Dead, say, were they that did worship
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Augustine - Exposition on the Psalms - v4
For on the other side of Jordan some part of the Jews was established, but within Jordan was the whole nation.
Therefore, even unto the sea and even unto the river, is the kingdom of the Jews, the kingdom of Israel : but
Rom. of unbelief they were broken But thou, people of the 11, 20. GenMes^ stand fast in faith: be not high-minded, but fear. For God hath not spared the natural branches, neither
will He spare thee. But thou art highminded, thou dost not bear the root, but the root thee. What then, the vineyard before the sight whereof way was made, that she should
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Mountains in her shadow. What cavsed God's Judgments. 107
fill the earth, at first was where ? Her shadow covered the Ver. mountains. Who are the mountains ? The Prophets. Why
did her shadow cover them ? Because
the things which were foretold as to come. Thou hearest from the Prophets, Keep the Sabbath-day, on the eighth day circumcise a child, offer sacrifice of ram, of calf, of he-goat. Be not troubled, her shadow doth cover the mountains of God; there will come after the shadow a manifestation. And her shrubs the cedars of God, that is, she hath covered the cedars of God; very lofty, but of God. For the cedars are types of the proud, that must needs be overthrown. The cedars of Lebanon, the heights of the world, this vineyard did cover in growing, and the mountains of God, all the holy Prophets and Patriarchs.
10. But how far hast Thou stretched out her boughs?
(Ver. 11. ) Even unto the sea and unto the river her shoots.
Then what? Wherefore hast Thou thrown down her enclosure ? Now ye see the overthrow of that nation of
the Jews : already out of another Psalm ye have heard,
with axe and hammer 1 they hare thrown her down. When Ps. 74,6. could this have been done, except her enclosure had been ^0? ' thrown down. What is her enclosure ? Her defence. For
she bore herself proudly against her planter. The servants
that were sent to her and demanded a recompense, the hus-Mat. 2i, bandmen they scourged, beat, slew: there catne also the36'&c- Only Son, they said, This is the Heir; come, let us kill Him,
and our own the inheritance will be : they killed Him, and
out of the vineyard they cast Him forth. When cast forth,
cast forth. For thus He threatens her through Isaiah,
throw down her enclosure. Wherefore ? For I
she should bring forth grapes, but she brought forth thorns. I looked for fruit from thence, and I found sin. Why then dost thou ask, O Asaph, Why hast Thou thrown down her enclosure ? For knowest thou not why ? I looked that she should do judgment, and she did iniquity. Must not her enclosure needs be thrown down ? And there came the Gentiles when the enclosure was thrown down, the vineyard was assailed, and the kingdom of the Jews effaced. This at
darkly they spake
He did more perfectly possess the place whence HeI was
first he is lamenting, but not without hope. For of directing
witlu. 6, 2. looked that
108 The ' boar from the wood,' a fierce Gentile power.
Psalm the heart he is now speaking, that is, for the " Assyrians," LXXA' for " men directing," the Psalm is. Wherefore hast Thou thrown down her enclosure: and there pluck off her grapes all men passing along the way. What is men passing along
Ps. 96, 12
the way? Men having dominion for a time.
11. Ver. 13. Tliere hath laid her waste the boar from the
wood. In the boar from the wood what do we understand ? To the Jews a swine is an abomination, and in a swine they imagine as it were the uncleanness of the Gentiles. But by the Gentiles was overthrown the nation of the Jews: but that king who overthrew, was not only an unclean swine, but was also a boar. For what is a boar but a savage swine, a furious swine? A boar from the wood halh laid her waste. From the wood, from the Gentiles. For she was a vineyard, but the Gentiles were woods. But when the Gentiles be- lieved, there was said what ? " Then there shall exult all the trees of the woods. " The boar from the wood hath laid her waste; and a singular wild beast hath devoured her. A singular wild beast is what ? The very boar that laid her waste is the singular wild beast. Singular, because proud. For thus saith every proud one, It is I, it is I, and no
other.
12. But with what profit is this? (Ver. 14. ) O God of
virtues turn Thou nevertheless. Although these things have been done, Turn Thou nevertheless. Look from heaven and see, and visit this vineyard. (Ver. 15. ) And perfect Thou her whom Thy right hand hath planted. No other plant Thou, but this make Thou perfect. For she is the very seed of
Gen. 22, Abraham, she is the very seed in whom all nations shall be blessed: there is the root where is borne the gr. iffed wild olive. Perfect Thou this vineyard which Thy right hand hath planted. But wherein doth He perfect? And upon the Son of man, whom Thou hast strengthened to Thyself. What can be more evident ? Why do ye still expect, that we should still explain to you in discourse, and should we not rather cry out with you in admiration, Perfect Thou this vineyard which Thy right hand hath planted, and, upon the Son of man perfect her? What Son of man ? Him Whom
l 11.
Tliou hast strengthened to Thyself. A mighty stronghold :
Cor. 3, build as much as thou art able. For other foundation no
Sins are to be extermmated by God's rebuke. 109
one is able to lay, except that which is laid, which is Christ Jesus.
