good purpose men may be caught ? Whence to Peter hath been said, From Luke 5, henceforth thou shalt catch men. Led captive thcreforo they 10' arc becauso caught, and caught because subjugated, being sent under that gentle yoke, being delivered from sin whereof Mat.li, they were servants, and being mado servants of righteousness Hom.e whereof they were children. Whence also He is Himself in 18< them, That hath given gifts to men, and hath received gifts in men. And thus in that captivity, in that servitude, in that chariot, under that yoke, there are not thousands of men lamenting, but thousands of men rejoicing. For the Lord ?. 17. is in them, in Sina, in (he holy place. With which senso agreeth another interpretation also, whereby Sina is inter preted ' measure.' For concerning these gifts of spiritual gladness the Apostle speaking, saith, that whereof I havo made mention above, but lo each one of us hath been given Kph. 4, grace after the measure of the giving of Christ. And in the next place there followeth that which hero also followed) : Wherefore he saith, He halh gone up on high, Ho hath led Eph. 4, captivity captive, He halh given gifts to men: which hero is,8. Thou hast received gifts in men. What is more unanimous than this and that truth ? What more evident ? 27. But what next doth he adjoin ? (Ver. 1 8.) For they that believe not to dwell: or, as some copies have, For not believing z2 340 Dwelling in God by faith. His daily praise. Psalm to dwell: for what else aro mon not behoving, but they that -xv'":belicvo not? To whom this huth been said, is not easy to porcoivo. For us though a reason were boing givon of tho abovo words, when it had boon said, Thou hast led captivity captive, Thou hast receioed gifts in men: thero huth been udded in continuation, for they that believe not to dwell, that is, not believing that they should dwell. What is this ? Of whom saith he this? Did that captivity, before it passed into a good captivity, shew whence it was an evil captivity ? For through not believing they were possessed by the enemy, Eph. 2, that worketh in the sons of unbelief: among whom ye were sometime, while ye were living amony them. By tho gifts therefore of His graco, lie thut huth received gifts in men, hath led captive that captivity. For they believed not that they should dwell. For fuith hath thence delivered them, in order that now believing they may dwell in the House of God, even they top becoming the House of God, and the Chariot of God, consisting of thousands of men rejoicing. 28. Whence he that was singing of these things, in the Spirit foreseeing them, even he too being fulfilled with joy 'eruc- hath burst forth ' a hymn, saying, The Lord God is blessed, (ver. 19.) blessed is the Lord God from day unto day. Which some copies have, by day daily, because the Greeks have it thus, rj/Asgav xafl' rjjxiyctv : which more exactly would bo expressed by, by day daily. Which expression I think signifieth the samo as that which hath been said, to mt,from day unto day. For daily this He doeth even unto the end, He leadeth captive captivity, receiving gifts in men. 29. And because He leadeth that chariot unto the end, He continue th and saith, A prosperous journey there shall make for us the God of our healths, (ver. 20.) our God, the God of making men safe. Highly is grace here com mended.. For who would be safe, unless He Himself should make whole ? But that it might not occur to the mind, Why then do we die, if through His grace we have been made safe? immediately he added below, and the Lord's is the out going of death: as though he were saying, Why are thou indignant, O lot of humanity, that thou hast the outgoing of death ? Even thy Lord's outgoing was no other than that of death. Rather therefore be comforted than be indignant : tavit Death accepted by Our Lord. Heads of the enemy broken. 341 for even the Lord's is the outgoing of death. For by hope Veh. 21.22. we have been saved: but if that which we see not we hope , Kom. a, for, through patience we wail for it. Patiently therefore 24. even death itself let us suffer, by the cxainplo of Ilim, who though by no sin IIo wus debtor to death, and wus tho Lord, from Whom no one could take away life, but Himscll laid it down of Himself, yet hud Himself tho outgoing of death. 30. Ver. 21. Nevertheless, God shall break in pieces the heads of His enemies, the scalp of hair of men walking on in their transgressions: that is, too much exalting themselves, being too proud in their transgressions: wherein at least they ought to be humble, saying, O Lord, be Thou merciful to me LukelS, a sinner, But IIo shall break in pieces their heads : for he that exalteth himself shall bo humbled. And thus thouKh LukelS, 1 A even of the Lord be the outgoing of death : nevertheless tho samo Lord, because IIo was God, and died after the flesh of His own will, not of necessity, shall1 break in pieces the heads1 Oxf. qf His enemies: not only of thoso who mocked and crucified i did' Him, and wagged their heads, and said, If Son of Gotl I/c^Mf is, let Ilim come down from the Cross; but also of all men lifting uj) themselves against His doctrine, and deriding His denth as though it were of a man. ' For that very samo OncMnUtf, . . 42. of Whom hath been said, Others He saved, Himself He can not save, is the God of our healths, and is the God of saving men: but for an example of humility and of patience, and to efface tho handwriting of our sins, He even willed that the outgoing of death should bo His own, that wo might not fear that death, but rather this from which Ho hath delivered us through that. Nevertheless, though mocked and dead, He shall break9 in pieces the heads oj' His enemies, of whon) IIo' Oxf. suith, liaise Thou ma up, und I shall rentier to them : , y^. whether it bo good things for ovil things, while to Himself^1'' Ho Hubduolh tho bonds of thein bolioviug, or whether just io.' ' things for unjust things, while Ho punished] tho heads of thoin proud. For in cither way aro shattered and broken tho heads of enemies, when from prido thoy aro thrown, down, whether by humility being amended, or whether unto tho lowest depths of hell being hurled. 31. Ver. 22. The Lord hath said, Out of Basan I will be turned: or, as some copies have, Out of Basan I will turn. 342 God turns to us when we acknowledge our need. Psalm For Ht turneth thatwe may be safe, of Whom above hath ^been said, God of our healths, and God of saving men. For v. 1 9. Ps. 80, to Him elsewhere also is said, O God of virtues, turn Thou 19, us, and shew Thy face, and safe we shall be. Also in another Ps. 85, place, Turn us, 0 God of our healths. But he hath said, *' Out of Basan I will turn. Basan is interpreted confusion. What is then, I will turn out of confusion, but that there is confounded because of his sins, he that is praying of the mercy of God that they may bo put away ? Thence it is LukelS, that tho Publican dared not even to lift up his eyes to Heaven: so, on considering himself, was ho confounded; ib. 14. but ho went down justified, because the Lord hath said, Out of Basan I will turn. Basan is also interpreted drought: and rightly the Lord is understood to turn out of drought, that is, out of scarcity. For they that think themselves to be in pleuty, though they be famished ; and full, though they bo Matt. 5, altogether empty; are not turned. For, blessed they that °' hunger and thirst for righteousness, for the same shall be filled. Out of that drought tho Lord doth turn them : for Ps. 143, concerning a dry soul to Him is said, 1 have stretched out °- my hands to Thee, my soul is like earth without water to Thee. That also which other copies huve, Out of Basan I will be turned, hath not an impertinent sense. For there Zeoh. l, is turned to us even IIo Himself Who saith, Turn ye to Me, 3" and I will be turned lo you: and lie will not, if wo be Ps. 51, without confusion, where our sin is before us alway ; and if we be without drought, whereby we long for the rain of Him v. 9. that halh set apart a voluntary rain for His inheritance. For by drought il huth been made weak, but He being turned Ps. 71, hath made it perfect Himself, to Whom is suid, And being turned Thou hast made me alive. The Lord, then, hath said, Out of Basan I will turn, will turn unto the deep of the sea. If, I will turn, why, unto the deep qfllte sea ? Unto Himself indeed the Lord turneth, when savingly He turneth, and He is not surely Himself the deep of the sea. Doth perchance the Latin expression deceive us, and hath there been put unto the deep, for a translation of what signifieth deeply? For He doth not turn Himself: but He turneth those that in the deep of this world lie sunk down with the weight of sins, in that place where one that is turned Foot of Christ stained with blood in His Martyrs. 343 saith, From the depths I have cried to Thee, O Lord. But if Veh. it is not, I will turn, but, / will be turned unto the deep °f^-~^ the sea ; our Lord is understood lo havo said, how by His l. own mercy Ho was turned even unto the deep of iho sea, to deliver oven thoso that were sinners in most despcrato case. Though in ono Greek copy I have found, not, unto the deep, but, in the depths, thut is, iv /SofloTf : which strengthened] tho former sense, becauso even thero God turned) to Himself men crying from the depths. And even if He bo under stood Himself there to bo turned, to deliver such sort also, it is not beside the purpose: and so then He turneth, or else to deliver them is so turned, that His foot is stained in blood. Which to the Lord Himself the Prophet speaketh: (ver. 23.) That Thy foot may be stained in blood: that is, in order that they themselves who aro turned to Tlioe, or to deliver whom Thou art turned, though in tho deep of the sea by Iho burden of iniquity they may havo been sunk, may muko so great proficiency by Thy Graco, (for whero there hath abounded sin, there halh superaboiinded grace,) that Rom, «, they may becomo Thy foot among Thy members, to preach20. Thy Gospel, and for Thy name's sako drawing out a long martyrdom, even unto blood they may contend. For thus, as I judge, more meetly is perceived His foot stained in blood. 32. Lastly, he addeth, The tongue of Thy dogs out of enemies by Himself, calling those very same that had been about to strive for the faith of the Gospel, even dogs, as though barking for their Lord. Not those dogs, whereof saith tho Apostle, Beware of dons: but those that cat of the crumbs Philip. which fall from the tablo of their masters. For having con- ' ' fessed this, tho woman of Canaan merited to hear, O woman, Mat.lfl, great is thy faith, be it done to thee as thou wilt. Dogs2 " commcndablo, not abominablo ; observing fidelity towards their master, and before his houso barking against enemies. Not oa\y of dogs he hath said, but of Thy dogs; nor aro their teeth praised, but their tonguo is: for it was not indeed to no purpose, not without a great mystery, that Gedcon was bidden to lead thoso alone, who should lap the water of the river judg. 7, like dogs; and of such sort liot more than three hundred5, among so great a multitude were found. In which number 344 His enemies made Hisfaithful ' dogs' His coming in the Clouds, Psalm is the sign of the Cross because of the letter T, which in the ^HL Greek numeral characters signified] three hundred. Of such P». 59, dogs in another Psalm also is said, They shall be turned at 14' even, and hunger they shall suffer as dogs. For even some Isa. 00, dogs have been reproved by tho Prophet Isaiah, not because ,0, they wcro dogs, but becauso they knew not how to bark, and loved to sleep, In which place indeed ho huth shewn, that if thoy had watched und burked for their Lord, they would have been praiseworthy dogs : just as they uro praised, of whom is said, The tongue of Thy dogs. And these never theless tho Prophet hath foretold out of enemies arc to be, by means of that turning, whereof alone ho wus spcuking. Ps. 69, Whence also suith thut Psalm, They shall be turned at even, and hunger they shall suffer as dogs. In the next place, as though to men inquiring whence they should have this so great good, as that they should become dogs of Ilim, Whose enemies they had been : it is replied, from Himself. For thus we read, The tongue of Thy dogs out of enemies' from Himself. By His own love indeed, by His own mercy, by His own grace. For when would they havo that power of Bom. 6, themselves ? For when enemies we were, we were reconciled to God through the death qf His Son : to this end even the Lord's portion hath been the outgoing of death. 33. Ver. 24. There have been seen Thy steps, 0 God. The steps uro those wherewith Thou hast come through iho world, as though in that chariot Thou wast going to traverse tho round world ; which chariot of clouds Ho intimated) to be His holy und faithful ones in the Gospel, where He saith, JJ,T2kfl From this time1 ye shall see the Son of Man coming in the i a modo clouds. Leaving out that coming wherein He shall bo Judge 4 l'.'" 0I" 1"ick and dead, From this time, He saith, ye shall see the Son of Man coming in clouds. These Thy steps have been seen, that is, have been manifested, by the revealing tho graco of the Now Testament. Whence hath been said, Rom.lo,//ow beautiful arc the feel of them that proclaim peace, that proclaim good things ! For this grace and those steps wcro lying hid in the Old Testament : but when thoro cumo Gnl.4. 4> the fulness of time, and it pleased God to reveal His Son, * ' ex inimicia.' He tokos it as he usox ' ex Christlnno.' In the Appendix to the exposition of Ps. 62. " that is, in His Saints. ' Timbrels,' the flesh chastened. 345 that He might be proclaimed among the Gentiles, there were Veh. seen Thy steps, O God: the steps of my God, of the1 King , ~^f ¦'¦ IVho is in the holy place. In what holy place, save in His Mss. Temple? For the Temple qf God is holy, ho saith, which ye j '^r> are. . s, 17. 34. But in order that those steps might be seen, (ver. 25.) there went before princes conjoined loillt men psalming, in the midst of damsels players on timbrels. The princes are the Apostles : for they went before, that the peoples might come in multitudes. They went before proclaiming the New Testament : conjoined with men psalming, by whose good works that were even visible, as it were with instruments of praise, God was glorified. But those same princes are in the midst of damsels players on timbrels, to wit, in an honourable ministry: for thus in the midst are ministers set over new Churches ; for this is damsels: with flesh subdued praising God ; for this is players on timbrels, because timbrels aro made of skin dried and stretched. 35. Therefore, that no one should take these words in a. carnal sense, and by these words should conceive in his mind certain choral bands of wantonness, he continued] and saith, (ver. 2(3.) In the Churches bless ye the Lord : as though he were saying, wherefore, when ye hear of damsels, players on timbrels, do ye think of wantou pleasures? In the Churches bless ye the Lord. For the Churches are pointed out to you by this mystic intimation : the Churches are the damsels, with new grace decked : the Churches are the players on the timbrels, with chastened flesh being spiritually tuneful. In the Churches, then, bless ye the Lord God from the wells qf Israel. For from thenco Pie first chose those whom Ho made wells. For from thenco were chosen the Apostles; and they first heard, " He that shall have drunk of the water John. 4, that I shall give him, shall never thirst, but there shall be made in him a well qf water springing unto life everlasting." 36. Ver. 27. There is Benjamin the younger in a trance. There is Paul the last of the Apostles, who saith, For even Philip. / am an Israelite, out of the seed of Abraham, out of the ' tribe of Bejamin. But evidently in a trance, all men being amazed at a miracle so great as that of his calling. . For a trance is the mind's going out : which thing sometimes chanceth 12,2. 340 The Apostles Princes. Certain Tribes why named. Pbalm through fear; but sometimes through some revelation, the "vl": mind suffering soparation from tho corporal senses, in order that that which is to bo represented may bo represented to tho spirit. Whenco oven thus may bo understood that which horo hath boon written, namely, in a trance; for when to 'Oxf. that persecutor there had been said1 from Heaven, Saul, , jjg'was Saul, why persecutest thou Me: there being taken from him abj to t]ie light of tho eyes of flesh, he mudo answer to the Lord, Acts 9 Whom in spirit he saw, but they that were with him heard 4' the voice of him replying, though seeing no one to whom he was speaking. Here also the trance may be understood to be that one of his, whereof he himself speaking, saith, that 2 Cor. he knew a man caught up even unto the third Heaven ; but whether in the body, or whether out of the body, he knew not: but that he being caught up into Paradise, heard in effable words, which it was not lawful for a man to speak. Princes of Juda the leaders of them, princes qf Zabttlon, princes of Nephthalim. Since he is indicating the Apostles as princes, wherein is oven Benjamin the younger in a trance, in which words that Paul is indicated no one doubteth ; or when under tho name of princes there are indicated in tho Churches all men excelling and most worthy of imitation : what mean these names of tlie tribes of Israel ? For if only of Juda mention were made, becauso the kings had been out of the same tribe as also the Lord Christ after the flesh ; then by this tribe we should suppose that there were figured the princes also of the New Testament : but when he addeth, princes qf Zabttlon, princes of Nephthalim, some one per chance would say, that out of these tribes the Apostles were, but out of others they were not. Which interpretation though I sec not how it may be proved, yet because 1 find not how it may be refuted, and since in this passage the princes of Churches, and the leaders of those, who in the Churches do bless God, I see to be commended ; not without reason even of this sense I approve : but the light which shiiieth forth out of the translation of the very names doth more please me. For tho names are Hebrew : whereof Juda is said to be interpreted confession, Zabulon habitation of strength, Nephthalim my enlargement. All which words do intimate to us the most proper princes of the Church, worthy of their leadership, I I Christian virtues typified. Offerings of Kings. 347 worthy of imitation, worthy of honours. For the Martyrs in Vf.r. the Churches hold the highest place, and by the crown of ' holy worth they do excel. But however in martyrdom the first thing is confession, and for this is next put on strength to endure whatsoever shall have chanced ; then after all things have been endured, straits being ended, breadth followeth in reward. It may also thus be understood ; that whereas the Apostle chiefly commendeth these three things, faith, hope, l Cor. love ; confession is in faith, strength in hope, breadth in love. Rom,io For of faith the substance is, that with the heart men believe10- unto righteousness, but with the mouth confession be made unto salvation. But in sufferings of tribulations the thing itself is sorrowful, but the hope is strong. For, if that which Kom. 8, we see not we hope for, through patience we wait for it. But breadth the shedding abroad of love in the heart doth give. For love perfected casteth out fear : which fear halh i John torment, because of the straits of the soul. The princes then ' of Juda are the leaders of them : that in the Churches do bless the Lord. The princes of Zabidon, the princes of Nephthalim : princes of confession, of strength, of breadth ; princes of faith, of hope, of love. 37. Ver. 28. Command, O God, Thy Virtue. For one is i Cor.8, our Lord Jesus Christ, through Whom are ail things, and we in Him, of Whom we read that He is the Virtue of God and1 Cot. i, 24. the Wisdom of God. But how doth God command His Christ, save while He commendeth Him? For God commend-^0™- 6» eth His love in us, in that while yet we were sinners, for us Rom. 8, Christ died. " How halh He not also with Him given lo us32, all things?" Command, 0 God, Thy Virtue: confirm, 0 God, that which Thou hast wrought in us. Command by teaching, confirm by aiding. 38. Ver. 29. From Thy Temple in Jerusalem, to Thee kings ahull offor presents. From Thy Tomplo in Jerusalem, flai, 4, which is our free mother, becauso Iho samo also is Thy holy * Temple : from that Temple then, to Thee Icings shalt offer presents. Whatever kings be understood, whether kings of the earth, or whether those whom " He that is above the heavens distinguished] over the dove silvered;" to Thee kings 1 Oxf. shall offer presents. And what presents are so acceptable ' }Ub- as the sacrifices of praise ? But there is a noise against this nccejita- blethan' 348 Beasts of the cane, men that err in Holy Scripture. Pbalm praise, from men bearing the name of Christian, and having J5Yi£L diverse opinions. Be there done that which followeth, 'pen.' (ver. 30.) Rebuke Thou the beasts of the cane1. For both cane) beasts they are, sinco by not understanding they do hurt : calami and beasts of iho cano they aro, since the sense of the Scriptures they wrest according to their own misapprehension. For in the cane the Scriptures are as reasonably percoived, us language in tongue, according to the mode of expression whereby the Hebrew or the Greek or the Latin tongue is spoken of, or the like ; that is to say, by the efficient cause the thing which is being effected is implied. Now it is usual in the Latin language for writing to be called style, because with the stilus it is done: so then cane also, because 2 Pet. 3, with a cane it is done. The Apostle Peter saith, that men unlearned and unstable do wrest the Scriptures lo their own proper destruction: these are the beasts of the cane, whereof here is suid, Rebuke Thou the beasts of the cane. See on 39. Concerning these also is that which followeth, The $. 21. ' congregation of bulls amid the cows of the peoples, in order that, there may be excluded they that have been tried with silver. Calling them bulls because of the pride of a stiff and un tamed neck : for he is referring to heretics. But by the cows of the peoples, I think souls easily led astray must be under stood, because easily they follow these bulls. For they lead not astray entire peoples, among whom are men grave Ps. 35, and stable; whence hath been written, In a people grave I 1 will praise Thee: but only the cows which they may have 2 Tim. found among those peoples. For of these are they that steal ' ' ' into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, who are led with divers lusts, alway learning, and at, the knowledge of the truth never arriving. But that which the same Apostle 1 Cor. saith, There must also be heresies, in order that those lhat are 11»19' approved may be made manifest among you: doth also follow here, in order that there may be excluded they that have been tried with silver, that is, they that have been proved with the Ps.12,6. sayings of God. For, The sayings of the Lord are chaste sayings, silver tried with the fire of earth. For, may be excluded, hath been said, meaning, may appear, may stand forth : as he saith, may be made manifest. Whence also, in the art of the silversmith, they are called exclusores, who out of the Bulls, i. e. proud leaders, draw forth approved men, 819 shapelessness of tho lump aro skilled to mould the form o( Vp.n. a vessel. For many meanings of tho holy Scriptures aro — — conccalcd, and aro known only to a few of singular intelligence, and are never vindicated so suitably and acceptably as when our diligence to make answer to heretics constrained! us. For then even they that neglect the pursuits of learning, shaking off their slumber, arc stirred up to a diligent hearing, in order that their opponents may bo refuted. In a word, how many senses of holy Scriptures concerning Christ as God have been vindicated against Photinus, how many con cerning Christ as man against Manichams, how many con cerning the Trinity against Sabcllius, how many concerning tho Unity of tho Trinity against Arians, Eunomians, Mace donians? How many concerning the Catholic Church in tho whole world spread abroad, and concerning the inter mixture of evil men even unto the end of the world, how they are no hindrance to good men in tho partaking of tho Sacraments thereof, against Donatists, and Luciferians, and others, whoever they be, that with liko error dissent from the truth : how many against the rest of heretics, whom to enu merate or mention were too long a task, and for the preseut work unnecessary? Nevertheless, of theso senses the tried vindicators either entirely would have lain concealed, or would not have been so eminent, as the contradictions of proud men have made them to be, of whom, as it were bulls, that is, not subject to the peaceful and gentle yoke of dis cipline, the Apostle maketh mention, in the place whero he halh said that such an one must be chosen for the Episcopate as is able to exhort in sound doctrine and lo convince the™-1! gainsayers. For there are many unruly ; these are bulls with uplifted neck, impatient of plough and yoke: vain-talkers and loaders astray of minds ; which minds this Psalm hath inti mated under the name of cows. To this useful purposo then Divine Providence alloweth bulls to be gathered together among the cows of the people, namely, in order that there may be excluded, that is, in order that there may stand forth, they that have been tried with silver. For to this end heresies are suffered to be, in order that approved men may be made manifest. Although thus also it may be understood, the congregation of bulls is among the cows of the peoples, in 350 Christ's ambassadors make men submit before He come. Psalm order that from those cows may be excluded they that have txvnT; heen tried with silver. For this purpose the heretical teachers havo, from the ears of tho souls whom they endeavour to lead astray, to oxcludo thoin, that is, separate them, that havo boon tried with silver, that is, them that arc meet to teach tho sayings of the Lord. But whether this be tho sense of that word, or whether it be that; there followeth, scatter Thou the nations which would have war. For not amendment but strife they pursue. This thing then he doth prophesy, that they should rather be scattered themselves, that will not be amended, that aim to scatter the flock of Christ. But nations he hath called them, not because of generations of kindreds, but because of divers kinds of sects, wherein a chain of succession doth confirm the error. 40. Ver. 31. There shall come ambassadors out of Egypt, Ethiopia shall prevent the hands qf Him. Under the name of Egypt or of Ethiopia, he hath signified the fuilh of all nations, from a part the whole : calling the preachers of 2 Cor. P, reconciliation ambassadors. For Christ, he saith, we have 20, an embassy, God as it were exhort iny though us: we beseech you for Christ to be reconciled to God. Not then of the Israelites alone, whence the Apostles were chosen, but also from die rest of the nations that there should be preachers of Christian peace, in this manner hath been mystically prophe sied. But by that which he saith, shall prevent the hands qf Him, he suith this, shall prevent the vengeance of Him : to wit, by turning to Him, in order that their sins may be forgiven, lest by continuing sinners they be punished. Ps. 95, Which thing also in another Psalm is suid, Let us come \'m me before * the face of Him in confession. As by hands he vent signifieth vengeance, so by face, revelation and presence, which will be in the Judgment. Because then, by Egypt and Ethiopia ho hath signified the nations of Iho whole world ; immediately he hath subjoined, to God {are) the kingdoms of the earth. Not to Subelliusj not to Arius, not to Donatus, not to the rest of tho bulls stiff-necked, but, to God {are) the kingdoms of the earth. 