He teacheth His people whose feet might slip: any one among them seeth the prosperity of the wicked, himself living well among the Saints of God, that among the number of the sons of the Church he seeth that the wicked flourish, and work iniquity, he envieth, and led to follow them in their actions; because he seeth that apparently
profiteth
him nothing that he liveth well in humility, hoping for his reward here.
Augustine - Exposition on the Psalms - v4
Truly, as a faithful physician, with the healing knife of preaching in His hand, He hath cut away all our wounded parts.
Therefore such as He was pro
and preached beforehand, such was He found.
perhaps
phesied
Why
He rebuked the Rulers, to warn them of Judgment. 353
He was speaking on the Mount, when He said, Blessed are Ver. the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Ma*' There they are called blessed, who are persecuted for10--12. ' righteousness' sake; for theirs said in this very sermon)
t* the kingdom qf heaven. And that He might make them
lights that is, patiently enduring all those iniquities which see p. are transitory, He added, Blessed shall ye be, when men347'50' shall revile you, and persecute you, and say all manner
of evil against you. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad; for
great is your reward in heaven. Further on in the sermon,
when He was beginning to teach them, although the crowd surrounded Him, He said things to His disciples, which
would strike the very face of the Pharisees and Jews, who
had kind of supremacy as interpreters of all the Scripture,
who appeared to themselves righteous, or imagined that
they seemed so, before whose supremacy the people seemed
to bow in subjection. He spared them not, saying, WhenfAa. a. 6, ye pray, ye shall not be as the hypocrites are for they love 6'
to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men; and so forth. He touched all; He feared no man. And when He had finished
the whole sermon, the Gospel concludeth respecting Him
thus, // came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, Matt. the people were astonished at His doctrine; for He taught29' w' them as one having authority, and not as the Scribes. How
great things then did He, of Whom said, He taught
them as one having authority, say unto them? Woe unto you, Mat. 23, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites What great things did 13' 16' He say unto them, before their face He feared no one.
Because He the God of vengeance. For this reason He spared them not in words, that they might remain for Him after to spare them in judgment; because they were unwilling to accept the healing of His word, they would afterwards incur their Judge's doom. Wherefore Because He hath said, The Lord is the God of vengeance, the God of vengeance hath dealt confidently; that is, He hath spared no man in word. He who spared not in word when about to suffer, will He spare in judgment when about to judge? He who in His humility feared no man, will He fear any man in His glory From His dealing thus con-
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354 Christ, exalted after suffering, teaches Patience.
fidently in time past, imagine how He will deal at the end of time. Murmur not then against God, Who seemeth to spare the wicked ; hut be thou good, and perhaps for a season He may not spare thee the rod, that He may in the end spare thee in judgment. The Lord is the God of vengeance, the God of vengeance hath dealt confidently.
8. Ver. 2. And because He dealt confidently, they endured not His confidence: and because He came humble, and in mortal flesh, and to die, not to do as sinners, but to suffer as sinners : when He had come for these reasons, and had dealt confidently, and they could not bear His confidence of speech, what did they do ? They seized Him, they scourged, mocked, buffeted, besmeared Him with spitting, crowned Him with thorns, lifted Him up on the Cross, at last slew Him. And what followed, because He dealt confidently ? Be exalted, Thou Judge of the world. Because they im prisoned Him when humble, thinkest thou they will imprison Him when exalted ? Because they judged Him when mortal, will they not be judged by Him when immortal ? What then saith He ? Be exalted, Thou, Who hast dealt confidently, the confidence of Whose word the wicked bore not, but thought they did a glorious deed, when they seized and crucified Thee ; they who ought to have seized on Thee with faith, seized Thee with persecution. Thou then Who hast among the wicked dealt confidently, and hast feared no man, because Thou hast suffered, be exalted ; that is, arise again, depart into heaven. Let the Church also bear with long-suffering what the Church's Head hath borne with long-suffering. Be exalted, Thou Judge of the world : and reward the proud after their deserving. He will reward them, brethren. For what is this, Be exalted, Thou Judge of the world : and reward the proud after their deserving. This is the prophecy of one who doth predict, not the bold ness of one who commandeth. Not because the Prophet said, Be exalted, Thou Judge of the world, did Christ obey the Prophet, in arising from the dead, and ascending into heaven ; but because Chiist was to do this, the Prophet pre dicted it. He seeth Christ abased in the spirit, abased he seeth Him : fearing no man, in speech sparing no man, and he saith, He hath dealt confidently. He seeth how con
The proud, who defend their sin, have its desert. 355
fidently He hath dealt, he seeth Him arrested, crucified, Ver. humbled, he seeth Him rising from the dead, and ascending ----- into heaven, and from thence to come in judgment of those,
among w hose hands He had suffered every evil : Be exalted,
he saith, Thou Judge of the world, and reward the proud after their deserving. The proud He will thus reward, not the humble. Who are the proud ? Those to whom it is little to do evil : but they even defend their own sins. For on some of those who crucified Christ, miracles were after
wards performed, when out of the number of the Jews them selves there were found believers, and the blood of Christ was given unto them. Their hands were impious, and red with the blood of Christ. He whose blood they had shed, Himself washed them. They who had persecuted His mortal body which they had seen, became part of His very body, that the Church. They shed their own ransom, that they might drink their own ransom. For afterwards more were converted. When many miracles were wrought by the Apostles, several thousand men in one day believed and they were found to be in such close uuion with one another, that they sold all their possessions, and laid before the Apostles' feet the price of them to every one was
distributed according to his necessity: and they had one heart and one soul in the Lord. This was the case even with the very crucifiers of our Lord. And why were they not rewarded Because said, Render a recompense to the proud: but they chose not to be proud. For when they saw many miracles wrought in the name of Christ, Whom they imagined they had slain moved by those miracles, they heard from Peter in Whose name they were wrought: for they, as servants, would not assume to themselves the power of their Lord, so as to assert that His work in them was their own work. Those servants then gave the honour to their Lord they said, that what they wondered at, was wrought in His name Whom they crucified. They then
. became humble, they were pricked in heart, they were moved
to confession of their sin, and asked advice, saying, What Acts shall we do Not in despair of salvation, but in search of healing. Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of our Lord Jesus
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356 In what spirit we may question of Providence.
Psalm Christ. Those who repented were humble : to them there- XC1V- fore recompense was not rendered, because --see what this Psalm saith, Be exalted, Thou Judge of the world, and
render recompense to the proud. These then were ex cepted from among the number of the proud : in them those words of our Lord, spoken as He was hanging on the Cross,
Luke23, availed : Father, forgive them : for they know not what they 14' do. Be exalted, Thou Judge of the world, and render a
recompense to the proud. Will Fie then render a recom pense ? He will : but to the proud.