13. Ver. 16. Things burned with fire, and dug up, by the All sins
rebuke of Thy countenance shall perish. What are the? |Jj,e things burned with fire and dug up which shall perish from desireor the rebuke of His countenance. Let us see and perceive offear' what are the things burned with fire and dug up. Christ
hath rebuked what? Sins : by the rebuke of His countenance
sins have perished. Why then are sins burned with fire and
dug up ? Of all sins, two things are the cause in man, desire
and fear. Think, examine, question your hearts, sift your consciences, see whether there can be sins, except they be
either of desire, or of fear. There is set before thee a reward
to induce thee to sin, that is, a thing which delighteth thee ;
thou doest because thou desirest it. But perchance thou
wilt not be allured by bribes; thou art terrified with menaces,
thou doest because thou fearest. man would bribe thee,
for example, to bear false witness. Countless cases there
are, but am setting before you the plainer cases, whereby
ye may imagine the rest. last thou hearkened unto God,
and hast thou said in thy heart, What doth profit a man, Mat. 16,
he gain the whole world, but ofhis own soul suffer loss? 26,
am not allured by bribe to lose my soul to gain money, lor'life'
He tumeth himself to stir up fear within thee, he who was not able to corrupt thee with bribe, beginneth to threaten loss, banishment, massacres, perchance, and death. Therein now, if desire prevailed not, perchance fear will prevail to make thee sin. But furthermore, out of the Scriptures there comcth into thy mind, forbidding desire, what doth profit a man, he gain the whole world, but his own soul suffer loss: let there come also into thy mind, forbidding fear,
Fear not them who kill body, but soul are not able to kill. Mat. 10, Whosoever will kill thee may do as far as the body, as for28'
the soul he may not. Thy soul will not die unless thou shalt
have willed to kill it. Let another's iniquity slay thy flesh,
so long as the truth preserveth thy soul. But from the truth thou shalt have started aside, what more will the enemy do to thee than thou art of thyself doing to thyself? The raging enemy able to kill thy flesh but thou by bearing
false witness art killing thy soul. Flear the Scripture. The wisd. 11.
Ver. 16'
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110 Fear, and love, the cause of right or wrong actions.
Psaim mouth which lieth slayeth the soul. Therefore, my brethren, unto every right deed love and fear do lead : unto every sin
and fear do lead. To make thee do well, thou lovest God and fearest God : to make thee do ill, thou lovest the world and fearest the world. Let these two things be turned unto good : thou didst love the earth, love life eternal ; thou didst fear d<<ath, fear hell. Whatever to thee if unrighteous the world hath promised, will it be able to give as much as God will give to the righteous ? Whatever the world hath threatened thee if righteous, will it be able to do what God
doeth to the unrighteous ? Wilt thou see what God will Mat. 26, give, if thou shalt have lived righteously ? Come, ye blessed
3*'
andfear. love
ofMy Father, receive the kingdom which hath been prepared for you from the beginning of the world. Wilt thou see what Ib. v. 4i. He will do to ungodly men? Go ye into fire everlasting, which hath been prepared for the devil and his angeh. It
is well thou wouldest have nothing else than that it should be well with thee. For in that thing which thou lovest, thou wouldest have it well with thee ; and in that thing which thou fearest, thou wouldest not that it should be ill with thee : but thou dost not seek it in that country wherein it ought to be sought. Thou art in haste : for thou wouldest be both without indigence and without trouble. A good thing it is which thou wouldest have, but endure that which thou wouldest not, in order that thou mayest attain unto
that which thou wouldest. Furthermore, the face of Him effacing sins shall do what ? What are the sins set alight with fire and dug up ? What had evil love done ? A fire, as it were, it had set alight. What had evil fear done ? It had dug up, as it were. For love doth inflame, fear doth humble: therefore, sins of evil love, with fire were lighted : sins of evil fear, were dug up. On the one hand, evil fear dolh humble, and good love doth light ; but in different ways respectively. For even the husbandman interceding for the tree, that it
I will dig about it, and will apply a basket of dung. The dug trench doth signify the godly humility of one fearing, and the basket of dung the
Lukel3, should not be cut down, saith, 8-
profitable squalid state of one repenting. But concerning
I^ukel2,the fire of good love the Lord saith, Fire I
have come to send into the world. With which fire may the fervent in spirit
God quickening us, u>e depart not from Him. 1 1 1
barn, and they too that are inflamed with the love of God Ver. and their neighbour. And thus, as all good works are 17' 18- wrought by good fear and good love, so by evil fear and
evil love all sins are committed. Therefore, Things set
alight withfire and dug up, to wit, all sins, by the rebuke of Thy countenance shall perish.
14. Ver. 17. Let Thy hand be upon the Man of Thy right hand, awl upon the Son of Man Whom Thou hast strengthened
Thyself. (Ver. 18. ) And we depart not from Thee. How
long is the generation crooked and provoking, and one Ps. 78,8. which directeth not their heart ? Let Asaph say, Let Thy
mercy shew herself, do well with Thy vineyard ; perfect her. Forasmuch as blindness in part befel Israel, in order that ~Rom. il,
the fulness of the Gentiles might come in, and so all Israel25' might be saved. Thy face having been shewn upon the Man of Thy right hand, Whom Thou hast strengthened to Thyself, we depart not from Thee. How long dost Thou rebuke us ?
How long censure? 'JTiis do, And we depart not from Thee. Thou wilt quicken us, and Thy Name we will invoke. Thou shall be sweet to us, Thou wilt quicken us. For aforetime
we did love earth, not Thee: but Thou hast mortified our Col. 3, members which are upon the earth. For the Old Testament,6' having earthly promises, seemeth to exhort that God should
not be loved for nought, but that He should be loved because
He giveth something on earth. What dost thou love, so as not to love God ? Tell me. Love, if thou canst, any thing which He hath not made. Look round upon the whole creation, see whether in any place thou art held with the birdlime of desire, and hindered from loving the Creator,
except it be by that very thing which He hath Himself created, Whom thou despisest. But why dost thou love those things, except because they are beautiful ? Can they be as beautiful as He by Whom they were made ? Thou admirest these things, because thou seest not Him : but through those things which thou admirest, love Him Whom thou seest not. Examine the creation ; if of itself it stay therein but of Him, for no other reason pre judicial to lover, than because preferred to the Creator. Why have said this? With reference to this verse, brethren.
Dead, say, were they that did worship
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Psalm God that it might be well with them after the flesh : For to ^-xxx- be wise after the flesh is death : and dead are they that do 6. ' not worship God gratis, that is, because of Himself He is
good, not because He giveth such and such good things, which He giveth even to men not good. Money wilt thou have of God ? Even a robber hath it. Wife, abundance of children, soundness of body, the world's dignity, observe how many evil men have. Is this all for the sake of which thou
Pb. 73,2. dost worship Him? Thy feet will totter, thou wilt suppose thyself to worship without cause, when thou seest those things to be with them who do not worship Him. All these things, I say, He giveth even to evil men, Himself alone
Lat. LXXX.