41. But the greater number of Latin copies, and especially the Greek, have the verses so punctuated, that there is not one verse in these words, to God the kingdoms of the earth, Converts go before their own works with faith. ,351 but, lo God, is at tho cud of tho former vorsc, and so thoro is Vna. said, FAhiopia shall como before the hands of her to God, and 32'— then thero followeth in another verse, (vor. 32.) Kingdoms of tho earth, sing ye to God, psalm ye to tho Lord, By which punctuation, doubtless to bo preferred by tho agreement of many copies, and thoso deserving of credit, thero seemeth to mo to bo implied faith which precedclh works : because without the merits of good works through faith the ungodly is justified, just as the Aposdo suith, To one believing in Him'Rom.i, that justifi elk the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness : "' in order that afterwards faith itself through lovo may begin lo work. For thoso alono aro to bo called good works, which flood are dono through lovo of God. But theso faith must neods or "' go before, so thut from thenco these niny begin, not from these this.: for no ono worked) through lovo of God, except ho first believe in God. This is faith whereof is said, ForGaMfi. in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but faith which through love worketh. This is faith, whereof to the Church Herself is said in the Song of Songs, Tliou shall come and shalt pass hence from the beginning Cant. 4, of faith1. For She hath come1 like the chariot of God inT^.v. ' thousands of men rejoicing, having a prosperous course, and' The She hath passed over from this world to the Father: in order %°ana> that there may come to pass in Her that which the Bride-2 0xf- groom Himself saith, Who hath passed honcc from this' shall world to the Father, / will that where I am, these also may be F°m°fl with Me: but from the beginning of fuith. Becauso then in pass.' order that good works may follow, faith doth precede ; and j there are not any good works, save thoso which follow fuith pro- J"hni7, ceding: nothing olso seemcth to have boon meant in, Ethiopia shall come before the hands of her to God, but, Ethiopia shall believe in God. For thus she shall come before the hands of her, that is, the works of her. Of whom, except of Ethiopia herself? For this in the Greek is not ambiguous: for tho word of her3 there in the feminine gender most clearly 3 Lat. hath been put down. And thus nothing else hath been said^"^ than Ethiopia shall come before her hands to God, that is, or her. by believing in God she shall come before her works. For, I judge, saith the Apostle, that a man is justified through Hom. 8, faith without the works of the Law. Is He God qf the Jews 28' &0, JohnlS, 352 Resurrection and Ascension of Christ. Vui.it only? Is He not also of the Genliles? So then Ethiopia, iiYili' which seemeth to be the utmost limit of the Gentiles, is justified through faith, without tho works of the Law. For, in order to bo justified, sho doth not glory of the works of the Law, nor seltoth her merits before faith, but by faith she cometh before her own works. The greater number of copies indeed have not hands, but hand: which halh the same force, seeing that instead of works it is put. But I should have preferred that the Latin interpreters had thus translated it : Ethiopia shall come before her own hands, or, her hand, to God: for this would be more plain than what now hath been 1 or, of said, of her1 : and with no injury to truth this might have been done, because in the Greek language that pronoun may be understood to signify not only of her, but also her own, singular or plural: her own, I mean, singular, if hand ; but her own, plural, if hands. For the expression in Greek, ^«7e« aiiritf, which most copies have, both of hand qf her and her own /<«;K/inaybo understood: but that which is un common in the Greek' copies, xiiG"S a^'hu by both hands of *juas her and her own- hands, in Latin may be expressed. 42. Henceforward, as if through prophecy all things had been discoursed of which now we seo fulfilled, he exhorteth to the praise of Christ, and next He foretelleth II is future Advent. Kingdoms of earth, sing ye to God, psalm ye to the Lord: psalm ye to God, (ver. 33.) Who halh ascended above the Heaven of Heavens to the East. Or, as some copies have it, Who halh ascended above the Heaven of Heaven to the East. In these words he perceived) not Christ, who believeth not His Resurrection and Ascension. But hath not to the East, which he hath added, expressed the very spot; since in the quarters of tho East is whero He rose again, and whence lie ascended ? Therefore abovo tho Heaven of Heaven Ho sitteth at tho right hand of the Father. This is EPb<„. what the Apostle suith, the Same is He lhat halh ascended *> i0, above all Heavens. For what of Heavens doth remuin after tho Heaven of Heaven? Which ulso wo may call tho Gon. l, Heavens of Heavens, just as IIo halh called tho firmament Heaven : which Heaven, however, even as Heavens wo read Ps. 148, of. in tho place whore there is written, and let the waters *• which are above the Heavens praise the name of the Lord. Saints the ' clouds' with which Christ shall come. 353 And forasmuch as from thence He is to come, to judge Vkr. quick and dead, observe what followeth : behold, He sna^XctlL give His voice, the voice of power1. He that like a Iambi 1. before the shearer of Him was without voice, behold shall xsa, 53' give His voice, and not the voice of weakness, as though to 7. be judged; but the voice of power, as though going to judge. For God shall not be hidden, as before, and in the judgment of men not opening His mouth ; but God. shall come manifest, Ps. 50, our God, and He shall not be silent. Why do ye despair, ye unbelieving men ? Why do ye mock ? What saith tho evil servant ? My Lord delayeth lo come. Behold, He shall give Lukel2, His voice, the voice of power. 43. Ver. 34. Give ye glory to God, above Israelis the magni ficence of Him. Of whom saith the Apostle, Upon the Israel of Gal 6, God. For not all that are out of Israel, are Israelites : for there Eon1i 9 is also an Israel after the flesh. Whence he saith, See ye Israel**- after the flesh. For not they that are sons of the flesh, are sons 10 , 18. of God, but sons of promise are counted for a seed. Therefore I101"- 9> at that time when without any intermixture of evil men His people shall be, like a heap purged by the fan, like Israel in Matt. 3, whom guile is not, then most preeminent above Israel}?; shall be the magnificence of Him: and the virtue of Him in 47. the clouds. For not alone He shall come to judgment, but with the elders of His people : to whom He hath promised ls.3,14. that they shall sit upon thrones to judgo, who even shall H*1'19' judge angels. These be the clouds. 1 Cor.6, 44. Lastly, lest of any thing else the clouds be understood, ' he hath in continuation added, (ver. 35.) Wonderful is God in His saints, the God of Israel. For at that time even most truly and most fully there shall be fulfilled the name Israel itself, which is one ' seeing God :' for we shall see Him as 1 John He is. He Himself shall give virtue1 and slrenglh to His3' ' people, blessed be God: to His people now frail and weak. power For we have this treasure in earthen vessels. But then by a 2 Cor.4, most glorious changing even of our bodies, He Himself shall give virtue and strength to His people. For this body is sown l Cor. in weakness, shall rise in virtue. He Himself then shall give ' ' the virtue which in His own flesh. He halh sent before, whereof tho Aposdo sailh, the power of His Resurrection, But Philip, strength whereby shall bo destroyed tho enemy death. Now^'fj^ VOL. III. A a 16,26. 354 Glory of the Church foretold. Use of trials. Pbalm then of this long and difficultly understood Psalm we have at LXIX< length by His own aid mado an end. Blessed be God. Amen, Lat. PSALM LXIX. LXVIII. EXPOSITION. Sermon I. on the first part of the above Psalm. 1. We have been born into this world, and added to the Mat.13, people of God, at that period wherein already the herb from Lukeis a Sram of mustard seed hath spread out its branches; wherein 13. 21. already the leaven, which at first was contemptible, hath Gon. 9, lcavcned three measures, that is, tho whole round world Mntt.8, rcpooplod by tho throo sons of Noe : for from East und West and North and South shall como they that shall sit down with tho Patriarchs, while those shall huvo been driven without, that huvo been born of their flesh und huvo not imitated their fuith. Unto this glory then of Christ's Church lsal.S4, our eyes wo huvo opened; nnd thut barren one, for whom joy Gul. 4 wus proclaimed und foretold, becuuso she waste havo more 27- sons than sho that had the husband, her we have found lo bo such an ono as hath forgotten tho reproaches and infamy of her widowhood: and so wo may perhaps wonder when wo chance to read in any prophecy the words of Christ's humili ation, or our own. And it may be, that we are less affected by them; because we have not come at that lime when these things wore read with zest, in thut tribulation abounded. But again if we think of the abundance of tribulations, and observe Matt. 7, the way wherein we are walking, (if indeed we do walk in it,) 14' how narrow it is, and how through straits nnd tribulations it leadeth unto rest ovcrlusting, and how lhat very thing which in human affairs is called felicity, is more to bo feared than misery; since indeed misery ofttimes doth bring out of tribulation u good fruit, but felicity doth corrupt the soul with a perverse security, and giveth place for tho Devil the Tempter — when, 1 say, we shall have judged prudently and Job 7,1, rightly, as tho salted victim* did, that human life upon earth ¦ ' Salita victima,' most copies havo 'psallit ha:c victima.' Dun', The Psalm shewn to belong to Christ, with llis Body. 355 is trial, and that no one is at all secure, nor ought to beTiTLKt secure, until he be come to that country, whence no one that is a friend goeth forth, into which no one that is an enemy is admitted, even now in the very glory of the Church we acknowledge the voices of our tribulation : and being members of Christ, subject to our Head in the bond of love, and mutually supporting one another, we will say from the Psalms, that which here we have found the Martyrs said, who were before us; that tribulation is common to all men from the beginning even unto the end. Nevertheless, this Psalm which we have undertaken to treat of, and whereof wo havo purposed to speak to your Love in the nanm of the Lord, let us acknowledge to be in the grain of mustard seed: for aMnt,13> little space from the height of the herb and the spreading of the 3 ' branches, and from that glory, where the birds of Heaven rest, let us withdraw the thoughts; and let us hear how this greatness which delighteth us in the herb hath risen from a small thing. For Christ here is speaking: (but to men already knowing it we are speaking:) Christ not only Head, but also- Body. By the very words we know it. For that Christ here is speaking is not permitted us to doubt at all. For here are the express words, which in His passion were fulfilled: Tliey have given^-M. for My food gall, and in My thirst they have given Me vinegar to drink : for these words even to the letter were fulfilled, and exactly as they were foretold so they were completed. For when Christ Himself had said, I thirst, hanging on tho Johnl9, Cross, and at this word to Ilim vinegar on a spongo had been given, which receiving He said, It is finished, and then with bowed head He gave up the Ghost, shewing all thoso things which had been foretold in Him then to have been finished, we may not here understand any thing else. The Apostles also, speaking of Christ, gave testimonies out of that Psalm. But who should go astray from their opinions ? or what lamb should not follow the rams ? Therefore Christ here speaketh : and we must rather point out where His members speak, in order that we may shew that here He is speaking whole, than doubt that Christ speaketh. 2. The Title of the Psalm is : Unto the end, in behalf of those that shall be changed, to David himself. Now of the change for the better hear thou ; for change either is for the A a 2 356 ' Change' wrought in men through Passion of Christ. Pbalm worse or for tho better. Adam and Eve for the worse ; they LXIX'thut out of Adam and Eve to Christ have adhered, have been l Cor. changed for tho better. For, as through one man death, so 22' 21' also through one Man resurrection of the dead: and, as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all shall be made alive. From that which God had formed, Adam was changed, but unto tho worse estate of his iniquity: from that which iniquity hath wrought tho faithful are changed, but for the better through the graco of God. That we should be changed for the worse, was our own iniquity: that we should be changed for the better, not our own righteousness, but the grace of God provided]. That wo havo been changed then for the worse, to ourselves let us ascribe : that for tho belter we are changed, let us praise God. For those, then, that shall be changed, this Psalm is. But whence hath this change been made but by tho Passion of Christ ? The very word Pascha in Latin Pancha is interpreted passage. For Pasclia is not a Greek word but a Hebrew. It soundeth indeed in the Greek language like Pussion, because trd^nv signifieth to suffer : but if tho Hebrew expression be examined, it pOinteth to something else. Pascha doth intimate passage. Of which even John the Evangelist hath admonished us, who (just before the Passion when the Lord was coming to the supper wherein He set forth the Sacrament of His Body and Blood) thus speaketh: Johni3, But when there had come the hour, wherein Jesus was lo pass from litis world to the Father. He hath expressed then the passage of the Pascha. But unless He passed Himself hence to the Father, Who came for our sake, how should we have been able to pass hence, who have not coinc down for the sake of taking up any thing, but have fallen ? Hut He Himself fell not; He but came down, in order that He might raise up him that had fallen. The passage there fore both of Him and of us is hence to the Father, from this world to the kingdom of Heaven, from life mortal to life everlasting, from life earthly to life heavenly, from life cor ruptible to life incorruptible, from intimacy with tribulations to perpetual security. Accordingly, In behalf qf them that shall be changed, the Psalm's tide is. The cause therefore of our change, that is, the very Passion of the Lord and our own voice in tribulations in the text of the Psalm let us Christ in His Body speaks as unwillingly suffering. 357 observe, let us join in knowing, join in groaning, and in Ver. hearing, in joint-knowing, joint-groaning, let us be changed, — - — in order that there may be fulfilled in us the Title of the Psalm, In behalf of them that shall be changed. 3. Ver. 1. Save me, 0 God, for the waters have entered in even unto my soul. That grain is despised now, that seemed) to give forth humble words. Tn tho garden it is buried, though the world will admire the greatness of tho herb, of which herb tho seed was despised by the Jews. For in very deed observe yc the seed of the mustard, minute, dull coloured, altogether despicable, in order that therein maybe fulfilled that which hath been said, Wo have seen Is. 63,2. Him, and He had neither form nor comeliness. But He saith, that waters have come in even unto His soul ; because those multitudes, which under the name of waters He hath pointed out, were able so far to prevail as to kill Christ. They prevailed unto contemning, unto holding, unto binding, unto reviling, unto buffeting, unto spitting. How mueh further? Even unto death. Therefore, The waters have entered in eren unto my soul: for this life lie called " His soul," unto which they were able in their cruelty to reach. But could they have done this, unless by Himself they had been permitted? Whence then doth Ho so cry out, as though He were suffering something against His will, except, because tho Head doth prefigure the Members ? For Ho suffered becauso He willed : but the Martyrs oven though they willed not; for to Peter thus IIo foretold his passion: When thou shalt be old, IIo saith, another shall gird thee, and. lahnii, lead thee, whither thou wilt not. For though wo desire to ls' cleave to Christ, yet we are unwilling to dio: and therefore willingly or rather patiently we suffer, because no other passage is given us, through which we may cleave to Christ. For if we could in any other way arrive at Christ, that is, at life everlasting, who would be willing to die ? For while explaining our nature, lhat is, a sort of association of soul and body, and in these two parts a kind of intimacy of glueing and fastening together, tho Apostio saith, that wezcor, have a House not made with liands, everlasting in the6'*' Heavens : that is, immortality prepared for us, wherewith wo are to be clothed at die cud, when wo shall have risen from 358 We must expect painful things, but not fear them. Psalm the dead; and he saith, Wherein we are not willing to be outstripped, but to be clothed upon, that the mortal may be 6,4. ' swallowed up of life. If it might so be, we should so will, ho saith, to become immortal, as that now that same im mortality might come, and now as we are it should change us, in order that this our mortal body by life should be swallowed up, and the body should not be laid aside through death, so as at the end again to have to be recovered. Although then from evil to good things we pass, nevertheless Mat.27, the very passage is somewhat bitter, and halh the gall which 3i' the Jews gave to the Lord in the Passion, hath something sharp to be endured, whereby they are shewn that gave Him vinegar to drink. Prefiguring then and transforming into Himself our own selves, He saith this, Save me, 0 God, for the waters have entered in even unto my soul. They that persecuted were able even to kill, but they shall have no more to do. For the Lord Himself hath sent an exhortation Mat.io, before, saying, Ftarnol them that kill body and have no more to do; but fear Ilim that hath power to kill both body and soul in the hell of fire. With the greater fear lesser things we contemn, and with the greater desire of eternity we disdain all things temporal. For here both sweet are temporal pleasures, and bitter are temporal tribulations : but who would not drink the cup of tribulation temporal, fearing the fire of hell; and who would not contemn the sweetness of the world, longing for the sweetness of life eternal ? From hence that we may be delivered let us cry : lest perchance amidst oppressions we consent to iniquity, and truly irre parably we be swallowed up : Save me, O God, for the waters have entered in even unto my soul. 4. Ver. 2. Fixed I am in the clay of the deep, and there is no substance. What called He clay ? Is it those very persons Gen. 2, that have persecuted ? For out of clay man hath been made. But these men by falling from righteousness have become the clay of the deep, and whosoever shall not have consented to them persecuting and desiring to draw him to iniquity, out of his clay doth make gold. For the clay of the same shall ihabitu- merit to be converted into a heavenly form1, and to be made associate of those of whom saith the Title of the Psalm, in behalf of them that shall be changed. But at the time when Our Lord in what sense deprived of substance.' 350 theso wore tho clay of the deep. I stuck in them : that is, Vkr. they held Mo, prevailed against Me, killed Mo. Fixed then — — I am in the clay of the deep, and there is no substance. What is this, there is no substance? Can it bo that clay itself is not a substance ? What is then, fixed I am ? Can it bo that Christ hath thus stuck? Or hath Ho stuck, and was not, as hath been said in tho book of Job, the earth delivered into Job 0, the hands of the ungodly man? Was IIo fixed in body, ' because it could bo hold, and suffered even crucifixion? For unless with nails Ho had been fixed, crucified Ho had not boon. Whence- then there is no substance 1 Is that clay not a substance ? But wo shall understand, if it bo possible, what is, and there is no substance, if first we shall have understood what is a substance. For there is substance spoken of even of riches, as we say, he hath substance, and, he hath lost substance. But shall we suppose this here to have been spoken of in, and there is no substance, that is, there are no riches, as if now any thing were being done concerning riches, or any question were being raised about riches? Is it perchance that this very clay is poverty, and thero shall bo no riches, except when wo shall have been mado par takers of eternity ? For then there aro true riches, when thoro shall bo nothing wanting to us. This sonso may also bo taken, according as we undorstand this word, so that what was said was, Fixed lam in tho clay of the deep, and there is no substance, that is, unto poverty I havo como. For hero Ho saith, poor and sorrowful I am. Tho Apostle also saith, v. 80. that for your sakes He became poor though He was rich, that vcor.s, by His poverty ye might be enriched. Therefore tho Lord ' desiring to set forth to us His poverty, perchance hath said, there is no substance. For to extreme poverty IIo came, when the form of a servant He put on. The riches of Him are what? Who, when in form of God He was, thought it not Phil, 2, robbery to be equal with God. These are great and incom- "' parable riches. Whence then that poverty ? Becauso He ib. 7. 8. emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant, being made after the likeness of men, and being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, being made obedient even unto death, so that IIo said, Tho waters have entered in even unto my soul, Add to this, doath : what more wilt thou add? SCO ' Substance,' in God, is what is common to the Three Persons. Psalm The infamy of death. Therefore there foiloweth, even the LXIX-tfeg Oxf. stances by Ilim were mado, which praiso Him. Tho wholo ,M"i' creation praising God is commemorated by the threo children sub- in the furnace, and from things earthly to things hoavenly, organ's. Apocr. 302 Now Our Lord ' sank' in the ' sea' of this world. Psalm from things heavenly to things earthly reachcth the hymn of — — — thorn praising God; Not that all these things havo sense to praise; but because all things being well meditated upon, do beget praise, and the heart by considering creation is fulfilled to overflowing with a hymn to the Creator. All things do praise God, but only tho things which God halh mado. Do yo observo in lhat hymn that covetousness praiseth God ? There oven tho sorpont pruisoth God, covet ousness pruiscth not. For all creeping things aro thero named in tho praise of God: thero aro named all creeping things; but thero are not thoro named any vices. For vices out of ourselves and out of our own will wo have: and vices uro not a substance. In theso wus fixed tho Lord, whon IIo suffered persecution : in Iho vico of tho Jews, not in tho substuueo of men which by Hiin wus made. Fixed I am, Ho suith, in the clay qf the deep, and thero is no substance. Fixed I am, and I have not found that which I have mado. 0. Ver. 2. I have come into the dejilh of the sea, and the tempest hath made Me to sink down. Thanks to the mercy of Ilim Who came into the depth of the sea, and vouchsafed Mat.12, to bo swallowed by the sea whale, but was vomited forth the third day. IIo camo into tho depth of tho sea, in which depth wo wore thrust down, in which depth we hud suffered shipwreck: He came thither Himself, and tho tempest mado Ilim to sink down: for thero IIo suffered waves, those very JolmlO, "ion ; tempests, tho voices of men saying, Crucify, Crucify. °' Though Pilato suid, 1 find not any causo in this Man why lie should be killed : there prevailed the voices of thorn, saying, Crucify, Crucify. Tho tempest increased, until lie was made to sink down That had como into the depth of tho sea. And tho Lord suffered in the hands of the Jews that Mat.14, which He suffered not when upon the waters He was walk- 25- ing: the which not only He had not suffered Himself, but had not allowed even Peter to suffer it. / have come into the depth of the sea, and the tempest halh made Me to sink down. 7. Ver. 3. I have laboured, crying, hoarse have become my jaws. Where wus this? When wus this? Let us ques tion the Gospol. For tho Pussion of our Lord in this Psalm wo porceivo. And, indeed, that Ho suflbrcd wo know; that How He might be called 'hoarse with crying.' 303 there came in waters even unto His Soul, because peoples pre- Ver. vailed even unto His death, we read, we believe; in the tempest 3' that Ho was sunk down, because tumult prevailed to His killing, we acknowledge : but that He laboured in crying, and that His jaws were made hoarse, not only we read not, but even on the contrary we read, that He answered not to them a word, in order that there might be fulfilled that which iii another Psalm hath been said, I have become as it were a man not Pa. as, hearing, and having not in his mouth reproofs. And that14' which in Isaiah hath been prophesied, like a sheep to bel*. 63, sacrificed He was led, and like a lamb before one shearing Him, so He opened not His mouth. If He became like a man not hearing, and having not in His mouth reproofs, how did He labour crying, and how were His jaws made hoarse? Is it that He was even then silent, because He was hoarse with having cried so mitch in vain ? And this indeed we know to have been His voice on the Cross out of a certain Psalm : O God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me? ButPs. 22, how great was that voice, or of how long duration, that in it His jaws should have become hoarse ? Long while He cried, Woe unto you, Scribes and Pharisees : long while He cried, Mat.23, Woe unto the world because of offences. And truly hoarse &c/ " . in a manner He cried, and therefore was not understood, Mat. 18, It when the Jews said, What is this that He saith? Hard «j0hn6, this saying, who is able to hear it? We know not what HcjjJ!; ?> saith. He said all these words: but hoarse were His jaws to 17. 18. them that understood not His words. / have laboured crying, hoarse have become My jaws. 8. Mine eyes have failed fi om hoping in My God. Far be it that this should be taken of the person of the Head : far be it that His eyes should have failed from1 hoping in His God: ' ab in Whom rather there was God reconciling the world to Him- 2 Cor. 5, self, and Who was the Word made flesh and. dwelled in us, so that not only God was in Him, but also He was Himself God. Not so then : the eyes of Himself, our Head, failed not from hoping in His God : but the eyes of Him have failed in His Body, that is, in His members. This voice is of the mem bers, this voice is of the Body, not of the Head. How then do we find it in His Body and members? What else shall I say ? Of what else shall I make mention ? When 304 « Eyes' of Christ 'failed' only in His Body. Psalm Ho suffered, whon He died, all His disciples despaired of f^Kj His boing Christ. By a robber tho Apostlos wore oxccllod, 41. 'who believed at tho time when they failed. See the members of Him despairing : observe those two men whom after the Resurrection He found in the way conversing together, Luke24, whereof ono was Cleopas, whon their eyes were holdeu thut they should not know Him. For how should they with eyes know Him concerning Whom in mind they had como to waver? Something hud been formed in their eyes liko to their own mind. For they wore conversing with one another, and whon they were accosted by Hiin as to what they were Luke24, saying, they answered, Dost Thou alone sojourn in Jerusalem'', and knowest not tho things which have come to pass, after what manner Jesus of Nazareth, mighty in words and in deeds, hath been slain by the elders and chief priests? And we were hoping that He was Himself to redeem Israel. They had hoped and were not hoping. Their eyes failed from hoping in their God. Them therefore into Himself He transformed, in saying, Mine eyes have failed from hoping in My God. This hope He restored, when He offered the scars to be handled, which when Thomas had touched, he returned John20,to the hope which he had lost, and cried out, My Lord and my God. Thine eyes have failed from hoping in thy God, thou hast handled the scars, and hast found thy God: hast handled the form of a servant, and bust confessed thy Lord. John20,To whom however the Lord Himself suith, Because thou hast seen thou hast believed. And foretelling us with the voice of His mercy, IIo saith, " Blessed they thut see not and believe." Mine, eyes have failed from hoping in My God. 9. Ver. 4. Thus there have been multiplied above the hairs of My head they that hate Me gratis. How multiplied? So as Mat.2C,that they might add to themselves even one out of the twelve. There have been multiplied above the hairs of My head they that hate Me for nought. With the hairs of His head He hath compared His enemies. With reason they were shorn Mat.27, when in the' place of Calvary He was crucified. Let the members accept this voice, let them learn to be hated gratis. anami • Brn.fcd. has an interrogation here, the Resurrection, aecortlinir to St. « onuts '«„,/' but Oxf. Mss. havu it, Luko.' Soo Son,,, ccxxxii, ccxxxiv, iu so has hit. An;. In his Sermons' on coxxxvi. If the world must hate us, let it be 'gratis.' 