9. Ver. 3. 4. But when, when will He reward them ? In the mean while the wicked trinmph, exult, blaspheme, and do all manner of evil. Doth this move thee? Ask the reason in a pious spirit : blame not in thy pride. Doth it move thee ? This Psalm sympathiseth with thee, it seeketh with thee, not because it knoweth not; but that thou mayest find in it what thou wast ignorant of ; for this reason, it seeketh with thee what it knoweth. Just as he who wisheth to console any man, cannot cheqr him unless he grieve with him : he first grieveth with him, and then cheereth him with consolatory words. But if he approacheth him laughing at bis sorrow, he hath not what we have just spoken of, as the Apostle telleth us,
Rom. 12, to rejoice with them that do rejoice, and to weep with them that weep. That he therefore may rejoice with thee, thou first dost weep with him ; thou art sorrowful with him, that thou mayest cheer him : thus this Psalm and the Spirit of God, surely knowing all tilings, seeketh with thee, as it were in thine own words : Lord, how long shall the ungodly, how long shall the ungodly trinmph ? They answer, and will speak wickedness, they all will speak that work unrighteous-
ness. What is their saying, but against God, when they say : What profiteth it us that we live thus? What wilt thou reply ? Doth God truly regard our deeds ? For because they live, they imagine that God knoweth not their actions. Behold, what evil happeneth unto them! If the officers b knew where they were, they would arrest them ; and they therefore avoid the officer's eyes, that they may escape instant appre-
b Slationarius. Soldiers, and officers of notorious offences. Ex 1. 1. e. de of the governors, stationed in certain Curios, et Stationar. libro 12. et ex 1. places through the provinces and cities, 31. de Episc. et Cler. in C. Tbeod. who gave information to the magistrates Ben. Cod. Theod. Gothof. 1. vi. Tit. 29.
Vain thoughts of the tricked concerning God. 357
hension ; but no one can escape the eye of God, since He Veu. not only seeth within the closet, but within the recesses of 3- *' the heart. Even they themselves believe that nothing can escape God : and because they do evil, and are conscious of
what they have done, and see that they live while God knoweth, though they would not live if the officer discovered them ; they say unto themselves, These things please God : and, in truth, if they displeased Him, as they displease kings, as they displease judges, as they displease governors, as they displease recorders? , yet could we escape the eye of God, as we do escape the eyes of those authorities ? There fore these things please God. Therefore it is said in anIother
Psalm to a sinner, These things hast thou done, and
My tongue, and thou thoughtest unrighteousness, that 1
I will reprove thee. He then Who said,
Iwillbe like thyself? That as thy sins please thyself, so thou dost think that they also please Me. And He threateneth for the
will be like thyself. What meaneth this, that
/
My tongue, is not sIilent. Though He said, These things
future : but
held
held My tongue: and thou thoughtest I will be such as thyself: yet He held
held Ps. 60,
hast thou done, and
unrighteousness, that
not His tongue. For while we are speaking, He is not silent : while the reader readeth, He is not silent : while the Psalm chanteth thus, He is not silent: and all this is the voice of God throughout the round world. How then is He silent ? How is He not silent ? In speech He is not silent : in vengeance He is silent. What then mean the words,
These things hast thou done, and I held My tongue? These things thou hast done, and I have not punished. Thou
I will be like thyself. On the very silence, Ithat is, delay of punishment, He saith in
thoughtest unrighteousness, that
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passage,
alway? Lord, how long shall the ungodly,
hold My
how long shall the ungodly trinmph? They ansioer, and will speak unrighteousness ; they will speak, all that work unrighteousness? And he signifieth all their works. What meaneth answer? They have a reply to make against the
c Commenlariensibus, masters of offenders, and to receive indictments, prisons, and notaries, whose duty it was Ben.
to keep records of imprisonments and
358 They who despise mercy ' treasure up' wrath.
Psai. m righteous. Some righteous maD cometh, and saith, Do not XCIV- commit iniquity. Wherefore ? That thou mayest not die. Behold, iniquity I have committed: why do I not die? That man wrought righteousness : and he is dead : why is he dead? I have wrought iniquity: why hath not God carried me off? Behold, that man did righteously: and
why hath He thus visited him? why suffereth He thus? They answer ; this is the meaning of the word answer : for they have a reply to make ; because they are spared, from the longsuffering of God, they discover an argument for their reply. He spareth them for one reason, they answer for another, because they still live. For the Apostle telleth us wherefore He spareth, he expoundeth the grounds of the longsuffering of God : And thintest thou this, Oman, that
judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God? Or despisest thou the riches of His goodness, and forbearance, and long- suffering; not knowing that the longsuffering of God leadeth thee to repentance ? But thou, that is, he who answereth and . saith, If I displeased God, He would not spare me,
Rom. 2, hear what he worketh for himself; hear the Apostle; But
6'6'
after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath, and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; Who will render to every man according to his deeds. He therefore increaseth His longsuffering, thou increasest thine iniquity. His treasure will consist in eternal mercy towards those who have not despised His mercy ; but thy treasure will be discovered in wrath, and what thou daily layest up by little and little, thou wilt find in the accumulated mass ; thou layest up by the grain, but thou wilt find the whole heap. Omit not to watch thy slightest daily sins : rivers are filled from the smallest drops.
10. Ver. 5. 6. What do they do, who answer, and will speak unrighteousness, because they sin and are spared? They humbled Thy people, O Lord: that is, all those who live righteously, against whom all the wicked like to vent their pride. They have humbled Thy people, 0 Lord ; and have troubled Thine heritage. They have murdered the widow, and thefatherless : and slain the proselyte ; that is,
God is neither unjust nor unobservant. 858
the traveller, the pilgrim : the comer from far, as the Ver. Psalmist calleth himself. Each of these expressions is -- '-- -- too clear in meaning to make it worth while to dwell upon
them.
11. Ver. 7. And they have said, The Lord shall not see: He observeth not, regardeth not these things : He careth for other matters, He understandeth not. These are the two asser tions of the wicked: one whicIh I have just quoted, These
things hast thou done, and thoughtest unrighteousness, that
held my tongue, and thou
Iwill be like thyself. What I will be like thyself ! Thou thinkest that I see thy deeds, and that they are pleasing unto Me, because I do not punish them. There is another assertion of the wicked : because God neither regardeth these things, nor observeth that He may know how I live, God heedeth me
not. Doth then God make any reckoning of me ? or doth He even take account of me ? or of men in general ? Un- '
happy man ! He cared for thee, that thou mightest exist : doth He not care that thou live well? Such then are the words of these last; and yet they have said, The Lord shall not see: neither shall the God of Jacob regard it.
12. Ver. 8. Take heed now, ye that are unwise among the people: 0 yefools, some time understand!
He teacheth His people whose feet might slip: any one among them seeth the prosperity of the wicked, himself living well among the Saints of God, that among the number of the sons of the Church he seeth that the wicked flourish, and work iniquity, he envieth, and led to follow them in their actions; because he seeth that apparently profiteth him nothing that he liveth well in humility, hoping for his reward here. For he hopeth for in future, he loseth not
because the time not yet come for him to receive it. Thou art working in vineyard execute thy task, and thou shalt receive thy pay. Thou wouldest not exact from thy
meaneth, that
before thy work was finished, and yet dost thou exact from God before thou dost work? This patience
part of thy work, and thy pay dependeth upon thy work thou who dost not choose to be patient, choosest to work less upon the vineyard: since this act of patience belongeth to thy labouring itself, which to gain thy pay. But
employer,
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360 God is not defrauded. His teaching of the nations.