He reserveth for good men. Thou wilt quicken
dead we were, when to earthly things we did cleave ; dead we were, when of the earthly man we did bear the image.
Thou wilt quicken us; Thou wilt renew us, the life of the inward man Thou wilt give us. And Thy Name we will invoke ; that is, Thee we will love. Thou to us wilt be the sweet forgiver of our sins, Thou wilt be the entire reward of the justified. (Ver. 20. ) O Lord God of virtues, convert ms, and shew Thy face, and we shall be whole.
PSALM LXXXI. EXPOSITION.
A Sermon to the people of Carthage.
We have undertaken to speak to you of the present Psalm ; let your quietness aid our voice, for it is somewhat worn out : the attention of the hearers, and the help of Him Who bids me speak, will give it strength. For a Title this Psalm hath, Unto the end for the presses, on the fifth of the Sabbath, a Psalm to Asaph himself. Into one title many mysteries are heaped together, still so that the lintel of the Psalm indicates the things within. As we have to speak of
the presses, let no one expect that we shall speak of a vat, ' Hscinisof a press, of olive baskets because neither the Psalm hath
us; for
Troubles to be expected in the ' winepress' of the Church. 1 13
this, and therefore it indicateth the greater mystery. Far Title. indeed if the text of the Psalm contained any thing of the
sort, there would be some one who would imagine that the presses were to be taken to the letter, and nothing more to
be sought there, nor any thing put mystically, and signified in sacred meaning ; but he would say, The Psalm speaketh simply of presses, and thou tellest me of I know not what beside that thou imaginest !
No such thing did ye hear in this when it was reading. Therefore take the presses for the mystery of the Church, which is now transacting. In the presses we observe three things, pressure, and of the pressure two things, one to be
laid up, the other to be thrown away. There takes place
then in the press a treading, a crushing, a weight : and with
these the oil strains out secretly into the vat, the lees run Kernel
nm
openly down the streets.
Look intently on this great spectacle. For God ceaseth
not to exhibit to us that which we may look upon with great joy, nor is the madness of the Circus to be compared with this spectacle. That belongeth to the lees, this to the oil. When therefore ye hear the blasphemers babble impudently and say that distresses abound in Christian times ; for ye know that they love to say this : and it is an old proverb, yet one that began from Christian times, ' God gives no rain ; count it to the Christians? ! ' Although it was those of old that said thus. But these now say also, ' That God sends rain, count it to the Christians ! God sends no rain ; we sow not. God sends rain; we reap not! ' And they wilfully make that an occasion of shewing pride, which ought to make them more earnest in supplication, choosing
rather to blaspheme than to pray.
When therefore they talk of such things, when they make
such boasts, when they say these things, and say them in defiance, not with fear, but with loftiness, let them not
? ' Due ad Christianos. ' al. (Heat and St. Cyprian to Demetrianus, Christianus,' with other variations, speaking of the like complaints with The Ben. Editor refers to DeCiv. Dei, respect to other calamities ; to which
c. 3. where a similar proverb" may be added, St. Aug. De Civ. Dei, noticed, and Tertull. Apol. o. 40. If c. 1. of the sack of Rome, such the Tiber rises to the walls, the Nile complaint being the occasion of his rises not upon the fields, presently the writing the book for its refutation,
cry The Christians to the HonB " VOL. IV.
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P8alm disturb you. For suppose that pressures abound; be thou lxxxI' oil. Let the lees, black with the darkness of ignorance, be insolent ; and let as though cast away in the streets, go
but do thou by thyself in thy heart, where He Who seeth in secret will requite thee, strain off into
the vat.
The olive on the tree shaken indeed by some tempests,
not crushed by the squeezings of the press there fore both hang together from the tree, both what to be thrown away, and what to be stored up. But when comes to the press, the squeezing, either distinguished,
gibing publicly
yet
and one thing sought after, the other is Would ye know the force of these presses To name some one thing about which even they murmur who make them How great plunderings, they say, are there in
our times, how great distresses of the innocent, how great robberies of other men's goods Thus indeed thou takest notice of the lees, that other men's goods are seized; to the oil thou givest no heed, that to the poor are given even men's own. The old time had no such plunderers of other men's
separated, rejected.
but the old time had no such givers of their own Be thou somewhat more curious about the press, choose not to see that only which flows off in public view,
there somewhat for thee to find by seeking. Discuss, listen, take knowledge, how many are doing that, which when one rich man heard from the mouth of the Lord, he
goods goods.
From the Gospel many hear, Go, .
Mat. 19,<<,en/ away sorrowful.
22 ' sell all that thou possessest, and give to the poor, and thou
shall have treasure in the heavens: and come, follow Me. Dost thou not observe how many are doing But few,'
are those. ' Yet those few are the oil and those who make good use of the things that they possess belong to the oil. Add up all, and thou wilt see thy householder's store full. Thou seest such plunderer, as thou hast never seen see thou such a despiser of his own goods, as thou hast never seen. Praise the presses. . Now fulfilled the
Rev. 22, prophecy from the Apocalypse, Let the righteous become more righteous, and let the filthy grow filthier still. Behold the presses in this sentence Let the righteous become more
sor- righteous, and let the filthy' grow filthier still.
they say,
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Mystery ofthe 'fifth day Holy Baptism. 1 15
2. Wherefore also on the fifth of the sabbath? What is Titlf. this? Let us go back to the first works of God, if perchance
we may not there find somewhat in which we may also understand a mystery. For the sabbath is the seventh day,
on which God rested from all His works, intimating the Gen. 2, great mystery of our future resting from all our works. First 2'
of the sabbath then is called that first day, which we also
call the Lord's day; second of the sabbath, the second day;
third of the sabbath, the third day; fourth of the sabbath,
the fourth day; the fifth of the sabbath, then, is the fifth
from the Lord's day; after which the sixth of the sabbath is
the sixth day, and the sabbath itself the seventh day. See
ye therefore to whom this Psalm speaketh. For it seems to
me that it speaketh to the baptized. For on the fifth day
God from the waters created animals : on the fifth day, that
is, on the ' fifth of the sabbath,' God said, Let the waters Gen. 1, bring forth creeping things of living souls. See ye, therefore, 20-
ye in whom the waters have already brought forth creeping things of living souls. For ye belong to the presses, and in you, whom the waters have brought forth, one thing is strained out, another is thrown away. For there are many that live not worthily of the baptism which they have re ceived. For how many that are baptized have chosen rather to be filling the Circus than this Basilica ! How many that are baptized are either making booths in the streets, or complaining that they are not made !