365 For now, O Christian, if it must needs be that the world hate Veb. thee, why dost thou not make it hate thee gratis, in order 1^_ that in the Body of thy Lord and in this Psalm sent before concerning Ilim, thou mayest acknowledge thy own voice? How shall it come to pass that the world hate thee gratis ? If thou no wise hurtest any ono, and art still hated : for this is gratis, without cause. It is little for thee without cause to be hated, even more than this, cause them to render thee evil things for good things. Mine enemies have strengthened themselves, that persecute Me unjustly. As He hath said, They have been multiplied above the hairs of My head; the same afterwards, Mine enemies have strengthened them selves; and as at first, They lhat hale Me gratis; the same afterwards, They that persecute Me unjustly. Unjustly is the same as gratis. This is the very voice of Martyrs, not in the punishment, but in the cause. Neither to suffer per secution, nor to be held, nor to be scourged, nor to be im prisoned, nor to be proscribed, nor to be killed, is any thing praiseworthy: but while having a good cause, to suffer these things, this is praiseworthy. For praise is in the goodness of the cause, not in the sharpness of the punishment. For howsoever great have been the sufferings of the Martyrs, do they equal the sufferings of all robbers, of all sacrilegious, of all crime-stained men ? But what, doth the world hate even these? It doth hato them evidently. For they go beyond the world's mediocrity in excess of naughtiness, and in a manner from the very society of worldly men they are estranged, molesting even earthly peace, and they suffer many evil things, but not gratis. Lastly, hear the voice of that robber hanging with the Lord on the Cross, when on the other side one of the two robbers was reviling the Lord Who was being crucified, and was saying, If Son of t7orfLuke23, Thou art, deliver Thyself: the other put him to silence, and said, Dost thou not fear God, even for that thou art set in the samo condemnation? And wo indeed rightly for our deeds. Behold, not gratis: but by confession ho shed out of himself ' corruption, and was made meet for the food of' Most the Lord. Ho drave out his iniquity, he accused it, and he < b"^,d , was freed from it. Behold there two robbers, there also tho Sen. Lord: they both are crucified, and He is crucified: and 306 Christ 'paid,' though He had taken nothing wrongfully. Pralm them the world hated, but not gratis : and Him it hated, but — — — gratis. The things which I robbed not then I was paying. This iH gratis. I robbed not, and I was paying: 1 sinned not, and I was boing punished. Ho alono wus Himself of such sort, IIo truly robbed nothing. Not only Ho robbed nothing, but ovon that which He hud not of robbery, of this Ho emptied Himself, in order that to us Ho might come. Philip. For, He thought it not robbery to be equal with God : and yet ' ' He emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant. He robbed not at all. But who robbed ? Adam. Who robbed at first ? Gen. 3, He that led astray Adam. How did the Devil rob? I will Isa. 14, set my seat at the North, and I ivill be like the Most High. u' He assumed to himself that which he had not received: behold robbery. The devil usurped to himself what be hud not received; he lost what he had received; and out of the very cup of his pride he gave him to drink whom he was Gen. 3, wishing to deceive. Taste ye, he saith, and ye shall be as Gods. They willed to rob divinity, and they lost felicity. He therefore robbed, and accordingly paid. But 7, he saith, the things which I robbed not was then paying. The Lord Himself, drawing near to His Passion, in the Gospel thus JohnU, speaketh: Behold there cometh the Prince of this world, lhat is the devil, and in Me shall find nothing ; that is, wherefore 1 Oxf. ho should kill Mc he shall find not: but that all1 may know enterelh into the house of a strong man, and spoileth 12, 29. his vessels, except first he shall have bound the strong man. He hath bound the strong man, and hath spoiled his vessels: truly He hath not robbed ; but He answereth thee, those vessels from thy great house had been lost; 1 have not stolen a thing, but have recovered a thing stolen. 10. Ver. 5. 0 God, Thou hast known mine improvidence. His ' improvidence,' seeming; ' Transgressions' not His own. 807 Again out of the mouth of the Body. For what improvidence Ver, is there in Christ ? Is IIo not Himself tho Virtue of God, and — '— the Wisdom of God ? Doth He call this His improvidence, whereof tho Aposdo speaketh, the foolishness of God is wiser i Cor. l, than men ? Mine improvidence, that very thing which in Me they derided that seem to themselves to be wise, Thou hast known why it was done: Thou hast known mine improvidence. For what was so much like improvidence, as, when He had it in His power with one word to lay low the persecutors, to suffer Himself to be held, scourged, spit upon, buffeted, with thorns to be crowned, to the tree to be nailed ? It is like improvidence, it seemcth a foolish thing ; but this foolish thing cxccllcth all wise men. Foolish indeed it is : but even when grain falleth into tho earth, if no ono knoweth the custom of husbandmen, it seemcth foolish : with great labour it is reaped, is carried to the barn, is threshed, is winnowed ; after so great perils of weather and of storms, and after the labours of rustics and the carefulness of masters, the corn is put in the store clean ; there cometh winter, that which hath been cleansed is brought forth and cast abroad: improvidence it appeareth; but hope maketh it not to be improvidence. He then spared not Himself: because even the Father spared Ilim not, but Rom. 8, delivered Him up for us all. And of the Same, Who loved Ga)i2 me, saith the Aposde, and delivered up Himself for me: for20- except a grain shall have fallen into the land so that it die, John 12, fruit, Ho saith, it will not yield. This is tho improvidence ; but Thou hast known it. But " they if they had .known the • Cor,2, Lord ofglorg, theg had never crucified." O God, Thou hast known mine improvidence, and my transgressions from Thee are not concealed. It is plain, clear, open, that this must bo perceived to bo out of tho mouth of tho Body. Trans gressions none had Christ: IIo was tho boarcr of trans gressions, but not the committor. And my transgressions from Thee arc not concealed: that is, I havo confessed to Thco all my transgressions, and before my mouth Thou hast seen them in my thought, hast seen tho wounds which Thou wast to heal. But where ? Even in the Body, in the members: in those believers out of whom there was now cleaving to Him that member, who was confessing his 308 Prayer that the Faithful may not blush for their hope. Psalm sins. And my transgressions, he saith, from Thee are not LXIX-. concealed. • or for n. Ver. 0. Let them.not blushin* Me, that wait for Thee, 0 Me Lord, Lord of virtues. Again, the voice of the Head, Let them not blush in Me : let it not be said to them, Where is He on Whom ye were relying ? Let it not be said to them, Where Johni4,is He that was saying to you, Believe ye" in God, and in Me »'bxf. believe? Let them not blush in Me, that wait for Thee, O Mss.j' is there, saith Peter, if sinning ye are punished, and 20- ye bear it? But if thou sustainest because thou hast kept the commandment of God, truly for the sake of God thou sustainest; and thy reward remaineth for everlasting, because for the sake of God thou hast sustained revilings. For to this end He first sustained, in order that we might learn to sustain. And if He, Who had not that which was laid to His charge; how much more we, who even if wo have not the sin which the enemy layeth to our charge, yet havo another sin which is deservedly to bo chastised in us ? Some Christians must be shameless as lo Christ's reproach. 309 ono or other calleth theo thief, and thou art no thiof: thou Ver. a bearest tho reproach ; thou art not howovor no thief in such — '¦ — sort as that thou art not any thing which to God is displeasing. Again, if Ho who had robbed nothing at all, who most truly had said, Behold thoro comoth tho princo of this world, and Johnll, > 'III in Mo ho shall find nothing, was culled sinner, was called j()jm » unrighteous, was called Bcolzohub, was called mad; dosta,<- thou, O servant, disdain to hear according to thy deserts, 26. ' that which the Lord hoard for no deserts of His? He came to give thee an example. As if He had done this for nought, so thou dost not profit. For why did He hear it, but in order that thou, when thou shouldest hear, shouldest not faint? Behold, thou hearest and faintest: in vain then He hath heard : for not for His own sake, but for thy sako Ho hath heard. For for Thy sake I have sustained upbraiding, shamelessness hath covered my face. Shamelossness is what? Not to be confused. Lastly, it seemcth to be as it wore a fault, whon wo say, tho man is shameless. Great is tho shamolcssnoHs of the man, that ho doth not blush, Therefore shamelossness is a kind of folly. A Christian ought to have this shamolcssness, when ho comoth among mon to whom Christ is an offonco. If he shall havo blushed becauso of Christ, he will bo blotted out from tho book of the living. Thou must needs therefore have shamelossness when Thou art reviled because of Christ ; whon they say, Worshipper of tho Crucified, adorer of Him that died ill, venerator of Ilim that was slain ! hero if thou shalt blush thou art a dead man. For seo tho sentenco of Hiin that doceivcth no one. He that shall have been ashamed qf Mc Mnt.10, before men, I also will be ashamed of him before the Angcls'f^ () of God, Watch therefore thyself whether thero bo in thco20. shamelessness; bo thou boldfaced1, when thou hourest aif,on(o. reproach concerning Christ; yea bo boldfaced. Why fearcst"11" thou for thy forehead which thou hast armed with tho sign of tho Cross? For this is, For Thy sake I havo sustained upbraiding, shamelessness hath covered my face. For Thy sake I have sustained upbraiding: and because I have not blushed because of Thee, when I was being reviled for Thy sake, shamelessness hath covered my face. 13. Ver. 8. An alien I have become to My brethren, and vol,. III. b b 370 Christ held a stranger for His zeal for God's House. Pbalm a stranger to the sons of My mother. To the sons of the Syna- j-~~ gogtie IIo bccamo a stranger. For in His own country it was 22! " ' said, Do wo not know Ilim to bo tho Son of Mary and of Joseph ? JohnO, And whence in another pussugo, But this Man we know not 20 ' whence lie is? Thcreforo, / have become a stranger to the sons of My mother. They knew not whence I am, of whom 1 Oxf. was My flesh: thoy knew Me not1 to have been born out of 31, Ver. 1 7. Hearken unto me, 0 Lord, for sweet is Thy mercy. Ho hath giveu this as a reason why He ought to be hearkened unto, because sweet is the mercy of God. Was not this rather a consequence, so that He should have said, Hearken unto me, O Lord, in order that sweet to me may be Thy mercy ? Why then, Hearken unto me, O Lord, for sweet is Thy mercy? The sweetness of the mercy of the Lord because of His trouble He set forth in a manner with other words, when He said, Hearken lo me, 0 Lord, for I am being troubled. For in truth, he that saith, Hearken to me, O Lord, for I am being troubled, giveth the reason why he praycth to bo hearkened unto: but to a man set in troublo the mercy of God must needs bo sweet, Concerning this sweetness of the mercy of God seo yo what in another place the Scripture saith : Like rain in drought, so beautiful is the Eoolns. mercy of God in trouble. That which there he saith to be ' beautiful, the same he saith here to be sweet. Not even bread would be sweet, unless hunger had preceded. There fore even when the Lord pcrmitteth or causeth us to be in any trouble, oven then He is merciful : for He doth not withdraw nourishment, but stirrcth up longing. Accordingly 370 The • child,' humbled by trouble, ready for relief. Psalm what saith he now, Hearken to me, 0 Lord, for sweet is Thy 1 VTV ' 7 7^^^ 'mercy? Now do not Thou defer hearkening, in so great trouble I am, that sweet to me is Thy mercy. For to this end Thou didst defer lo succour, in order that to me that wherewith Thou didst succour might be sweet: but now no longer is there cause why Thou must defer ; my trouble hath arrived at the appointed measure of distress, let Thy mercy come to do the work of goodness. Hearken unto me, 0 Lord, for sweet is Thy mercy. After the multitude of Thy pities have regard unto me: not after the multitude of my sins. 1 ' P'1' 2. Ver. 17. Turn not away Thy face from Thy child'. E. V. And this is a commending of humility; J'rom Thy child, that servant \Sjfrom Ttty little one: because now I have been rid of pride through the discipline of tribulation, turn not away Thy face from Thy child. This is that beautiful mercy of God, whereof he spake above. For in tho following verse he explained) that whereof he spake: For lam troubled, speedily hearken Thou unto me. What is speedily? Now there is no cause why Thou must defer it : I am troubled, my affliction hath gone before ; let Thy mercy follow. 3. Ver. 18. Give heed to my soul, and redeem her, doth need no exposition : let us see therefore what followeth. Because qf mine enemies deliver me. This petition is evidently wonderful, neither briefly to be touched upon, nor hastily to be skipped over ; truly wonderful : because of mine enemies deliver me. What is, because of mine enemies deliver me ? That they may be confounded, that they may be tortured by my deliverance. What then, if there were not any persons to be tortured by "Oxf. my* deliverance, ought I not to be succoured? And is . therefore here are men born, as born with their punishment : to this punishment they add, whosoever do persecute men. For now here man would not have had to die, unless God had smitten him. Why then dost thou, O man, rage more than this ? Is it little for a man that sometime he is to die ? Each one of us therefore beareth his punishment: to this punishment they would add that persecute us. This punish ment is the smiting of the Lord. For the Lord smote man Gen. 2, with tho sentence ; What day ye shall have touched it, He Rom. 6 saith, with death ye shall die. Out of this death IIo had c- taken upon Him flesh, and our old man hath been crucified together with Him. By the voice of that man He hath said these words, Him whom Thou hast smitten they have them selves persecuted, and upon the pain of My wounds they have added. Upon what pain of wounds ? Upon the pain of sins they havo themselves added. For sins He hath called His wounds. But do not look to the Head, consider the Body ; according to tho voice whereof hath been said by the Same in that Psalm, wherein He shewed there was His voice, because in the first verse thereof He cried from the Cross, Ps. 22, God, My God, look upon Me, why hast Thou forsaken Me ? There in continuation He suith, Ajiir from My safely are Luko 10, Me words of Mine offences. These aro tho very wounds 30- °- inflicted by robbers in the road upon him whom ho mounted upon his beast: whom a priest and a Levite passing by had. found and contemned, by whom He could not have been made whole; but a Samaritan passing by pitied him, drew near, and upon his own beast he mounted him. Sumarite in Latin is interpreted keeper : but who is tho Bom. 6, keeper, save our Lord Jesus Christ? Who, since He hath risen Ps. I2i,fi°m lrie dead, now no longer to die, 'neither sleepeth nor 4- shall slumber, that keepeth Israel.' And upon the pain of My wounds they have added. 12. Ver. 27. Lay Thou iniquity upon their iniquity. What is this ? Who would not bo afraid ? To God is said, Lay Thou iniquity upon their iniquity. Whence shall God lay iniquity? For hath He iniquity to lay? For we know that to be true which halh been spoken through Paul the How God may be said to add sin to evil men's sin. 3S7 Apostle, What then shall we say? Is there anywise iniquity Ver. with God? Far be it. Whence then, Lai/ Thou iniquity ~ — '-,,- . a i Rom. t>, upon iniquity? How must wo understand this? May the 14. Lord bo with us, that wo may spoak, and because of your weariness may bo able to speak briefly. Their iniquity wus that thoy killed a just Man : there was added another, that they crucified tho Son of God. Their raging was as though against a man: but if they had known, lite Lord cf Glory l Cor. 2, they had never crucified. They with their own iniquity8' willed to kill as it wore a man: there was laid iniquity upon their own iniquity, so that the Son of God they should crucify. Who laid this iniquity upon them ? He that suid, Perchance they will reverence My Son, Him I will send. Mat.2i, For they were wont to kill servants sent to them, to demand3*' rent and profit. He sent the Son Himself, in order that Him also they might kill. He laid iniquity upon their own iniquity. And these things did God do in wrath, or rather in just requital? For, May it be done to them, He saith, v. 22. for a requital and for a, stumbling-block. They had descried to bo so blinded as not to know the Son of God. And this God did, laying iniquity upon their iniquity; not in wound ing, but in not making whole. For in liko manner as thou incroasest a fever, incroasost a disorder, not by adding dis order, but by not relieving : so because they wcro of such sort as thut thoy merited not to bo healed, in their very naughtiness in a manner they advanced ; as it is said, Bui* Tim. evil men and wicked doers advance for the worse: and ' iniquity is laid upon their own iniquity. And let them not enter in ' Thy righteousness. This is a plain thing. ' 0*f. 13. Ver. 28. Let them be blotted out from the book of the < ("/„,> living. For had they been sometime written therein ? Brethren, we must not so take it, as that God writeth any one in tho book of life, and blotteth him out. If a man said, What I have written I have written, concerning the titlo Johnio, where it had been written, King of the Jews: doth God writo any one, and blot him out? He foreknoweth, Ho hath pro-Rora. 8, destined all before the foundation of the world that are to reign with His Son in life everlasting. Theso He hath written down, theso same the Book of Life doth contain. Lastly, in the Apocalypse, what saith the Spirit of God, c c 2 388 Not the Fleet lost, but those who thought they were so. Psalm when the same Scripture was speaking of the oppressions LX1X' that should be from Antichrist ? There shall give consent ' to 13, 8. him all they lhat have not been written in the book qf life. lE'Y: So then without doubt they will not consent that have been worship J /.iii written. How then arc those men blotted out from that book whoroin thoy were never written ? This hath been said uccording to their own hope, becuusc they thought of them selves that they waro written, What is, let them be blotted out J'rom the book qf life? Even to themselves let it bo evident, thut they were not there. By this method of speaking l'".«i. both been suid in unolher Psalm, There shall fall from 'Thy '' • side a thousand, and tens of thousands from on Thy right hand: thut is, muny men shull be offended, even out of that number who thought thut they would sit will) Thee, even out of that number who thought that they would stand at Thy Mat.20, right hand, being severed from the left-hand goats: not that when any ono hath thero stood, ho shall uftcrwards fall, or when any ono with Him hath sat, ho shall be cast away; but that muny men were to fall into scandal, who already thought themselves to bo there, that is, many that thought lhat they would sit with Thee, many that hoped that they would stand at the right hand, will themselves full. So then here ulso they that hoped as though by the merit of their own righteousness themselves to have been written in the John o, book of God, they to whom is said, Search the Scriptures, wherein ye think yourselves lo have life eternal: when their condemnation shall have been brought even to their own knowledge, shall be effaced from tho book of the living, they shall know themselves not to be there. For the verse which lblloweth, explained) what halh been said: And with just men let them not be written. I have said then, Let them be effaced, according to their hope: but according to Thy justice I say what ? Let them not be written. 14. V er. 29. Poor and sorrowful I am. Why this? Is it that wo may acknowledge thut through bitterness of soul this poor One doth speak evil ? For He hath spoken of muny tilings lo happen to them. And us if we were saying to Ilim, "Why such things?— Nay, not so much !" He unswer- eth, Poor and sorrowful I am. They have brought Me to want, unto this sorrow thoy have set Mo down, dierefore I The poor and sorrowful may still praise Gotl. 389 sav these words. It is .not, however, the indignation of one Vbr. J 80. cursing, but the prediction of one prophesying. For He was intending to recommend to us certain things which hereafter He saith of His poverty and His sorrow, in order that wo may learn to bo poor and sorrowful. For, Blessed Mutt, 8, are the poor, for theirs is the kingdom if Heaven. And, ' Blessed arc they that mourn, for they shall be comforted. This therefore IIo doth Himself before now shew to us: and so, poor and sorrowful I am. The whole Body of Him sailh this. The Body of Christ in this earth is poor and sorrowful. But let Christians be rich. Truly if Christians they are, they are poor; in comparison with the riches celestial for which they hope, all their gold they count for sand. Poor and sorrowful I am. 15. And the health of Thy countenance, O God, hath taken Me up. Is this poor One anywise forsaken ? When dost thou deign to bring near to thy table a poor man in rags ? But again, this poor One the health of the countenance of God hath taken up : in His countenance Ho hath hidden His need. For of Ilim hath been said, Thou shalt hideP*. 81, 22* them in the hiding place of Thy countenance. But in that countenance what riches there are would ye know ? Riches here give thee this advantage, that thou mayest dine on what thou wilt, whenever thou wilt : but those riches, that thou mayest never hunger. Poor and sorrowful I am : and the health of Thy countenance, O God, halh taken Me up. For what purpose ? In order that no longer I may be poor, no longer sorrowful? (Ver. 30.) / will praise the name of the Lord with a song, I will magnify Him in praise. Now it hath been said, this poor One praised) the name of the Lord with a song, he magnifieth Him in ; praise. When would He have ventured to sing, unless He had been refreshed from hunger? / will praise the name of the Lord with a song, I will magnify Him with praise. O vast riches! What jewels of God's praise hath he brought out of his inward treasures ! I will magnify Him in praise. These are my riches! The Lord hath given, the Lord hath Job l, taken away. Then miserable he hath remained? Far be»it.21' See the riches : " As it hath pleased the Lord, so hath been 890 ' Horns and hoofs' toss the obstinate, cast up the earthly, Pbalm done, be the name of the Lord blessed." I will praise the name -' of the Lord with a song, I will magnify Him in praise. 16. Ver. 31. And it shall please God: that I shull praise Hi in, shall please : above a new calf, bearing horns and hoofs. More grateful to Ilim shall bo the sacrifice of praiso than the Ps. 00, 'sacrifice of a culf. The sacrifice of praise shall glorify Me, a:1, and there is tho way wherein I will shew to him tho salvation Ps. oo, of God : Immolato to God the sacrifice of praiso, and render to the Most High thy vows. Therefore I will pruiso God, and it shall please Him better than a now calf bearing horns and hoofs. So then His praise going forth from my mouth shall please God more than a great victim led up to His altar. Must any thing be said concerning the horns and hoofs of this calf? He that is well furnished and is rich in the praise of God, ought to have both horns wherewith he may toss the adversary, and hoofs wherewith he may cast up the earth. For ye know that calves do this when growing up and increasing unto such fierceness as bulls have. For it is new, becauso of the new life. Some heretic then perchance is gainsaying, let him be tossed with the horns: another gain- Kuyoth not, but yet meanly mindeth an earthly object, let hiin bo cast up with tho hoofs. Therefore ubovc this calf my praising shall pleuso Thee, such as hereafter will bo, after poverty und sorrow, in the eternal society of Angels, whore neither udversnry thero shall bo in battlo to bo tossed, nor sluggard from earth to be stirred up. 17. Ver. 32. Let the needy see and rejoice. Let them be lieve, and in hopo be glad. Let them be more needy, in order that they may deserve to be filled : lest while they belch out pride's satiety, there be denied them the bread Matt, s, whereon they may healthily live. Seek the Lord, ye needy, John 6, hunger ye and thirst ; for He is Himself the living bread 33. 51. that came down from Heaven. Seek ye the Lord, and your 19.66,3. soul shall live. Ye seek bread, that your flesh may live : the Lord seek yo, that your soul may live. 18. Ver. 33. For the Lord hath hearkened to the poor. Ho hath hearkened to tho poor, and Ho would not havo hearkened to tho poor, unless thoy wore poor. Wilt thou bo hoarkened to ? Poor bo thou : lot sorrow cry out from thoo Man in 'fetters' not despised. God's Church restored. 391 and not fastidiousness. For the Lord hath hearkened to poor Vbr. men, and His fettered ones He hath not despised. Being =— : offended at His servants, He hath put them in fetters : but them crying from the fetters He hath not despised. What are these fetters ? Mortality, the corruptibleness of the flesh are the fetters wherewith we have been bound. And would ye know the weight of these fetters? Of them is said, The body Wisd. 9, which, is corrupted weigheth down the soul. Whenever men in the world will to be rich, for these fetters they are seeking rags. But let the rags of the fetters suffice : seek so much as is necessary for keeping off want, but when thou seekest superfluities, thou longest to load thy fetters. In such a prison then let the fetters abide even alone. Sufficient J'or the Matt. 6, day be the evil thereof. Concerning this evil we cry to God, for the Lord halh hearkened to the poor, and His fettered ones He hath not despised. 19. Ver. 34. Let there praise Him heavens and earth, sea and all things creeping in them. The true riches of this poor man are these, to consider the creation, and to praise the Creator. Let there praise Him heavens and earth, sea and all things creeping therein. And doth this creation alone praise God, when by considering of it God is praised? 20- Hear thou another thing also : (ver. 35.) for God shall save Sion. He restoreth His Church, the faithful Gentiles He doth incorporate with His Only-Begotten ; He beguileth not them that believe in Him of the reward of His promise. For God shall save Sion; and there shall be builded the cities of Juda. These same are the Churches. Let no one say, when shall it come to pass that there be builded the cities of Juda? O lhat thou wouldest acknowledge the Edifice, and be a living stone, that thou mightest enter into Her. Even now the cities of Juda are being built. For Juda is interpreted confession. By confession of humility there are being builded the cities of Juda : in order that there may remain without the proud, who blush to confess. For God shall save Sion. What Sion ? Hear in the following words : (ver. 36.) and the seed qf His servants shall possess Her, and they that love His name shall dwell therein. 