Psalm thou art treacherous, take care, lest thou shouklest not onlv
-
'not receive thy pay, but also suffer punishment, because thou hast chosen to be a treacherous labourer. When such a labourer beginneth to do ill, he watcheth his employer's eyes, who hired him for his vineyard, that he may loiter when his eye is turned away ; but the moment his eyes are turned towards him, he worketh diligently. But God, Who hired thee, averteth not His eyes : thou canst not work treacherously : the eyes of thy Master are ever upon thee : seek an opportunity to deceive Him, and loiter if thou canst.
If then any of you had any such ideas, when ye saw the wicked flourishing, and if such thoughts caused your feet to slip in the path of God ; to you this Psalm speaketh : but if perchance none of you be such, through you it doth address others, in these words, Take heed now; since they had said, The Lord shall not see: neither shall the God of Jacob regard it. Take heed, it sailh, now, ye that are unwise among the people: and yefools, some time understand!
13. Ver. 9, 10. He that planted the ear, shall He not hear ? He who enabled thee to hear, shall He not be able Himself to hear ? He that planted the ear, shall He not hear ? or He that made the eye, doth He not consider? or He that instructeth the nations, shall not He reprove ? Listen earnestly to this, brethren, He that instructeth the nations, shall not He reprove? This is what God is at present doing: He is instructing the nations: for this reason He sent His word to man throughout the world : He sent it by Angela, by Patriarchs, by Prophets, by servants, through so many heralds going before the Judge. He sent also His own Word Himself, He sent His own Son in Person : He
sent the servants of His Son, and in these very servants His own Son. Throughout the world is every where preached the word of God. Where is it not said unto men, Abandon your former wickedness, and turn yourselves to right paths ?
~He spareth, that ye may correct yourselves: He punished not yesterday, in order that to-day ye may live well. He teacheth the heathen, shall He not therefore reprove ? will He not hear those whom He teacheth ? will He not judge those to whom He hath beforehand sent and sown lessons of
warning ?
If thou wast in a school, wouldest thou receive a
Lessons to be said in the Judgment. God's counsel in sparing. 361
task, and not repeat it ? When therefore thou receivest it Ver. from thy master, thou art being taught : the Master givcth n-~13' thy task into thy hands, and shall He not exact it from thee
when thou comest to repeat it ? or when thou hast begun to repeat shalt thou not be in fear of stripes At present ' then we are receiving our w ork afterwards we are placed before the Master, that we may give up to Him all our
past tasks, that is, that we may give an account of all those things which are now being bestowed upon us. Hear the2Cor. 6, Apostle's words We must all appear before the judgment- j^"^ seat of Christ that every one may receive according to the 10. things done in his body, whether be good or bad.
Or He that instructeth the heathen, shall He not reprove?
is He that teacheth man knowledge. Doth He not know, Who maketh thee to know It is He that teacheth man knowledge.
14. Ver. 11. The Lord knoweth the thoughts of man, that they are but vain. For although thou kuowest not the thoughts of God, that they are righteous He knoweth the thoughts of man, that they are but vain. Even men have known the thoughts of God but those to whom He hath become friend, to them He shewelh His counsel. Do not, brethren, despise yourselves ye approach the Lord with faith, ye hear the thoughts of God these ye are now learning, this told you, and for this reason ye are taught, why God spareth the wicked in this life, that ye may not murmur against God, Who teacheth man knowledge. The
Lord knoweth the thoughts of man, that they are but vain. Abandon therefore the thoughts of man, which are vain that ye may take hold on the thoughts of God, which are wise. But who he who taketh hold on the thoughts of God? He who placed in the firmament of heaven. We have already chaunted that Psalm, and have expounded this expression therein.
15. Ver. 12, 13. Blessed the man whom Thou chastenest, Lord: and teachest him from Thy law; that Thou may est give him patience in time of malice until the pit
be digged up for the ungodly. Behold, thou hast the counsel of God, wherefore He spareth the wicked the pit being digged for the sinner. Thou wishest to bury him at once the pit
as yet being dug for him do not be in haste to bury him.
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362 The pit is preparing for proud sinners.
Psalm What mean the words, until the pit be digged up for the - 'sinner? or whom doth He mean by sinner? One man? No. Whom then ? The whole race of such that are
sinners ? No ; them that are proud ; for he had said before, Reward the proud after their deserving. For that publican, who would not so much as lift up his eyes to heaven, but
Lnkeis,smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a
13'
sinner, was a sinner ; but since he was not proud, and since God will render a recompense to the proud ; the pit is being dug not for him, but for them that are such, until He render a recompense to the proud. In the words then, until the
pit be digged up for the ungodly, understand the proud. Who is the proud ? He who doth not by confession of his sins do penance, that he may be healed through his humility. Who is the proud ? He who chooseth to arrogate to himself those few good things which he seemeth to possess, and who doth detract from the mercy of God. Who is the proud ? He who although he doth ascribe unto God his good works, yet insulteth those who do not those good works, and raiseth himself above them. For even that Pharisee said,
own
/ thank Thee : he said not, I do these works of
my
ib. 11.
power. He thanked God for the works which he did : he was therefore conscious that he did well, and that his doing so was of God. Whence then was he rebuked ? Because he insulted the publican. Attend to this, that ye may become perfect. There ought to come first, whether in man or woman, a confession of sins, a healthful penitence which may avail to reform the man, not to mock God : but when, after repentance, he hath begun a good life, he hath yet to be careful, that he ascribe not his works to himself, but give thanks to Him, by Whose grace he hath been enabled to live well ; for it is He Who called, He Who enlightened him. Is this man then perfect ? No. Something is yet wanting to him. What is that? That he be not proud over those who do not as yet live as he liveth. Such a man is at last safe : the recompense spoken of above is not rendered unto him : he is not among those for whom the pit iIs being dug. Consider him who said,
other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, even asIthis
am
/ thank Thee, that publican. How did he exalt himself, when he said,
am tiol as
Christ the Example and Teacher of Humility. 363
not as this publican ? but the other, with downcast eyes, Ver.
l3'
say unto you, the publican went down to his house justified rather than the Pharisee and He saith why For every one
that exalleth himself, shall be abased: and he that humbleth himself, shall be exalted. My brethren, even hence we learn '
that Christ hath taught us humility, because God became
Man. This the very humility which displeaseth the pagans
whence they mock us. What manner of God do ye worship,
that was born What manner of God do ye worship, that
was crucified The humility of Christ displeaseth the proud:
but pleaseth thee who art Christian, imitate it. If
thou hast imitated thou wilt not labour for Himself hath
said, Come unlo Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, Mat. 11, and will give you rest. Learn from Me, for am meek and28' 29' lowly of heart. This then the Christian doctrine: no
man doeth any thing well, except by His grace. man's bad acts are his own his good he doth of God's bounty. When he hath begun to do well, let him not ascribe unto himself: when he hath not attributed to himself, let him give thanks to Him from Whom he hath received it. But when he doeth well, let him not insult him who doth not as he doth, nor exalt himself above him for the grace of God not stayed at him, so that cannot reach another.