But this Psalm, For the presses, and on the fifth of the sabbath, is sung unto Asaph. Asaph was a certain man called by this name, as Idithun, as Core, as other names that we find in the titles of the Psalms : yet the interpretation of this name intimates the mystery of a hidden truth. Asaph, in fact, in Latin is interpreted 4 congregation. ' Therefore, For the presses, on the fifth of the sabbath, it is sung unto Asaph, that is, for a distinguishing pressure, to the baptized, born again of water, the Psalm is sung to the Lord's congregation. We have read the title on the
lintel, and have understood what it means by these presses. Now if you please let us see the very house of the com position, that is, the interior of the press. Let us enter, look
in, rejoice, fear, desire, avoid. For all these things ye are to i2
l5-
certain place, reproving and grieving, that no one had com municated with him in the matter of giving and receiving. What is, 'in the matter of giving and receiving,' but that
116
Rejoicing in God. Meaning of' Psalm' and ' Tabret. '
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Ps*lm find in this inward house, that is, in the text of the Psalm -x **- itself, when we shall have begun to read, and, with the Lord's help, to speak what He grants us. Lord,
3. Behold yourselves, 0 Asaph, congregation of the
(ver. 1. ) Exult ye unto God our helper. Ye who are gathered together to-day, ye are this day the congregation of the Lord, if indeed unto you the Psalm is sung, Exult ye unto God our helper. Others exult unto the Circus, ye unto God : others exult unto their deceiver, do ye exult unto your
helper : others exult unto their god their belly, do ye exult
unto your God your helper. Jubilate unto the God of Jacob. cun. 26, Because Je also belong to Jacob: yea, ye are Jacob, the younger people to which the elder is servant. Jubilate unto the God of Jacob. Whatsoever ye cannot explain in words,
yet do not therefore forbear exulting: what ye shall be^able to explain, cry out; what ye cannot, jubilate. For from the abundance of joys, he that cannot find words suflicient, useth to break out into jubilating; Jubilate unto the God of Jacob.
4. Ver. 2. Take the Pialm, and give the tabret. Both
take, and give. What is, take ? what, give ? Take the
Phil. 4, Psalm, and give the tabret. The Apostle Paul saith in a
l Cor. 9, which he hath openly set forth in another place. Ifwe have sowed unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we reap your carnal things. And it is true that a tabret, which is made of hide, belongs to the flesh. The Psalm, therefore, is spiritual, the tabret, carnal. Therefore, people of God, con gregation of God, take ye the Psalm, and give the tabret :
take ye spiritual things, and give carnal. This also is what at that blessed Martyr's table b we exhorted you, that re ceiving spiritual things ye should give carnal. For these
b St. Cyprian'*, who is Darned in there he was offered up, and because by 6. 23. namely, at Carthage, on the spot that very offering of his he prepared iif his martyrdom. "In that same that table, not to feed or be fed on, but j,lace," says St. Aug. Ser. 1)3, "a whereon sacrifice might be offered to ti. i,le was constructed to God, which is God, to Whom himself also was offered. " (ailed Cyprian's table, not because
Cyprian ever ate there, but because
(Ben. )
The Psaltery, heavenly thoughts, New Moon, new life. 1 17
which are built for the time, are needful for receiving the Ver. bodies either of the living or of the dead, but in time that is ------ passing by. Shall we after God's judgment take up these buildings to Heaven ? Yet without these we shall not be
able to do at this time the things which belong to the pos sessing of Heaven. If therefore ye are eager in getting spiritual things, be ye devout in expending carnal things.
Take the psalm, and give the tabret: take our voice, return your hands.
5. The pleasant psaltery1, with the harp. I remember ' or, The
that we once intimated to your charity the difference
psaltery and harp : let the thoughtful who remember recol- ><*>>(- lect, let those who either have not heard, or do not remember, learn. Of those two musical instruments, psaltery and harp, this
is the difference, that the psaltery hath that hollow wood, by which the strings are made to ring, in the upper part : the chords are struck below, that they may sound above. But in
the harp this same hollow of the wood holdeth the lower place : as though the other should be of heaven, this of earth. For heavenly is the preachiBg of the word of God.
But if we wait for heavenly things, let us not be sluggish in working at earthly things; because, the psaltery is pleasant,
but, with the harp. The same is expressed in another way
as above, Take the psalm, and give the tabret : here for
psalm, is put psaltery, for tabret, harp. Of this, however, we are admonished, that to the preaching of God's word we make answer by bodily works.
6. Ver. 3. Sound the trumpet. This Loudly and boldly preach, be not affrighted as the Prophet says in certain place, "Cry out, and lift up as with a trumpet thy voice. " Is. 68, Sound the trumpet in the beginning the month of the trumpet. It was ordered, that in the beginning of the month
there should be sounding of the trumpet: and this even
now the Jews do in bodily sort, after the spirit they under
stand not. For the beginning of the month, the new
moon the new moon, the new life. What the new moon? If any, then, in Christ, he is a new creature. Cor. What is, sound the trumpet in the beginning the month
the trumpet With all confidence preach ye the new life,
fear not the noise of the old life.
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118 Joseph sold into Egypt, Christ given over to Gentiles.
Psalm 7. Ver. 4. Because it is a commandment for Israel, and
l**xI- a judgment for the God of Jacob. Where a commandment,
Rom. 2, there judgment. For, They that have sinned in the Law, by
12, the Law shall be judged. And the very giver of the com-
M'
John 9, mandment, the Lord Christ, the Word made flesh, saith, For
judgment I
am come into the world, that they that see not may see, and they that see may be made blind. What is, That they that see not may see, they that see be made blind, but that the lowly be exalted, the proud thrown down?