21. The Psalm is ended, but for a little space let us not leave these two verses: for they admonish us of something, 392 The true seed of Abraham. The 'Corn of wheat' multiplied. P8AL" lest by despairing, into that edifice we enter not. The '- seed, he saith, of His servants shall possess her. Now then, the seed qf His servants are who? Perchance thou sayest, the Jews were born of Abraham; but for us that are not born of Abraham, how shall we have that city ? But those Jews John 8, are not the seed of Abraham, to whom was said, If sons of 39 Abraham ye are, the deeds of Abraham do ye. 'Hie seed, then, of His servants, the imitators of the faith qf His servants, shall possess her. In a word, the last verse explaineth the former. For in order lhat thou, being troubled, mightest not suppose this to be spoken concerning Jews, And the seed of His servants shall possess her, while thou sayest, we aro tho seed of Gentiles, who have worshipped idols, and have served devils : what then for us is to be hoped for in this city? in order that thou mayest rely and hope, im mediately he hath added, And they that love His name shall dwell therein. For these are the seed of His servants, they that love His name. For because His servants have loved His name ; let whosoever love not His name not call them selves the seed of His servants; and let them that love His name, not deny themselves to be the seed of His servants. lxYx. PSALM LXX. EXPOSITION. Sermon preached at the Celebration of the Martyrs. Johnll *' Thanks t0 the Corn °f wl'eat, because He willed to 24. 'die and to be multiplied: thanks to the only Son of God our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, who disdained not to undergo our death, in order that He might make us worthy of His life. Behold Him that was single until He went hence • Ps. 141, as He said in another Psalm, Single lam until I go hence; LXX. f°r He was a single corn of wheat in such sort as that He had »"* in Himself a great fruitfulness of increase ; in how muny nearly, corns imituting the Pussion of Him do wo exult, when we celebrate the nativities of the Martyrs! Many therefore members of Him, under one Head our Saviour Himself, being The Martyrs encouraged by their Head's example. 393 bound together in the bond of love and peace, (as ye judge Pnnr. it fit that ye know, for ye have often heard,) arc ono man : and of tho same, as of ono man, the voice is ofttimes heard, in tho Psalms, and thus one crieth as though it were all, because all in ono are one. Let us hear then how the Martyrs laboured, and were in peril themselves amid mighty tempests of hatred in this world, not so much for the body, which sometime they were to put off, but for the very Faith ; lest they, fainting and perchance yielding to the sharp pains of persecutions, or to the love of this life, should lose that which God had promised: who not only by word but also by example had taken away all fear : by word, saying, Fear not Mat.io, them lhat kill the body, but the soul are notable to kill ; ' by example, doing lhat which in word He commanded, so that He would shun neither the hands of them scourging, nor tho buffets of thein smiting, nor the spittle of them spitting, nor the crown of thorns of them putting it on Him, nor the Cross of them slaying: none of these things He would shun, Who had no need of them, but for the sake of those to whom this was needful, making of Himself medicine for the sick : and unless Ho were alway present, Who saith, Behold I am Mat.28, with you1 even unto the end of the world, surely they had i oxf, fainted. Mss. . ' all 2. There is then in this Psalm the voice of men troubled, Htys.' and so indeed of Martyrs amid sufferings in peril, but relying on their own Head. Let us hear them, and speak with them out of sympathy of heart, though it bo not with similarity of suffering. For they aro already crowned, we are still in peril : not that such sort of persecutions do vex us as have vexed them, but worse perchance in tho midst of ull kinds of so great scandals. For our own times do more abound in that woe, which the Lord cried: Woe to the world because Mat. is, of scandals. And, Because iniquity hath abounded, the love jviat.24 of man shall wax cold. For not even that holy Lot at Sodom '2- suffered corporal persecution from any one, or had it been 19, ' ' told him that ho should not dwell there : the persecution of him were the evil doings of the Sodomites. Now then that Christ sitleth in Heaven, now that Ho is glorified, now that necks of kings are made subject to His yoke, and their brows placed beneath His sign, now that not any one remaineth to 394 Satan, in the wicked, abides to distress us, though chained. Psalm dare openly to trample upon Christians, still, however, we '- groan amid instruments and singers, still those enemies of the Martyrs, because with words and steel they have no power, with their own wantonness do persecute them. And 0 that we were sorrowing for Heathens alono: it would be some sort of comfort, to wait for those that not yet havo been Bigncd with the Cross of Christ; when they should bo signed, and when, by His authority attached, they should ceaso to be mad. We see besides men wearing on their brow the sign of Him, at the same time on that same brow wearing the shamelessness of wantonness, and on the days and cele brations of the Martyrs not exulting but insulting. And amid these things we groan, and this is our persecution, if 2 Cor. there is in Us the love which saith, Who is weak, and I am ' ' not weak? Who is scandalized, and I burn not? Not any servant of God, then, is without persecution : and that is a 2 Tim. true saying which the Apostle saith, But even all men that will to live godly in Christ, shall suffer persecution. See whence, see how, lhat devil is two-formed. A lion he is in assault, a snake in lying in wait. If as a lion he menace, he is an enemy ; if as a snake he lie in wait, he is an enemy. When are we secure? Behold, though all men be made Christians, will the Devil too be a Christian? To tempt therefore he ceaseth not, to lie in wait he ceaseth not. Bridled he is and bound in the hearts of ungodly men, that he may not rage against the Church, and do as much as he would. The teeth of ungodly men gnash at the majesty of the Church and die peace of Christians, and because they have nothing that they can do by raging ; by dancing, by blaspheming, by wanton living, they vex not the bodies of Christians, but rend the souls of Christians. Let us cry then all with one voice these words, Ver. 1. O God, to my aid make speed. For need we have for an everlasting aid in this world. But when have wo not? Now however being in tribulation, let us especially say, O God, to my aid make speed. 3. Let them be confounded and fear that seek my soul. Christ is speaking : whether Head speak or whether Body Aots 9, speak ; He is speaking that hath said, Why perseculest thou Mat.25, Me? He is speaking that hath said, Inasmuch as ye have 40. Two ways of 'seeking the soul.' Enemies graciously confounded. 39S dono it to ono of the least of Mine, to Me yo have done it. Ver. Tho voice then of this Man is known to bo of the wfiolo — — - man, of Head and of Body: that need not often bo men tioned, because it is known. Be they confounded, he saith, and- fear that seek my soul. In another Psalm Ho saith, /ps. 142, was looking unto tlie right, and saw, and there was not one that 4- would know Me : flight hath perished from Me, and there is not one to seek out My soul. There of persecutors He saith, that there was hot one to seek out His soul: but here, let them be confounded and fear that seek My soul. He was grieving that He was not sought for imitation: was lamonting that IIo was sought for oppression. Thou seekest tho soul of a just man when thou art thinking how to imitate him : thou art seeking tho soul of a just man when thou art thinking how to kill him. Becauso in two ways is sought the soul of a just man, each is expressed in a different Psalm. In the ono caso He is lamenting that thoro is not one to seek His soul in order to imitate His passions: but here be they con founded and fear that seek My soul. They seek His soul not in order that they may have two. For they did not so seek His soul as a robber seeketh the coat of a traveller: he killelh to the end that he may strip, that he may have. But he that persecuted) in order to kill doth drive forth the soul, doth not clotho himself. They seek my soul, they will to kill me, what then dost thou desire for them 1 Let them be confounded and fear. And whore is that which thou hast heard from thy Lord, Love ye your enemies, do good to them Matt.6, that hate you, and pray for them that persecute you ? Behold ' thou sufforost persecution, and curscstthem from whom thou sufforest: how dost thou imitate tho Passions of thy Lord that havo gono boforo, hanging on the cross and saying, Father, foryive them, J'or they know not what they do. To Luko23, persons saying such things tho Martyr replioth and saith, thou hast sot before me the Lord, saying, Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do: understand thou my voice also, in order that it may be thine too : for what have I said con cerning mine enemies ? Let them be confounded and fear. Already such vengeanco hath been taken on the enemies of the Martyrs. That Saul that persecuted Stephen, he was Acts 7, confounded and feared. He was breathing out slaughters, ' ' 396 Persecution changed inform, the same in spirit, Pbalm i,e Was seeking some to drag and slay : a voice having been Xilv" heard from above Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou Me, he 4- ' was confounded and laid low, and he was raised up to Obe dience, fhat had been inflamed unto persecuting. This then tho Martyrs desire for their enemies, Let them be confounded and fear. For so long as they are not confounded and fear, they must needs defend their actions : glorious they think themselves, because they hold, because they bind, because they scourge, because they kill, because they dance, because they insult, and because of all these doings they be some time confounded and fear". For if they be confounded, they will also be converted : because converted they cannot be, unless they shall have been confounded and shall have feared. Let us then wish these things to our enemies, let us wish them without fear. Behold I have said, and let me have said it with you, may all that still dance and sing and insult the Martyrs be confounded and fear: at last within these walls confounded may they beat their breasts ! 4. Ver. 2. Let them be turned away backward and blush that think evil things to me. At first there was the assault of them persecuting, now there hath remained the malice of them thinking. In fact, there arc in the Church distinct seasons of persecutions following one another". There was made an assault on the Church when kings were persecuting : and because kings had been foretold as to persecute and as to believe, when one had been fulfilled the other was to follow. There came to pass also that which was consequent ; kings believed, peace was given to the Church, the Church began to be set in the highest place of dignity, even on this earth, even in this life : but thero is not wanting the roar of persecutors, they have turned their assaults into thoughts. v. Rev. in theso thoughts, as in a bottomless pit, the devil hath been ' ' bound, ho roared) and breaketh not forth. For it hath been Pi. 112, said concerning these times of the Chureli, The sinner shall 10, see, and shall bo angry. And shall do what ? That which ho did at first? Drag, bind, suiilo ? Ho doeth not this. "Oxf. Mss, 'and no more dofond in ZA7i.lsprohril>lyamlAtukofi.r's«<|UC,' iholr dnlngs.' which is found nt Oxford. Or It Is, '- Iho rcmllriR • senuere' mentioned 'Follow them In their suocchhIihi.' . Men are ' turned bach,' humbly to follow Christ. 397 What then? With his teeth he shall gnash, and shall pine Veb. away. And with theso men the Martyr is, as it were, angry, '-- and yet for these men the Martyr prayeth. For in like manner us he huth wished well to those men concerning whom ho hath said, (ver. 2.) Let them be confounded and fear lhat seek my soul: so also now, Let them be turned backward, and blush, that think evil things to me. Wherefore ? In order that they may not go before, but follow. For he that censurcth the Christian religion, and on his own system willed) to live, willeth as it were to go before Christ, as though He indeed had erred and had been weak and infirm, because He either willed to suffer or could suffer in the hands of the Jews ; but that he is a clever man for guarding against all these things ; in shunning death, even in basely lying lo escape death, and slaying his soul lhat he may live in body, he thinketh himself a man of singular and prudent measures. He goeth before in censuring Christ, in a manner he outstripped) Christ : let him believe in Christ, and follow Christ. For that which had been desired but now for persecutors thinking evil things, the same the Lord Himself said to Peter. Now in a certain place Peter willed to go before the Lord. For the Saviour was speaking of His Passion, which if He had not undergone, we should not have been saved : and Peter that a little before had confessed the Son of God, and in lhat confession had been called the Rock, whereon the Church was lo be builded, a little after wards as the Lord is speaking of His future Passion, he saith, Far be it, 0 Lord, merciful be Thou to Thyself, there Mat.16, shall not be done this thing. A little before, Blessed art2'2, thou, Simon Bar- Jon a, for flesh and blood halh not revealed it to Thee, but My Father which is in Heaven: now in a moment, Go back behind die, Satan. What is, Go back Mnt.ie, behind Me ? Follow Me. Thou wiliest to go before Me, " thou wiliest to give Me counsel, it is better that thou follow My counsel : this is, ' go back,' go back behind Me. He is silencing one outstripping, in order that he may go backward; and He is calling him Satan, because he willeth to go before the Lord. A little before, blessed, now, Satan. Whence a little before, blessed? Because, to thee, He saith, flesh. and. blood halh not revealed it, but My Father Which 398 Reproach and flattery both try a man's soundness. Pbalm is in Heaven. Whence now, Satan? Because thou savourest .V*2L nott Ho saith, the things which are of God, but the things which are of men. Let us then that would duly celebrate tho nativities of the Martyrs, long for tho imitation of tho Martyrs ; lot us not wish to go before tho Martyrs, and Ihink ourselves to be of bettor understanding than they, bocuuso wo shun sufferings in bchulf of righteousness and faith which thoy shunned not. Therefore bo they that think evil things, and in wantonness feed their hearts, turned back ward and blush. Let thein hear from the Apostle afterwards saying, But what fruit had ye sometime in those things at which ye now blush? 5. What followeth? (Ver. 3.) Let them be turned away forthwith blushing, that say to me, Well, well. Two are tho kinds of persecutors, rcvilers und flutterers. Tho tongue of tho flatterer doth more persecute than tho hand of tho slayer: for diis ulso the Scripture hull) culled a furnace. Truly Wlsd.3, when tho Scripture was speaking of persecution, it suid, Like gold in a furnace it hath proved them, (speaking of Martyrs being sluin,) and as the holocaust's victim it hath received them. Hour how oven tho tongue of flatterers is of such sort: P7°5i ^ie Prov'ny> no saith, qf silver and of gold is fire; but a man is proved by tho tongue of men praising him. That is fire, this also is firo: out of both thou oughtest to go forth safe. The censurer halh broken thee, thou bust been broken in the furnaco liko an earthen vessel. Tho Word hath moulded thee, and there hath come the trial of tribulation: that which hath been formed, must needs bo seasoned ; if it hath been well moulded, there hath como tho fire to strengthen. Whence Ps. 22, He said in the Passion, Dried up like a potsherd hath been My virtue. For Pussion and tho furnaco of tribulation had made Ilim stronger. Agnin, if thou bo praised by mon Mat. 20, flattering and pitying deference to thee, being liko one buying oil, and not taking it with thco, liko tho five foolish virgins ; the furnace of thy breaking will be the mouth of men praising '°xf. thee. But if without theso things wo cannot be ; we must add 'if.' needs both enter into theso things, and go forth from thence: enter into the reviling of evil and wicked men, enter also into some men's paying deference to us as flatterers, but wo must go forth from thence. Let us ask it of Him concerning Whom Escape from flattery by glorifying God. 399 hath been said, The Lord keep thy going in and thy going out: Vun. in order that going in whole, so thou mayest go out whole, p— ~r For tho Apostle also saith, Faithful is God, that will not 8. suffer you to be tried above that ye are able. Behold thou |0 /^ hast a ' going in,' He hath not said, Be not tried. For he that is not tried is not proved, and he that is not proved, profited) not. What then hath he wished ? Faithful is God, ibid. Tliat will not suffer you to be tried above that ye are able. Thou hast heard the going in, hear also the going out. But He shall make with the trial a going out also, so that ye may be able to endure it. Therefore, let them be also turned away forthwith blushing, that say to me, Well, well. For why do they praise me ? Let them praise God. For who am 1 that I should be praised in myself? Or what have I done? What have I which I havo not received? " If thou hast received," i Cor. 4, ho saith, " why dost, thou boast as if thou hast not received?" Let them be turned away, then, forthwith blushing, that say to me, Well, well. With such oil the head of heretics is madeps. hi, fat when they say, It is I1, it is I : and it is said to them, It f E is Thou'J, my Lord ! They have received the, Well, well; they sum. have followed the, Well, well: have become blind leaders ofpom;nei blind followers. In the plainest words to Donatus are said Mat..i5, these words which have been sung3, "Well, well! goodial. leader ! excellent leader !" And he hath not said to them, I0,8}"1'" Be they turned away forthwith and blush, that say to me, songs.' Well, well: and he hath not wished to correct them so lhat they should say lo Christ, Good leader, excellent leader! But tho Apostle, dreading the ' well' of men, in order that he might be truly praised in Christ, would not havo himself to be praised instead of Christ; and when certain said, I am ofi Cor, i, Paul, ho replied in the liberty of the Lord, Hath Paul been crucified for you, or in the name of Paul have yc been baptized? Therefore let the Martyrs in the persecutions even of men flattering, say, Let them be turned away forthwith blushing, that say to me, Well, well. 6. And what cometh to pass when they are all turned back and blush, whether it be they that seek my soul, or they that think evil things to me, or they that with perverse and feigned benevolence with tongue would soften the stroke which they inflict, when they shall have been themselves turned away 400 Christ's true sheep, saved by Him, rtjoice. Psalm and confounded ; there shall como to pass what ? Let them exult and be joyous in Thee : not in me, not in this man or in that man ; but in whom they have been made light that were darkness. (Ver. 4.) Let them exult and be joyous in Thee, all that seek Thee. One thing it is to seek God, another thing to seek man. Let them be joyous that seek ' Ms. Thee. They shall not be joyous then that seek 'themselves, •non'te ' whom Thou hast first sought before they sought Thee. Not 'aught vct jjj (nat sne(.p seek the Shepherd, it had strayed from Thee.' the flock, and He went down to it; He sought it, and canied Lukoio, jt baclc up0n jtjs shoulders. Will He despise thee, O sheep, seeking Him, Who hath first sought thee despising Him and not seeking Ilim? Now then begin thou to seek Him that first hath sought thee, and hath carried thee back on His John 10, shoulders. Do thou that which Ho speaketh of, They thai are My sheep hear My voice, and follow Me. If then thou seekest Ilim lhat first hath sought thoo, and hast become a sheep of His, and thou bearest the voice of thy Shepherd, and followcst Him ; see what He shewed) to thee of Himself, what of His Body, in order that as to Himself thou mayest not err, as to the Church thou mayest not err, that no one may say to thee, that is Christ which is not Christ, or thut is the Church which is not the Church. For many men have said lhat Christ had no flesh, and that Christ hath not risen in His Body : do not thou follow the voices of them. Hear thou the voice of Himself the Shepheid, that was clothed with flesh, in order that He might seek lost flesh. Luke24, He hath risen again, and He saith, Handle ye and see ; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye see Me have. He shewed) Himself to thee, the voice of Him follow thou. He showed) also the Church, that no ono may deceive thee by Ibid. 40. the name of Church. It behoved, lie suith, Christ to suffer, and to rise again from the dead lite third day, and that there should be preached repentance and remission of sins through all nations, beginning, with Jerusalem. Thou hast Johnio, the voice of Thy Shepherd, do not thou follow the voice of strangers: and a thief thou shalt not fear, if thou shalt have followed, the voice of the Shepherd. But how shalt thou follow ? if thou shalt neither have said to any man, as if it were by his own merit, Well, well : nor shalt have heard the same with God lo be magnified at every step in our salvation, <10 1 joy, so that thy head be not made fat with the oil of a sinner. Vg«. Let all them exult and be joyous in Thee, that seek Thee ; )2,a- and let them say — let them say what, that exul t ? Be the Lord 5. alway magnified ! Let all them say this, that exult and seek Thee. What ? Be the Lord alway magnified ; yea, they that love Thy salvation. Not only, Be the Lord magnified ; but also, alway. Behold, thou wast straying, and wast turned away from Him ; He hath called thee, Be the Lord magnified. Behold, He hath inspired thee with confession of sins, thou hast confessed, He hath given pardon, be the Lord magnified. Now thou hast begun to live justly : now I think it to bo as it were a just thing, that thou also be magnified. For when He called thco straying, the Lord was to be magnified ; when to thee confessing lie forgavo sins, tho Lord was to be magnified: but now hearing the words of Ilim; thou hast begun to advance, thou hast been justified, thou hast arrived at a sort of excellence of virtue ; it is a seemly thing that thou also sometime be magnified. Let them say, Be the Lord alway magnified. A sinner thou art, be He magnified in order that He may call ; thou confessest, be lie magnified in order that He may forgive : now thou livest justly, be He magnified in order that He may direct: thou perseverest even unto the end, be He magnified in order that He may glorify. Be the Lord, then, alway magnified. Let just men say this, let them say this that seek Him. Whosoever saith not this, doth not seek Ilim. Behold, Be the Lord magnified. Let them exult and be joyous, all that seek Him, and let them say, Be the Lord alway magnified, yea they that love His saving health. For from Hiin thoy havo salvation, not from themselves. The saving health of tho Lord our God, is the Saviour our Lord Jesus Christ : who soever loveth the Saviour, confesseth himself to have been made whole ; whosoever confesseth himself to have been made whole, confesseth himself to have been sick. Let them say then, Be the Lord alway magnified ; yea, they that love Thy saving health; not their own saving health, as if they could save themselves of themselves: not as it were the saving health of a man, as though by him they could be saved. Do not, be saith, confide in princes, and in the sonsP*. 14«, * Oxf. Mss. repeat, ' They that love Thy saving health, VOL. III. D d 402 God helps the needy, who acknowledge their need. Psalm of men, in whom there is no safety. Why so? Of the Lord -. is safely, and upon Thy people is Thy blessing. Therefore, Be the Lord alway magnified: who are saying this? They lhat love Thy saving health. 7. Behold, Be the Lord magnified ; wilt thou never, wilt thou no where ? In Ilim was something, in me nothing : but if in Him is whatsoever I am, be He, not I. But thou then what? (Ver. 5.) But lam needy and poor. He is rich, He abounding, He needing nothing. Behold my light, behold whence I am Ps. 18, illumined ; for I cry, Thou shalt illumine my candle, 0 Lord; Ps'. 146 my God, Thou shalt illumine my darkness. The Lord doth 7. loose men fettered, the Lord raiselh up men crushed, the Lord maketh wise the blind men, the Lord keepeth the proselytes. What then of thee ? But I am needy and poor. I am like an orphan, my soul is like a widow destitute and desolate: help I seek, alway mine infirmity I confess. But I am needy and poor. There have been forgiven me my sins, now 1 have begun lo follow the commandments of God : still, however, I am needy and poor. Why still needy and poor ? Because Rom. 7, 1 see another law in my members fighting against the law of Matt.5 my mind- Why needy and poor? Because, blessed are they 6- that hunger and thirst after righteousness. Still I hunger, still I thirst: my fulness hath been put off, not taken away. But I am needy and poor; 0 God, aid Tliou me. Most Lulel6, suitably also Lazarus is said to be interpreted, one aided: that needy and poor man, that was transported into the bosom of Abraham ; and beareth the type of the Church, which ought alway to confess that she hath need of aid. Ps. 16, This is true, this is godly. / have said to the Lord, My God Thou art. Why? For my goods Thou needesl not. He needeth not us, we need Him : therefore He is truly Lord. For thou art not the very true Lord of thy servant : both are men, both needing God. But if thou supposest thy servant to need thee, in order that thou mayest give him bread; thou also needest thy servant, in order that he may aid thy labours. Each one of you doth need the other. Therefore neither of you is truly lord, and neither of you truly servant. Hear thou the true Lord, of Whom thou art the true servant : I have said to the Lord, My God Thou art. Why art Thou Lord ? Because my goods Thou needest not? But what of Holding our attainments sufficient stays progress. 4()3 Iheo ? But I am needy and poor. Behold tho needy and Veh poor: may God feed, may God alleviate, may God aid: 0 — - God, ho saith, aid Thou me. 8. My helper and deliverer art Thou ; 0 Lord, delay not. Thou art the helper and deliverer: I need succour, help Thou; entangled I am, deliver Thou. For no one will deliver from entanglings except Thee. There stand round about us the nooses of divers cares, .on this side and on that we aro torn as it were with thorns and brambles, wo walk a narrow way, perchance wo have stuck fast in the brambles : let us say to God, 'Thou art my deliverer. IIo that showed us tho narrow way, hath taught us to follow it. Muy this voice Matt. continuo in us, brethren. However wo shall have lived here,14- however we shall havo profited here, let no one say, It is sufficient for ine, I -am a just man. He that shall huvo so said, hath stopped on the way, ho knoweth not how to attain to tho end. Where ho hath said, // is sufficient, there hath he stuck fast. Observe the Apostle, to whom there was no sufficiency; see in what manner he willeth himself to be aided, until he may attain. Brethren, he sailh, / count not Philip.: mysef to have apprehended : lest Ihey should think thcim- selves lo havo apprehended, to whom again he sailh, He that i Cor. thinketh himself to know any thing, not yet knoweth as heH>^' ought lo know. What saith he then ? Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended. Above he had said, Not Philip.; that now I have received, or now have been made perfect: and in this placo ho continued), Brethren, I count not myself to havo apprehended. If not yet ho halh received, needy and poor ho is : if not yet ho is perfect, needy and poor ho is. Well, he sailh, 0 God, aid Thou me. But he is per- ceiving something, even something more exalted he is per ceiving. Sec, however, what he saith; But to him that is able to do above all things more abundantly than we ask and perceive. See then, becauso he hath not yet attained, he hath not yet apprehended. What then saith he ? Brethren, pi,|iip.: I count not myself lo have apprehended: but one thing I do, Vi- ,4, the things which are behind forgetting, unto the things which are before reaching forth, with earnestness I follow unto the prize of the high calling. Ho then runneth on, thou hast stuck fast. He speaketh of himself as not yet perfected, and nd2 404 In what sense toe pray against delay of Christ1* coming. • Psalm dost thou already boast of perfection ? Be they confounded LXX. that say to themselves, Well, well. Be thou also confounded among them, because thou sayest to thyself, Well, well. For he that praiseth himself, saith to himself, Well well : he that Mat.26, by others is praised and consenteth, doth not carry oil with 3- him : the lights go out, He will shut the door. 9. This truth then this Psalm hath briefly taught us, dearly beloved, that, by being reminded of the festival of Martyrs, we may perceive how the Martyrs here have suffered corporal tribulation ; and we in whatsoever peace we be, must needs suffer spiritual tribulation : and the Church and the ' heap' must needs groan amid offences, and tares, and chaff, until tho harvest como, until tho fan, until there come the last Matt. 3, winnowing, so that the chaff bo severed from tho grain, until 13, it bo stored in the garner. Until which come to pass, let us cry, But I am needy and poor ; O God, aid Thou me : my helper art Thou, 0 Lord, delay not. What is, delay not ? Because many men say, it is a. long time till Christ comes. What then : because we say, delay not, will He come before He hath determined to come ? What meancth this prayer, delay not? May not Thy coming seem to me to be too long delayed. For to thee it seemeth a long lime, to God it Ps. 90, seemeth not long, to Whom a thousand years are one day, 4- or the three hours of a watch. But if thou shalt not have had endurance, late for thee it will be : and when to thee it shall be* latej thou wilt be diverted from Him, and wilt be like unto thoso that wore wearied in the desert, and hastened to ask of God the pleasant things which He was reserving for thein in Iho Land; and when there were not given on their Exod. journey the pleasant things, whereby perchance they would A(|tH"7 have been corrupted, they murmured against God, and went 39- back in heart unto Egypt : to that place whence in body they had been severed, in heart they went back. Do not thou, then, so, do not so : fear the word of the Lord, saying, 1.a\ic\7,l{emember Lot's wife. She too being on the way, but now delivered from the Sodomites, looked back; in the place where she looked back, there she remained : she became a statue of salt, in order to season thee. For to thee she hath been given for an example, in order that thou mayest have sense, mayest not stop infatuated on the way. Observe her God 's great mercg in justifying the ungodly, 405 stopping and pass on : observe her looking back, and do Ver. thou bo reaching forth unto the things before, as Paul was. phi ' Whal is it, not to look back. Of the things behind forgetful. 'J, 13. he saith. Therefore thou followest, being called to the heavenly reward, whereof hereafter thou wilt glory. For the samo Apostle saith, There remaineth for me a crown of* Tim. righteousness, which in that day the Lord, the just Judge, ' iftall render to me. PSALM LXX I. ^ EXPOSITION. Sermon I. On the first part of the above Psalm. 1. In all the holy Scriptures the grace of God that deliverelh us commendeth itself to us, in order that it may have us commended. This is sung of in this Psalm, whereof we have undertaken to speak with your Love. The Lord will be with me, in order that I may so apprehend it in heart, as is right; and may so draw it forth, as is expedient for you. For much do move me the love and fear of God : the fear of God, because He is just; love, because He is merciful. For who could say to Him, What hast Thou done? if He Wisd. should condemn a just man. How great then is His mercy, ' in justifying an unjust man ! On this subject wo have heard the Apostle also read before to us, commending especially that same grace : because of the commendation whereof he had the Jews for enemies, as it were relying on the letter of tho law, and as it were loving and boasting of their justice; of which samo persons he sailh, / bear witness lo them, that Rom. they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. ' ' And as though it were said to him, but what is it to havo a zeal for God not according to knowledge ? he hath added immediately, For being ignorant of the justice of God, and willing lo establish their own, lo the justice of God they are not made subject. Boasting, he saith, as though of works, thoy shut out from them grace; and us though relying on their unreal soundness, ihey reject the medicine. For against 400 Free grace forbids despair, but humbles pride. Psalm such mon even the Lord had said, / have not come to call t v V I - — '—-just men, but sinners lo repentance: the whole need not a Physician, but the sick. This then is tho sum of great knowledge, for a man to know that he is by himself nothing, l Cor. and that whatever he is, he is from God, and is for God. For 4 7 ' ' what hast thou, he saith, which thou hast not received? But if thou hast even received, why dost thou boast as if thou hast not received? This graco the Apostle commendeth: by this he got to have the Jews for enemies, boasting of the letter of the law nnd of their own justice. This then commending in i Cor. tho lesson which huth been read, ho suith thus: For I am the ' ' least qf the Jpost/es, that am not worthy to be called an Apostle, 1 'l'!'"' because I persecuted Iho Church of Gotl. But therefore mercy, ho saith, I obtained, because ignorant I did it in unbelief, lliiu.10. Then u littlo afterwards, Faithful the saying is, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into Iho world to save sinners, of whom I am first, Wcro lluro before him not any sinners ? What then, was ho the first then ? Yea, going before ull men not in time, but in evil disposition. But therefore, he saith, mercy I obtained, in order thut in me Christ Jesus might shew all long-suffering, for the imitation of those lhat shall believe in Ilim unto life eternal: that is, every sinner and unjust man, already despairing of himself, already having the mind of it gludiutor'', so as to do whulsoover ho willeth, because ho must needs bo condemned, muy yet observe the Apostle Paul, to whom so grout cruelty und so very evil a disposition wus forgiven by God; and by not despairing of himself may he bo turned unto God. This grace God doth commend to us in this Psulmulso: let us examine it, and let us see whether it bo so, or whether per- chanoo I 'regard it amiss. For I judgo that it hath this drift, und giveth this sound nearly in all its syllables: that is to say, it commended) to us this truth, thut tho grace of God is gratuitous, which delivered) us undeserving, not for our sake, but for its own sake : so that even if 1 did not say this, nor hud made this preface, any one of moderate intelligence attentively hearing the words of this same Psalm, would have tasted of this ; and porchunco by tho very words, if he had '' rilnJintlnrlnmutiinniin, l.o.ofnttor expect to polish in one light if not in desperation, since ii gludiutor would another. The sons of Jonadab blessed for their obedience. 407 any other purpose in mind, he would have been changed, Title. and would have become that which here it soundeth. What is this? That our whole hope should be in God, and wo should rely in no respect upon ourselves as though upon our own strength ; lost by making that our own which is from Hiin, we let go even that which wo havo received. 2. The lido then of this Psalm is, as usual, a title inti mating on the threshold what is being done in the houso: To David himself for the sons of Jonadab, and. for those that were first led captive. Jonadab was a certain man, (he is commended to us in the prophecy of Jeremiah,) who had Jer. 35, enjoined his sons not to drink wine, and not to dwell in houses, but in tents. But the commandment of the father the sons kept and observed, and by this earned a blessing from the Lord. Now the Lord had not commanded this, but their own father. But they so received it as though it were a commandment from the Lord their God; fov even though the Lord had not commanded that they should drink no wine and should dwell in tents; yet the Lord had commanded, lhat sons should obey their father. In this Case alone a son ought not to obey his father, if his father should have commanded any thing contrary to the Lord his God. For indeed the father ought not to be angry, when God is preferred before him. But when a father doth command that which is not contrary lo God ; he must be heard as God is: because to obey one's father God bath enjoined. God then blessed the sons of Jonadab because of their obedience, and thrust them in the teeth of His disobedient people, reproaching them, because while the sons of Jonadab were obedient to their father, they obeyed not their God. But while Jereuiias was treating of these topics, he had this object in regard to the people of Israel, that they should prepare themselves to be led for enptivity into Babylon, and should not hope for any other thing, but that they were to be captives. The title then of this Psalm seemeth from thence to have taken its hue, so that when he had said, Of the sons of Jonadab ; he added, and of them that were first led captive : not that the sons of Jonadab were led captive, but because to them that were to be led 408 They that serve willingly, What meant by Captivity 1 •Tvvt cuI3t've there wore opposed the sons of Jonadab, because "they wore obedient to thoir father: in order that they might understand that they had been mado captive, becauso they were not obedient to God. It is added also that Jonadab is interpreted, the Lord's spontaneous one. What is this, the Lord's spontaneous one ? Serving God freely with the will. Ps. 66, What is, the Lord's spontaneous one? In me are, 0 God, Thy vows, which I willrender of praise to Thee. What is, Ps. 64, tho Lord's spontaneous one ? Voluntarily I will sacrijice to Thee. For if the Apostolic teaching admonisheth a slave, to serve a human master, not as though of necessity, but of good will, and by freely serving make himself in heart free; how much more must God be served with whole and full and free will, who seeth thy very will ? Tor if thy servant servo thee not with tho heart, his hands, his face, his presence thou art able to see, his heart thou canst not: and nevertheless the Ephes. Apostle sailh to them, not unto eye serving. And what is, not unto eye ? What then, will my master see how I serve him, that thou sayest to me, not unto eye serving? lie hath added, but as if servants of Christ. The human lord seeth not, but the Lord Christ seeth. From the heart, he saith, with good wilt. Such was Jonadab, that is, by this the name of him is interpreted. Who are then l/tey that first were led captive? The sons of Israel were led captive, first, and second, and third : but for the sake of these that were first led cap tive the Psalm, or concerning theso the Psalm, doth not give this sound: that is, the Psalm itself when sifted, when searched, when questioned, in all the verses thereof speaketh to thee of something else, not of those men whoever they were who, when certain enemies had made an invasion, were led captive into Babylon out of Jerusalem. But the Psalm saith what, save that which ye have heard from the Apostle ? He com mendeth to us the grace of God ; He commendeth it to us, becauso by ourselves we are nothing : He commendeth it to us, because whatever we are, by His mercy we are ; but whatever of ourselves we are, evil we are. Why then captive? and why under the name of captivity is commended the very grace of the Deliverer" ? The Apostle openeth it, the Apostle • Oxf. Mss. l, 21. given, the Lord halh taken away ; as it halh pleased the Lord so halh been done : be the name of the Lord blessed. Unjust men they were that were sitting whole beside Job Joh 2, rotting ; and nevertheless ho was being scourged to bo " restored again, they were being spared to bo punished. Whatsoever then of tribulation shall have chanced to thee, whatsoever of insult, be not thy soul engaged, be it not en gaged, not only against God, but not even against those very persons that arc doing these things to thoe. For if thou shalt have hated even those very persons, then against them E e 2 420 Nothing justifies murmuring or unchuritableness. Psalm thy heart hath been ongagod. Forthwith to Ilim render - - — thou thanks, for thom pray thou. For perchance even a prayer for them is this which thou hast heard, Let them be confounded and fail that engage my soul. " Let them be confounded and fail,:" for much on their own righteousness they rely : therefore be they confounded. This is expedient for them, in order that they may acknowledge their sins, as the cause wherefore they are confounded and fail, (for they were to ill purpose relying on their own strength,) and they 2 Cor. failing themselves may say, When I am made weak, then v. 8. ' mighty I ant: and they failing themselves may say, Cast me not away in time of old age. A good thing there fore he hath wished for them, that they may be confounded for their evil doings, and fail from their perverse strength, and then at length failing and being confounded they may seek an Enlightcner from this confusion, and a Comforter from discomfiture. Lastly, see what followeth, Let them put on confusion and shame, that think evil things to nte. " Con fusion and shame," confusion because of a bad conscience, shame because of modesty. Let this befal them, and they will be good. Think thou not that he is enraged: 0 that he might be hearkened unto in behalf of theiii ! For even Stephen seemed to be enraged, when with flaming mouth Acts 7, these words he darted forth, Ye of a stiff neck, and un- i /'mve circumcised in heart and cars, ye do always withstand1 with- Hie Holy Spirit. How inflamed the anger, how vehement Mss.' against enemies. Doth his soul seem to thee to be engaged? Par be it. Their health he was seeking ; them phrensied, raving to their hurt, he was binding with words. For see how the soul of him was not engaged, not only against God, but not Acts 7, even against them: 0 Lord Jesu, he saith, receive my spirit. 5 ' Jesus was not displeasing to him, because he suffered stoning for His word: so his soul was not engaged against God. Acts 7, Also he said, O Lord, set not this sin against them. His soul then was not engaged, not even against his enemies. Let them be clothed with confusion and shame, that think Job2 evil tilings to me. P'or this all they seek that trouble me, :>. ' evil things for me they seek. Which evil things was seeking ' Tobiffi' even t1lat woman, when she suggested, Say thou somewhat f,'r u- . agni>isl Cod, and die. And that wife of Tobit3, who saith to Fresh praise to God for His goodness shewn in Christ. 42 1 her husband, where are thy righteousnesses? To this end Vku. sho was saying it, lhat God might bo displeasing to him ; — 3— his soul might bo engaged. 15. If then no ono by troubling hath persuaded thee, if no one halh wrung from thco a confession that God doth dis please thee in those things which thou suffercsl, or that thou hatest tho men through whom thou suffercst, then thy soul is not engaged: safely thou sayest that which followeth. Ver. 12. Hut I alway in Thee will hope, and will add to all Thy praise. What is this ? / will add to all Thy praise, ought to move us. More perfect wilt thou niuko the praise of God? Is thero any thing to bo superadded? If already that is all praise, wilt thou add any thing? God was praised in all His good deeds, in every creature of His, in tho whole establishment of all things, in the govern ment and regulation of ages, in tho order of scusons, in tho height of Heaven, in the fruitfulnoss of the regions of earth, in the encircling of tho sea, in every excellency of tho crea ture every where brought forth, in the sons of men themselves, in tho giving of tho Law, in delivering His people from tho captivity of the Egyptians, and all the rest of His wonderful works : not yet IIo had been praised for having raised up flesh unto lifo eternal. Be there then this praiso added by the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ : in order that here we may perceive His voice above all past praise : thus it is that we rightly understand this also. What, O thou who art perchance a sinner, who didst fear lest thy soul should be engaged, who in Hiin alone didst hope in order that thou shouldest be delivered from that first captivity, who on thy own righteousness didst not rely, but on His grace, which this Psalm doth commend, what, wilt thou add any thing .to all the praise of God? I will add, he saith. Let us see what he addeth. Thy praise might have been entire, and nothing at all might seem to be wanting to Thy praise, because nothing could be wanting, if Thou didst condemn all unrighteous men. For the very justice whereby unrighteous men are condemned could not but be great praise of God : great praise it would be. Thou didst make man, Thou didst give him a free will, in Paradise Gen. 2, didst place him, a command didst impose, death if he broke ' 422 Praise God in the night of sorrow, as well as by day. Psalm the command most justly Thou didst denounce ; there was LXXI — '— '- nothing Thou didst not do, there is no one who would require more of Thee: He sinned, mankind became as though a mass of sinners, flowing from sinners; what then, if Thou shouldest condemn this mass of iniquity, will any one say to Thee, unjustly Thou hast clone ? Thou wouldest be evidently even so just, and this Thy praise would be entire; but becauso Thou hast delivered even the sinner himself by justifying the ungodly, / will add to all Thy praise. IG. Ver. 13. My mouth shall tell out Thy righteousness : not mine. From thence I will add to all Thy praise : because even that I am righteous, if righteous I am, is Thy Kom. 4, righteousness in me, not mine own: for Thou dost justify the ungodly. My mouth shall tell out Thy righteousness, all the day long Thy salvation. What is, Thy salvation ? Ps. 3,8. Of the Lord is Salvation. Let no one assume to himself, that he saveth himself, Of the Lord is Salvation. Not any one by himself saveth himself, Of the Lord is Salvation, Ph. co, 'vain is man's salvation.' All the day long Thy Salvation: at all times, Something of adversity comoth, preach the Salvation of the Lord: something ofprospprity cometh, preach the Salvation of the Lord. Do not preach in prosperity, and bold thy peace in adversity: otherwise there will not be that which huth been suid, till the day long. For ull the day lon« is day together with its own night. Do we when we say, for example, thirty days have gone by, mention the nights also; do we not under the very term days Gen. i, include the nights also? In Genesis what was said? The evening teas made, and the morning was made, one day. Therefore a whole day is the day together with its own night : for the night doth serve the day, not the day the night. Whatever thou doest in mortal flesh, ought to serve righteousness : whatever thou doest by tho commandment of God, bo it not done for the sako of tho advantage of tho flesli, lest day serve night. Thcreforo all the day long speak of tho praiso of God, to wit, in prosperity and in adversity; in prosperity, as though in the day time; in adversity, as though in the night time : all tho day long nevertheless speak of tho praiso of God, so that thou mayest not have sung to no pur rs, 34, pose, / will bless God at every time, alway the praise oj Job did even thus. Sins of ' trading.' 123 Ilim is in my mouth. When sons wore safe, catlle, servants', Veb, all his property, Job praised God ; this as it were in tho day ,-.- ^- time: losses came, bereavement fell upon him, there perished that which was safely kept, they perished for whom it was kept; this as it were in die night time. See nevertheless him praising all lite day long. Did he after that day time wherein he rejoiced, because there came a setting as it were of that light, lhat is, of his prosperity, fall off from the praises of God ? Was there not a day in his heart, whence it shone forth, The Lord halh given, the Lord hath taken away ; as j0b l, it hath pleased the Lord, so hath been done : be lite name q/21' the Lord blessed? And it was as it were yet even-tide: there came even u thicker night, darkness more profound, pain of body, cankering of worms; nor even so in that very cankering did ho fall away from the praises of God without in the night, who within rejoiced in the day. I ''or to his wife recom mending blasphemy and engaging his soul, to that wretched woman alluring to evil like a shadow of the night, Thou hast Job 2, spoken, he saith, like one of the unwise women. Truly a10' daughter of the night ! //' good things we have received from the hand qf the Lord, evil things shall we not endure ? We have praised in the day, shall we fall off in the night ? All the day long, that is, together with its own night, T/iy Salvation. ^I7i For I have not known tradings1. Therefore, he saith, 'E. V. All lite day long Thy Salvation, for I have not known trad- ^u, ings. What arc these tradings? Let traders hear and change not the their lifo; and if they have been such, bo not such; \etihcrcof, thein not know whal they have been, lot thein forget ; lastly, let them not approve, not praise; let them disapprove, condemn, be changed, if trading is a sin. For on (his account, 0 thou trader, because of a certain cugerness for getting, whenever thou shalt have suffered loss, thou wilt blaspheme ; and there will not be in thee that which halh been spoken of, all lite day long Thy praise. But whenever for tho price of the goods which thou art selling, thou not only best, but even falsely swearest; how in thy mouth all Iho day long is thero the praiso of God ? While, if thou art a Christian, even out of thy mouth the name of God is being blasphemed, so that men say, see what sort of men aro Christians ! Therefore if this man for this reason speaketh 824 Trading not an unlawful occupation. f\ vf tno Pra'Be °^ ®0^ a^ tne ^ay l°nK> because he hath not — — - known tradings ; let Christians amend themselves, let them not trade. But a trader sailh to mcj behold I bring indeed from a distant quarter merchandise unto theso pluccs, wherein there aro not llioso things which I huvo brought, by which means I may gain a living: I usk but as reward for my labour, thut I may sell dearer than I havo bought: for UkulO, whence can I live, whon it huth boon written, the worker is worthy of his reward? But hois treating of lying, of falso swearing. This is tho fault of mo, not of trading: for I should not, if I would, bo unable to do without this fault. I then, tho merchant, do not shift mino own fault to trailing : but if 1 lie, it is I thut lie, not the trade. For 1 might say, for so much I bought, but for so much I will sell ; if tliou plcasest, buy. For the buyer hearing this truth would not bo offended, and not a whit less all men would resort to mo : because thoy would love truth more than gain. Of this then, ho saith, admonish me, that I lie not, thut I forswear not; not to relinquish business whereby I muintuin myself. For to whut dost thou put me when thou puttest me away from this? Perchance to some craft? I will bo a shoemaker, 1 will make shoos for mon. Aro not thoy too liars? aro not thoy too fulso-swourors? Do they not, when they have contracted to muko shoos for ono man, when they havo received money from another man, givo up that which they were making, and undertake to make for another, and deceive him for whom they have promised to make speedily ? Do they not often say, to-day I am ubout it, to-duy I'll get thein dono? Socondly, in tho very sewing do they not commit ns muny frauds ? Theso uro their doings and these aro their sayings: but thoy are themselves evil, not tho calling which they profess. All evil artificers, then, not fearing God, either for gain, or for four of loss or want, do Ho, do forswear IIioiiihoIvoh; there is no continual praiso of God in them. How thou dost thou withdraw ine from trading? Wouldest thou that I bo a fanner, and niiiiiiitir against God thundering, so that, fearing hail, I consult a wizard, in order to learn whut to do to protect mo against the weather; so that I desire (amine for tho poor, in order thut 1 may bo ublo to sell what 1 havo kept in store ? Unto this dost thou bring ' 'trading' may mean man's trusting his own doings, 425 mo ? But good farmers, thou sayest, do not such things. Nor Ver. do good traders do those things. But why, even to have — sons is an evil thing, for when their head is in pain, evil and unbelieving mothers seek for impious charms and incan tations? These are the sins of men, not of things. A trader might thus speak to me — Look then, O Bishop, how thou understand the tradings which thou hast read in the Psalm : lest perchance thou understand not, and yet forbid me trading. Admonish me then how I should live; if well, it shall be well with me: one thing however I know, that if I shall have been evil, it is not trading that maketh me so, but my ini quity. Whenever truth is spoken, there is nothing to be said against it. 18. Let us inquire then what he hath called tradings, which indeed he that hath not known, all the day long doth praise God. 'Trading even in the Greek language is derived frora'nego- acdon, and in the Latin from want of inaction : but whether Lat it be from action or want of inaction, let us examine what it is, nPfV- For they that are active traders, rely as it were upon their Gr. own action, they praise their works, they attain not to the grace of God. Therefore traders are opposed to that grace which this Psalm doth commend. For it cloth commend that grace, in order that no one may boast of his own works. Because in a certain place is said, Physicians shall not raise Ps. 88, to life, ought men to abandon medicine ? But what is this ? ' Under this name are understood proud men, promising salva tion to men, whereas of the Lord is Salvation. Just as then Ps. 3,8. against physicians, that is, proud promisors of salvation, this dolh guard which hath been said, namely, All the day long Thy Salvation: so against traders, lhat is, those that rejoico in their action and works, lhat doth guard which hath been said, My mouth shall tell forth Thy righteousness, that is,". 13. not mine own. Who are traders, that is, men as it were with their action self-satisfied ? They thai being ignorant of God's~* °' righteousness, and willing to establish their own, are not subject to the righteousness of God. With reason also trading hath been spoken of, because it admitteth no inaction. How great an evil thing is that which admitteth of no inaction ! With reason the Lord drave from the Temple them to whom He said, It is written, My House shall be called the //oMseMat.2l, 13. 420 Host in God. What means ' Literature* Phalm of prayer, but ye have made it a house. qf trading1; that is, , .. 'bousting of your works, seeking no inaction, nor hearing tho "/Jevie/Scripturo speaking against your unrest and trading, be ye I?