16. That Thou mayest give him patience in days of malice until the pit be digged up for the ungodly. Have patience therefore every one, thou art Christian, in time of malice. Days of malice are those in which the ungodly appear to flourish, and the righteous to suffer; but the suffering of the righteous the rod of the Father, and the
prosperity of the ungodly their own snare. For because God giveth you patience in time of adversity, until the pit be digged up for the ungodly, do not think that the Angels are standing in some place with mattocks, and are digging that great pit which shall be able to contain the whole race
smote his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner !
The one was proud of his good works, the other humble in
his bad deeds. See, brethren, that humility in bad works pleased God more than pride in good works thus God hateth the proud. And therefore He thus concluded, Verily A. 14.
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364 Earthly -prosperity a pitfall to the wicked.
Psalm of ihe ungodly ; and because ye see that the wicked are XCIV- many, and say unto yourselves carnally: Truly what pit can
contain so great a multitude of the wicked, such a crowd of sinners? where is a pit of such dimensions, as to contain all, dug ? when finished ? therefore God spareth them. This is not so : their very prosperity is the pit of the wicked : for into that shall they fall, as it were into a pitfall. Attend, brethren, for it is a great thing to know that prosperity is called a pitfall : until the pit be digged up for the ungodly. For God spareth him whom He knoweth to be ungodly and impious, in His own hidden justice : and this very sparing of God, causeth him to be puffed up through his impunity. He thinketh himself exalted, and he falleth : in this very thing he falleth, in that he thinketh himself exalted. In this he thinketh that he is treading on high, and God calleth this a pit. A pit tendeth downwards, not heavenwards : but the proud ungodly appear to be ascending towards heaven, while actually they are being sunk beneath the earth. On the contrary, the humble seem to bow themselves down to the ground, but really are ascending into heaven. Have patience then, every believer, if thou hast been taught from the law of God, that thy heart may be in the firmament of heaven : for God made the lights, on the fourth day, which is termed the fourth of the week ; whence this Psalm hath taken its title. As thou seest the constellations in per fect patience pursue their own courses, without regarding what men say concerning them ; so also do thou not regard whatever flesh may have done towards thee. For every man is flesh and blood. For thou art not vile in com parison with another's flesh, by which thou seemest to be oppressed : because He assumed the flesh for thee, and for thee He poured forth His blood, Who will bring both thee and that man before His own judgment; and if He gave thee such blessings when thou wast in thy sins, what doth He reserve for thee, if thou art faithful? Hence take patience. How art thou to take patience? When thou sayest, Because it is the will of God, therefore the wicked flourish: He wisheth to spare the wicked, He leadeth to repentance those whom He spareth ; but they do not reform: He knoweth how to judge them. But a man is
Pride falls by departing from God. Chastisement a mercy. 365 impatient, when he chooseth to gainsay either the goodness Ver.
--
Psalm he thus saith, Thou hast cast them down, while they Ps. 72, were being exalted. He said not, Thou hast cast them 18 down, because they were exalted ; or, Thou hast cast them down, after they were exalted ; so that the period of their exaltation be one, of their casting down another : but in the
very act of their exaltation were they cast down. For in proportion as the heart of man is proud, so doth it recede from God; and if it recede from God, it sinketh down into the deep. On the other hand, the humble heart bringeth God unto it from heaven, so that He becometh very near unto it. Surely God is lofty, God is above all the heavens, He surpasseth all the Angels : how high must these be raised, to reach that exalted One ? Do not burst thyself by enlarging thyself; I give thee other advice, lest perchance in enlarging thyself thou burst, through pride : surely God is lofty : do thou humble thyself, and He will descend unto thee.
17. Ver. 14. We have heard why He spareth the wicked: this very thing is their pitfall. God saith to thee, How the pit is dug for them, and why it is dug, it is not thine to know ; but from My law learn that patience is thy duty, until the pit be digged up for the ungodly. And what, thou sayest, of one who suffers, and that among the ungodly themselves ? The next verse answereth thee : For the Lord will not cast off His people. He trieth them, He doth not cast them off. For how speaketh Scripture in another
For whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth, anrfHeb. 12, scourgeth every son whom He receiveth. He receiveth thee 6'
after thou art scourged ; and dost thou say, that He casteth
thee off? We see men do this in the case of their own
sons : sometimes they allow their sons when despaired of
to go and live at their own pleasure ; those whom they hope
for, they scourge ; those whom they see to be utterly hope
less and intractable, they leave to live as they choose.
The one whom he thus abandons to do as he pleases, he
of the Lord, or His long-suffering, or His power, or the justice of his Judge. The proud man raiseth himself up against God : God sinketh him: and he sinketh by the very act of raising himself up against God. For in another
passage?
366 The disinherited escape correction at present.
Psalm meaps not to admit to his inheritance : while he scourgeth XCI V ' that son for whom he keepeth the inheritance. But when God scourgeth a son, let him run beneath the hand of his
Father while He scourgeth him ; because He who scourgeth him, is chastening him in preparation for his heritage. He dolh not cast off from the inheritance His son whom He scourgeth : but He scourgeth him, in order that he may receive it. Let him not be so foolish and childish in bis thoughts as to say, My father loveth my brother more, whom he alloweth to do whatever he will : I, if I move against my father's orders, find the scourge. Do thou rejoice beneath the scourge : because the heritage is kept for thee,
for the Lord will not cast off His people. He chasteneth for a season, He condemneth not for ever: the others He spareth for a season, and will condemn them for evermore. Make thy choice : dost thou wish temporary suffering, or eternal punishment? temporal happiness, or eternal life? What doth God threaten ? Eternal punishment. What doth He promise? Eternal rest. His scourging the good, is temporary : His sparing the wicked, is also temporary. For the Lord will not cast off His people, neither will He
forsake His inheritance.
18. Ver. 15. Until righteousness, he saith, turn again
unto judgment, and all they that have it are right in heart. Listen now, and gain righteousness: for judgment thou canst not yet have. Thou shouldest gain righteousness first; but that very righteousness of thine shall turn unlo
judgment. The Apostles had righteousness here on earth, and bore with the wicked. But what is said unto them?
Mat. 19, Ye shall sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. Their righteousness therefore shall turn unto judg ment. For whoever is righteous in this life, is so for this reason, that he may endure evils with patience : let him suffer patiently the period of suffering, and the day of
judging cometh. But why do I speak of the servants of God? The Lord Himself, Who is the Judge of all living and dead, first chose to be judged, and then to judge.
Until righteousness turn again unto judgment ; and all such as have it are right in heart. Those who have righteous ness at present, are not yet judges. For the first thing is
Righteousness now, leads to judging with Christ. 367
to have righteousness, and afterwards to judge : He first Ver.
