Since whatever hath beauty, hath beauty
from Thee, how great beauty hath Thy whole kingdom
Let not the kingdom frighten us: hath beauty also, wherewith to delight us.
from Thee, how great beauty hath Thy whole kingdom
Let not the kingdom frighten us: hath beauty also, wherewith to delight us.
Augustine - Exposition on the Psalms - v6
So eat, that thou mayest pour forth again so receive, that thou mayest give.
Thou eatest, when thou learnest thou pourest forth again, when thou teachest: thou eatest, when thou hearest; thou pourest forth again, when thou preachest; but that thou pourest forth, which thou hast first eaten.
Finally, that most eager feaster John, to whom the very table of the Lord sufficed not, unless he leaned on the Lord's breast, and of his inmost lieart drank in divine secrets; what did he pour forth?
In
the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God. The remembrance, therefore, of the abundance of Tliy sweet
John
I,
it is
;
;
;
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is
of
it,
it
it is
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is
!
it if ;
it,
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All good comes from God's Grace. 323
nets they shall pour forth. How is it that it sufficeth not to Ver. say, Thy remembrance; or, the remembrance of Thine 5~-- abundance; or, the remembrance of Thy sweetness; but,
the remembrance of the abundance of Thy sweetness? Because, what availeth it if it be abundant, yet not sweet?
So also it is annoying if it be sweet but too little.
10. Therefore, the remembrance of the abundance of Thy sweetness they shall pour forth : because Thou didst not forget us, and not forgetting, didst warn us, that Thou
mightest bring us also to recollection. For all the ends of Ps. 22, the earth shall remember themselves, and be turned unto27'
the Lord. Because then they shall pour forth the remem brance of the abundance of Thy sweetness, understanding
that there is nought of good in themselves, which cometh
not from Thee, and that they could not turn to Thee, unless
they were warned by Thee, and that they could not be brought back to Thy recollection, if Thou forgattest them ; considering these things by Thy grace, they shall also exult
in Thy righteousness. Considering, I say, these things by
Thy grace, they shall also exult in Thy righteousness, not in
their own. Brethren, if ye wish to give forth grace, drink
in grace. What is, drink in grace ? Learn grace, under
stand grace. We, before we were, were not at all ; and we
were made men, when before we were nothing. And then when
we were made men, from the stock of the first sinner we were
also wicked, and were by nature the children of wrath, Eph. 2, even as others. Observe we then the grace of God, not only3" whereby He made, but also whereby He re-made us. To Whom therefore we owe that we are, to Him we also owe
that we are justified. Let none seem to attribute to God
that he is, and to himself that he is just. For better is that
which thou wouldest attribute to thyself, than what thou wouldest attribute to Him. For it is a better thing that
thou art righteous, than that thou art a man. Thou givest
that which is lower to God, that which is higher to thyself.
Give all to Him, in all praise Him : so wouldest thou not
fall from the hand of thy Maker. Who made thee to be ?
Is it not written, that God took dust from the ground, and Gen. 2, with it made man ? Before thou wast man, thou wast dust ; J' before thou wast dust, thou wast nothing. But give not
v2
3-24 Our good works God's work in us.
Psalm thanks to thy Maker for this making alone ; hear also another c-- making, wherein He made thee. Not of works, saith Paul, lest any one should boast. But what said he ? Not of works, lest Eph. 2, any 0lie should boast : what said he before this ? By grace are ye saved, through faith, and that not ofyourselves. These are the words of the Apostle, not mine, by grace are ye saved, through faith, and that, namely, that ye should be saved through faith, not of yourselves. Although the very word
which he had used, by grace, is clearly not of yourselves, yet he chose to set forth this still more plainly. Give me one that understandeth, and he hath said all. By grace are ye saved : when thou hearest by grace, understand 'gratis. ' If then it be gratis, thou hast wrought nothing of thine own, hast merited nothing. For if ought is to be repaid to merits, it is reward, not grace. By grace, saith he, ye are saved, through faith. Explain this yet more clearly, on account of the arrogant ; on account of the self-complacent ; on account
Rom. lo, of those who are ignorant of the righteousness of God, and desire to establish their own. Hear this same thing yet more openly : and this, that ye are saved by grace, is not of yourselves, it is the gift of God. But we too perhaps have done somewhat, to earn the gifts of God. Not of works, saith he, lest any should boast. What then ? do we no good works? Yes, we do. But how? By Him working in us: for by faith we give place in our hearts to Him, Who in us and through us doeth good works. For hear whence it is
Epb. 2, that thou doest good works : for we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, that we should walk in them. That is the abundant sweetness of His remembrance with regard to us. By uttering forth this,
ver. 8. 9.
His preachers shall exult in His righteousness, not in their own. What then hast Thou done unto us, O Lord, Whom we praise, that we should be, that we should praise, that we should exult in Thy righteousness, that we should utter forth the remembrance of the abundance of Thy sweetness ? Let us tell and, as we tell, let us praise.
11. Merciful and pitiful the Lord long suffering, and very merciful. Sweet is the Lord to all, and His compassions reach into all His works. Were He not such as this, there would be no seeking to recover us. Consider thyself what
:
is
;
it,
The greatness of His Mercy. 325
didst thou deserve, O sinner? Despiser of God, what didst Ver. thou deserve ? See if ought occur to thee but penalty, if JLJL. ought occur to thee but punishment. Thou seest then what
was due to thee, and what He hath given, Who gave gratis.
There was given pardon to the sinner ; there was given the spirit of justification ; there was given charity and love, wherein thou mayest do all good works ; and beyond this, He will give thee also life everlasting, and fellowship with the angels : all of His mercy. Boast not at all of thine own merits, for thy very merits are His gifts. And in Thy righteousness they shall exult. Merciful and pitiful is the
Lord; Thou Who hast done all gratis. Long suffering ; for how great sinners doth He bear with. Merciful and pitiful is the ford, toward those to whom He hath given pardon : toward those to whom as yet he hath not given, long suffer ing; not condemning, but waiting, by His very waiting
crying out, Turn ye unto Me, and
in exceeding long suffering; / will not, saith He, the
of a sinner, but rather that he return, and live. He 7. indeed is long suffering ; but thou, after thy hardness and33 ^ impenitent heart, treasurest up unto thyself wrath against Rom. a,
the day of wrath, and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, Wlw shall render to every man according to his deeds. For He is not so long suffering now in enduring, as that He will never be righteous in punishing. He divideth the times: now He calleth thee; now He exhorteth thee: He waiteth till thou come to thyself; and dost thou tarry ? Great is His mercy, in this too, that He hath made the days of thy life uncertain to thee, that thou shouldest not know when thou art to depart hence ; and so, while thou daily lookest to depart, shouldest at length turn to Him; in this too, great is His mercy. But if He had fixed the day for all, He would make sins to abound by men's security. He gave thee hope of pardon, that thou mightest not by de spairing sin more. Both hope and despair are to be feared in sins. Behold the voice of one who despairs, so as to increase his sins ; and behold the voice of one who hopeth, so as to increase his sins ; and see how the Providence and the Mercy of God meeteth each. Hear the voice of one who
