Some
are drawn away by the ever moving succession of temporal goods j and some are preferred to proud honours, and in them exult : But we will exult in the name of the Lord our God.
are drawn away by the ever moving succession of temporal goods j and some are preferred to proud honours, and in them exult : But we will exult in the name of the Lord our God.
Augustine - Exposition on the Psalms - v1
The statutes of the Lord are right, not terri fying, but rejoicing the heart.
This the Holy Ghost.
The commandment of the Lord is clear, enlightening the
eyes not dulling them, the eyes, not of the flesh, but of the heart, not of the outer, but of the inner man. This the
Holy Ghost. Lord; 10. Ver. 9. The fear of the
not slavish fear, but chaste, loving freely, not fearing to be punished by Him at Whom alarmed, but to be separated from Him
it is
a
is
;
is
; is
;
it
is ?
is,
XIX Exp. il. caste*h
Uohn4,that
18'
Luke23,
because of unity.
11. Ver. 10. To be desired more than gold, and much
precious stone. Either much gold, or much precious, or much to be desired; much any way, with the heretic little. They do not love together with us, yet with us they confess Christ. This same Christ Whom with me thou dost confess, Him love with me. And he, who willeth not together, refuses, resists, rejects, with him there not this desirable ness more than gold, and much precious stone. Listen again, sweeter also than honey, and the honeycomb. But this all against the wanderer; honey bitter to one in
fever but notwithstanding sweet and acceptable to one restored to health, for to sound health dear. To be desired more than gold, and much precious stone, sweeter also than honey, and the honeycomb.
12. Ver. 11. For Thy servant also keepeth them. How sweet they are Thy servant proves by keeping them, not by talking. Thy servant keepeth them, for that they are both at present sweet, and healthful for time to come for in keeping them there is great reward. But enamoured of
his strife, the heretic neither sees this briiliaucy, nor tastes the sweetness.
13. Ver. 12. For, Who nn deist an det sins? Fat her, fornive
130 God's judgments not duly loved by those out of Unity.
oul, Dut enduring ever. This is the Holy Ghost, for
Psalm Whom it loves. This is chaste fear, not which perfect love
this fear the Holy Ghost giveth, bringeth, im- The judgments of the Lord are true, justified together, not for the contentions of division, but for the
gathering together of unity. For this together. This the Holy Ghost. Therefore He made them, upon whom He first descended, speak in the tongues of all nations, because He announced that He would gather together the
tongues of all nations into unity. What one man did then on receiving the Holy Ghost, that one should speak in the tongues of all nations, this unity itself now doth, she speaketh in all tongues. And now One Man speaketh in all nations in all tongues, One Man the Head and the Body, One Man Christ and the Church, perfect Man together, the bridegroom
phmteth.
Mat. 19, and the bride. But they two, saith He, shall be one flesh. The judgments of the Lord are true justified together,
h
;
it is
is is
is,
a
is
is
;
is,
Prayer to be cleansed from secret sin, kept from temptation. 137
them,for they know not what they do. Therefore, saith he, Ver. he is a servant1 who keepeth this sweetness, the pleasantness ,--^i- of charity, the love of unity. I, he says, myself who keep Mss. entreat Thee, (for who understandeth sins? ) lest some steal lThere"
over me, man as am, and by some, as man, be first saith entangled. Cleanse me, Lord,from my secret sins. This^j<<,6'" then we have sung see, to this have come in my dis course. Let us say, and sing with understanding, aud pray
in our song, and by our prayer obtain our petition, let us say, Cleanse me, Lord,from my secret sins. For, Who understandeth sins If darkness seen, sins are under stood. In fact, when we repent of sin, we are in the light. For whilst one entangled in his sin, with eyes as were darkened and closed, he sees not the sin for so, the eye of thy body be covered, thou canst neither see aught else, nor that by which covered. Therefore say we to God, Who can see what He will purify, who can have an eye on what He will heal say we to Him, Cleanse me, Lord,from my
secret sins, (ver. 13. ) and preserve Thy servant from those of others. My own sins, he says, pollute me, the sins of others afflict me from the one cleanse me, from the other pre serve me. Take away from my heart, pray, the evil thought, keep back from me the evil counsellor, this is, Cleanse me from my secret sins, and preserve Thy servant
from those of others. For these two kinds of faults, both
our own and those of others, appeared even from the very first in the beginning. The devil fell by his own sin, he degraded Adam by another's sin. This same servant of God <? en. who keepeth the judgments of God in which there great
reward, in another Psalm too prays thus, Let not the foot of? *. 36, pride come unto me, and let not the hand of the wicked
move me. Let not the foot of pride come unto me, that is,
Cleanse me, Lord,from my secret sins and let not the hand of the wicked move me, that is, Preserve Thy servant
from the sins others.