*4"/' 'still, and see that lam the Lord. What is, be ye still, and 10. see that I am the Lord, but that yo should know that it is God that worketh in you, and ye should not bo lifted up becauso of your own works? Dost thou not hear the voice Mnt. 11, of Ilim saying, Come ye unto Me, all ye that labour and are laden, and I will refresh you ; take My yoke upon you and learn of Me, for gentle I am and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest for your souls? This rest against traders is preached : this rest againstthem that hate inaction is preached, whilo they so act and so boast themselves of their works, that thoy rest not in God, and they recoil so much tho further from grace, tho more they aro lifted up because of their own works 19. But there is in some copies, For I have not known literature. Where some books have trading, there others literature: how they may accord is a hard matter to find out; and yet the discrepancy of interpreters perchance shewed] the meaning, introduced) no error. Let us enquire then how to understand literature also, lest we offend gram marians in the same way as we did traders a little before : because a grammarian too may live honourably in his calling, and neither forswear nor lie. Let us examine then the literature which he hath not known, in whose mouth all tho day long is the praiso of God. Thoro is a sort of li'eratnro of tho Jews : for to them let us refer this ; there we shall find what huth been said: just as when wo were enquiring about traders, on the score of actions and works, we found that to be called detestable trading, which tho Apostle hath branded, Rom.io, saying, For being ignorant of God's righ teottsness, and willing to establish, their own, to the righteousness of God they were not made subject. Against which saith the same Apostle, Eph. 2, Not by works, lest perchance a man be lifted up. How then? Shall we not work what is good? We shall work, Ibid. 10. but with Himself working in us. For His workmanship we are, created in Christ Jesus in yood works. Just as then we found out the former charge against traders, that is men boasting of action, exalting themselves because of business which admitteth no inaction, unquiet men rather The ' Letter,' without Grace, does but condemn. 427 than good workmen; because good workmen aro thoso in Ver. whom God worketh; so also wo find a sort of literature — among the Jews : may the Lord be with me, lhat I may ex plain in words that which He hath vouchsafed to grant mc in heart to see. The pride of the Jews who relied as it were on their powers and on the justice of their works, did boast of the Law, because they themselves received the Law, other nations received not ; in which Law, of grace they boasted not, but of the letter. For the Law without grace, is the letter alone : it abided) to reprove iniquity, not to give sal vation. For what saith the Apostle ? For if there had been Gal. 3, given a law which could have made alive, by all means out of the law there would have been righteousness;- but the Scripture concluded all things under sin, in order that the promise by faith qf Jesus Christ might be given to men believing. Concerning this letter he saith in another place, 'Hie letter kil/eth, but the Spirit maketh alive. Thou hasl2Cor.3, the letter if thou art a transgressor of tho Law. Thou il')nit 2 that, he saith, through the letter, and circumcision art a2?- transgressor of the Law. Is it not well sung and said, Deliver Thou me from the hand of the transgressor of they. 4. Law and of the unrighteous man ? Thou hast the letter, but dost not fulfil the letter. Whence dost thou not fulfil the letter? For thou, that preachest that a man steal not, Rom. 2, stealest; thou, that sayest that a man commit not adultery,21' committe.st adultery ; thou, that abhorrest idols, commil- tcst sacrilege. For the name of God through you is blas phemed among the Genliles, as it hath been written. What then hath profited thec the letter which thou dost not fulfil? But wherefore dost thou not fulfil? Because on thyself thou reliest. Why dost thou not fulfil? Because a trader thou art, thy own works thou cxtollest : thou knowest not that the grace of Him helping is necessary, in order that the precept of Him commanding may be fulfilled. Behold it is God that hath commanded, do thou what He hath com manded. Thou beginnest to act as if by thy own powers, and thou fallest: aud there abideth upon Thee the letter punishing, not saving. With reason the Law through Moses John 1, was given, grace and truth through Jesus Christ hath come ' to pass. Moses wrote five books: but in the five porches 428 The 'five porches' and Elisha'x staff, types of the Law. Psalm encircling the pool, sick men were lying, but they could not Johns De fiea'e(5- See how the letter remained, convicting the 2. guilty, not saving the unrighteous. For in those five porches, a figure of the five books, sick men were given over rather than made wholes What then in that place did make whole a sick man ? The moving of the water. When that pool was moved there went down a sick man, and there was made 'Oxf. wh0le one, one1 because of unity: whatsoever other man M'8- 11 . iii repeat went down unto that same movmg was not made whole. unus. jjovv tnen was ti)Cre commended the unity of the Body crying from the ends of the earth? Another man was not healed, except again the pool were moved. The moving of the pool then did signify the perturbation of the people of the Jews when the Lord Jesus Christ came. For at the coming of an Angel the water in the pool was perceived to be moved. The water then encircled with five porches was the Jewish nation encircled by the Law. And in the porches the sick lay, and in the water alone when troubled and moved they were healed. The Lord came, troubled was the water ; He was crucified, may He come down in order that the sick man may be made whole. What is, may He come down ? May He humble Himself. Therefore whosoever ye be that love the letter without grace, in the porches ye will remain, sick ye will be, lying ill, not growing well : for on the letter ye rely. Gal. 3, For if there had been given a law which could have made alive, by all means out of the law there would, have been righteousness. But the Law was given to make you guilty, that being made guilty ye should fear, fearing ye should ask indulgence, no longer rely on your own powers, on the letter not exalt yourselves. For the same figure also it is that Eliseus at first sent a staff by his servant to raise up the dead 2 Kings child. There had died the son of a widow his hostess ; it ' "' 'was reported to him; to his servant he gave his staff: go thou, he saith, lay it on the dead child. Did the prophet not know what he was doing ? The servant went before, he Gal. s, laid the staff upon the dead, the dead arose not. For if there had been given a law which could have made alive, surely out of the law there had been righteousness. The law sent by the servant made not alive : and yet he sent his staff by the servant, who himself afterwards followed, and Life through the Lord Himself, and through Him alone, 421) made alive. For when that infant arose not, Eliscus caino Vbb. himself, now bearing the type of the Lord, who had sent — before his servant with tho staff, as though with the Law: he came to the child that was lying dead, he laid his limbs upon it. The one was an infant, tho other a grown man : he contracted and shortened in a manner the size of his full growth, in order that he might fit the dead child. The dead then arose, when he being alive adapted himself lo the dead: and the Master did that which the staff did not; and grace did that which the letter did not. They then that have re mained in the staff, glory in the letter; and therefore aro not made alive. But I will to glory concerning Thy grace. But from me, saith the Apostio, far be it to glory save inGo.16, the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, save in Him Who being alivo adapted Himself to me dead, in order that I might riseGll,-2> again : that no longer I might live, but there should live in me Christ. In that same grace I glorying literature have ¦not known: that is, men on the letter relying, and from grace recoiling, with whole heart I have rejected. 20. Ver. 14. With reason there followeth, / will enter into the power of the I^ord : not mine own, but the Lord's. For they gloried in their own power of the letter, therefore grace joined to the letter they knew not. For the Law was^obn l, given through Moses, grace and truth through Jesus Christ have como to pass. For Ho camo Himself to fulfil tho Law, when lie gave lovo, through which tho Law might bo ful filled. For love is the fulfilling of the Law. They not"0"113* having lovo, that is, not having tho Spirit of graco, {for the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts through the Holy Hom, 0, Spirit which hath been given to us,) have remained glorying in the letter. But becauso "the letter killelh, but the Spirit* Cor. maketh alive:" I have not known literature, and I will ' enter into the power of the Lord. Therefore this verse follow ing doth strengthen and perfect the sense, so as to fix it in the hearts of men, and not suffer any other interpretation to steal in from any quarter. O Lord, I will be mindful of Thy righteousness alone. Ah! alone. Why hath he added alone, I ask you? It would suffice to say, / will be mindful of Thy righteousness. Alone, he saith, entirely: there of mine own 1 think not* For what hast thou which thou hast not \ c°u 430 Summary of the foregoing exposition Psalm received? But if also thouhast received,why dost thou glory LXXI,as if thou hast not received. Thy righteousness alone doth deliver me, what is mine own alone is nought but sins. May I not glory then of my own strength, may I not remain in the letter; may I reject literature, that is, men glorying of the letter, and on their own strength perversely, like men frantic, relying : may I reject such men, may I enter into tho power of the Lord, so that when I am weak, then I may be mighty; in order that Thou in me mayest be mighty, for, I will be mindful of Thy righteousness alone. Lat. LXX. PSALM LXXI. Skiimon II. On the second part of the Psalm. 1. That the grace of God, whereby gratis we were saved, with no merits of ours preceding, save those whereunto punish ment was due, in this Psalm was commended, yesterday we intimated to your Love : and because in treating of it we were unable to make an end, the latter part thereof we put off until to-day, promising in the name of the Lord that we would pay the debt. For paying which forasmuch as now is the time, be ye present with mind like a fertile field, wherein je may both multiply the seed, and to the rain be not un grateful. We commended to your notice yesterday the title thereof, but for tho sake of recalling your attention, and to point it out to thoso that yesterday were absent, briefly we aro going to touch upon what they may call to mind who heard, they may hear who knew not. Of the sons of Jonudub the Psalm is; which name is interpreted, the Lord's sponta neous; becauso with spontaneous, that is, with good, pure, sincere, and perfect will, not with feigned heart, the Lord must be served : to which truth that pussagc also doth point, Ps.54,6. where it hath been said, Voluntarily I v;ill sacrifice to Thee. To the sons of this man, that is, to the sons of obedience, the Psalm is sung, and to those that first were led captive, in order that there may be acknowledged here our groaning, Matt.c, and there may be sufficient for the day the naughtiness Grace only frees from the 'first captivity' in Adam. 431 thereof. For now, if being proud wo have forsakon Him, Vcit. even wearied let us return. Not even to return we are able except through grace. Grace gratis is given. For unless it were gratis, it were no graco. But again, if for this reason it is grace, because it is gratis; nothing of thine hath gone before that thou shouldest receive. For if any good works of thi'-e havo gone before; as a reward thou hast received it, not gratis: but the reward which to us was owed, is punish ment. Our being delivered then belongeth not to our own merits, but to His graco. Hiin then let us praise1: to Ilim' Oxf. lot us owe ' all that we aro, and that wc arc saved. With , we* which he concluded, when he had spoken of many things, p™™,' saying, (ver. 14.) O Lord, I will be mindful of Thy righ Icons- owe.' ness alone. Willi this verso concluded yesterday's exposition, Tho first then were captive, that is, belonging to the first man : for because of this they wcro captive, because of die first man, in whom wo all die : for not first is that which ' Cor. is spiritual, but that which is natural, aflcnoards the ' spiritual: because of the first man the first were captive: because of the second man the second were redeemed. For even redemption itself doth proclaim our captivity. For how redeemed, if not first captive ? And that thut cap tivity was more exactly intimated by the Apostle, we, quoting certain words out of his Epistle, intimated, and we repeal: But I see another law in my members fight ing against Tlom, 7, the law of my mind, and leading me captive in the law 3' of sin, which is in my members. The same is our first captivity, whereby the flesh doth lust against tho Spirit. Gul. r>, But this came of tho punishment of sin, so that a man should bo divided against himself, who willed not to be subject to One. For nothing is so expedient for the soul as to obey. And if it is expedient for the soul in the caso of a servant to obey a master, in a son to obey a father, in a wife to obey a husband ; how much more in a man lo obey God? Adam then having made trial of evil, — now every man is Adam, just as in those that have believed every man is Christ, because members they are of Christ, — having made trial, I say, of evil, which he ought not to have made trial of, if he had believed Him saying, Touch Gei>. 2, not : having made trial then of evil, henceforth at least 432 Christ our Physician, to be obeyed and acltnowleagea. Psalm lot him obey the commandments of the Physician in order 1 XXI' ' . " ¦'- that ho may arise, that willed not to beliovo tho Physician in order to escape sickness. For even to a man in health a good and faithful physician gived) advice, in order that Matt 0, he may not bo necessary to him. For to the whole a physician is not necessary, but to the sick. But good physicians being friends who will not to sell their skill, and who take more delight in the whole than in the sick, give certain precepts to the whole, by observing which they may not fall into sickness. But ngain, if they shall have despised the precepts, and shall have fallen into sickness, they entreat tho physician ; hiin whom they have despised when whole, they implore when sick. O that they would but implore, that ihey may not, losing their senses in a fever, smito oven the Physician ! Yo huvo heard but now, when the Gospel was being read, how against them a parable was M«t.2l,s|>°kcu. Were they of sound mind who said, This is the 38> Heir, come, let us kill Him, and ours will be the inheritance ? Surely not: let us suppose thoy that killed the Son were ready to kill the Father also ; this is not to have a sound mind. Lastly, behold because they killed the Son : tho Ps. 118, Son rose again, and tho Stono being rejected of the builders 22> became for a Head of the corner. They stumbled against It, and they were broken in pieces : It shall come upon them, and shall grind thein to powder. But not so he that singeth y. 14. in tho Psalm, and saith, I will enter into the power of the Lord: not mine own, but tho Lord's. O Lord, I will be mindful of Thy righteousness alone. None as mi no own I acknowledge, of Thy righteousness alono 1 will be mindful. From Thee 1 havo whatever of good I huvo : but whatever from myself I have, it is of evil thut I huvo. To my do- servings Thou bust not repaid punishment, but graco gratis Thou hast imparted. Of Thy righteousness therefore alono I will bo mindful. 2. Ver. 15.0 God,Thouhast taught mefrommyyouth. What hast thou taught me ? Thut of Thy righteousness alono I ought to be mindful. For reviewing my past life, I seo what was owing to me, and what I have received instead of that which was owing to me. There was owing punishment, there hath been paid grace: there was owing hell, thero Man learns in conversion that he merits not grace, 438 hath been given life eternal. 0 God, Thou hast taught me Veh. from my youth. From the very beginning of my faith, — — wherewith Thou hast renewed me, Thou didst teuch me that nothing had preceded in mc, whence 1 might say that there was owing to me what Thou hast given. For who is turned to God save from iniquity ? Who is redeemed save from captivity ? But who can say that unjust was his captivity, when ho forsook his Captain and fell off to tho deserter ? For our Captain' is God, a deserter the devil : the Captain1 Impe- gave a commandment, the deserter suggested guile : where Gen- 2, were thine ears between precept and deceit? was the flevil ^s 3,6. better than God? Better he that revolted2 than He that " .'<)<*«- mado thee? Thou didst believe what tho devil promised, • to inl and didst find what God threatened. Now then out of?it/',.ll1t infected captivity being delivered, still however in hope, not yet in thee.' substance, walking by faith, not yet by sight, O God, ho saith, 77tou hast taught me from my youth. From tho time that I huve been turned to Thoo, renewed by Thee who hud been mado by Thee, re-created who had been created, reformed who had been formed : from tho time that I havo been converted, I have learned that no merits of mine havo preceded, but that Thy graco hath come lo mo gratis, in order that I might be mindful of Thy righteousness alone. 3. What next after youth ? For, Thou hast taught me, he saith, from my youth : what after youth ? For in that samo first conversion of thine thou didst learn, how before con version thou wast not just, but iniquity preceded, in order that iniquity being banished, there might succeed love : and having been renewed into a new man, only in hope, not yet in substance, thou didst learn how nothing of thy good had pre ceded, and by the grace of God thou wast converted to God : now perchance since the time that thou hast been converted wilt thou have any thing of thine own, and on thy own strength oughtest thou to rely ? Just as men are wont to say, now leave me, it was necessary for thee to shew me the way; it is sufficient, I will walk in the way. And he that hath shewn thee the way, "wilt thou not lhat I conduct thee to the place ?" But thou, if thou art conceited, " let me alone, it is enough, I will walk in the way." Thou art left, and through thy weakness again thou wilt lose the way. Good VOL. ill. f f 434 Gotls wonderful work in restoring a soul to life in Ilim, Phalm were it for thoo that IIo should havo conducted thoo, who Smim. "rHt Put tnC0 '" tM0 way- ^nt nnloss Ho too lead thoo, f [• _ again also thou wilt stray: say to Ilim then, Conduct me, IV, so, q ji0).,it ;m 'f/t„ W(lyt ancj i wm mM in Thy truth. But thy having entered on the way, is youth, tho very renewal and beginning of tho faith. For before ihou wast walking through thy own ways a vagabond ; struying through woody plnccs, through rough pluces, torn in ull thy limbs, thou wust seeking u home, thut is, a sort of settlement of thy spirit, where thou mighlest say, it is well ; and being in security mightest say it, at rest from every uneasiness, from every trial, in a word from every captivity ; und thou didst not find. Whut shull I Hiiy? Cume there to thco one to shew thoo tho wuy ? There came to iheo tho Wuy itself, und thou wust set therein by no merits of thino preceding, for evidently thou wusl straying. Whal, since Iho limo lhat thou bust set foot therein dost thou now direct thyself? Doth He that huth taught thee the way now leave theo ? No, ho suith : Thou has! taught me J'rom my youth; and even unlit now I will led forth Thy wonderful works. For a wonderful thing is thut which still Thou doest; namely, that Thou dost direct mo, Who in tho wuy bust put mo : and theso aro Thy wonderful works. What dost thou think to bo tho wonderful works of God? Whut is more wonderful umong God's wonderful works, than tho raising tho dead ? lint am I by any means dead, thou sayest? Unless deud thou hadst boon, there would not huvo E|ihes. been suid to theo, Rise, thou lhat steepest, und arise J'rom °» li' the dead, and Christ, shall enlighten thee. Deud are all unbelievers, all unrighteous men; in body they live, but in heart they aro extinct. But ho that raiseth a man dead according to the body, doth bring hiin buck to seo this light and to broatho this uir: but ho thut raiseth is not himself light und uir to him ; ho beginneth to see, as ho saw before. A soul isnot so resuscitated. For asoul is resuscitated by God; though even a body is resuscitated by God: but Gotl, when He doth resuscitate a body, lo the world doth bring it back : when lie doth resuscitate a soul, to Himself He bringeth itback. If the air of this world be withdrawn, there dieth body: if God be withdrawn, there dieth soul. When then God doth resusci- • tato a soul, unless there be with her He that hath resuscitated, God is the life of the soul, as the soul of the body. 435 she being resuscitated liveth not. For He doth not rcsusci- Veil talc, and then leave her to live to herself: in the same manner 18- . as Lazarus, when he was resuscitated after being four days dead, was resuscitated by the Lord's corporal presence. For Ho drew near in body to the sepulchre, He cried out, johnll, Lazarus, come forth: and Lazarus rose up, he came forth43, from the sepulchre bound, then being unbound he went away. He was resuscitated in the Lord's presence, but he lived even in the Lord's absence. Although the Lord had resuscitated him corporally, as far as regards things visible: yet by the presence of His Majesty He resuscitated hiin, with respect to which presence He' no where withdrew. Meanwhile nevertheless unto visible presence the Lord resuscitated Lazarus; the Lord withdrew from that same city or from that spot, did Lazarus cease to live? Not so is die soul resuscitated: God doth resuscitate her, she dieth if God shall have withdrawn. For I will speak boldly, brethren, but . yet the truth. Two lives there arc, one of the body, another of the soul : as the lifo of the body is the soul, so the life of the soul is God : in like manner as, if the soul forsake, tho body dieth : so the soul dieth, if God forsake. This then is His grace, namely, that Ho resuscitate and be with us. Because then He doth resuscitate us from our past death, and doth renew in a manner our life, wo say to Ilim, O God, Thou hast taught me from my youth. But becauso He doth not withdraw from those whom He rcsuscitateth, lest when He shall have withdrawn from them they die, we say to Him, and even until now I will tell forth Thy wonderful works : because while Thou art with me I live, and of my soul Thou art the life, which will die if she be left to herself. There fore while my life is present, that is, my God, even until now, what next? 4. Ver. 18. And even unto oldness1 and old age". These' senecta are two terms for old age, and are distinguished by the Greeks. 'en""H For the gravity succeeding youth hath another name among the Greeks, and- after that same gravity the last age coming on hath another name ; for Trgeo-^uTjj; signifieth grave, and ysgmv old. But because in the Latin language the distinction of these two terms holdeth not, both words implying old age are inserted, oldness and old ago : but ye know them to be Ff 2 480 Trust in God even to " old age" — the world's end. Psalm two ages. Thou hast taught me Thy grace from my youth; ^srm' an^ eien uniM nou)i a^ter my youth, / will tell forth Thy 11. wonderful works, because Thou art with me in order that I may not die, Who hast come in order that I may rise : and even unto oldness and old age, that is, even unto my last breath, unless with me Thou shalt have been, there will not be any merit of mine; may Thy grace alway remain with me. Even one man would say this, thou, he, I; but because this voice is that of a certain great Man, that is, of the Unity itself, for it is the voice of the Church ; let us investigate the youth of the Church. When Christ came, Ho was crucified, dead, rose again, called the Gentiles, they began to be con verted, became Martyrs strong in Christ, there was shed faithful blood, there arose a harvest for the Church : this is Her youth. But seasons advancing let the Church confess, let Her say, Even until now I will tell forth Thy wonderful works. Not only in youth, when Paul, when Peter, when the first Apostles told : even in advancing age i myself, that is, Thy Unity, Thy members, Thy Body, will tell forth Thy marvellous works. What then ? And even unto oldness and old age, I will tell forth Thy wonderful works: even until the end of- the world here shall be the Church. For if She were not to be here even unto the end of die world; to whom did the Lord say, Behold, I am with you always, even unto the consummation of the world? Why was it necessary that these things should be spoken in the Scrip tures? Because there were to be enemies of the Christian See on Faith who would say, " for a short time are the Christians, j8-,*' hereafter they shall perish, and there shall come back idols, ami there shall come back lhat which was before. How long shall be the Christians V Even unto oldness and old age: that is, even unto the end of the world. When thou, mise rable unbeliever, dost expect Christians lo pass away, thou art passing away thyself without Christians : and Christians even unto the end of the world shall endure ; and as for thee with thine unbelief when thou shalt have ended thy short life, with what face wilt thou come forth to the Judge, whom while thou wast living thou didst blaspheme ? There fore from my youth, and even until now, and even unto oldness and old age, O Lord, forsake not me. It will not note. God's Power and Righteousness shewn to all ages. 437 be, as mine enemies say, even for a time. Forsake not me, Ver. until I tell forth Thine arm to every generation thai is yet iBllt 6g ro come. And the arm of tho Lord hath been revealed to1- whom ? The arm of tho Lord is Christ. Do not Thou then forsake me: let not them rejoico that say, "only for a set time tho Christians are." May thero bo persons to tell forth Thine arm. To whom ? To every generation lhat is yet to come. If then it bo lo every generation that is yet to come, it will be even unto the end of the world: for when the world is ended, no longer any generation will como on. 5. Vor. 10. Thy potter and Thy righteousness. That is, that I may tell forth to every generation that is yet to come, Thine arm. And what hath Thine arm effected ? This then let me tell forth, that same grace to every generation succeeding: let me say to every man that is to be born, nothing thou art by thyself, on God call Ihou, thine own are sins, merits arc God's ' : ' Oxf. punishment to thee is owing, and when reward shall haveadd' so that by Ilim he may stand, and keep, as is written, h\sP*Mf>. strength close to Him, may not withdraw from Him; by cleaving to Him may be sealed even as from a ring the wax, being joined lo Him may have the image of Him, doing that which hath been said, For me to cleave unto God is a good Ps- 73, thing: this man doth truly keep the likeness and image after " which he hath been made. But again, if perversely he shall havo willed to imitate God, so thai, just as God hath no one by whom Ho is formed, hath no ono by whom IIo is ruled, ho may so will of himself to exorcise his own power, that liko God, ho may livo with no ono forming, no ono ruling; what remaineth, brethren, but that withdrawing from IBs heat ho grow benumbed, withdrawing from Truth ho become empty, withdrawing from that which hath the highest and unchange able being, changed for the worse, he sink down. 440 The. Tree forbidden to teach man obedience. Psalm 7. This thing the devil did : he willed to imitate God, but Serm. 