despaireth : ' Now,' saith he, ' I must be damned ; why
I will turn to you : and Zech. l,
My, 3
326 Presumption and despair equally deadly.
Psalm should I not do whatsoever I will ? ' Hear too the voice of CxlV. -, one who hopeth : ' Great is the mercy of the Lord ; when
soever I turn to Him, He will forgive me all : why should not I do whatsoever I will ? ' The one despairs, so as to sin ; the other hopes, so as to sin. Both are to be feared, both are perilous : woe, because of despair ! woe, because of hope ! How doth the mercy of God meet both these perils, both these evils ? What sayest thou, who through despair didst choose to sin ? ' Now I must be damned : why should
Ezek. I not do whatsoever I will? ' Hear the Scripture: / will 33'H' not the death of a sinner, but rather that he should turn, and live. By these words of God, he is brought back to hope ; but there is another snare to be feared, lest through
this very hope he sin the more. What then didst thou also say, thou who through hope sinnest yet more ? ' When soever I turn, God will forgive me all ; I will do whatsoever
Ecclus. I will. ' Hear thou also the Scripture : Make no tarrying to
5, '.
turn to the Lord, neither put off from day to day : for suddenly shall His wrath come forth, and in 'the time of vengeance He shall destroy thee. Say not then, To-morrow I will turn, to-morrow I will please God ; and all to-day's and yesterday's deeds shall be forgiven me. ' Thou sayest true : God hath promised pardon to thy conversion ; He hath not promised a to-morrow to thy delay.
12. Sweet is the Lord to all, and His compassions are over all His works. Why then doth He condemn ? why doth He scourge ? Are not they whom He condemneth, whom He scourgeth, His works? Plainly they are. And wilt thou know how His compassions are over all His
Matt. 5, works? Thence is that long suffering, whereby He maketh
His sun to rise on the evil and on the good. Are not His compassions over all His works, Who sendeth rain upon the just and upon the unjust ? Are not His compassions over all His works? In His long suffering He waiteth
Zech. l,for the sinner, saying, Turn ye to Me, and
you. Are not His compassions over all His works? And
Mat. 25, when He saith, Go ye into everlasting fire, prepared for the 4 ' devil and his angels, this is not His compassion, but His severity. His compassion is given to His works: His
severity is not over His works, but over thy works.
10
Iwill turn to
Lastly,
All God's works praise Him. 8-27
if thou remove thine own evil works, and there remain in
thee nought but His work, His compassion will not leave ------ thee : but if thou leavest not thy works, there will be severity
over thy works, not over His works.
13. Let all Thy works, O Lord, con/ess to Thee, and letver. 10. Thy saints bless Thee. Let all Thy works confess to Thee.
How so? Is not the earth His work? Are not the trees
His work ? Cattle, beasts, fish, fowl, are not they His works ? Plainly they too are. And how shall these too confess to Him ?
I see indeed in the angels that His works confess to Him, for
the angels are His works : and men are His works ; and when
men confess to Him, His works confess to Him; but have
trees and stones the voice of confession ? Yes, verily ; let
all His works confess to Him. What sayest thou ? even
the earth and the trees? All His works. If all praise, how
do not all confess ? For confession is said not only of sin,
but of praise also : lest perchance, wherever ye hear ' con fession,' ye think that it is of nought, save of sin. For so entirely is this thought, that whenever it soundeth in
the word of God, forthwith it is the habit to beat the breast. Hear that there is confession of praise too. Had
our Lord Jesus Christ any sin? And yet He saith, /Mat. n, confess to Thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth. '16' There is confession then in praise. Accordingly, how shall
we take, let all Thy works confess to Thee, O Lord ? Let all Thy works praise Thee. But there ariseth the same
in regard of praise, as in regard of confession.
For if earth and all things devoid of sensation therefore cannot confess, because they have no voice to confess with ; neither will they be able to praise, because they have no
voice to proclaim with. But do not those Three Children enumerate all things, as they walked amid the harmless
flames, who had leisure not only not to fear, but even to
praise God ? They say to all things, heavenly and earthly,
Bless ye the Lord, praise Him, and magnify Him for ever. Song of Behold how they praise. Let none think that the dumb stone JjV? e or dumb animal hath reason wherewith to comprehend God. dren,i9. They who have thought this, have erred far from the truth.
God hath ordered every thing, and made every thing: to
some He hath given sense and understanding and innnor-
question
328 Because in them we see His Almightiness.
Psalm tality, as to the angels ; to some He hath given sense and -^i-understanding with mortality, as to man; to some He hath
given bodily sense, yet gave them not understanding, or im mortality, as to cattle : to some He hath given neither sense, nor understanding, nor immortality, as to herbs, trees, stones : yet even these cannot be wanting in their kind, and by certain degrees He hath ordered H is creation, from earth up to heaven, from visible to invisible, from mortal to immortal. This framework of creation, this most perfectly ordered beauty, ascending from lowest to highest, descending from highest
to lowest, never broken, but tempered together of things unlike, all praiseth God. Wherefore then doth all praise God ? Because when thou considerest and seest its beauty, thou in praisest God. The beauty of the earth
kind of voice of the dumb earth. Thou observest and seest its beauty, thou seest its fruitfulness, thou seest its strength, how receiveth seed, how often bringeth forth what not sown lhou seest this, and by thy consideration of thou, as were, questionest it; thy very inquiry into
questioning it. But when thou hast inquired into
in thine admiration, and hast searched out, and hast discovered its mighty strength, and great beauty, and surpassing excellence, since could not of itself and in itself have this excellence, forthwith cometh into thy mind, that could not be of itself, without Him, the Creator. And this which thou hast found in the very voice of
its confession, that thou praise the Creator. When thou hast thought on the universal beauty of this world, doth, not its very beauty as were with one voice answer thee, made not myself, God made me
14. Therefore let all Thy works confess to Hiee, Lord, and let Thy saints bless Thee. That in confession of Thy works Thy saints may bless Thee, let Thy saints look into Thy creation confessing. And hear Thou their voice when they bless Thee. For when Thy saints bless Thee, what
ver. 11. say they? They shall tell the glory of Thy kingdom, and talk of Thy Power. How powerful God, Who hath made the earth how powerful God, Who hath filled the earth with good things how powerful God, Who hath given to the animals each its own life how powerful God,
is
O
' 1
!
is !
? '
is
is
it it
!
it it
it
it ;
it
it, is
it it
it,
is a
is it,
is
it
it,
The surpassing beauty of God's Creation. 329
Who hath given different seeds to the womb of the earth, Ver.