14. Ifthey get not the dominion over me, then shall be
If they get not the dominion over me, mine own
secret sins and the sins of others, then shall be undefiled ^s0xf" This no daring reliance on his own strength, but he entreats the Lord to fulfil to Whom said in another
undefiled.
it
it is
;; IIO
is
of
O
;
;
I ;O
I s.
is
,
if
it
I
it,
3,
is
it ? O; is
is
I
a
138 Danger our own making. Pride the ' great offence?
Psalm Psalm, Order my ways according to Thy word, and let no
ExJ/ii iniquity have dominion over me. If thou art a Christian,
Ps. 119, fear not the dominion of any man without; the Lord thy
133,
God fear alway. Fear the evil in thyself, that is, thy lust,
not what God made in thee, but what thou hast made for
Eccles. thine own self. The Lord made thee a good servant, thou 7 29. .
hast created in thine own heart an evil lord for thine own self. Justly wilt thou be subject to iniquity, justly wilt thou be subject to the lord, whom thou hast made for thine own self; since thou wouldest not be subject to Him Who made thee.
15. But if, he says, they get not the dominion over me,
then shall I
offence.
be undefiled, and cleansed the great from
What offence, do we suppose ? What is that great
offence ? Perchance it is other than that I am about to
mention, yet 1 will not conceal what I think. I deem the
1I'
Oxf. great offence to be pride. This perhaps is in another way
' taliter,' intimated in that he saith, And from shall be cleansed the
' in this great offence. Do you enquire how great that offence is, which cast down an Angel, which of an Angel made a Devil, and for ever closed the kingdom of heaven against him ? This is the great offence, and the head and cause of all
Ecelus. offences. For it is written, The beginning of all sin is ' ' pride. And that thou mightest not disregard it as any light
lb. t. 1 2. matter, he says, The beginning of pride in man is to depart from God. No light evil, my brethren, is this vice ; Chris
tian humility is displeasing to this vice in those persons, which you see to be of high degree. By reason of this vice men disdain to submit their necks to the yoke of Christ, being more straitly fastened to the yoke of sin. For no release from serving will be theirs ; for they do not like to serve, but to serve is expedient for them. By misliking to serve they gain nothing, but that they serve not a good Lord, not that they do not serve at all. Since whosoever will not be the servant of love, he must needs be the servant of iniquity. From this vice, which is the head of all vices, for that all other vices spring from thence, is produced a departing from God, whilst the soul goes into darkness, and makes an evil use of its free will, with all other sins too in its train ; so that a man squanders all his substance
by
The humble love to please God in His men sight only. 189
prodigal living with harlots, and through want becomes aVet. 1 feeder of swine, who was the associate of Angels. On account of this vice, on account of this great sin of pride,
God came in humility. This cause, this great sin, this mighty disease of souls, brought down the Almighty Physician from heaven, humbled Him even to the form of
a servant, exposed Him to despiteful treatment, hung Him on the tree ; that by the saving strength of so great medicine this swelling might be cured. Let man now at length blush to be proud, forIwhose sake God hath become humble. So, saith he, shall
be cleansed the great offence, from
because, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to lhejamea
humble. 4? ? ? , 1 Pet.
16. Ver. 14. And hereby shall the words of my mouth, 5,5. and the meditation of my heart, be pleasing in Thy sight alway. For if I be not cleansed from this great offence, my words will be pleasing in the sight of men, not in Thy
The proud soul would be pleasing in the sight of
men; the humble soul would be pleasing in secret, where
God seeth ; so that if she shall please men with any good
work, she would congratulate them whom the good work pleases, not herself, to whom it ought to be enough that she
hath done a good work. Our glory, saith the Apostle, M2cor. 1, this, the testimony of our conscience. And therefore let us 12, also say what follows, O Lord, my Helper and my Redeemer.
Helper in good, Redeemer from evil. Helper, that I may
dwell in Thy love, Redeemer, that Thou may est deliver me
from mine iniquity.
sight.
PSALM XX.
To the end, a Psalm of David.
xix.
1. This is a well-known title; and it is not Christ Who speaks ; but the prophet speaks to Christ, under the form of wishing foretelling things to come.
2. Ver. 1. The Lord hear Thee in the day of trouble. The Lord hear Thee in the day in which Thou saidsf,
140 Christs Sacrifice accepted, counsel and petitions fulfilled.
Psalm Father glorify Thy Son. The name of the God of Jacob
j 1.
23TM
' protect Thee. For to Thee belongeth the younger people. Since the elder shall serve the younger.
' (R)' Ver. 2. Send Thee help from the Holy, and from Sion
Bom. 9, defend Thee. Making for Thee a sanctified Body, the
1 'Sion,' Church, from watching1 safe, which waiteth when Thou shalt
' Ee- hold. ing,'p. 6.
come from the wedding.