Rom. of unbelief they were broken But thou, people of the 11, 20. GenMes^ stand fast in faith: be not high-minded, but fear. For God hath not spared the natural branches, neither
will He spare thee. But thou art highminded, thou dost not bear the root, but the root thee. What then, the vineyard before the sight whereof way was made, that she should
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Mountains in her shadow. What cavsed God's Judgments. 107
fill the earth, at first was where ? Her shadow covered the Ver. mountains. Who are the mountains ? The Prophets. Why
did her shadow cover them ? Because
the things which were foretold as to come. Thou hearest from the Prophets, Keep the Sabbath-day, on the eighth day circumcise a child, offer sacrifice of ram, of calf, of he-goat. Be not troubled, her shadow doth cover the mountains of God; there will come after the shadow a manifestation. And her shrubs the cedars of God, that is, she hath covered the cedars of God; very lofty, but of God. For the cedars are types of the proud, that must needs be overthrown. The cedars of Lebanon, the heights of the world, this vineyard did cover in growing, and the mountains of God, all the holy Prophets and Patriarchs.
10. But how far hast Thou stretched out her boughs?
(Ver. 11. ) Even unto the sea and unto the river her shoots.
Then what? Wherefore hast Thou thrown down her enclosure ? Now ye see the overthrow of that nation of
the Jews : already out of another Psalm ye have heard,
with axe and hammer 1 they hare thrown her down. When Ps. 74,6. could this have been done, except her enclosure had been ^0? ' thrown down. What is her enclosure ? Her defence. For
she bore herself proudly against her planter. The servants
that were sent to her and demanded a recompense, the hus-Mat. 2i, bandmen they scourged, beat, slew: there catne also the36'&c- Only Son, they said, This is the Heir; come, let us kill Him,
and our own the inheritance will be : they killed Him, and
out of the vineyard they cast Him forth. When cast forth,
cast forth. For thus He threatens her through Isaiah,
throw down her enclosure. Wherefore ? For I
she should bring forth grapes, but she brought forth thorns. I looked for fruit from thence, and I found sin. Why then dost thou ask, O Asaph, Why hast Thou thrown down her enclosure ? For knowest thou not why ? I looked that she should do judgment, and she did iniquity. Must not her enclosure needs be thrown down ? And there came the Gentiles when the enclosure was thrown down, the vineyard was assailed, and the kingdom of the Jews effaced. This at
darkly they spake
He did more perfectly possess the place whence HeI was
first he is lamenting, but not without hope. For of directing
witlu. 6, 2. looked that
108 The ' boar from the wood,' a fierce Gentile power.
Psalm the heart he is now speaking, that is, for the " Assyrians," LXXA' for " men directing," the Psalm is. Wherefore hast Thou thrown down her enclosure: and there pluck off her grapes all men passing along the way. What is men passing along
Ps. 96, 12
the way? Men having dominion for a time.
11. Ver. 13. Tliere hath laid her waste the boar from the
wood. In the boar from the wood what do we understand ? To the Jews a swine is an abomination, and in a swine they imagine as it were the uncleanness of the Gentiles. But by the Gentiles was overthrown the nation of the Jews: but that king who overthrew, was not only an unclean swine, but was also a boar. For what is a boar but a savage swine, a furious swine? A boar from the wood halh laid her waste. From the wood, from the Gentiles. For she was a vineyard, but the Gentiles were woods. But when the Gentiles be- lieved, there was said what ? " Then there shall exult all the trees of the woods. " The boar from the wood hath laid her waste; and a singular wild beast hath devoured her. A singular wild beast is what ? The very boar that laid her waste is the singular wild beast. Singular, because proud. For thus saith every proud one, It is I, it is I, and no
other.
12. But with what profit is this? (Ver. 14. ) O God of
virtues turn Thou nevertheless. Although these things have been done, Turn Thou nevertheless. Look from heaven and see, and visit this vineyard. (Ver. 15. ) And perfect Thou her whom Thy right hand hath planted. No other plant Thou, but this make Thou perfect. For she is the very seed of
Gen. 22, Abraham, she is the very seed in whom all nations shall be blessed: there is the root where is borne the gr. iffed wild olive. Perfect Thou this vineyard which Thy right hand hath planted. But wherein doth He perfect? And upon the Son of man, whom Thou hast strengthened to Thyself. What can be more evident ? Why do ye still expect, that we should still explain to you in discourse, and should we not rather cry out with you in admiration, Perfect Thou this vineyard which Thy right hand hath planted, and, upon the Son of man perfect her? What Son of man ? Him Whom
l 11.
Tliou hast strengthened to Thyself. A mighty stronghold :
Cor. 3, build as much as thou art able. For other foundation no
Sins are to be extermmated by God's rebuke. 109
one is able to lay, except that which is laid, which is Christ Jesus.
13. Ver. 16. Things burned with fire, and dug up, by the All sins
rebuke of Thy countenance shall perish. What are the? |Jj,e things burned with fire and dug up which shall perish from desireor the rebuke of His countenance. Let us see and perceive offear' what are the things burned with fire and dug up. Christ
hath rebuked what? Sins : by the rebuke of His countenance
sins have perished. Why then are sins burned with fire and
dug up ? Of all sins, two things are the cause in man, desire
and fear. Think, examine, question your hearts, sift your consciences, see whether there can be sins, except they be
either of desire, or of fear. There is set before thee a reward
to induce thee to sin, that is, a thing which delighteth thee ;
thou doest because thou desirest it. But perchance thou
wilt not be allured by bribes; thou art terrified with menaces,
thou doest because thou fearest. man would bribe thee,
for example, to bear false witness. Countless cases there
are, but am setting before you the plainer cases, whereby
ye may imagine the rest. last thou hearkened unto God,
and hast thou said in thy heart, What doth profit a man, Mat. 16,
he gain the whole world, but ofhis own soul suffer loss? 26,
am not allured by bribe to lose my soul to gain money, lor'life'
He tumeth himself to stir up fear within thee, he who was not able to corrupt thee with bribe, beginneth to threaten loss, banishment, massacres, perchance, and death. Therein now, if desire prevailed not, perchance fear will prevail to make thee sin. But furthermore, out of the Scriptures there comcth into thy mind, forbidding desire, what doth profit a man, he gain the whole world, but his own soul suffer loss: let there come also into thy mind, forbidding fear,
Fear not them who kill body, but soul are not able to kill. Mat. 10, Whosoever will kill thee may do as far as the body, as for28'
the soul he may not. Thy soul will not die unless thou shalt
have willed to kill it. Let another's iniquity slay thy flesh,
so long as the truth preserveth thy soul. But from the truth thou shalt have started aside, what more will the enemy do to thee than thou art of thyself doing to thyself? The raging enemy able to kill thy flesh but thou by bearing
false witness art killing thy soul. Flear the Scripture. The wisd. 11.