12'
15. That they may make known to the sons of men Thyver. 12. power, and the glory of the greatness of the beauty of Thy kingdom. Thy saints then commend the glory of the
greatness of the beauty of Thy kingdom, the glory of the greatness of its beauty. There is a certain greatness ofthe beauty of Thy kingdom : that Thy kingdom hath beauty,
and great beauty.
Since whatever hath beauty, hath beauty
from Thee, how great beauty hath Thy whole kingdom
Let not the kingdom frighten us: hath beauty also, wherewith to delight us. For what that beauty, which
the saints shall hereafter enjoy, to whom shall be said,
Come, ye blessed of My Father, enjoy the kingdom Whence Mat. 25, shall they come? whither shall they come? Behold, bre-34'
thren, and, ye can, as far as ye can, think of the beauty of that kingdom which to come whence our prayer saith, Thy kingdom come. For that kingdom we desire may come, that kingdom the saints proclaim to be coming. Observe this world beautiful. How beautiful are earth, sea, air, heavens, stars. Do not all these frighten him who considereth them Is not the beauty of them so conspicuous, that seemeth as though nothing more beautiful could be found And here, in this beauty, in this fairness almost unspeakable, here worm and mice and all creeping things of the earth live with thee, they live with thee in all this beauty. How great the beauty of that kingdom, where none but angels live with Thee Too little then was
to say, the glory of the beauty. For we might speak of the glory the beauty of any beautiful thing set on this earth, or that green on the earth, or that shineth from heaven but the greatness the beauty Thy kingdom commendetb to us somewhat which as yet we see not; which, as yet unseen, we believe; which, believing, we long for, for longing for which we endure all things. There then
that they might make to spring up such various shoots, such beautiful trees ! how powerful, how great is God ! Do thou ask, creation answereth, and by its answer, as by the confession of the creature, thou, 0 saint of God, blessest God, and talkest of His power.
of is
?
;
of
of is
if
it
?
;
is it it
is
?
it
is is
?
it
:
!
is,
330 God's Promises which have been fulfilled,
Psalm a greatness of a certain beauty ; let it be loved before it is CxlT' seen, that when it is seen, it may be retained.
16_ Tj,y kingdom. What kingdom mean I ? a kingdom of all ages. For the kingdom of this age too hath its own beauty, but there is not in it that greatness of beauty, such as in the kingdom of all ages. And Thy dominion is in every generation and generation. This is the repetition we noticed, signifying either every generation, or the generation which will be after this generation.
Ter. 13.
17. 'Faithful is the Lord in His words, and holy in all His works. Faithful is the Lord in His words: for what hath He promised that He hath not given ? Faithful is the Lord in His words. Hereto there are certain things which He hath promised, and hath not given ; but let Him be believed from the things which He hath given. Faithful is the Lord in His words. We might well believe Him, if He only spake : He willed not that we should believe Him speaking, but that we should have His Scriptures in our hands: as though thou shouldest say to a man when thou promisedst him some
thing, ' Thou believest me not, behold, I write it for thee. ' For because one generation goeth and another cometh, and so these generations hasten by as men retire and succeed one another, it was needful that the Scriptures of God should remain, and a kind of bond of God's, which all who pass by might read, and might keep to the path of its promise. And how great things hath He already paid in accordance with that bond ! Do men hesitate to believe Him concerning the Resurrection of the dead and the Life to come, which alone now remaineth to be paid, when, if He come to reckon with the unbelievers, the unbelievers must blush ?
If God
I have promised judgment, the separation of good and bad, everlasting life for the
thee, ' Thou hast My bond :
say
to
faithful, and wilt thou not believe ? There in My bond read all that I have promised, reckon with me : verily even by
counting up what 1 have paid, thou canst believe that 1 shall pay what still I owe. In thaIt bond thou hast My
Rom. 8, only -begotten Son promised, Whom
Him up for you all: reckon this then among what is paid.
spared not, but gave ' Thin verse is not contained in the English version.
an earnest that He willfulfil what remains. 33 1
Read the bond : I promised therein that I would give by Ver. My Son the earnest of the Holy Spirit : reckon that as paid. -- 1 promised therein the blood and the crowns of the glorious Martyrs; let the massb remind you that My debt has been
paid. But that this glory of the Martyrs might be paid, which is promised thee in the bond, where it is written,
For Thy sake are we killed all the day long; that this might Ps. 44, be paid, the nations raged, and the people imagined t'at>>p^'2 ( things; the kings of the earth stood up, and the princess- came together, against the Lord, and against His Christ.
The princes came together, conspiring against the Christians. Further, did I not promise in the bond that the kings should believe, and have 1 not fulfilled it in deed ? Listen where I promised it: All kings shall worship Him, all nations shall Ps. 72,
serve Him. Ungrateful one ! thou readest what was due, thou
seest what has been paid, yet thou believest not what is promised. Read another thing in My bond: because the Pa. 2, i; nations raged, because Mine enemies spake evil of Me, (that is, *? 5" of Christ,) When shall He die, and His Name perish ? because
they did and said all these things, read what I promised, what
I bound Myself to pay. The Lord shall prevail against them, Zeph. 2, and shall destroy all the gods of the nations of the earth ;
and they shall worship Him, every one from his place. Well, now He hath prevailed, He hath destroyed all the gods of the nations of the earth. Doth He not do this, and pay it ? He setteth before the eyes of all His payment of His debts: some He hath paid in the time of our ancestors, which we saw not: some He hath paid in our times, which they saw not; throughout all generations He hath paid what was written. And what remaineth ? Do men not believe Him, when He hath paid all this ? What remaineth ? Behold thou hast reckoned: all this He hath paid: is He become unfaithful for the few things which remain ? God forbid ! Wherefore ? Because the Lord is faithful in His words, and holy in all His works.
18. The Lord strengtheneth all that are falling. But who ver. 14. are all that are falling ? All indeed fall in a general sense,
b See note on Ps. 1. 9. vol. ii. p. 314. ' White Mass,' as well as those there This sermon appears from this to have mentioned,
been preached in the Basilica of the
332 God helpeth His people in distress.
Psalm but he meaneth those who fall in a particular way. For many C*lT' fall from Him, many also fall from their own imaginations.
If they had evil imaginations, they fall from them, and God strengthened all that arefalling. They who lose any thing in this world, yet are holy, are as it were dishonoured in this world, from rich become poor, from honoured of low estate, yet are they God's saints ; they are, as it were, falling. But God
Prov. 2i, strengtheneth. For the just falleth seven times, and riseth
16'
again ; but the wicked shall be weakened in evils. When evils befall the wicked, they are weakened thereby ; when evils befall the righteous, the Lord strengthened all that are
falling. Job had fallen from the brightness of the former light of temporal things, with which he had shone for a while ; he had fallen from the glory of his house. Would ye know how far he had fallen ? He sat on the dunghill : yet
the Lord strengthened him when falling. How much did He strengthen him ? So much that, even in the grievous wound wherewith he was smitten throughout his whole body, he answered his wife, when she, the only helper whom the devil had left him, tempted him, Thou hast spoken as one of the foolish women : ifwe receive good at the hand of the Lord, shall we not also endure evil? How had He strengthened
Job 2, 10'
Ps. 37, him when falling! The Lord strengtheneth all that are
2i'
James4, him ; for God resisteth the proud.