16'
endureth the wicked, and afterwards jiulgeth them. Let there be righteousness now : afterwards it shall turn again unto judgment. And so long He endureth wicked men, as God doth will, as long as God's Church shall endure them, that she may be taught through their wickedness. Nevertheless, God will not cast off His people, until righte ousness be turned again unto judgment : all such as have it i are right in heart. Who are those who are right in heart ? Those whose will is the will of God.
and preached beforehand, such was He found.
perhaps
phesied
Why
He rebuked the Rulers, to warn them of Judgment. 353
He was speaking on the Mount, when He said, Blessed are Ver. the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Ma*' There they are called blessed, who are persecuted for10--12. ' righteousness' sake; for theirs said in this very sermon)
t* the kingdom qf heaven. And that He might make them
lights that is, patiently enduring all those iniquities which see p. are transitory, He added, Blessed shall ye be, when men347'50' shall revile you, and persecute you, and say all manner
of evil against you. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad; for
great is your reward in heaven. Further on in the sermon,
when He was beginning to teach them, although the crowd surrounded Him, He said things to His disciples, which
would strike the very face of the Pharisees and Jews, who
had kind of supremacy as interpreters of all the Scripture,
who appeared to themselves righteous, or imagined that
they seemed so, before whose supremacy the people seemed
to bow in subjection. He spared them not, saying, WhenfAa. a. 6, ye pray, ye shall not be as the hypocrites are for they love 6'
to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men; and so forth. He touched all; He feared no man. And when He had finished
the whole sermon, the Gospel concludeth respecting Him
thus, // came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, Matt. the people were astonished at His doctrine; for He taught29' w' them as one having authority, and not as the Scribes. How
great things then did He, of Whom said, He taught
them as one having authority, say unto them? Woe unto you, Mat. 23, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites What great things did 13' 16' He say unto them, before their face He feared no one.
Because He the God of vengeance. For this reason He spared them not in words, that they might remain for Him after to spare them in judgment; because they were unwilling to accept the healing of His word, they would afterwards incur their Judge's doom. Wherefore Because He hath said, The Lord is the God of vengeance, the God of vengeance hath dealt confidently; that is, He hath spared no man in word. He who spared not in word when about to suffer, will He spare in judgment when about to judge? He who in His humility feared no man, will He fear any man in His glory From His dealing thus con-
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354 Christ, exalted after suffering, teaches Patience.
fidently in time past, imagine how He will deal at the end of time. Murmur not then against God, Who seemeth to spare the wicked ; hut be thou good, and perhaps for a season He may not spare thee the rod, that He may in the end spare thee in judgment. The Lord is the God of vengeance, the God of vengeance hath dealt confidently.
8. Ver. 2. And because He dealt confidently, they endured not His confidence: and because He came humble, and in mortal flesh, and to die, not to do as sinners, but to suffer as sinners : when He had come for these reasons, and had dealt confidently, and they could not bear His confidence of speech, what did they do ? They seized Him, they scourged, mocked, buffeted, besmeared Him with spitting, crowned Him with thorns, lifted Him up on the Cross, at last slew Him. And what followed, because He dealt confidently ? Be exalted, Thou Judge of the world. Because they im prisoned Him when humble, thinkest thou they will imprison Him when exalted ? Because they judged Him when mortal, will they not be judged by Him when immortal ? What then saith He ? Be exalted, Thou, Who hast dealt confidently, the confidence of Whose word the wicked bore not, but thought they did a glorious deed, when they seized and crucified Thee ; they who ought to have seized on Thee with faith, seized Thee with persecution. Thou then Who hast among the wicked dealt confidently, and hast feared no man, because Thou hast suffered, be exalted ; that is, arise again, depart into heaven. Let the Church also bear with long-suffering what the Church's Head hath borne with long-suffering. Be exalted, Thou Judge of the world : and reward the proud after their deserving. He will reward them, brethren. For what is this, Be exalted, Thou Judge of the world : and reward the proud after their deserving. This is the prophecy of one who doth predict, not the bold ness of one who commandeth. Not because the Prophet said, Be exalted, Thou Judge of the world, did Christ obey the Prophet, in arising from the dead, and ascending into heaven ; but because Chiist was to do this, the Prophet pre dicted it. He seeth Christ abased in the spirit, abased he seeth Him : fearing no man, in speech sparing no man, and he saith, He hath dealt confidently. He seeth how con
The proud, who defend their sin, have its desert. 355
fidently He hath dealt, he seeth Him arrested, crucified, Ver. humbled, he seeth Him rising from the dead, and ascending ----- into heaven, and from thence to come in judgment of those,
among w hose hands He had suffered every evil : Be exalted,
he saith, Thou Judge of the world, and reward the proud after their deserving. The proud He will thus reward, not the humble. Who are the proud ? Those to whom it is little to do evil : but they even defend their own sins. For on some of those who crucified Christ, miracles were after
wards performed, when out of the number of the Jews them selves there were found believers, and the blood of Christ was given unto them. Their hands were impious, and red with the blood of Christ. He whose blood they had shed, Himself washed them. They who had persecuted His mortal body which they had seen, became part of His very body, that the Church. They shed their own ransom, that they might drink their own ransom. For afterwards more were converted. When many miracles were wrought by the Apostles, several thousand men in one day believed and they were found to be in such close uuion with one another, that they sold all their possessions, and laid before the Apostles' feet the price of them to every one was
distributed according to his necessity: and they had one heart and one soul in the Lord. This was the case even with the very crucifiers of our Lord. And why were they not rewarded Because said, Render a recompense to the proud: but they chose not to be proud. For when they saw many miracles wrought in the name of Christ, Whom they imagined they had slain moved by those miracles, they heard from Peter in Whose name they were wrought: for they, as servants, would not assume to themselves the power of their Lord, so as to assert that His work in them was their own work. Those servants then gave the honour to their Lord they said, that what they wondered at, was wrought in His name Whom they crucified. They then
. became humble, they were pricked in heart, they were moved
to confession of their sin, and asked advice, saying, What Acts shall we do Not in despair of salvation, but in search of healing. Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of our Lord Jesus
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356 In what spirit we may question of Providence.
Psalm Christ. Those who repented were humble : to them there- XC1V- fore recompense was not rendered, because --see what this Psalm saith, Be exalted, Thou Judge of the world, and
render recompense to the proud. These then were ex cepted from among the number of the proud : in them those words of our Lord, spoken as He was hanging on the Cross,
Luke23, availed : Father, forgive them : for they know not what they 14' do. Be exalted, Thou Judge of the world, and render a
recompense to the proud. Will Fie then render a recom pense ? He will : but to the proud.