Ver. 16'
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110 Fear, and love, the cause of right or wrong actions.
Psaim mouth which lieth slayeth the soul. Therefore, my brethren, unto every right deed love and fear do lead : unto every sin
and fear do lead. To make thee do well, thou lovest God and fearest God : to make thee do ill, thou lovest the world and fearest the world. Let these two things be turned unto good : thou didst love the earth, love life eternal ; thou didst fear d<<ath, fear hell. Whatever to thee if unrighteous the world hath promised, will it be able to give as much as God will give to the righteous ? Whatever the world hath threatened thee if righteous, will it be able to do what God
doeth to the unrighteous ? Wilt thou see what God will Mat. 26, give, if thou shalt have lived righteously ? Come, ye blessed
3*'
andfear. love
ofMy Father, receive the kingdom which hath been prepared for you from the beginning of the world. Wilt thou see what Ib. v. 4i. He will do to ungodly men? Go ye into fire everlasting, which hath been prepared for the devil and his angeh. It
is well thou wouldest have nothing else than that it should be well with thee. For in that thing which thou lovest, thou wouldest have it well with thee ; and in that thing which thou fearest, thou wouldest not that it should be ill with thee : but thou dost not seek it in that country wherein it ought to be sought. Thou art in haste : for thou wouldest be both without indigence and without trouble. A good thing it is which thou wouldest have, but endure that which thou wouldest not, in order that thou mayest attain unto
that which thou wouldest. Furthermore, the face of Him effacing sins shall do what ? What are the sins set alight with fire and dug up ? What had evil love done ? A fire, as it were, it had set alight. What had evil fear done ? It had dug up, as it were. For love doth inflame, fear doth humble: therefore, sins of evil love, with fire were lighted : sins of evil fear, were dug up. On the one hand, evil fear dolh humble, and good love doth light ; but in different ways respectively. For even the husbandman interceding for the tree, that it
I will dig about it, and will apply a basket of dung. The dug trench doth signify the godly humility of one fearing, and the basket of dung the
Lukel3, should not be cut down, saith, 8-
profitable squalid state of one repenting. But concerning
I^ukel2,the fire of good love the Lord saith, Fire I
have come to send into the world. With which fire may the fervent in spirit
God quickening us, u>e depart not from Him. 1 1 1
barn, and they too that are inflamed with the love of God Ver. and their neighbour. And thus, as all good works are 17' 18- wrought by good fear and good love, so by evil fear and
evil love all sins are committed. Therefore, Things set
alight withfire and dug up, to wit, all sins, by the rebuke of Thy countenance shall perish.
14. Ver. 17. Let Thy hand be upon the Man of Thy right hand, awl upon the Son of Man Whom Thou hast strengthened
Thyself. (Ver. 18. ) And we depart not from Thee. How
long is the generation crooked and provoking, and one Ps. 78,8. which directeth not their heart ? Let Asaph say, Let Thy
mercy shew herself, do well with Thy vineyard ; perfect her. Forasmuch as blindness in part befel Israel, in order that ~Rom. il,
the fulness of the Gentiles might come in, and so all Israel25' might be saved. Thy face having been shewn upon the Man of Thy right hand, Whom Thou hast strengthened to Thyself, we depart not from Thee. How long dost Thou rebuke us ?
How long censure? 'JTiis do, And we depart not from Thee. Thou wilt quicken us, and Thy Name we will invoke. Thou shall be sweet to us, Thou wilt quicken us. For aforetime
we did love earth, not Thee: but Thou hast mortified our Col. 3, members which are upon the earth. For the Old Testament,6' having earthly promises, seemeth to exhort that God should
not be loved for nought, but that He should be loved because
He giveth something on earth. What dost thou love, so as not to love God ? Tell me. Love, if thou canst, any thing which He hath not made. Look round upon the whole creation, see whether in any place thou art held with the birdlime of desire, and hindered from loving the Creator,
except it be by that very thing which He hath Himself created, Whom thou despisest. But why dost thou love those things, except because they are beautiful ? Can they be as beautiful as He by Whom they were made ? Thou admirest these things, because thou seest not Him : but through those things which thou admirest, love Him Whom thou seest not. Examine the creation ; if of itself it stay therein but of Him, for no other reason pre judicial to lover, than because preferred to the Creator. Why have said this? With reference to this verse, brethren.
Dead, say, were they that did worship
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112 IVhat gifts God reserves for them that love Him.
Psalm God that it might be well with them after the flesh : For to ^-xxx- be wise after the flesh is death : and dead are they that do 6. ' not worship God gratis, that is, because of Himself He is
good, not because He giveth such and such good things, which He giveth even to men not good. Money wilt thou have of God ? Even a robber hath it. Wife, abundance of children, soundness of body, the world's dignity, observe how many evil men have. Is this all for the sake of which thou
Pb. 73,2. dost worship Him? Thy feet will totter, thou wilt suppose thyself to worship without cause, when thou seest those things to be with them who do not worship Him. All these things, I say, He giveth even to evil men, Himself alone
Lat. LXXX.
He reserveth for good men. Thou wilt quicken
dead we were, when to earthly things we did cleave ; dead we were, when of the earthly man we did bear the image.