15.
19. The eyes ofall hope upon Thee, and Thou givest them food in due season. Just as when thou refreshest a sick man in due season, when he ought to receive, then Thou givest, and what he ought to receive, that Thou givest. Sometimes then men long, and he giveth not: he who tendeth, knoweth the time to give. Wherefore say this, brethren Lest any
one, perchance he hath not been heard, when making some righteous request of God: (for when he maketh any unrighteous request, he heard to his punishment:) but when making some righteous request of God, perchance he have not been heard, let him not be down-hearted, let him not faint, let his eyes wait for the food, which He giveth in due season. When He giveth not, He therefore
falling. When the righteous falleth , he shall not be troubled, for the Lord strengthened his hand. And lifted up all those that have been cast down : all, that is, who belong to
if
?
is
I
if
ver.
He withholds, as well as gives, for our good. 333 giveth not, lest that which He giveth do harm. For the Ver.
Apostle made no unrighteous request, when he besought that
17'
the thorn in the flesh, the messenger
was buffetted, might be taken from him
and did not receive, because as yet
exercising his weakness, not the due season of food. My\\,. grace, He saith, sufficient for thee: for My strength is made perfect in weakness. The devil asked permission to tempt Job, and received it. Learn here, my brethren, great mystery, needful to be learned, repeated, kept in mind, never forgotten, on account of the abundance of
in this world. What shall say Is the Apostle really to be compared with the devil The Apostle asketh, and receiveth not the devil asketh, and receiveth. But the Apostle received not, in order to his perfecting the devil received, to his damnation. Finally, Job himself received healing in due season. He was put off, however, that he might be proved, and he sat long in his sores, and asked God that they might be taken from him, and yet God took them not away. More readily did He hear the devil for Job's trial, than Job himself for his healing. Learn then not to murmur against God, and, when ye are not heard, let not that fail in you which written above, Every day will bless Thee. Even the Son Himself, even the only-begotten
temptations
Satan, whereby he", and yet he asked, was the time for
Himself, came to suffer, to pay what He owed not, to die by
the hands of sinners, to blot out with His own Blood the handwriting of our death for this He came and yet, that
He might shew thee an example of patience, He changed Phil. the body ofour humiliation, fashioning like unto the body l'
of His Glory. Father, He said, be possible, let this Mat. 26, cup pass from Me. And that, although He received not39" what He seemed to ask, He might fulfil, Every day will
bless Thee, He said, Nevertheless, not what will, but what Thou wilt, Father. The eyes of all hope in Thee, and Thou givest them meal in due season.
20. Thou openest Thine Hand, andfillest every living thing ver. 16. with blessing. Though sometimes Thou givest not, yet in
due season Thou givest: Thou delayest, not deniest, and
that in due season.
21. Righteous the Lord in all His ways. Both when ver. 17.
is
is
I
if
it it
it : of
;
is
;
; I?
I 3,
a
9.
If'
;
?
I
334 God to be loved for Himself, not for Hi* gift* only.
Psalm He smiteth and when He healeth, He is righteous, and in C*lv' Him unrighteousness is not. Finally, all His saints, when set in the midst of tribulation, have first praised His righte
ousness, and so sought His blessings. They first have said, ' What Thou doest is righteous. ' So did Daniel ask, and other holy men: 'Righteous are Thy judgments: rightly have we suffered, deservedly have we suffered. ' They laid not unrighteousness to God, they laid not to Him injustice and folly. First they praised Him scourging, and so they felt Him feeding. Righteous is the Lord in all His ways. Let no one think Him unrighteous, when perchance he suffereth ought of evil, but let him praise His righteousness, and accuse his own unrighteousness. Righteous is the Lord in all His ways, and holy in all His works.
22. The Lord is nigh unto all that call upon Him. Prov. I, Where then is that, Then shall they call upon Me, and I
28'
will not hear thein? See then what follows: all who call upon Him in truth. For many call upon Him, but not in truth. They seek something else from Him, but seek not Himself. Why lovest thou God 1 ' Because He hath made me whole. ' That is clear: it was He that made thee so. For from none else cometh health, save Him. ' Because He gave me,' saith another, ' a rich wife, whereas I before had nothing, and one that obeyeth me. ' This too He gave : thou sayest true. ' He gave me,' saith another, ' sons many and good, He gave me a household, He gave me all good things. ' Dost thou love Him for this ? Seekest thou then nothing more ? Be hungry : still knock at the door of the Master of the household : still hath He somewhat to give.
Thou art but a beggar with all these things which thou hast received, and Thou kuowest it not. Thou bearest about as yet the ragged flesh of mortality : thou hast not yet received that glorious robe of immortality, and, as
Matt. 5, if already satisfied, dost thou cease to ask ? Blessed are they that do hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled. Therefore if God is good, Who hath given thee what thou hast, how much more blessed wilt thou be
when He hath given thee Himself! Thou hast desired all these things of Him : I beseech thee desire of Him Himself also. For these things are not truly sweeter than He is, nor
And therefore even when He withdraws them. 335
in any way are they to be compared to Him. He then vBr. who preferreth God Himself to all the things which he has -- received, whereat he rejoiceth, to the things he has received,
he calleth upon God in truth. For to tell you the truth, if to
such men a question were put, and it were said, ' What, if
God chose to take away from thee all those things wherein
thou delightest ? ' then He would be no longer loved : there would be none to say, The Lord gave, the Lord hath taken job 1, away; as it hath pleased the Lord,so hath it been done; blessed21'
be the Name of the Lord. But what saith he, from whom He hath taken these things away ? ' What have I done to Thee, O God ? wherefore hast Thou taken from me, and given to them ? ' Thou givest to the unrighteous, aud takest from Thine own. Thou accusest God of being unrighteous,
thou praisest thyself as righteous. Turn thee, accuse thy self, praise Him. Then wilt thou be right, when in all the good which He doth, God pleaseth thee ; and in all the ills which thou sufferest, He displeaseth thee not. This is to call upon God in truth. Those who thus call upon God, He heareth : He is nigh : that is, not yet hath He given what thou wishest, yet there He is. Just as if perchance a physician lays either upon eyes or stomach what is to heal by burning, though the sick man ask that it be taken from him, the physician awaiteth the time, he doeth not what the sick man asketh ; yet he departeth not from him. He is near, yet he doeth it not: yea, all the more he doeth it not, because he is near. For to heal him he laid on what he hath laid on, and to heal him he doeth not what he is asked. He heareth him not in regard of his present will, yet he heareth him in regard of his future healing, and this at all events according to his will. For surely he wisheth to be made whole, even if he wish not to be burnt. Nigh then is the Lord to all that call upon Him. But what all ? All that call upon Him in truth.