9. Ver. 3. 4. But when, when will He reward them ? In the mean while the wicked trinmph, exult, blaspheme, and do all manner of evil. Doth this move thee? Ask the reason in a pious spirit : blame not in thy pride. Doth it move thee ? This Psalm sympathiseth with thee, it seeketh with thee, not because it knoweth not; but that thou mayest find in it what thou wast ignorant of ; for this reason, it seeketh with thee what it knoweth. Just as he who wisheth to console any man, cannot cheqr him unless he grieve with him : he first grieveth with him, and then cheereth him with consolatory words. But if he approacheth him laughing at bis sorrow, he hath not what we have just spoken of, as the Apostle telleth us,
Rom. 12, to rejoice with them that do rejoice, and to weep with them that weep. That he therefore may rejoice with thee, thou first dost weep with him ; thou art sorrowful with him, that thou mayest cheer him : thus this Psalm and the Spirit of God, surely knowing all tilings, seeketh with thee, as it were in thine own words : Lord, how long shall the ungodly, how long shall the ungodly trinmph ? They answer, and will speak wickedness, they all will speak that work unrighteous-
ness. What is their saying, but against God, when they say : What profiteth it us that we live thus? What wilt thou reply ? Doth God truly regard our deeds ? For because they live, they imagine that God knoweth not their actions. Behold, what evil happeneth unto them! If the officers b knew where they were, they would arrest them ; and they therefore avoid the officer's eyes, that they may escape instant appre-
b Slationarius. Soldiers, and officers of notorious offences. Ex 1. 1. e. de of the governors, stationed in certain Curios, et Stationar. libro 12. et ex 1. places through the provinces and cities, 31. de Episc. et Cler. in C. Tbeod. who gave information to the magistrates Ben. Cod. Theod. Gothof. 1. vi. Tit. 29.
Vain thoughts of the tricked concerning God. 357
hension ; but no one can escape the eye of God, since He Veu. not only seeth within the closet, but within the recesses of 3- *' the heart. Even they themselves believe that nothing can escape God : and because they do evil, and are conscious of
what they have done, and see that they live while God knoweth, though they would not live if the officer discovered them ; they say unto themselves, These things please God : and, in truth, if they displeased Him, as they displease kings, as they displease judges, as they displease governors, as they displease recorders? , yet could we escape the eye of God, as we do escape the eyes of those authorities ? There fore these things please God. Therefore it is said in anIother
Psalm to a sinner, These things hast thou done, and
My tongue, and thou thoughtest unrighteousness, that 1
I will reprove thee. He then Who said,
Iwillbe like thyself? That as thy sins please thyself, so thou dost think that they also please Me. And He threateneth for the
will be like thyself. What meaneth this, that
/
My tongue, is not sIilent. Though He said, These things
future : but
held
held My tongue: and thou thoughtest I will be such as thyself: yet He held
held Ps. 60,
hast thou done, and
unrighteousness, that
not His tongue. For while we are speaking, He is not silent : while the reader readeth, He is not silent : while the Psalm chanteth thus, He is not silent: and all this is the voice of God throughout the round world. How then is He silent ? How is He not silent ? In speech He is not silent : in vengeance He is silent. What then mean the words,
These things hast thou done, and I held My tongue? These things thou hast done, and I have not punished. Thou
I will be like thyself. On the very silence, Ithat is, delay of punishment, He saith in
thoughtest unrighteousness, that
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have long time holden My peace; shalll? . 49,
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passage,
alway? Lord, how long shall the ungodly,
hold My
how long shall the ungodly trinmph? They ansioer, and will speak unrighteousness ; they will speak, all that work unrighteousness? And he signifieth all their works. What meaneth answer? They have a reply to make against the
c Commenlariensibus, masters of offenders, and to receive indictments, prisons, and notaries, whose duty it was Ben.
to keep records of imprisonments and
358 They who despise mercy ' treasure up' wrath.
Psai. m righteous. Some righteous maD cometh, and saith, Do not XCIV- commit iniquity. Wherefore ? That thou mayest not die. Behold, iniquity I have committed: why do I not die? That man wrought righteousness : and he is dead : why is he dead? I have wrought iniquity: why hath not God carried me off? Behold, that man did righteously: and
why hath He thus visited him? why suffereth He thus? They answer ; this is the meaning of the word answer : for they have a reply to make ; because they are spared, from the longsuffering of God, they discover an argument for their reply. He spareth them for one reason, they answer for another, because they still live. For the Apostle telleth us wherefore He spareth, he expoundeth the grounds of the longsuffering of God : And thintest thou this, Oman, that
judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God? Or despisest thou the riches of His goodness, and forbearance, and long- suffering; not knowing that the longsuffering of God leadeth thee to repentance ? But thou, that is, he who answereth and . saith, If I displeased God, He would not spare me,
Rom. 2, hear what he worketh for himself; hear the Apostle; But
6'6'
after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath, and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; Who will render to every man according to his deeds. He therefore increaseth His longsuffering, thou increasest thine iniquity. His treasure will consist in eternal mercy towards those who have not despised His mercy ; but thy treasure will be discovered in wrath, and what thou daily layest up by little and little, thou wilt find in the accumulated mass ; thou layest up by the grain, but thou wilt find the whole heap. Omit not to watch thy slightest daily sins : rivers are filled from the smallest drops.
10. Ver. 5. 6. What do they do, who answer, and will speak unrighteousness, because they sin and are spared? They humbled Thy people, O Lord: that is, all those who live righteously, against whom all the wicked like to vent their pride. They have humbled Thy people, 0 Lord ; and have troubled Thine heritage. They have murdered the widow, and thefatherless : and slain the proselyte ; that is,
God is neither unjust nor unobservant. 858
the traveller, the pilgrim : the comer from far, as the Ver. Psalmist calleth himself. Each of these expressions is -- '-- -- too clear in meaning to make it worth while to dwell upon
them.
11. Ver. 7. And they have said, The Lord shall not see: He observeth not, regardeth not these things : He careth for other matters, He understandeth not. These are the two asser tions of the wicked: one whicIh I have just quoted, These
things hast thou done, and thoughtest unrighteousness, that
held my tongue, and thou
Iwill be like thyself. What I will be like thyself ! Thou thinkest that I see thy deeds, and that they are pleasing unto Me, because I do not punish them. There is another assertion of the wicked : because God neither regardeth these things, nor observeth that He may know how I live, God heedeth me
not. Doth then God make any reckoning of me ? or doth He even take account of me ? or of men in general ? Un- '
happy man ! He cared for thee, that thou mightest exist : doth He not care that thou live well? Such then are the words of these last; and yet they have said, The Lord shall not see: neither shall the God of Jacob regard it.
12. Ver. 8. Take heed now, ye that are unwise among the people: 0 yefools, some time understand!
He teacheth His people whose feet might slip: any one among them seeth the prosperity of the wicked, himself living well among the Saints of God, that among the number of the sons of the Church he seeth that the wicked flourish, and work iniquity, he envieth, and led to follow them in their actions; because he seeth that apparently profiteth him nothing that he liveth well in humility, hoping for his reward here. For he hopeth for in future, he loseth not
because the time not yet come for him to receive it. Thou art working in vineyard execute thy task, and thou shalt receive thy pay. Thou wouldest not exact from thy
meaneth, that
before thy work was finished, and yet dost thou exact from God before thou dost work? This patience
part of thy work, and thy pay dependeth upon thy work thou who dost not choose to be patient, choosest to work less upon the vineyard: since this act of patience belongeth to thy labouring itself, which to gain thy pay. But
employer,
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360 God is not defrauded. His teaching of the nations.