'perversely, not to be under His power, but to have power **¦ opposed to Him. But man, being set under commandment, Gon. 2, heard from the Lord God, Touch, not. What? This tree. 17 But what is that tree ? If good it is, why do I not touch it? If evil it be, what doth it in Paradise? Assuredly it is in Paradise because it is good : but I will not have thee touch it. Why am I not to touch it ? Because I will thee to be obedient, not gainsaying. Serve thou for this purpose, servant; but do not evil, servant. Servant, hear thou first the Lord's bidding, and then learn thou the design of Him bidding. Good is the tree, I will not have thee touch it. Why ? Because I am Lord, and thou a servant. This is the whole reason. If small it is, dost thou disdain to be a servant? But what is expedient for thee except to be under the Lord ? How wilt thou be under the Lord, except thou shalt havo been under commandment ? Again, if it is expe dient for thee to be under the Lord, and under commandment, what was God to command thee ? For doth He require any thing from thco? Is IIo to say to thee, offer unto me a sacrifice? Did not He Himself make all things: among which things He made thee also? Is lie to say to thee, attend Me, either to tho couch when I rest ; or to the tablo, when I refresh myself; or to the baths, when I batho ? Because then God requireth of thee nothing, ought He to have ordered thee nothing ? But if He ought to have ordered thee something, in order that thou mightest perceive thyself to be under the Lord, which is expedient for thee, thou wust to be withheld from some object:, not because of the badness of that tree, but for the sake of thine own obedience. God The could not more perfectly have shewn how great is the good- nessof ness of obedience, than when He withheld thee from that obedi- 0hject which was not evil. There obedience alone beareth the palm, there disobedience alone doth find punishment. A good thing it is, I will not have thee touch it. For by not b°no[0r t011cmnK lll0u wilt' not • '» well with thoo, when withdrawing from that good? Truly God saith to thee, if thou withdrawest from Mc, and it is well with thee, 1 am not thy good. Again, if He is good, and in the highest degree good, and of Himself to 442 Man brought back from misery, but why ' again?' Phaim Himself good, and by no foreign good thing good, and is Seiim. Himself our chief good ; by withdrawing from Him, what 1I- wilt thou be but evil ? Also if He is Himself our blessedness, what will thero bo to one withdrawing from Ilim, except misery ? Return thou then after misery, and say, 0 Lord, who is like unto Thee? How great troubles hast Thou shewn to me, many and evil I 0. But this was discipline; admonition, not desertion. Lastly, giving thanks, he sailh what? And being turned Thou hast made me alive, and from the bottomless places of the earth again Thou hast brought me back. But when before ? What is this again? Thou hast fallen from a high place, O man, disobedient slave, O thou proud against thy Lord, LnkeH, thou bust fullen. There hath come to pass in thee, every one that exalteth himself shall be humbled : may thero come to pass in theo, every one that humbleth himself shall be exalted. Return thou from the dee]). I return, he suith, I return, I acknowledge; O God, who is like unto Thee? How great troubles hast Thou shewn to me, many and evil ! and being tit rued Thou hast made me alive, and from the hot torn- less places qf the earth again Thou hast brought me back, " We perceive," I hear. Thou bust brought ns buck from tho bottomless places of the earth, luiHt brought us buck from tho depth und drowning of sin. Hut why again? When had it already been done ? Let us go on, if perchance the latter parts of tho Psalin itself do not explain to us the thing which here wo do not yet perceive, namely, why he huth said again. Therefore let us hear : How great troubles Thou hast shewn to me, many and evil I And being turned Thou hast made vie alive, and from the bottomless places of the earth again Thou hast brought me back. What then ? (Ver. 21.) Thou hast multiplied Thy righteousness, and being turned 'Thou hast comforted me, and from the bottomless places of lite earth again Thou hast brought me back. Heboid a second again ! If we labour to unravel this again when written once, who will bo ublo to unravel it when doubled ? Now again itself is a redoubling, and onco more thoro iN writtou again. May IIo bo with us from Whom iH graco, nmy thoro bo with us the arm also which wo are telling forth to evory generation that is to como: may Ho bo with us God the Word took on Him our nature, from Adam. 448 Himself, and as with the key of His Cross open to us the Ver. mystery that is locked up. For it was not to no purpose—* — that when IIo was crucified tho vail of tho templo was Mnt,27, rent in tho midst, but to shew that through His Passion61' tho secret things of all mysteries were opened. May IIo then Himself be with men passing over unto Him, bo tho vail taken awav: may our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ 2 Cor.3, . 16 tell us why such a voice of the Prophet hath been sent before, Thou hast shewn to me troubles many and evil: and being turned Thou hast made me alive, and from the bottomless places of the earth again Thou hast brought me back. Behold this is the first again which hath been written. Let us see what this is, and we shall see why there is a second again. 10. What is Christ ? In the beginning teas the Word, and John 1, the Word was with God, and the Word was God : the Same1' was in the beginning with God. All things through Him were made, and without Him teas made nothing. An amazing thing this, a great thing this. Whal of thee captive ? Whero art thou lying ? In the flesh, under death. Who then is He? Who thou? And what was lie after wards ? For whose sake ? Who is He but lhat which hath been spoken of, the Word? What Word? Doth it per chance sound and pass away? The Word, God with God, the Word by Which were made all things. What was He for thy sake ? And lite Word became flesh, and dwelled injohai, us. He that spared not His own Son, but for us all^J' „ delivered Him up: how hath He not also together with32. Him given us all things? See what, who, for whose sake. The Son of God, flesh, for the sake of a sinner, for the sake of an unrighteous man; for the sake of a deserter, for the sake of a proud many for the sake of a perverse'' Oxf. imitator of His God. He became what thou art, Sou of?*" Man, in order lhat we might be made sons of God. He became per- flesh: whence the flesh ? Of the Virgin Mary. Whence the an™ y Virgin Mary? Of Adam. Therefore lie was of that first Luke2> captive, and the flesh in Christ was from the lump of captivity. Why this ? For an example. He took upon Hiin from thco that wherein He might die for thec : He took upon Ilim from thee that which He might offer for thee, by which' example He might teach thee. Might teach theo whal? That thou art Ids. 1 one 444 Our first rising again is by faith in Christ risen. PiAtM to rise again. For from whence shouldest thou believe, T V VT Sekm. 'unless an example of flesh assumed from the lump of thy I'- death wont before ? Therefore in Him first wo havo risen again: becauso also whon Christ rose again, wo roso ugain. For tho Word diod not and rose again : but in the Word tho flesh diod and roso again. Therein Christ died, wherein thou art to dio : and therein Christ rose again, wherein thou art to rise again. By His example He taught thoo whut thou shouldest not four, for whut thou shouldest hope. Thou didst four death, lie died: thou didst despair of rising nguin, IIo rose again. But thou sayest to me, He rose again, do 1 by any means rise again ? But He rose again in that which forthoe He received of thee. Therefore thy nature in Him hath preceded thee ; and lhat which wus tuken of thee, hath gone up before thee : therein therefore thou also hast ascended. Therefore He ascended first, and we in Him : because that flesh is of the human race. Therefore also He rising again, we have been brought back out of the bottomless places of the earth. When therefore Christ roso again, from the bottomless places qf the earth Thou didst bring me back. Ilul when wo believe in Chris t,from the deep places of the earth again thou hast brought me back. Behold ono again. Hear of its being CoIosh. fulfilled from the Apostle : //' llten ye hare risen with Christ, the things which are above seek ye, where Christ is silting on the right hand qf God; the things which are above mind ye, not the things which are upon the earth. He then hath gone before : already we also have risen again, but still in hope. Hear the Apostle Paul saying this same thing: Even we ourselves groan in ourselves, looking for the adoption, the redemption of our body. Whut is it then thut Christ hath granted to thee ? Hear that which followed); For by hope we are saved: but hope which is seen is not hope. For that which a man seeth, why doth he hope for? But if that which tie see not we hope for, through patience we wait for it. We have been brought buck there fore again from the bottomless places in hope. Why again? Because already Christ had gone before. But because we shall rise again in substance, for now in hope we are living, now after faith we are walking; we have been brought back from the bottomless places of the earth, by believing in Him 3,1 The second we hope for in the Resurrection. 44,0 Who before us hath risen again from the bottomless places of Vf.ii. . . ... 22 the earth : our soul hath been resuscitated from the iniquity of unbelief, and there hath come to pass in us as it were the first Resurrection through faith. But if it shall be alOne, where is that which tho Apostle saith, Looking for the adop- Rom. 8, tion, the redemption of our body? Whero is that whereof ho2''' halh spoken in that passage, The body is dead because of sin, lh,fl,10. the spirit is life because of righteousness? But if He that raised Christ from the dead dwelleth in you ; He that raised Jesus Christ from the dead, shall quicken. your mortal bodies also through His Spirit dwelling in you. Therefore already we have risen again in mind, in faith, in hope, in love: but it remaineth for us to rise again in body. Thou hast heard one again, thou hast heard the other again; one again because of Christ going before ; and the other, yet however In hope, and a thing which remained) to be in substance. Thou hast multiplied Thg righteousness, already in men believing, already in thoso that first have risen again in hope. Thou hast multiplied Thy righteousness1. To this . same ' m Jut- righteousness belongeth the scourge also: for it is lime thul\\>'ett4 judgment begin with lite House (f God, saith Peter, that is, 17. with His Saints. But He scotirgeth every sou thai IleVroy.a, rcceivcth : Thou hast multiplied Thy righteousness: because j2-bl2 now not even sons Thou hast spared ; but those for whom 6. Thou wast keeping an eternal inheritance, Thou hast not left without discipline. Thou hast multiplied Thy righteousness, and being turned Thou hast, comforted me: and because of the body lo rise again at the end, even from lite bottomless places of the earth again Thou hast brought me back. 11. Ver. 22. For I will confess to Thee in the vessels of a Psalm Thy truth. The vessels of a Psalm are a Psaltery. But what is a Psaltery ? An instrument of wood with strings. What doth it signify ? There is some difference between it and a harp : they that are acquainted with it say, that tho difference is, that the hollow piece of wood on which the strings are stretched over to make them sound, tho Psaltery hath on the upper part, the harp on the lower. And because the Spirit is from above, flesh from the earth ; there seemeth to be signified by the Psaltery the Spirit, by the harp the flesh. And because he had spoken of two bringings back of 4 46 Lips, as well as soul, shall exult, all the day of eternity. Psalm ours from the bottomless places of the earth, ono after the Sebm.' Spirit in hope, the other after the body in substance; hear H- thou of these two: for I will confess to Thee in the vessels qf a Psalm Thy truth. This after the Spirit : concerning the body what? / will psalm to Thee on a harp, Holy One of Israel. 12. Again hear this because of that same again and again. (Ver. 23.) My lips shall exult when I shall psalm to Thee. Because lips are wont to be spoken of both belonging to the inner and to the outward man, it is uncertain in what sense lips have been used : there followeth therefore, And my soul which Thou hast redeemed. Therefore regarding the inward lips having been saved in hope, brought back from the bottomless places of the earth in faith and love, still however Rom. 8, wailing for the redemption of our body, we say what ? Already he hath said, And my soul which Thou hast re deemed. But lest thou shouldest think the soul alone re deemed, wherein now thou hast heard one again, (ver. 24.) but still, he saith ; why still ? but still my tongue also: there fore now the tongue of the body : all day long shall meditate of Thy riyhteottsness: that is, in eternity without end. But when shall this be ? Hereafter at the end of the world, at the resurrection of the body and the changing into the Angelic state. Whence is it proved that this is spoken of the end, but still my tongue also all day long shall meditate of Thy righteousness? When they shall have been confounded and shall have blushed, that seek evil things for me. When shall they be confounded, when shall they blush, save at the end of the world ? For in two ways they shall be confounded, either when they shall believe in Christ, or when Christ shall have come. For so long as the Church is here, so long as Matt.3, grain groaneth amid chaff, so long as wheat groaneth amid 30' ' tares, so long as vessels of mercy groan amid vessels of wrath 2 Tim. made for dishonour, so long as lily groaneth amid thorns, Ps.4 1,5. there will not be wanting enemies to say, When shall he die, and his name perish ? " Behold there shall come the time when Christians shall be ended and shall be no more : as they began at a set time, so even unto a particular time they shall be." But while they are saying these things and with- 'S™£h> out 'end are dying, and while the Church is continuing Mss, Our Lord the true Solomon, the Peace Maker. 447 preaching the Arm of the Lord to every generation lhat is to Veb. come; there shall come Himself also at last in His gl°ry> M^ij" there shall riso again all the dead, each with his cause: there 31. shall bo severed good men to tho right hand, but evil men to the left, and they shall be confounded that did insult, they shall blush that did mock : and so my tonguo after resurrec tion shall meditate of Thy righteousness, all day long of Thy praise, when theg shall have been confounded and shall have blushed, lhat seek evil things for me. PSALM LXXII. T you. And by many other testimonies the Lord Christ is shewn to be a Peace-maker: not according to the peace which this world knoweth and seeketh; but that peace whereof is said in the Prophet, / will give unto them true isa. 67, 19. 448 The title ' King' repeated, to fix attention. Psai.m comfort, peace upon peace, when, to wit to the peace of ' reconciliation, thero is added the peace of immortality. For after all things have been given to us, which God hath promised, that we ought to look for the lust peace, wherein with God we may livo for everlasting, the samo Prophet Isni.20, dolh shew in the pluce where he saith, O Lord, our God, peace give Thou unto us, for all things Thou hast given unto us. That will be evidently the perfect peace, l Cor. when the last enemy shall be destroyed, to wit, death. And ' * in whom will this be suve in that Peace-maker, our Rccon- l Cor. ciliadon ? For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all ' ' shall be made alive. Since then we have found out the true Salomon, that is, the true Peace-maker: next let us observe what the Psalm doth teach concerning Him. 2. Ver. 1. O God, Thy judgment to the King give Tliou, and Thy justice to the King's Son. The Lord Himself in the JohnO, Gospel suith, The Father judgeth not any one, but all judg ment He hath given to the Son: this is then, O God, Thy judgment lo the King give Thou, lie that is King is also tho Son of the King : because God the Father also is certainly Mat.22, King. Thus it hath been written, that the King made a mar riage for His Son. But after the manner of Scripture the same thing is repeated. For that which ho huth said in, Thy judgment ; the same he hath otherwise expressed in, Thy justice : and that which he hath suid in, the King, the same he halh otherwise expressed in, to the King's Son : in Ps. 2,4. like manner as is this passage, He that dwelleth in the Heavens shall laugh them to scorn, and the Lord shall mock at them. Whatever is meant by He that dwelleth in the Heavens, the same is, and the Lord: and whatever is meant by, shall laugh them to scorn, the same is, shall mock at Ps. 19, them; and, The Heavens arc telling forth the Glory of God, and the works of His hands the firmament is announcing. The Heavens are repeated under the name of firmament : and that which hath been said in, the glory qf God, hath been repented in, the works of His hands : and that which huth been said in, are telling forth, halh been repeated in, is an nouncing. Hut theso repetitions do much commend the divino sayings, whether the same words, or whether in other words the same sense be repeated : and they are mostly found in Poverty of spirit connected with charity and thankfulness. 440 the Psalms, and in tho kind of discourse whereby the mind's Veh. affection is to be awakened. 2- 3. Next thero followeth, (ver. 2.) to judge Thy people in justice, and Thy poor in judgment. For what purpose the royal Father gave to the royal Son His judgment and His justice is sufficiently shewn when he saith, To judge Thy people in justice, that is, for the purpose of judging Thy people. Such an idiom is found in Salomon : The Pro- Prov. l, verbs of Salomon, son of David, lo know wisdom andX' discipline : that is, the Proverbs of Salomon, for the purpose of knowing wisdom and discipline. So, Thy judgment give Thou, lo judge Thy people : that is, Thy judgment give Thou for the purpose of judging Thy people. But that which he sailh before in, Thy people, the samo he sailh. afterwards in, Thy poor: and that which ho sailh before in, in justice ; the same afterward in, in judgment: according to that manner of repetition. Whereby indeed he shewed), that the people of God ought lo be poor, that is, not proud, but humble. For, blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is Matt. 6, the kingdom of Heaven. In which poverty even blessed Job 3' was poor even before he had lost those great earthly riches. Which thing for this reason I thought should be mentioned, because there are certain persons who are more ready to God's distribute all their goods to the poor, than themselves toI'ot>r' become the poor of God. For they are puffed up with boasting wherein they think their living well should be ascribed to themselves, not lo the grace of God : and therefore now they do not even livo well, however great tho good works which they scorn to do. For of their own thoy think thoy have, and thoy glory as if they havo not received : being l Cor, 4, rich to themselves, not poor to God; abounding to them selves, not needing God. But the Apostle saith, If I shallxy gc°r' have distributed all my goods lo the poor, and shall have given up my body to be burned, but have not love, it profiteth me nothing. As though he were saying, If I shall have distributed all my goods to the poor, and shall not have been a poor man of God, it profiteth me nothing. For love is not ' Cor. puffed up : nor is there the true love of God in him that is ' ungrateful to His Holy Spirit, by Which there is shed abroad R°m- 6< in our hearts the love of Him. And therefore such men ' vol. in. o g 450 Justice is of God only. 'Judgment' here is Justice. Pbalm belong not to the people of God, becauso they are not the P9yi-p0or of God. For the poor of God say, But we have received \2. ' 'not the spirit of this world, but the Spirit which is from God, in order that we may know the things which by God have been given to us. For though even in this Psalm, be causo of tho mystery of tho taking on Hiin of man, whereby John 1, tho Word became flesh, it is being suid to the King, God i or, tho Father,- Thy justice1 give Thou to the King's Son: theso riyhte- ,]lon w;n not ))uv0 justice to be given them, but are confident Kom. that they huvo it ol themselves. I'or being ignorant of Gods justice, and their own willing lo establish, to the justice of God they are not subject. They are not therefore, as 1 have said, the poor of God, but the rich of themselves : because they are not humble but proud, lie will come, however, to judge tho people of God in justice, and the poor of God in judg ment: and in the judgment Ho will sever from their rich His poor, whom however by I lis poverty He hath mudo His P«.43,l,rich. I'or tho poor people crieth to Ilim, Judge Thou me, O God, and sever my cause from (he nation unholy. 4. But seeing thai ho huth changed the order of the words, (though ho hud (irst suid, O God, Thy judgment to the King give Thou, and Thy justice lo lite King's Son, pulling judg ment first, then justice,) und huth put justice first, then judg ment, saying, To judge Thg people injustice, and Thy poor in judgment: ho doth more clearly show that he huth culled judgment justice, proving that there is no difference mado by the order in which the word is placed, because it signifieth the samo thing. For it is usual to say ' wrong judgment' of that which is unjust : but justice iniquitous or unjust we are not wont to speak of. For if wrong and unjust it be; no longer mast it bo culled justice. Again, by putting down judgment and repeating it under the name of justice, or by putting down jus'.ieo und repeating it under the uuiuo of judgment, he clearly shewed) that ho specially named) that judgment which is wont to be put instead of justice, that is, that which cannot bo understood of giving an evil judgment. John 7, I'or in the place where Ho suith, Judge not according lo persons, but right judgment judge ye; lie sheweth thut thoro may be a wrong judgment, when He saith, right judgment judge ye: lastly, the one He doth forbid, the other He doth Peace and Justice, Mountains and Hills in the Church, 4o 1 enjoin. But when without any addition He speaketh of Veh. judgment, He would at once have just judgment to bo un- — - — derstood: as is that which He sailh, Ye forsake the weightcr Mat.23, matters of the Law, mercy and judgment. That also which Jeremias saith is, making his riches not with judgment. He Jerem. saith not, making his riches by wrong or unjust judgment, ' or not with judgment right or just, but not with judgment: calling not any thing judgmeut but what is right and just. 5. Ver. 3. Let the mountains bear peace to the people, and the hills justice. The mountains are the greater, the hills the less. These are without doubt those which another Psalm hath, little with great. For those mountains did Pa- 10> exult liko rams, and those hills like Iambs of the sheep, at tho departure of Israel out of Egypt, that is, at the deliverance of tho people of God from this world's servitude. Thoso then that aro eminent in the Church for passing sanctity, are the mountains, who arc meet to teach other men also, by so2 T'm- • 2 2 speaking as that they may be faithfully taught, by so living ' as that they may imitate them to their profit: but the hills are they that follow the excellence of the former by their own obedience. Why then the mountains peace: and (he hills justice? Would there perchance have been no differ ence, even if it had been said thus, Let the mountains bear justice to the people and tho hills peace ? For to both justice, and to both peace is necessary : and it may be that under another name justice herself may have been called peace. For this is true peace, not such as unjust men mako among them. Or rather with a distinction not to be overlooked must that bo understood which ho saith, the mountains peace, and the hills justice? For men excelling in the Church ought to counsel for peace with watchful care ; lest for the sake of their own distinctions by acting proudly they make schisms and dissever the bond of union. But let the hills so follow them by imitation and obedience, that they prefer Christ to them : lest being led astray by the empty authority of evil mountains, (for they seem to excel,) they tear themselves away from the Unity of Christ. Therefore hath it been said, Let the moun tains bear peace to the people. Let them say indeed, Imi tators of me be ye, as I am of Christ. But again let them say, i Cor. Though if we, or an Angel from Heaven, shall have preached Ga'i. i • G g 2 8. 452 ' Mountains' messengers of Peace, Hills obey in Righteousness, Phalm to you beside that which ye have received, be he anathema. L!.'_— : Lot them say also, Halh Paul by any means been crucified is, 'for you, or in the name qf Paul have ye been baptized? So lot them bear peace to tho people of God, that is, to tho poor of God: not over than, but with them desiring to reign. Let iCor.3,not also the latter say, I am of Paul, I am of Apollos, but I *' of Cephas: but let all say, I am of Christ, This is justice; not to sot servants before tho Lord, nor to make thein equal; so to lift oyes unto die mountains whonco may como help to Pm 121, them, so that however their help they may not hopo for from tho mountains, but from the Lord who hath mudo Heaven and earth. 6. Thus also most pertinently may be understood, let the mountains bear peace to the people, namely, that we understand the peace to consist in the reconciliation whereby we arc reconciled to God: for tho mountains receive this for His 2 Cor.6, people. Of this tho Apostle thus testified] : old things have ' passed away, behold they have been made new: but all things are of God, who halh reconciled its to Himself through Christ, and hath given unto us the ministry of reconciliation. Behold in what manner tho mountains receive peace for His iimi. n, people ! I'or God was in Christ, reconciling the world to Hiiit- 1()' self, not ascribing to them their offences, and placing in us the word of reconciliation. In whom, but in the mountains that receive peace for His people? Wherefore the ambassadors of Ibid.20. peace afterwards continue and say, for Christ therefore we are executing an embassy, as though God were exhorting through us, we pray yon in Christ's stead lo be reconciled to God. This pcaco the mountains do bear to I lis people, that is, the preach ing and legation of His peace : but iho hills justice, thut is, Ohcdl- obodience, which is in men und in every rational creature the "'""¦'' fountain and perfection of all justice, so that of the two men, that is, of Adam, who was tho head of our death, and of Christ Who is tho Head of our sulvution, thero is ibis grout Tom. 6, distinction set forth, thut "as bit the disobedience of one man 19 many were made sinners, so also by the obedience qf one man many shall.be made just." Let the mountains, there fore, receive peace for the people, and the hills justice : so that in this manner both being at one, thero may come to P«, 86, pass that which hath been written, justice and peace have Who are the ' People ;' who the ¦ Poor' and ' sons of the Poor.' 453 kissed one another. But that which other copies havo, Visa. let the mountains receive peace for the people, and let the - — '—— hills : I think must be understood of both sorts of preaching of Gospel peace, whether those that go before, or those that follow after. But in these copies this followeth, in justice He shall judge the poor of the people. But those copies are more approved of which have that which we have expounded above, let the mountains bear peace lo the people, and the hills justice. But some have, tO Thy people ; some have not to Thy, but only to the people. 7. Ver. 4. He shall judge the poor of the people, and shall save the sons of the poor. Tho poor and the sons of the poor seem to me to be the very same, as the same city is Sion and the daughter of Sion. But if it is to be under stood with u distinction, the poor wo tako to bo tho moun tains, but tho sons of tho poor tho hills: for instance, Prophets and Apostles, the poor, but tho sons of them, that is, those that profit under their authority, the sons of tho poor. But that which hath been said above, shall judge ; and after wards, shall save; is as it were a sort of exposition in what manner He shall judge. For to this end He shall judge, that He may save, that is, may sever from those that are to be destroyed and condemned, those to whom He giveth salvation ready to be revealed at the last time. For by such lPet.i, men to Him is said, Destroy not with ungodly men my soul: p's> 26 and, Judge Thou me, O God, and sever my cause from the®; nation unholy. We must observe also that ho saith not, lie i. ' ' shall judge the poor people, but, the poor of the people. For above when he had said, lo judge Thy people in justice and*. 