23. He will perform the will of them that fear Him. ver. 19.
the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God. The remembrance, therefore, of the abundance of Tliy sweet
John
I,
it is
;
;
;
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is
of
it,
it
it is
is
is
!
it if ;
it,
it ?
All good comes from God's Grace. 323
nets they shall pour forth. How is it that it sufficeth not to Ver. say, Thy remembrance; or, the remembrance of Thine 5~-- abundance; or, the remembrance of Thy sweetness; but,
the remembrance of the abundance of Thy sweetness? Because, what availeth it if it be abundant, yet not sweet?
So also it is annoying if it be sweet but too little.
10. Therefore, the remembrance of the abundance of Thy sweetness they shall pour forth : because Thou didst not forget us, and not forgetting, didst warn us, that Thou
mightest bring us also to recollection. For all the ends of Ps. 22, the earth shall remember themselves, and be turned unto27'
the Lord. Because then they shall pour forth the remem brance of the abundance of Thy sweetness, understanding
that there is nought of good in themselves, which cometh
not from Thee, and that they could not turn to Thee, unless
they were warned by Thee, and that they could not be brought back to Thy recollection, if Thou forgattest them ; considering these things by Thy grace, they shall also exult
in Thy righteousness. Considering, I say, these things by
Thy grace, they shall also exult in Thy righteousness, not in
their own. Brethren, if ye wish to give forth grace, drink
in grace. What is, drink in grace ? Learn grace, under
stand grace. We, before we were, were not at all ; and we
were made men, when before we were nothing. And then when
we were made men, from the stock of the first sinner we were
also wicked, and were by nature the children of wrath, Eph. 2, even as others. Observe we then the grace of God, not only3" whereby He made, but also whereby He re-made us. To Whom therefore we owe that we are, to Him we also owe
that we are justified. Let none seem to attribute to God
that he is, and to himself that he is just. For better is that
which thou wouldest attribute to thyself, than what thou wouldest attribute to Him. For it is a better thing that
thou art righteous, than that thou art a man. Thou givest
that which is lower to God, that which is higher to thyself.
Give all to Him, in all praise Him : so wouldest thou not
fall from the hand of thy Maker. Who made thee to be ?
Is it not written, that God took dust from the ground, and Gen. 2, with it made man ? Before thou wast man, thou wast dust ; J' before thou wast dust, thou wast nothing. But give not
v2
3-24 Our good works God's work in us.
Psalm thanks to thy Maker for this making alone ; hear also another c-- making, wherein He made thee. Not of works, saith Paul, lest any one should boast. But what said he ? Not of works, lest Eph. 2, any 0lie should boast : what said he before this ? By grace are ye saved, through faith, and that not ofyourselves. These are the words of the Apostle, not mine, by grace are ye saved, through faith, and that, namely, that ye should be saved through faith, not of yourselves. Although the very word
which he had used, by grace, is clearly not of yourselves, yet he chose to set forth this still more plainly. Give me one that understandeth, and he hath said all. By grace are ye saved : when thou hearest by grace, understand 'gratis. ' If then it be gratis, thou hast wrought nothing of thine own, hast merited nothing. For if ought is to be repaid to merits, it is reward, not grace. By grace, saith he, ye are saved, through faith. Explain this yet more clearly, on account of the arrogant ; on account of the self-complacent ; on account
Rom. lo, of those who are ignorant of the righteousness of God, and desire to establish their own. Hear this same thing yet more openly : and this, that ye are saved by grace, is not of yourselves, it is the gift of God. But we too perhaps have done somewhat, to earn the gifts of God. Not of works, saith he, lest any should boast. What then ? do we no good works? Yes, we do. But how? By Him working in us: for by faith we give place in our hearts to Him, Who in us and through us doeth good works. For hear whence it is
Epb. 2, that thou doest good works : for we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, that we should walk in them. That is the abundant sweetness of His remembrance with regard to us. By uttering forth this,
ver. 8. 9.
His preachers shall exult in His righteousness, not in their own. What then hast Thou done unto us, O Lord, Whom we praise, that we should be, that we should praise, that we should exult in Thy righteousness, that we should utter forth the remembrance of the abundance of Thy sweetness ? Let us tell and, as we tell, let us praise.
11. Merciful and pitiful the Lord long suffering, and very merciful. Sweet is the Lord to all, and His compassions reach into all His works. Were He not such as this, there would be no seeking to recover us. Consider thyself what
:
is
;
it,
The greatness of His Mercy. 325
didst thou deserve, O sinner? Despiser of God, what didst Ver. thou deserve ? See if ought occur to thee but penalty, if JLJL. ought occur to thee but punishment. Thou seest then what
was due to thee, and what He hath given, Who gave gratis.
There was given pardon to the sinner ; there was given the spirit of justification ; there was given charity and love, wherein thou mayest do all good works ; and beyond this, He will give thee also life everlasting, and fellowship with the angels : all of His mercy. Boast not at all of thine own merits, for thy very merits are His gifts. And in Thy righteousness they shall exult. Merciful and pitiful is the
Lord; Thou Who hast done all gratis. Long suffering ; for how great sinners doth He bear with. Merciful and pitiful is the ford, toward those to whom He hath given pardon : toward those to whom as yet he hath not given, long suffer ing; not condemning, but waiting, by His very waiting
crying out, Turn ye unto Me, and
in exceeding long suffering; / will not, saith He, the
of a sinner, but rather that he return, and live. He 7. indeed is long suffering ; but thou, after thy hardness and33 ^ impenitent heart, treasurest up unto thyself wrath against Rom. a,
the day of wrath, and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, Wlw shall render to every man according to his deeds. For He is not so long suffering now in enduring, as that He will never be righteous in punishing. He divideth the times: now He calleth thee; now He exhorteth thee: He waiteth till thou come to thyself; and dost thou tarry ? Great is His mercy, in this too, that He hath made the days of thy life uncertain to thee, that thou shouldest not know when thou art to depart hence ; and so, while thou daily lookest to depart, shouldest at length turn to Him; in this too, great is His mercy. But if He had fixed the day for all, He would make sins to abound by men's security. He gave thee hope of pardon, that thou mightest not by de spairing sin more. Both hope and despair are to be feared in sins. Behold the voice of one who despairs, so as to increase his sins ; and behold the voice of one who hopeth, so as to increase his sins ; and see how the Providence and the Mercy of God meeteth each. Hear the voice of one who
despaireth : ' Now,' saith he, ' I must be damned ; why
I will turn to you : and Zech. l,
My, 3
326 Presumption and despair equally deadly.
Psalm should I not do whatsoever I will ? ' Hear too the voice of CxlV. -, one who hopeth : ' Great is the mercy of the Lord ; when
soever I turn to Him, He will forgive me all : why should not I do whatsoever I will ? ' The one despairs, so as to sin ; the other hopes, so as to sin. Both are to be feared, both are perilous : woe, because of despair ! woe, because of hope ! How doth the mercy of God meet both these perils, both these evils ? What sayest thou, who through despair didst choose to sin ? ' Now I must be damned : why should
Ezek. I not do whatsoever I will? ' Hear the Scripture: / will 33'H' not the death of a sinner, but rather that he should turn, and live. By these words of God, he is brought back to hope ; but there is another snare to be feared, lest through
this very hope he sin the more. What then didst thou also say, thou who through hope sinnest yet more ? ' When soever I turn, God will forgive me all ; I will do whatsoever
Ecclus. I will. ' Hear thou also the Scripture : Make no tarrying to
5, '.