Psalm thou art treacherous, take care, lest thou shouklest not onlv
-
'not receive thy pay, but also suffer punishment, because thou hast chosen to be a treacherous labourer. When such a labourer beginneth to do ill, he watcheth his employer's eyes, who hired him for his vineyard, that he may loiter when his eye is turned away ; but the moment his eyes are turned towards him, he worketh diligently. But God, Who hired thee, averteth not His eyes : thou canst not work treacherously : the eyes of thy Master are ever upon thee : seek an opportunity to deceive Him, and loiter if thou canst.
If then any of you had any such ideas, when ye saw the wicked flourishing, and if such thoughts caused your feet to slip in the path of God ; to you this Psalm speaketh : but if perchance none of you be such, through you it doth address others, in these words, Take heed now; since they had said, The Lord shall not see: neither shall the God of Jacob regard it. Take heed, it sailh, now, ye that are unwise among the people: and yefools, some time understand!
13. Ver. 9, 10. He that planted the ear, shall He not hear ? He who enabled thee to hear, shall He not be able Himself to hear ? He that planted the ear, shall He not hear ? or He that made the eye, doth He not consider? or He that instructeth the nations, shall not He reprove ? Listen earnestly to this, brethren, He that instructeth the nations, shall not He reprove? This is what God is at present doing: He is instructing the nations: for this reason He sent His word to man throughout the world : He sent it by Angela, by Patriarchs, by Prophets, by servants, through so many heralds going before the Judge. He sent also His own Word Himself, He sent His own Son in Person : He
sent the servants of His Son, and in these very servants His own Son. Throughout the world is every where preached the word of God. Where is it not said unto men, Abandon your former wickedness, and turn yourselves to right paths ?
~He spareth, that ye may correct yourselves: He punished not yesterday, in order that to-day ye may live well. He teacheth the heathen, shall He not therefore reprove ? will He not hear those whom He teacheth ? will He not judge those to whom He hath beforehand sent and sown lessons of
warning ?
If thou wast in a school, wouldest thou receive a
Lessons to be said in the Judgment. God's counsel in sparing. 361
task, and not repeat it ? When therefore thou receivest it Ver. from thy master, thou art being taught : the Master givcth n-~13' thy task into thy hands, and shall He not exact it from thee
when thou comest to repeat it ? or when thou hast begun to repeat shalt thou not be in fear of stripes At present ' then we are receiving our w ork afterwards we are placed before the Master, that we may give up to Him all our
past tasks, that is, that we may give an account of all those things which are now being bestowed upon us. Hear the2Cor. 6, Apostle's words We must all appear before the judgment- j^"^ seat of Christ that every one may receive according to the 10. things done in his body, whether be good or bad.
Or He that instructeth the heathen, shall He not reprove?
is He that teacheth man knowledge. Doth He not know, Who maketh thee to know It is He that teacheth man knowledge.
14. Ver. 11. The Lord knoweth the thoughts of man, that they are but vain. For although thou kuowest not the thoughts of God, that they are righteous He knoweth the thoughts of man, that they are but vain. Even men have known the thoughts of God but those to whom He hath become friend, to them He shewelh His counsel. Do not, brethren, despise yourselves ye approach the Lord with faith, ye hear the thoughts of God these ye are now learning, this told you, and for this reason ye are taught, why God spareth the wicked in this life, that ye may not murmur against God, Who teacheth man knowledge. The
Lord knoweth the thoughts of man, that they are but vain. Abandon therefore the thoughts of man, which are vain that ye may take hold on the thoughts of God, which are wise. But who he who taketh hold on the thoughts of God? He who placed in the firmament of heaven. We have already chaunted that Psalm, and have expounded this expression therein.
15. Ver. 12, 13. Blessed the man whom Thou chastenest, Lord: and teachest him from Thy law; that Thou may est give him patience in time of malice until the pit
be digged up for the ungodly. Behold, thou hast the counsel of God, wherefore He spareth the wicked the pit being digged for the sinner. Thou wishest to bury him at once the pit
as yet being dug for him do not be in haste to bury him.
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362 The pit is preparing for proud sinners.
Psalm What mean the words, until the pit be digged up for the - 'sinner? or whom doth He mean by sinner? One man? No. Whom then ? The whole race of such that are
sinners ? No ; them that are proud ; for he had said before, Reward the proud after their deserving. For that publican, who would not so much as lift up his eyes to heaven, but
Lnkeis,smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a
13'
sinner, was a sinner ; but since he was not proud, and since God will render a recompense to the proud ; the pit is being dug not for him, but for them that are such, until He render a recompense to the proud. In the words then, until the
pit be digged up for the ungodly, understand the proud. Who is the proud ? He who doth not by confession of his sins do penance, that he may be healed through his humility. Who is the proud ? He who chooseth to arrogate to himself those few good things which he seemeth to possess, and who doth detract from the mercy of God. Who is the proud ? He who although he doth ascribe unto God his good works, yet insulteth those who do not those good works, and raiseth himself above them. For even that Pharisee said,
own
/ thank Thee : he said not, I do these works of
my
ib. 11.
power. He thanked God for the works which he did : he was therefore conscious that he did well, and that his doing so was of God. Whence then was he rebuked ? Because he insulted the publican. Attend to this, that ye may become perfect. There ought to come first, whether in man or woman, a confession of sins, a healthful penitence which may avail to reform the man, not to mock God : but when, after repentance, he hath begun a good life, he hath yet to be careful, that he ascribe not his works to himself, but give thanks to Him, by Whose grace he hath been enabled to live well ; for it is He Who called, He Who enlightened him. Is this man then perfect ? No. Something is yet wanting to him. What is that? That he be not proud over those who do not as yet live as he liveth. Such a man is at last safe : the recompense spoken of above is not rendered unto him : he is not among those for whom the pit iIs being dug. Consider him who said,
other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, even asIthis
am
/ thank Thee, that publican. How did he exalt himself, when he said,
am tiol as
Christ the Example and Teacher of Humility. 363
not as this publican ? but the other, with downcast eyes, Ver.
l3'
say unto you, the publican went down to his house justified rather than the Pharisee and He saith why For every one
that exalleth himself, shall be abased: and he that humbleth himself, shall be exalted. My brethren, even hence we learn '
that Christ hath taught us humility, because God became
Man. This the very humility which displeaseth the pagans
whence they mock us. What manner of God do ye worship,
that was born What manner of God do ye worship, that
was crucified The humility of Christ displeaseth the proud:
but pleaseth thee who art Christian, imitate it. If
thou hast imitated thou wilt not labour for Himself hath
said, Come unlo Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, Mat. 11, and will give you rest. Learn from Me, for am meek and28' 29' lowly of heart. This then the Christian doctrine: no
man doeth any thing well, except by His grace. man's bad acts are his own his good he doth of God's bounty. When he hath begun to do well, let him not ascribe unto himself: when he hath not attributed to himself, let him give thanks to Him from Whom he hath received it. But when he doeth well, let him not insult him who doth not as he doth, nor exalt himself above him for the grace of God not stayed at him, so that cannot reach another.