Thou wilt quicken us; Thou wilt renew us, the life of the inward man Thou wilt give us. And Thy Name we will invoke ; that is, Thee we will love. Thou to us wilt be the sweet forgiver of our sins, Thou wilt be the entire reward of the justified. (Ver. 20. ) O Lord God of virtues, convert ms, and shew Thy face, and we shall be whole.
PSALM LXXXI. EXPOSITION.
A Sermon to the people of Carthage.
We have undertaken to speak to you of the present Psalm ; let your quietness aid our voice, for it is somewhat worn out : the attention of the hearers, and the help of Him Who bids me speak, will give it strength. For a Title this Psalm hath, Unto the end for the presses, on the fifth of the Sabbath, a Psalm to Asaph himself. Into one title many mysteries are heaped together, still so that the lintel of the Psalm indicates the things within. As we have to speak of
the presses, let no one expect that we shall speak of a vat, ' Hscinisof a press, of olive baskets because neither the Psalm hath
us; for
Troubles to be expected in the ' winepress' of the Church. 1 13
this, and therefore it indicateth the greater mystery. Far Title. indeed if the text of the Psalm contained any thing of the
sort, there would be some one who would imagine that the presses were to be taken to the letter, and nothing more to
be sought there, nor any thing put mystically, and signified in sacred meaning ; but he would say, The Psalm speaketh simply of presses, and thou tellest me of I know not what beside that thou imaginest !
No such thing did ye hear in this when it was reading. Therefore take the presses for the mystery of the Church, which is now transacting. In the presses we observe three things, pressure, and of the pressure two things, one to be
laid up, the other to be thrown away. There takes place
then in the press a treading, a crushing, a weight : and with
these the oil strains out secretly into the vat, the lees run Kernel
nm
openly down the streets.
Look intently on this great spectacle. For God ceaseth
not to exhibit to us that which we may look upon with great joy, nor is the madness of the Circus to be compared with this spectacle. That belongeth to the lees, this to the oil. When therefore ye hear the blasphemers babble impudently and say that distresses abound in Christian times ; for ye know that they love to say this : and it is an old proverb, yet one that began from Christian times, ' God gives no rain ; count it to the Christians? ! ' Although it was those of old that said thus. But these now say also, ' That God sends rain, count it to the Christians ! God sends no rain ; we sow not. God sends rain; we reap not! ' And they wilfully make that an occasion of shewing pride, which ought to make them more earnest in supplication, choosing
rather to blaspheme than to pray.
When therefore they talk of such things, when they make
such boasts, when they say these things, and say them in defiance, not with fear, but with loftiness, let them not
? ' Due ad Christianos. ' al. (Heat and St. Cyprian to Demetrianus, Christianus,' with other variations, speaking of the like complaints with The Ben. Editor refers to DeCiv. Dei, respect to other calamities ; to which
c. 3. where a similar proverb" may be added, St. Aug. De Civ. Dei, noticed, and Tertull. Apol. o. 40. If c. 1. of the sack of Rome, such the Tiber rises to the walls, the Nile complaint being the occasion of his rises not upon the fields, presently the writing the book for its refutation,
cry The Christians to the HonB " VOL. IV.
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114 The better sort in the Church less seen than the bad.
P8alm disturb you. For suppose that pressures abound; be thou lxxxI' oil. Let the lees, black with the darkness of ignorance, be insolent ; and let as though cast away in the streets, go
but do thou by thyself in thy heart, where He Who seeth in secret will requite thee, strain off into
the vat.
The olive on the tree shaken indeed by some tempests,
not crushed by the squeezings of the press there fore both hang together from the tree, both what to be thrown away, and what to be stored up. But when comes to the press, the squeezing, either distinguished,
gibing publicly
yet
and one thing sought after, the other is Would ye know the force of these presses To name some one thing about which even they murmur who make them How great plunderings, they say, are there in
our times, how great distresses of the innocent, how great robberies of other men's goods Thus indeed thou takest notice of the lees, that other men's goods are seized; to the oil thou givest no heed, that to the poor are given even men's own. The old time had no such plunderers of other men's
separated, rejected.
but the old time had no such givers of their own Be thou somewhat more curious about the press, choose not to see that only which flows off in public view,
there somewhat for thee to find by seeking. Discuss, listen, take knowledge, how many are doing that, which when one rich man heard from the mouth of the Lord, he
goods goods.
From the Gospel many hear, Go, .
Mat. 19,<<,en/ away sorrowful.
22 ' sell all that thou possessest, and give to the poor, and thou
shall have treasure in the heavens: and come, follow Me. Dost thou not observe how many are doing But few,'
are those. ' Yet those few are the oil and those who make good use of the things that they possess belong to the oil. Add up all, and thou wilt see thy householder's store full. Thou seest such plunderer, as thou hast never seen see thou such a despiser of his own goods, as thou hast never seen. Praise the presses. . Now fulfilled the
Rev. 22, prophecy from the Apocalypse, Let the righteous become more righteous, and let the filthy grow filthier still. Behold the presses in this sentence Let the righteous become more
sor- righteous, and let the filthy' grow filthier still.
they say,
5 21 '
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Mystery ofthe 'fifth day Holy Baptism. 1 15
2. Wherefore also on the fifth of the sabbath? What is Titlf. this? Let us go back to the first works of God, if perchance
we may not there find somewhat in which we may also understand a mystery. For the sabbath is the seventh day,
on which God rested from all His works, intimating the Gen. 2, great mystery of our future resting from all our works. First 2'
of the sabbath then is called that first day, which we also
call the Lord's day; second of the sabbath, the second day;
third of the sabbath, the third day; fourth of the sabbath,
the fourth day; the fifth of the sabbath, then, is the fifth
from the Lord's day; after which the sixth of the sabbath is
the sixth day, and the sabbath itself the seventh day. See
ye therefore to whom this Psalm speaketh. For it seems to
me that it speaketh to the baptized. For on the fifth day
God from the waters created animals : on the fifth day, that
is, on the ' fifth of the sabbath,' God said, Let the waters Gen. 1, bring forth creeping things of living souls. See ye, therefore, 20-
ye in whom the waters have already brought forth creeping things of living souls. For ye belong to the presses, and in you, whom the waters have brought forth, one thing is strained out, another is thrown away. For there are many that live not worthily of the baptism which they have re ceived. For how many that are baptized have chosen rather to be filling the Circus than this Basilica ! How many that are baptized are either making booths in the streets, or complaining that they are not made !