turn to the Lord, neither put off from day to day : for suddenly shall His wrath come forth, and in 'the time of vengeance He shall destroy thee. Say not then, To-morrow I will turn, to-morrow I will please God ; and all to-day's and yesterday's deeds shall be forgiven me. ' Thou sayest true : God hath promised pardon to thy conversion ; He hath not promised a to-morrow to thy delay.
12. Sweet is the Lord to all, and His compassions are over all His works. Why then doth He condemn ? why doth He scourge ? Are not they whom He condemneth, whom He scourgeth, His works? Plainly they are. And wilt thou know how His compassions are over all His
Matt. 5, works? Thence is that long suffering, whereby He maketh
His sun to rise on the evil and on the good. Are not His compassions over all His works, Who sendeth rain upon the just and upon the unjust ? Are not His compassions over all His works? In His long suffering He waiteth
Zech. l,for the sinner, saying, Turn ye to Me, and
you. Are not His compassions over all His works? And
Mat. 25, when He saith, Go ye into everlasting fire, prepared for the 4 ' devil and his angels, this is not His compassion, but His severity. His compassion is given to His works: His
severity is not over His works, but over thy works.
10
Iwill turn to
Lastly,
All God's works praise Him. 8-27
if thou remove thine own evil works, and there remain in
thee nought but His work, His compassion will not leave ------ thee : but if thou leavest not thy works, there will be severity
over thy works, not over His works.
13. Let all Thy works, O Lord, con/ess to Thee, and letver. 10. Thy saints bless Thee. Let all Thy works confess to Thee.
How so? Is not the earth His work? Are not the trees
His work ? Cattle, beasts, fish, fowl, are not they His works ? Plainly they too are. And how shall these too confess to Him ?
I see indeed in the angels that His works confess to Him, for
the angels are His works : and men are His works ; and when
men confess to Him, His works confess to Him; but have
trees and stones the voice of confession ? Yes, verily ; let
all His works confess to Him. What sayest thou ? even
the earth and the trees? All His works. If all praise, how
do not all confess ? For confession is said not only of sin,
but of praise also : lest perchance, wherever ye hear ' con fession,' ye think that it is of nought, save of sin. For so entirely is this thought, that whenever it soundeth in
the word of God, forthwith it is the habit to beat the breast. Hear that there is confession of praise too. Had
our Lord Jesus Christ any sin? And yet He saith, /Mat. n, confess to Thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth. '16' There is confession then in praise. Accordingly, how shall
we take, let all Thy works confess to Thee, O Lord ? Let all Thy works praise Thee. But there ariseth the same
in regard of praise, as in regard of confession.
For if earth and all things devoid of sensation therefore cannot confess, because they have no voice to confess with ; neither will they be able to praise, because they have no
voice to proclaim with. But do not those Three Children enumerate all things, as they walked amid the harmless
flames, who had leisure not only not to fear, but even to
praise God ? They say to all things, heavenly and earthly,
Bless ye the Lord, praise Him, and magnify Him for ever. Song of Behold how they praise. Let none think that the dumb stone JjV? e or dumb animal hath reason wherewith to comprehend God. dren,i9. They who have thought this, have erred far from the truth.
God hath ordered every thing, and made every thing: to
some He hath given sense and understanding and innnor-
question
328 Because in them we see His Almightiness.
Psalm tality, as to the angels ; to some He hath given sense and -^i-understanding with mortality, as to man; to some He hath
given bodily sense, yet gave them not understanding, or im mortality, as to cattle : to some He hath given neither sense, nor understanding, nor immortality, as to herbs, trees, stones : yet even these cannot be wanting in their kind, and by certain degrees He hath ordered H is creation, from earth up to heaven, from visible to invisible, from mortal to immortal. This framework of creation, this most perfectly ordered beauty, ascending from lowest to highest, descending from highest
to lowest, never broken, but tempered together of things unlike, all praiseth God. Wherefore then doth all praise God ? Because when thou considerest and seest its beauty, thou in praisest God. The beauty of the earth
kind of voice of the dumb earth. Thou observest and seest its beauty, thou seest its fruitfulness, thou seest its strength, how receiveth seed, how often bringeth forth what not sown lhou seest this, and by thy consideration of thou, as were, questionest it; thy very inquiry into
questioning it. But when thou hast inquired into
in thine admiration, and hast searched out, and hast discovered its mighty strength, and great beauty, and surpassing excellence, since could not of itself and in itself have this excellence, forthwith cometh into thy mind, that could not be of itself, without Him, the Creator. And this which thou hast found in the very voice of
its confession, that thou praise the Creator. When thou hast thought on the universal beauty of this world, doth, not its very beauty as were with one voice answer thee, made not myself, God made me
14. Therefore let all Thy works confess to Hiee, Lord, and let Thy saints bless Thee. That in confession of Thy works Thy saints may bless Thee, let Thy saints look into Thy creation confessing. And hear Thou their voice when they bless Thee. For when Thy saints bless Thee, what
ver. 11. say they? They shall tell the glory of Thy kingdom, and talk of Thy Power. How powerful God, Who hath made the earth how powerful God, Who hath filled the earth with good things how powerful God, Who hath given to the animals each its own life how powerful God,
is
O
' 1
!
is !
? '
is
is
it it
!
it it
it
it ;
it
it, is
it it
it,
is a
is it,
is
it
it,
The surpassing beauty of God's Creation. 329
Who hath given different seeds to the womb of the earth, Ver.
12'
15. That they may make known to the sons of men Thyver. 12. power, and the glory of the greatness of the beauty of Thy kingdom. Thy saints then commend the glory of the
greatness of the beauty of Thy kingdom, the glory of the greatness of its beauty. There is a certain greatness ofthe beauty of Thy kingdom : that Thy kingdom hath beauty,
and great beauty.