16. That Thou mayest give him patience in days of malice until the pit be digged up for the ungodly. Have patience therefore every one, thou art Christian, in time of malice. Days of malice are those in which the ungodly appear to flourish, and the righteous to suffer; but the suffering of the righteous the rod of the Father, and the
prosperity of the ungodly their own snare. For because God giveth you patience in time of adversity, until the pit be digged up for the ungodly, do not think that the Angels are standing in some place with mattocks, and are digging that great pit which shall be able to contain the whole race
smote his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner !
The one was proud of his good works, the other humble in
his bad deeds. See, brethren, that humility in bad works pleased God more than pride in good works thus God hateth the proud. And therefore He thus concluded, Verily A. 14.
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364 Earthly -prosperity a pitfall to the wicked.
Psalm of ihe ungodly ; and because ye see that the wicked are XCIV- many, and say unto yourselves carnally: Truly what pit can
contain so great a multitude of the wicked, such a crowd of sinners? where is a pit of such dimensions, as to contain all, dug ? when finished ? therefore God spareth them. This is not so : their very prosperity is the pit of the wicked : for into that shall they fall, as it were into a pitfall. Attend, brethren, for it is a great thing to know that prosperity is called a pitfall : until the pit be digged up for the ungodly. For God spareth him whom He knoweth to be ungodly and impious, in His own hidden justice : and this very sparing of God, causeth him to be puffed up through his impunity. He thinketh himself exalted, and he falleth : in this very thing he falleth, in that he thinketh himself exalted. In this he thinketh that he is treading on high, and God calleth this a pit. A pit tendeth downwards, not heavenwards : but the proud ungodly appear to be ascending towards heaven, while actually they are being sunk beneath the earth. On the contrary, the humble seem to bow themselves down to the ground, but really are ascending into heaven. Have patience then, every believer, if thou hast been taught from the law of God, that thy heart may be in the firmament of heaven : for God made the lights, on the fourth day, which is termed the fourth of the week ; whence this Psalm hath taken its title. As thou seest the constellations in per fect patience pursue their own courses, without regarding what men say concerning them ; so also do thou not regard whatever flesh may have done towards thee. For every man is flesh and blood. For thou art not vile in com parison with another's flesh, by which thou seemest to be oppressed : because He assumed the flesh for thee, and for thee He poured forth His blood, Who will bring both thee and that man before His own judgment; and if He gave thee such blessings when thou wast in thy sins, what doth He reserve for thee, if thou art faithful? Hence take patience. How art thou to take patience? When thou sayest, Because it is the will of God, therefore the wicked flourish: He wisheth to spare the wicked, He leadeth to repentance those whom He spareth ; but they do not reform: He knoweth how to judge them. But a man is
Pride falls by departing from God. Chastisement a mercy. 365 impatient, when he chooseth to gainsay either the goodness Ver.
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Psalm he thus saith, Thou hast cast them down, while they Ps. 72, were being exalted. He said not, Thou hast cast them 18 down, because they were exalted ; or, Thou hast cast them down, after they were exalted ; so that the period of their exaltation be one, of their casting down another : but in the
very act of their exaltation were they cast down. For in proportion as the heart of man is proud, so doth it recede from God; and if it recede from God, it sinketh down into the deep. On the other hand, the humble heart bringeth God unto it from heaven, so that He becometh very near unto it. Surely God is lofty, God is above all the heavens, He surpasseth all the Angels : how high must these be raised, to reach that exalted One ? Do not burst thyself by enlarging thyself; I give thee other advice, lest perchance in enlarging thyself thou burst, through pride : surely God is lofty : do thou humble thyself, and He will descend unto thee.
17. Ver. 14. We have heard why He spareth the wicked: this very thing is their pitfall. God saith to thee, How the pit is dug for them, and why it is dug, it is not thine to know ; but from My law learn that patience is thy duty, until the pit be digged up for the ungodly. And what, thou sayest, of one who suffers, and that among the ungodly themselves ? The next verse answereth thee : For the Lord will not cast off His people. He trieth them, He doth not cast them off. For how speaketh Scripture in another
For whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth, anrfHeb. 12, scourgeth every son whom He receiveth. He receiveth thee 6'
after thou art scourged ; and dost thou say, that He casteth
thee off? We see men do this in the case of their own
sons : sometimes they allow their sons when despaired of
to go and live at their own pleasure ; those whom they hope
for, they scourge ; those whom they see to be utterly hope
less and intractable, they leave to live as they choose.
The one whom he thus abandons to do as he pleases, he
of the Lord, or His long-suffering, or His power, or the justice of his Judge. The proud man raiseth himself up against God : God sinketh him: and he sinketh by the very act of raising himself up against God. For in another
passage?
366 The disinherited escape correction at present.
Psalm meaps not to admit to his inheritance : while he scourgeth XCI V ' that son for whom he keepeth the inheritance. But when God scourgeth a son, let him run beneath the hand of his
Father while He scourgeth him ; because He who scourgeth him, is chastening him in preparation for his heritage. He dolh not cast off from the inheritance His son whom He scourgeth : but He scourgeth him, in order that he may receive it. Let him not be so foolish and childish in bis thoughts as to say, My father loveth my brother more, whom he alloweth to do whatever he will : I, if I move against my father's orders, find the scourge. Do thou rejoice beneath the scourge : because the heritage is kept for thee,
for the Lord will not cast off His people. He chasteneth for a season, He condemneth not for ever: the others He spareth for a season, and will condemn them for evermore. Make thy choice : dost thou wish temporary suffering, or eternal punishment? temporal happiness, or eternal life? What doth God threaten ? Eternal punishment. What doth He promise? Eternal rest. His scourging the good, is temporary : His sparing the wicked, is also temporary. For the Lord will not cast off His people, neither will He
forsake His inheritance.
18. Ver. 15. Until righteousness, he saith, turn again
unto judgment, and all they that have it are right in heart. Listen now, and gain righteousness: for judgment thou canst not yet have. Thou shouldest gain righteousness first; but that very righteousness of thine shall turn unlo
judgment. The Apostles had righteousness here on earth, and bore with the wicked. But what is said unto them?
Mat. 19, Ye shall sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. Their righteousness therefore shall turn unto judg ment. For whoever is righteous in this life, is so for this reason, that he may endure evils with patience : let him suffer patiently the period of suffering, and the day of
judging cometh. But why do I speak of the servants of God? The Lord Himself, Who is the Judge of all living and dead, first chose to be judged, and then to judge.
Until righteousness turn again unto judgment ; and all such as have it are right in heart. Those who have righteous ness at present, are not yet judges. For the first thing is
Righteousness now, leads to judging with Christ. 367
to have righteousness, and afterwards to judge : He first Ver.
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endureth the wicked, and afterwards jiulgeth them. Let there be righteousness now : afterwards it shall turn again unto judgment. And so long He endureth wicked men, as God doth will, as long as God's Church shall endure them, that she may be taught through their wickedness. Nevertheless, God will not cast off His people, until righte ousness be turned again unto judgment : all such as have it i are right in heart. Who are those who are right in heart ? Those whose will is the will of God.