But this Psalm, For the presses, and on the fifth of the sabbath, is sung unto Asaph. Asaph was a certain man called by this name, as Idithun, as Core, as other names that we find in the titles of the Psalms : yet the interpretation of this name intimates the mystery of a hidden truth. Asaph, in fact, in Latin is interpreted 4 congregation. ' Therefore, For the presses, on the fifth of the sabbath, it is sung unto Asaph, that is, for a distinguishing pressure, to the baptized, born again of water, the Psalm is sung to the Lord's congregation. We have read the title on the
lintel, and have understood what it means by these presses. Now if you please let us see the very house of the com position, that is, the interior of the press. Let us enter, look
in, rejoice, fear, desire, avoid. For all these things ye are to i2
l5-
certain place, reproving and grieving, that no one had com municated with him in the matter of giving and receiving. What is, 'in the matter of giving and receiving,' but that
116
Rejoicing in God. Meaning of' Psalm' and ' Tabret. '
-
Ps*lm find in this inward house, that is, in the text of the Psalm -x **- itself, when we shall have begun to read, and, with the Lord's help, to speak what He grants us. Lord,
3. Behold yourselves, 0 Asaph, congregation of the
(ver. 1. ) Exult ye unto God our helper. Ye who are gathered together to-day, ye are this day the congregation of the Lord, if indeed unto you the Psalm is sung, Exult ye unto God our helper. Others exult unto the Circus, ye unto God : others exult unto their deceiver, do ye exult unto your
helper : others exult unto their god their belly, do ye exult
unto your God your helper. Jubilate unto the God of Jacob. cun. 26, Because Je also belong to Jacob: yea, ye are Jacob, the younger people to which the elder is servant. Jubilate unto the God of Jacob. Whatsoever ye cannot explain in words,
yet do not therefore forbear exulting: what ye shall be^able to explain, cry out; what ye cannot, jubilate. For from the abundance of joys, he that cannot find words suflicient, useth to break out into jubilating; Jubilate unto the God of Jacob.
4. Ver. 2. Take the Pialm, and give the tabret. Both
take, and give. What is, take ? what, give ? Take the
Phil. 4, Psalm, and give the tabret. The Apostle Paul saith in a
l Cor. 9, which he hath openly set forth in another place. Ifwe have sowed unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we reap your carnal things. And it is true that a tabret, which is made of hide, belongs to the flesh. The Psalm, therefore, is spiritual, the tabret, carnal. Therefore, people of God, con gregation of God, take ye the Psalm, and give the tabret :
take ye spiritual things, and give carnal. This also is what at that blessed Martyr's table b we exhorted you, that re ceiving spiritual things ye should give carnal. For these
b St. Cyprian'*, who is Darned in there he was offered up, and because by 6. 23. namely, at Carthage, on the spot that very offering of his he prepared iif his martyrdom. "In that same that table, not to feed or be fed on, but j,lace," says St. Aug. Ser. 1)3, "a whereon sacrifice might be offered to ti. i,le was constructed to God, which is God, to Whom himself also was offered. " (ailed Cyprian's table, not because
Cyprian ever ate there, but because
(Ben. )
The Psaltery, heavenly thoughts, New Moon, new life. 1 17
which are built for the time, are needful for receiving the Ver. bodies either of the living or of the dead, but in time that is ------ passing by. Shall we after God's judgment take up these buildings to Heaven ? Yet without these we shall not be
able to do at this time the things which belong to the pos sessing of Heaven. If therefore ye are eager in getting spiritual things, be ye devout in expending carnal things.
Take the psalm, and give the tabret: take our voice, return your hands.
5. The pleasant psaltery1, with the harp. I remember ' or, The
that we once intimated to your charity the difference
psaltery and harp : let the thoughtful who remember recol- ><*>>(- lect, let those who either have not heard, or do not remember, learn. Of those two musical instruments, psaltery and harp, this
is the difference, that the psaltery hath that hollow wood, by which the strings are made to ring, in the upper part : the chords are struck below, that they may sound above. But in
the harp this same hollow of the wood holdeth the lower place : as though the other should be of heaven, this of earth. For heavenly is the preachiBg of the word of God.
But if we wait for heavenly things, let us not be sluggish in working at earthly things; because, the psaltery is pleasant,
but, with the harp. The same is expressed in another way
as above, Take the psalm, and give the tabret : here for
psalm, is put psaltery, for tabret, harp. Of this, however, we are admonished, that to the preaching of God's word we make answer by bodily works.
6. Ver. 3. Sound the trumpet. This Loudly and boldly preach, be not affrighted as the Prophet says in certain place, "Cry out, and lift up as with a trumpet thy voice. " Is. 68, Sound the trumpet in the beginning the month of the trumpet. It was ordered, that in the beginning of the month
there should be sounding of the trumpet: and this even
now the Jews do in bodily sort, after the spirit they under
stand not. For the beginning of the month, the new
moon the new moon, the new life. What the new moon? If any, then, in Christ, he is a new creature. Cor. What is, sound the trumpet in the beginning the month
the trumpet With all confidence preach ye the new life,
fear not the noise of the old life.
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118 Joseph sold into Egypt, Christ given over to Gentiles.
Psalm 7. Ver. 4. Because it is a commandment for Israel, and
l**xI- a judgment for the God of Jacob. Where a commandment,
Rom. 2, there judgment. For, They that have sinned in the Law, by
12, the Law shall be judged. And the very giver of the com-
M'
John 9, mandment, the Lord Christ, the Word made flesh, saith, For
judgment I
am come into the world, that they that see not may see, and they that see may be made blind. What is, That they that see not may see, they that see be made blind, but that the lowly be exalted, the proud thrown down?