Since whatever hath beauty, hath beauty
from Thee, how great beauty hath Thy whole kingdom
Let not the kingdom frighten us: hath beauty also, wherewith to delight us. For what that beauty, which
the saints shall hereafter enjoy, to whom shall be said,
Come, ye blessed of My Father, enjoy the kingdom Whence Mat. 25, shall they come? whither shall they come? Behold, bre-34'
thren, and, ye can, as far as ye can, think of the beauty of that kingdom which to come whence our prayer saith, Thy kingdom come. For that kingdom we desire may come, that kingdom the saints proclaim to be coming. Observe this world beautiful. How beautiful are earth, sea, air, heavens, stars. Do not all these frighten him who considereth them Is not the beauty of them so conspicuous, that seemeth as though nothing more beautiful could be found And here, in this beauty, in this fairness almost unspeakable, here worm and mice and all creeping things of the earth live with thee, they live with thee in all this beauty. How great the beauty of that kingdom, where none but angels live with Thee Too little then was
to say, the glory of the beauty. For we might speak of the glory the beauty of any beautiful thing set on this earth, or that green on the earth, or that shineth from heaven but the greatness the beauty Thy kingdom commendetb to us somewhat which as yet we see not; which, as yet unseen, we believe; which, believing, we long for, for longing for which we endure all things. There then
that they might make to spring up such various shoots, such beautiful trees ! how powerful, how great is God ! Do thou ask, creation answereth, and by its answer, as by the confession of the creature, thou, 0 saint of God, blessest God, and talkest of His power.
of is
?
;
of
of is
if
it
?
;
is it it
is
?
it
is is
?
it
:
!
is,
330 God's Promises which have been fulfilled,
Psalm a greatness of a certain beauty ; let it be loved before it is CxlT' seen, that when it is seen, it may be retained.
16_ Tj,y kingdom. What kingdom mean I ? a kingdom of all ages. For the kingdom of this age too hath its own beauty, but there is not in it that greatness of beauty, such as in the kingdom of all ages. And Thy dominion is in every generation and generation. This is the repetition we noticed, signifying either every generation, or the generation which will be after this generation.
Ter. 13.
17. 'Faithful is the Lord in His words, and holy in all His works. Faithful is the Lord in His words: for what hath He promised that He hath not given ? Faithful is the Lord in His words. Hereto there are certain things which He hath promised, and hath not given ; but let Him be believed from the things which He hath given. Faithful is the Lord in His words. We might well believe Him, if He only spake : He willed not that we should believe Him speaking, but that we should have His Scriptures in our hands: as though thou shouldest say to a man when thou promisedst him some
thing, ' Thou believest me not, behold, I write it for thee. ' For because one generation goeth and another cometh, and so these generations hasten by as men retire and succeed one another, it was needful that the Scriptures of God should remain, and a kind of bond of God's, which all who pass by might read, and might keep to the path of its promise. And how great things hath He already paid in accordance with that bond ! Do men hesitate to believe Him concerning the Resurrection of the dead and the Life to come, which alone now remaineth to be paid, when, if He come to reckon with the unbelievers, the unbelievers must blush ?
If God
I have promised judgment, the separation of good and bad, everlasting life for the
thee, ' Thou hast My bond :
say
to
faithful, and wilt thou not believe ? There in My bond read all that I have promised, reckon with me : verily even by
counting up what 1 have paid, thou canst believe that 1 shall pay what still I owe. In thaIt bond thou hast My
Rom. 8, only -begotten Son promised, Whom
Him up for you all: reckon this then among what is paid.
spared not, but gave ' Thin verse is not contained in the English version.
an earnest that He willfulfil what remains. 33 1
Read the bond : I promised therein that I would give by Ver. My Son the earnest of the Holy Spirit : reckon that as paid. -- 1 promised therein the blood and the crowns of the glorious Martyrs; let the massb remind you that My debt has been
paid. But that this glory of the Martyrs might be paid, which is promised thee in the bond, where it is written,
For Thy sake are we killed all the day long; that this might Ps. 44, be paid, the nations raged, and the people imagined t'at>>p^'2 ( things; the kings of the earth stood up, and the princess- came together, against the Lord, and against His Christ.
The princes came together, conspiring against the Christians. Further, did I not promise in the bond that the kings should believe, and have 1 not fulfilled it in deed ? Listen where I promised it: All kings shall worship Him, all nations shall Ps. 72,
serve Him. Ungrateful one ! thou readest what was due, thou
seest what has been paid, yet thou believest not what is promised. Read another thing in My bond: because the Pa. 2, i; nations raged, because Mine enemies spake evil of Me, (that is, *? 5" of Christ,) When shall He die, and His Name perish ? because
they did and said all these things, read what I promised, what
I bound Myself to pay. The Lord shall prevail against them, Zeph. 2, and shall destroy all the gods of the nations of the earth ;
and they shall worship Him, every one from his place. Well, now He hath prevailed, He hath destroyed all the gods of the nations of the earth. Doth He not do this, and pay it ? He setteth before the eyes of all His payment of His debts: some He hath paid in the time of our ancestors, which we saw not: some He hath paid in our times, which they saw not; throughout all generations He hath paid what was written. And what remaineth ? Do men not believe Him, when He hath paid all this ? What remaineth ? Behold thou hast reckoned: all this He hath paid: is He become unfaithful for the few things which remain ? God forbid ! Wherefore ? Because the Lord is faithful in His words, and holy in all His works.
18. The Lord strengtheneth all that are falling. But who ver. 14. are all that are falling ? All indeed fall in a general sense,
b See note on Ps. 1. 9. vol. ii. p. 314. ' White Mass,' as well as those there This sermon appears from this to have mentioned,
been preached in the Basilica of the
332 God helpeth His people in distress.
Psalm but he meaneth those who fall in a particular way. For many C*lT' fall from Him, many also fall from their own imaginations.
If they had evil imaginations, they fall from them, and God strengthened all that arefalling. They who lose any thing in this world, yet are holy, are as it were dishonoured in this world, from rich become poor, from honoured of low estate, yet are they God's saints ; they are, as it were, falling. But God
Prov. 2i, strengtheneth. For the just falleth seven times, and riseth
16'
again ; but the wicked shall be weakened in evils. When evils befall the wicked, they are weakened thereby ; when evils befall the righteous, the Lord strengthened all that are
falling. Job had fallen from the brightness of the former light of temporal things, with which he had shone for a while ; he had fallen from the glory of his house. Would ye know how far he had fallen ? He sat on the dunghill : yet
the Lord strengthened him when falling. How much did He strengthen him ? So much that, even in the grievous wound wherewith he was smitten throughout his whole body, he answered his wife, when she, the only helper whom the devil had left him, tempted him, Thou hast spoken as one of the foolish women : ifwe receive good at the hand of the Lord, shall we not also endure evil? How had He strengthened
Job 2, 10'
Ps. 37, him when falling! The Lord strengtheneth all that are
2i'
James4, him ; for God resisteth the proud.