2.' Thy poor in judgment, the same he called the people of God as His poor, that is, only the good and thoso that belong to the right hand side. But becauso in this world those for tho right and those for tho left feed together, who, like lambs Mat.26, and goats at the last are to be put asunder; the whole, as it32- is mingled together, he hath called by the name of the People. And because even here he putteth judgment in a good sense, that is, for the purpose, of saving: therefore he saith, He shall judge the poor qf the people, that is, shall sever for salvation those that are poor among the people. Already who are the poor we have explained above : tho same also Sec. 3. 454 The false accuser humbled. Christ's eternal reign. Psalm let us perceive to be needy. And He shall humble thefalse- LXX.ll . 'accuser. No false-accuser can be more suitably recognised Job l, here than the devil. False accusation is his business. Doth Job worship God gratis? But the Lord Jesus doth humble him, by His grace aiding His own, in order that they may Ps. 37, worship God gratis, that is, may tako delight in the Lord. 4# He humbled him also thus; because when in Him the devil, John 14, that is, the prince of this world, had found nothing, he slew 30- Him by the false accusations of the Jews, whom the false- Ephes. accuser made use of as his vessels, working in the sons of ' ' unbelief. For he was humbled in that He Whom they had slain rose again, and took away the kingdom of death : whereof ho had so much the power, as that by one man whom he had deceived, he drew all men through death unto condemn- Rom. 6, ation. But ho was humbled: for if because of one man's transgression death reigned through one, much more they that receive abundance qf grace and righteousness, in life shall reign through One Jesus Christ, Who humbled the false-accuser, that was putting in false accusations, unjust judges, false witnesses, in order that he might destroy Him. 8. Ver. 5. And He shall endure to the sun, or, shall endure with the sun. For thus some of our writers have thought would be more exactly translated that which in the Greek is aij.;vel. But if in Latin it could have been expressed in one word, it must have been expressed by compermanebit : however, because in Latin the word cannot be expressed, in order that the sense at least might be translated, it hath been expressed by, He shall endure with the sun. For He shall coondure to the sun is nothing elso but, He shall endure with the sun. But what great matter is it for Him to endure with John l, t]ie surij through Whom all things were made, and without Whom nothing was made, save that this prophecy hath been sent before for the sake of those who think thut the religion See on of the Christian name up to a particular time in this world §,'i# ' will live, and afterwards will be no more ? He shall endure therefore with the sun, so long as the sun riseth and setteth, that is, so long as these times revolve, there shall not bo wanting the Church of God, that is, Christ's body on earth. But lhat which he addeth, and before the moon, generations of generations : he might have expressed hy, and before the What, is meant by the Sun and the Moon. 455 sun, that is, both with the sun und boforo the sun; which Veh. would have been understood by both with times and before ---' — times. That then which goeth before time is eternal : and that is truly to be held eternal which by no timo is changed, as, in the beginning was the Word. But by the moon he John l, hath chosen rather to intimate the waxings and wanings of1' things mortal. Lastly, when he had said, before the moon, wishing in a manner to explain for what purpose ho inserted the moon, generations, ho saith, of generations. As though ho were saying, before the moon, that is, before the generu- tions of generations which pass away in the departure and succession of things mortal, like the lunar wanings and waxings. And thus what is better to be understood by His enduring before the moon, than that He taketh precedence of all mortal things by immortality? Which also as followeth may not impertinently be taken, that whereas now, having humbled tho false-accuser, He sitteth at the right hand of the Father, this is to endure with the sun. For the bright- Heb. ), ness of the ctcrnul glory is understood to be the Son: as3' though the Sun were the Father, and the Brightness of Ilim His Son. But as these things may be spoken of the invisible Substance of the Creator, not as of that visible creation wherein are bodies celestial, of which bright bodies the sun hath the preeminence, from which this similitude hath been drawn: just as they are drawn even from things earlhly, to wit, stone, lion, lamb, man having two sons, and the liko : therefore having humbled the false-accuser, lie endured] with the sun: because having vanquished the devil by tho Resurrection, IIo sitteth at the right hand of Mark the Father, whero He dieth no more, and death no longer Rom, g over Hiin shall havo dominion. This too is before the moon, 9. as though the First-born from the dead were going before the Church, which is passing on in the departure and suc cession of mortals. Theso aro the generations of generations. Or pcrchanco it is becauso generations are thoso whereby wo aro begotten mortally ; but generations of generations those whereby we arc begotten again immortally. And such is the Church which He wont before, in order that Ho might endure boforo the moon, being the First-born of tho dead. To bo sure, that which is in the Greek ymxt 456 Christ ' like rain on the Fleece,' i. e. on Israel. Psalm yevewv, some have interpreted, not generations, but, qf a ^^ generation qf generations: because yeveotc is of ambiguous case in Greek, and whether it be the genitive singular 7% yeviac, that is, of the generation, or the accusative plural rots ym&s, that is, the generations, doth not clearly appear, except that deservedly that sense hath been preferred wherein, as though explaining what he had called 'the moon,' he added in continuation, generations qf generations. 9. Ver. 6. And He shall come doion like rain into a fleece, and like drops distilling upon the earth. He hath called to our minds and admonished us, that what was done Judg.6,by the Judge Gedeon, in Christ hath its end. For he asked a sign of the Lord, that a fleece laid on the floor should alone be rained upon, and the floor should be dry ; and again, the fleece alone should be dry, and the floor should be rained upon; and so it came to pass. Which thing signified, that, being as it were on a floor in the midst of the whole round world, the dry fleece was the former people Israel. The same Christ therefore Himself came down like rain upon a Mat 16, fleece, when yet the floor was dry: whence also He said, / am not sent but to the sheep which were lost of the house of Israel. There He chose out a Mother by whom to receive the form of a servant, wherein He was to appear to men : there the disciples, to whom He gave this same injunction, Mat.io, saying, Into the way of the nations go ye not away, and into the cities of the Samaritans enter ye not: go ye first to the sheep which are lost of the house of Israel. When He saith, go ye first to them, He sheweth also that hereafter, when at length the floor was to be rained upon, they would go to other sheep also, which were not of the old people Israel, John io, concerning whom He saith, I have other sheep which are not of this fold, it behoveth Me to bring in them also, that there may be one flock and one Shepherd. Hence also the Rom.l5, Apostle : for I say, he saith, that Christ was a minister of the Circumcision for the truth qf God, to confirm the pro mises of the fathers. Thus rain came down upon the fleece, the floor being yet dry. But inasmuch as he continued], Ibid. 9. but that the nations should glorify God for His mercy : that when the time came on, that should be fulfilled which by the .What means ' till the Moon be removed?' 457 Prophet lie saith, a people whom I have not known hath Vbb. served Me, in the hearkening of the. ear it hath obeyed Me: 7w ¦ wo now sec, that of the grace of Christ the nation of the Jews 43.' ' hath remained dry, and the whole round world through all nations is being rained upon by clouds full of Christian grace. For by another word he hath indicated the same rain, saying, drops distilling: no longer upon the fleece, but upon the earth. For what else is rain but drops distilling ? But that the abovo nation under the name of a fleece is signified, I think is cither becauso they were to bo stripped of the authority of teaching, just as a sheep is stripped of its skin ; or because in a secret place He was hiding that same rain, which IIo willed not should bo preached to uncircumcision, that is, be revealed to uncircumciscd nations. 1 0. Ver. 7. There shall arise in His days justice and abundance of peace, until the moon be taken away. The expression tollatur, some have interpreted by be taken away, but others by be exalted, translating one Greek word, which is there used, avramigiSj,, just as each of them thought good. But they who have said, be removed, and they who have said, be taken away, do not so very much differ. For by the expression, be removed, custom doth teach us that there should be rather implied, that a thing is taken away and is no more, than that it is raised to a higher place: but be taken away can be understood in no other way at all, than that a thing is destroyed : that is, it is no more: but by be exalted, only that it is raised to a higher placo. Which indeed when it is put in a bad sense is wont lo signify pride : as is the passage, In thy wisdom be not exalted. But in a good sense Eoclu*. it belongeth to a more execoding honour, as, for instance, y2^4- when any thing is being raised ; as is, In the nights exalt yew, a. your hands unto holy places, and bless ye the Lord. Here^*' I34' then if wo have understood the expression, be removed, what will be, until the moon be removed, but that it be so dealt with that it be no more ? For perchance he willed this also to be perceived, that mortality is to be no longer, 'when the last enemy shall be destroyed, death:' so that abundance ofi Cor. peace may be brought down so far as that nothing may with- 16> 26' stand the felicity of the blessed from the infirmity of mortality: which will come to pass in that age, of which we have the 458 The Moon may be the Church. Theextension'fromseatosea.' Psalm faithful promise of God through Jesus Christ our Lord, con- ' cerning which it is said, There shall arise in His days justice and abundance of peace : until, death being utterly overcome and destroyed, all mortality be consumed. But if under the term moon, not the mortality of the flesh through which the Church is now passing, but the Church Herself in general hath been signified, which is to endure for everlasting, being delivered from this mortality, thus must be taken the ex pression, There shall arise in His days justice and abundance of peace, until the moon be exalted; as though it were said, There shall arise in His days justice, to conquer the con tradiction and rebellion of the flesh, and whereby there may bo mado a peace so increasing and abundant, until the moon bo exulted, that is, until the Church be lifted up, through the glory of the Resurrection to reign with Ilim, Who went before Her in this glory, the first-born of the deud, that lie might sit at the right hand of the Father; thus with the sun 1 o' 'enduring before the moon, in the place whereunto hereafter Mark was to be exalted the moon also. lis, 19. jj> Yev. 8. And He shall be Lord from sea even unto sea, and from the river even unto the ends of the round world : v. 7. He to wit concerning Whom he had said, There shall arise in His days justice and abundance of peace, until the moon be exalted. If the Church here is properly signified under the term moon, in continuation he shewed how widely that sainc'Church He was going to spread abroad, when He added, and He shall be Lord from sea even unto sea. For the land is encircled by a great sea which is culled the Ocean : from which thero floweth in some smull purt in tho midst of tho lands, and maketh thoso seas known to us, which are fre quented by ships. Again, in from sea even unto sea He huth said, that from any ono end of the earth even unto any other end, lie would be Lord, Whose name and power in the whole world were to be preached and to prevail exceedingly. To which, that there might not bo understood in any other manner, from sea even unto sea: lie immediately added, and from the river even unto the ends of the round world. Therefore that which Ho saith in even unto the ends of the round world, the same He had said before in from sea even unto sea. But in that which now He saith, from the river, Enemies ' lick the dust,' by choosing earthly teachers. 459 He hath evidently expressed that He willed Christ to publish Vbb. at length His power from that place from whence also He— '- — - began to choose His disciples, to wit from the river Jordan, whero upon the Lord, on His baptism, when the Holy Ghost descended, there sounded a voice from Heaven, This is My Matt. 3, beloved Son. From this place then His doctrine and the '" authority of the heavenly ministry setting out, is enlarged even unto the ends of the round world, when there is preached the Gospel of the kingdom in the whole world, for a testimony Mat.24, unto all nations : and then shall come the end. 14- 12. Ver. D. In His presence shall fall down the Ethi opians, and His enemies shall lick the earth. By tho Ethiopians, as by a part tho whole, IIo hath signified all nations, selecting that nation to mention especially by name, which is at the ends of tho earth. By in His presence shall fall down hath been signified, shall adore Him. And because there were to be schisms in divers quarters of the world, which would be jealous of tho Church Catholic spread abroad in the whole round world, and again those same schisms dividing themselves into the names of men, and by loving the men under whose authority they had been rent, opposing themselves to the glory of Christ which is throughout all lands; so when He had said, in His presence shall fall down the Ethiopians, He added, and His enemies shall lick the earth: that is, shall love men, so that they shall be jealous of the glory of Christ, to Whom hath been said, Be Thou Ps. job, exalted above the Heavens, 0 God, and above all the earth6' Thy glory. For man earned to hear, Earth thou art, andGca. 3, unto earth thou shalt go. By licking this earth, that is, ' ' being delighted with the vainly talking authority of such men, by loving them, and by counting them for the most pleasing of men, they gainsay the divine sayings, whereby the Catholic Church halh been foretold, not as to be in any particular quarter of the world, as certain schisms are, but in the whole universe by bearing fruit and growing so as to attain even unto the very Ethiopians, to wit, the remotest and foulest of mankind. 13. Ver. 10. *The kings of Thar sis and the isles shall offer gifts, the kings of the Arabians and of Saba shall • Oxf. Man. add here, ' Observe, brethren, that it ii said in this Pnalm.' 400 What 'presents'' are ' led' to Christ. The * poor man' delivered. Phalm lead1 presents. (Vor. II.) And there shall adore Him all LX \ 1 1 ,-^rj: — ' kings of tho earth, all nations shall serve Him, This no Infra, longer requireth an expounder but a thinker ; yea it doth thrust itself upon the sight not only of rejoicing believers, but also of groaning unbelievers — except perchance wo must enquire why there hath been said, shall lead presents. For thero aro wont to be led thoso things which can walk. For could it by any moans huvo been spoken with reference to the saerifico of victims? Far bo it that such 'righteousness' should arise in His days. But thoso gifls which huvo been foretold as to bo led, seem to ine to signify men, whom into the fellowship of the Church of Christ the authority of kings doth lead : although even persecuting kings have led gifts, knowing not whut they did, in sacrificing the holy Martyrs. IJ. But while he is explaining tho reusons why so great honour is paid Him by kings, und He is served of all nations: (ver. 12.) becauso IIo huth tleliverod, he sailh, tho needy man from tho mighty, and the pour man, to whom was no helper. This needy and poor man is the people of men believing in Ilim. In this people uro also kings adoring 1 lini. For they do not dlsduin to bo needy and poor, lhat is, Rom. 3, humbly confessing sins, and needing tho glory of God and tho graco of God, in order that this King, Son of the King, nnty deliver them from the mighty one, I'or this sumo mighty one is he who above wus culled the Slanderer : whom mighty to mihihio tliou to IiIiiihoII', und to hold thein hound in ctiptivlly, not his virtue did iiiuki<,bul inch's sins, Tho sumo Mnt.t2, is himself ulso culled strong; therefore here mighty ulso. But He thut huth humbled the slanderer and huth entered into the house of tho strong man to bind him and to spoil his vessels, He hath delivered the needy man from the mighty, and the poor man to whom was no helper. For this neither the virtuo of any one could accomplish, nor any just man, nor any Angel. When then there wus no helper, by His coming He saved them Himself. 15. But it might occur to one; if because of sins man was held by the devil, have sins pleased Christ, Who saved the needy man from tho mighty ? Far bo it. But, (ver. J 3.) Ho it is that shall spare the helpless and poor man. : that is, shall remit sins lo tho man, humble and not (lusting Souls raised from ' usury' qf punishment, as well as from sin. 461 in his own merits, or hoping for salvation because of his Veb, own virtue, but needing the grace of his Saviour. But 14' - when he hath added, and the souls of the poor He shall save: he hath recommended to our notice both the aids of grace ; both that which is for the remission of sins, when he saith, He shall, spare the poor and needy man; and that which doth consist in the imparting of righteousness, when he hath added, and the souls qf the poor He shall save. For no one is meet of himself for salvation, (which salvation is perfect righteousness,) unless God's grace aid : because the fulness of the law is nought but love, which doth not exist in us of ourselves, but is shed abroad in our hearts through the Holy Spirit Which hath been given uom. 5, unto us. 16. Ver. 14. From usuries and iniquity He shall redeem the souls of them. What are these usuries but sins, which are also called debts ? But I think they have been called Mat. 6, usuries, because more of ill is found in the punishments12, than hath been committed in the sins. For, for example's sake, while a man-slayer killeth only the body of a man, but can no wise hurt the soul; of himself both soul and body is destroyed in hell. Because of such despisers of present commandment and deriders of future punishment hath been said, looming would have exacted with usuries, Mnt.26, from these usuries are redeemed the souls of the poor by that blood which hath been shed for the remission of sins. He shall redeem, I say, from usuries, by remitting sins which owed larger punishments: but He shall redeem from iniquity, by helping them by grace even to do righteousness. Therefore the same two things have been repeated which were said above. For in that which is above, He shall spare the helpless and poor man, there is understood y. 13, from, usuries: but in that which there he saith, and the souls of the poor He shall save ; there seemeth to have been implied, from iniquity: so that the words He shall redeem, are understood with both. So when He shall spare the p'oor and helpless man, and shall save the souls of tho poor: thus from usuries and iniquity He shall redeem the souls of them. And honourable shall be the name of Hiin in the presence of them. For they give honour to His name for so great 462 His' Life;' 'Gold of Arabia' givenllim; Pray erf or His advent. Phalm benefits, and they reply that "meet, and right itisb" to render TWIT * * ¥ u — --thanks to tho Lord their God. Or, as soino copies havo it, and honourable is the name of thein in the presence qf Ilim: for ovon if Christians scorn despicable to this world, tho nuino of thoin in tho presenco of Him is honourable, Who to them huth givon it, no longer remembering thoso names in His lips, whereby before thoy. used to bo called, when thoy were bound fust by tho superstitions of tho Gentiles, or signed with nuuios derived from their own ovil deserts, before they were Christians, which nuino is honourable in the presence of Ilim, oven if il sooinoth despicable to enemies, 17. Ver. 15. And lie, shall live, anil lltere shall be given to Him qf the gold of Arabia. There would not huvo been suid, and lie shall livo, (for of whom could not this be suid, though living for ever so brief a spuco of timo on this earth?) unless that lifo were being recommended to our notice, Kom. 6, wherein IIo dieth no more, and death over Him shall have no more dominion. And thus, and He shall live, lhat wus despised Inal. S3,in doalh : for, as another Prophet saith, there shall be taken away from the earth the life of Hiin. But whut is, and there shall be given to Him of the gold of Arabia? For the fuct that from thence even the former Salomon received gold, in this Psalm hath been in a figure transferred unto another true Salomon, that is, the true Peace-maker. For the former ». 8. did not have dominion from the river even unto the ends of the round world. Thus then hath been prophesied, that even tho wise men of this world in Christ would believe. But by Arabia wo understand the Gentiles; by gold wisdom, which doth as much excel among all doctrines as gold Prov. 8, among motuls. Whence huth boon written, " Receive ye pru- la'ndnot deuce as silver1, and wisdom as proved gold." And they w'"v' snnU Vral) concerning Himself alway. That which tho Greek huth, irio\ airou, some have interpreted by concerning Himself, some for Himself, or for Him. But what is, con cerning Himself, except perchance that for which we pray, Matt 6, saying, Thy kingdom come? For Christ's coming shall make present to believers the kingdom of God. But how to understand for Him is difficult ; except that when prayer is mado for the Church, for Himself prayer is made, because b ' Dignum et justum,' used then as still in the Service for Holy Communion. Promises confirmed in Christ. Charity His fruit. 463 she is His Body. For concerning Christ and the Church Veb. hath been sent before a great Sacrament, there shall be two in one flesh. But now that which followeth, all the day long, 32. ' ' that is, in all time, Iheg shall bless Him, is sufficiently evident. 18. Ver. 16. And there shall be a firmament on the earth, on lite tops of the mountains. For, all the promises of GodiCnr. in Ilim are Yea, that is, in Ilim are confirmed : becauso in ' ' Ilim hath been fulfilled whatever hath been prophesied for our salvation. For the tops of the mountains it is meet to understand as the authors of the divine Scriptures, that is, those persons through whom they were supplied : wherein He is indeed Himself the Firmament: for unto Him all things that have been divinely written are ascribed. But this He willed should be on earth; because for the sake of those that are upon earth, they were written. Whence He came also Himself upon earth, in order that He might confirm all these things, that is, in Himself might shew them to have been fulfilled. For it was necessarg, He saith, for all things r.uke24, to be fulfilled which were written in the Law, and the' ' Irophcts, and Psalms, concerning Me: that is, in the tops'qfl*. 2, 2. the mountains. For so there cometh in the last times tho evident Mount of tho Lord, prepared on tho summit of tho mountains: of which hero ho speaketh, "in the (ops ff Iho niounlains," Highly superexallcd above Libanus shall be His fruit. Libanus wo arc wont to take as this world's dignity : for Libanus is a mountain bearing tall trees, and the name itself is interpreted whiteness'. For what marvel, if above ' canrfi- every brilliant state of this world there is supcrexalted the fruit of Christ, of which fruit the lovers have contemned all secular dignities? But if in a good sense we take Libanus, because of the cedars of Libanus which He hathP*-i°*i planted: what other fruit must be understood, lhat is being exalted above this Libanus, except that whereof tho Apostle speaketh when he is going to speak concerning that love of \m,yet a preeminent way to you I shew ? For this is put for- 1 Cor. ward oven in tho first rank of divine gifts, in tho place whero ' ho saith, but the fruit of the Spirit is love: and with this Gal. 6, uro conjoined tho remaining words as consoquont. And they shall flourish from the city liko hay of the earth. Because city is used ambiguously, and there is not annexed 464 Fruit of the City of God excels all plants of Earth. Pbalm of Hiin, or of God, for there hath not been said,/ro>« the city LXXII. Qf Yl\m, or from the city of God, but only from the city: in a good sense it is understood, in order that from the city of God, that is, from the Church, they may flourish like grass ; but grass bearing fruit, as is that of wheat : for even this is 1 ' fos- called grass ' in Holy Scripture; as in Genesis there is a com- Gue™'] mand for the earth to bring forth every tree and every grass, n- and there is not added every wheat: which without douht would not have been passed over unless under the name of grass this also were understood ; and in many other passages of the Scriptures this is found. But if we must take, and they shall flourish like the grass of the earth, in the same manner Isai.40,as is said, all flesh is grass, and the glory of a man like the flower of grass : certainly then thut city must be understood Gen. 4, which doth intimate this world's society : for it was not to no 1 H purpose that Cain was the first to build a city. Thus the fruit of Christ being exalted above Libanus, that is, above enduring trees and undecaying timbers, because He is the everlasting fruit, all the glory of a man according to the temporal ex altation of the world is compared to grass ; for by believers and by men already hoping for life eternal temporal felicity is despised, in order that there may be fulfilled that which hath been written, all flesh is grass, and all the glory of flesh as the flower of grass : the grass halh dried, the flower halh fallen off, bill the word of the Lord doth endure for ever. There is the fruit of Him exalted above Libanus. For always flesh hath been grass, and the glory of flesh as the flower of grass : but because it was not clearly proved what felicity ought to have been chosen and preferred, the flower of grass was esteemed for a great matter : not only it was by no means despised, but it was even chiefly sought after. As if there fore at that time He shall have begun to be thus, when there is reproved and despised whatever used to flourish in tho world, thus hath been said, super-exalted above Libanus shall be the fruit of Him, and they shall flourish from the city like grass of the earth : that is, glorified above all things shall be that which is promised for everlasting, and com pared to the grass of the earth shall be whatever is counted a great matter in the world. 19. Ver. 17. Be, therefore, the name of Him blessed for Prophecy of praise in all lands for ever, now fulfilling. 465 ever: before the sun endureth the name of Him. By tho Vru. sun times aro signified. Therefore for everlasting endureth 18, l?'. the namo of Him. For eternity doth precede times, and is not bounded by time. And there shall be blessed in Him all the tribes of the earth. For in Ilim is fulfilled that which hath been promised to Abraham. For IIo sailh not, Gnl. 3, In seeds, as though in many ; but as though in one, And lo i0' thy Seed, which is Christ. But to Abraham is said, In My Gin, 22, Seed shall bo blessed all tho tribes qf the earth. And not jj^ 9 the sons of tho flesh but the sons of promiso are counted in 8, tho Seed. All nations shall magnify Him. As if in ex planation there is repeated that which abovo hath been said. For because they shall be blessed in Ilim, they shall magnify Hiin; not of themselves making Him to bo great, that of Himself is great, but by praising and confessing Ilim to bo greut. For thus wo magnify God: thus also wo say, //«/- M«tt. 0, lowed be Thy name, which is indeed always holy. 20. Ver. 18. Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, Who halh dono wonderful things alone. Contemplating all things abovo spoken of, a hymn burstedi' forth ; and tho Lord Cod 'lit.