15.
19. The eyes ofall hope upon Thee, and Thou givest them food in due season. Just as when thou refreshest a sick man in due season, when he ought to receive, then Thou givest, and what he ought to receive, that Thou givest. Sometimes then men long, and he giveth not: he who tendeth, knoweth the time to give. Wherefore say this, brethren Lest any
one, perchance he hath not been heard, when making some righteous request of God: (for when he maketh any unrighteous request, he heard to his punishment:) but when making some righteous request of God, perchance he have not been heard, let him not be down-hearted, let him not faint, let his eyes wait for the food, which He giveth in due season. When He giveth not, He therefore
falling. When the righteous falleth , he shall not be troubled, for the Lord strengthened his hand. And lifted up all those that have been cast down : all, that is, who belong to
if
?
is
I
if
ver.
He withholds, as well as gives, for our good. 333 giveth not, lest that which He giveth do harm. For the Ver.
Apostle made no unrighteous request, when he besought that
17'
the thorn in the flesh, the messenger
was buffetted, might be taken from him
and did not receive, because as yet
exercising his weakness, not the due season of food. My\\,. grace, He saith, sufficient for thee: for My strength is made perfect in weakness. The devil asked permission to tempt Job, and received it. Learn here, my brethren, great mystery, needful to be learned, repeated, kept in mind, never forgotten, on account of the abundance of
in this world. What shall say Is the Apostle really to be compared with the devil The Apostle asketh, and receiveth not the devil asketh, and receiveth. But the Apostle received not, in order to his perfecting the devil received, to his damnation. Finally, Job himself received healing in due season. He was put off, however, that he might be proved, and he sat long in his sores, and asked God that they might be taken from him, and yet God took them not away. More readily did He hear the devil for Job's trial, than Job himself for his healing. Learn then not to murmur against God, and, when ye are not heard, let not that fail in you which written above, Every day will bless Thee. Even the Son Himself, even the only-begotten
temptations
Satan, whereby he", and yet he asked, was the time for
Himself, came to suffer, to pay what He owed not, to die by
the hands of sinners, to blot out with His own Blood the handwriting of our death for this He came and yet, that
He might shew thee an example of patience, He changed Phil. the body ofour humiliation, fashioning like unto the body l'
of His Glory. Father, He said, be possible, let this Mat. 26, cup pass from Me. And that, although He received not39" what He seemed to ask, He might fulfil, Every day will
bless Thee, He said, Nevertheless, not what will, but what Thou wilt, Father. The eyes of all hope in Thee, and Thou givest them meal in due season.
20. Thou openest Thine Hand, andfillest every living thing ver. 16. with blessing. Though sometimes Thou givest not, yet in
due season Thou givest: Thou delayest, not deniest, and
that in due season.
21. Righteous the Lord in all His ways. Both when ver. 17.
is
is
I
if
it it
it : of
;
is
;
; I?
I 3,
a
9.
If'
;
?
I
334 God to be loved for Himself, not for Hi* gift* only.
Psalm He smiteth and when He healeth, He is righteous, and in C*lv' Him unrighteousness is not. Finally, all His saints, when set in the midst of tribulation, have first praised His righte
ousness, and so sought His blessings. They first have said, ' What Thou doest is righteous. ' So did Daniel ask, and other holy men: 'Righteous are Thy judgments: rightly have we suffered, deservedly have we suffered. ' They laid not unrighteousness to God, they laid not to Him injustice and folly. First they praised Him scourging, and so they felt Him feeding. Righteous is the Lord in all His ways. Let no one think Him unrighteous, when perchance he suffereth ought of evil, but let him praise His righteousness, and accuse his own unrighteousness. Righteous is the Lord in all His ways, and holy in all His works.
22. The Lord is nigh unto all that call upon Him. Prov. I, Where then is that, Then shall they call upon Me, and I
28'
will not hear thein? See then what follows: all who call upon Him in truth. For many call upon Him, but not in truth. They seek something else from Him, but seek not Himself. Why lovest thou God 1 ' Because He hath made me whole. ' That is clear: it was He that made thee so. For from none else cometh health, save Him. ' Because He gave me,' saith another, ' a rich wife, whereas I before had nothing, and one that obeyeth me. ' This too He gave : thou sayest true. ' He gave me,' saith another, ' sons many and good, He gave me a household, He gave me all good things. ' Dost thou love Him for this ? Seekest thou then nothing more ? Be hungry : still knock at the door of the Master of the household : still hath He somewhat to give.
Thou art but a beggar with all these things which thou hast received, and Thou kuowest it not. Thou bearest about as yet the ragged flesh of mortality : thou hast not yet received that glorious robe of immortality, and, as
Matt. 5, if already satisfied, dost thou cease to ask ? Blessed are they that do hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled. Therefore if God is good, Who hath given thee what thou hast, how much more blessed wilt thou be
when He hath given thee Himself! Thou hast desired all these things of Him : I beseech thee desire of Him Himself also. For these things are not truly sweeter than He is, nor
And therefore even when He withdraws them. 335
in any way are they to be compared to Him. He then vBr. who preferreth God Himself to all the things which he has -- received, whereat he rejoiceth, to the things he has received,
he calleth upon God in truth. For to tell you the truth, if to
such men a question were put, and it were said, ' What, if
God chose to take away from thee all those things wherein
thou delightest ? ' then He would be no longer loved : there would be none to say, The Lord gave, the Lord hath taken job 1, away; as it hath pleased the Lord,so hath it been done; blessed21'
be the Name of the Lord. But what saith he, from whom He hath taken these things away ? ' What have I done to Thee, O God ? wherefore hast Thou taken from me, and given to them ? ' Thou givest to the unrighteous, aud takest from Thine own. Thou accusest God of being unrighteous,
thou praisest thyself as righteous. Turn thee, accuse thy self, praise Him. Then wilt thou be right, when in all the good which He doth, God pleaseth thee ; and in all the ills which thou sufferest, He displeaseth thee not. This is to call upon God in truth. Those who thus call upon God, He heareth : He is nigh : that is, not yet hath He given what thou wishest, yet there He is. Just as if perchance a physician lays either upon eyes or stomach what is to heal by burning, though the sick man ask that it be taken from him, the physician awaiteth the time, he doeth not what the sick man asketh ; yet he departeth not from him. He is near, yet he doeth it not: yea, all the more he doeth it not, because he is near. For to heal him he laid on what he hath laid on, and to heal him he doeth not what he is asked. He heareth him not in regard of his present will, yet he heareth him in regard of his future healing, and this at all events according to his will. For surely he wisheth to be made whole, even if he wish not to be burnt. Nigh then is the Lord to all that call upon Him. But what all ? All that call upon Him in truth.
23. He will perform the will of them that fear Him. ver. 19.