4. Ver. 3. Be mindful of all Thy
32m
iieb 25.
wnere interceding for us at the Right Hand of the Father, He hath from thence shed abroad the Holy Spirit on them that believe on Him. In strength the safety of His right
Make us mindful of all Thy injuries and despiteful treatment, which Thou hast borne for us. And be Thy whole burnt offering
made fat. And turn the cross, whereon Thou wast wholly offered up to God, into the joy of the resurrection.
5. Diapsalma. (Ver. 4. ) The Lord render to Thee according to Thine Heart. The Lord render to Thee, not according to their heart, who thought by persecution they could destroy Thee; but according to Thine Heart, Wherein
sacrifice.
Johnl2, Thou knewest what profit Thy passion would have. And
fulfil all Thy counsel. And fulfil all Thy counsel, not only Johni5, that whereby Thou didst lay down Thy life for Thy friends, 12 that tne corrupted grain might rise again to more abundance; 24. but that also whereby blindness in part hath happened unto 25? . I26. 'Israel, that the fulness of the Gentiles might enter in, and
so all Israel might be saved.
6. Ver. 5. We will exult in Thy salvation. We will exult
in that death will in no wise hurt Thee; for so Thou wilt also shew that cannot hurt us either. And in the name of the Lord our God will we be magnified. And the confession of Thy name shall not only not destroy us, but shall even magnify us.
7. The Lord fulfil all Thy petitions. The Lord fulfil not only the petitions which Thou madest on earth, but those also whereby Thou intercedest for us in heaven. (Ver. 6. ) Now have known that the Lord hath saved His Christ. Now hath been shewn to me in prophecy, that the Lord will raise up His Christ again. He will hear Him from His holy heaven. He will hear Him not from earth only,
Johnl7, where He prayed to be glorified but from heaven also,
is
;
7
it I
it
J3'h
They that trust in God standfirm, while others fall. 141
hand. Our strength is in the safety of His favour, when Ver. even out of tribulation He giveth help, that when we are ~- weak, then we may be strong. For vain is that safety o/12, 10. man, which comes not of His right hand but of His left: for^8. 60, thereby are they lifted up to great pride, whosoever in their
sins have secured a temporal safety.
8. Ver. 7. Some in chariots, and some in horses.
Some
are drawn away by the ever moving succession of temporal goods j and some are preferred to proud honours, and in them exult : But we will exult in the name of the Lord our God. But we fixing our hope on things eternal, and not seeking our own glory, will exult in the name of the Lord our God
9. Ver. 8. They have been bound, and fallen. And there
fore were they bound by the lust of temporal things, fearing
to spare the Lord, lest they should lose their place by the Johni1, Romans: and rushing violently on the stone of offence and48. rock of stumbling, they fell from the heavenly hope : to
whom the blindness in part of Israel hath happened, being Rom. ignorant of God's righteousness, and wishing to establish g^ ' their own. But we are risen, and stand upright. But we, 10. 3.
''
that the Gentile people might enter in, out of the stones 9, raised up as children to Abraham, who followed not after righteousness, have attained to and are risen; and not Rom. by our own strength, but being justified by faith, we stand30- upright.
10. Ver. Lord, save the King: that He, Who in His Passion hath shewn us an example of conflict, should also offer up our sacrifices, the Priest raised from the dead, and established in heaven. And hear us in the day when we shall call on Thee. And as He now offereth for us, hear us in the day when we shall call on Thee.
PSALM XXI.
To the end, a Psalm of David himself.
familiar one the Psalm of Christ. Lord, the King shall rejoice in Thy strength. O Lord, in Thy strength, whereby the Word was made flesh,
Lat. xx.
The title 2. Ver.
1.
9. O
O
is
1.
a
;
is
it,
9,
142 Christ hath His desire, glory, and blessing, with suffering.
Psalm the Man Christ Jesus shall rejoice. And shall exult excecd- ----- ingly in Thy salvation. And in that, whereby Thou quick-
cnest all things, shall exult exceedingly.
3. Ver. 2. Thou hast given Him the desire of His soul.
Luke22, He desired to eat the Passover, and to lay down His life Johnio when He would, and again when He would to take it; and
18. 27.
Thou hast given it to Him. And hast not deprived Him of
' the good pleasure His lips. My peace, saith We, 1 leave of
with you : and it was done.
4. Ver. 3. For Thou hast presented Him with the bless
ings ofsweetness. Because He had first quaffed the blessing of Thy sweetness, the gall of our sins did not hurt Him. Diapsalma. Thou hast set a crown of precious stone on
Matt. 5, His Head. At the beginning of His discoursing precious stones were brought, and compassed Him about; His dis
from whom the commencement of His preaching should be made.
5. Ver. 4. He asked life; and Thou gavest Him: He Johni", asked a resurrection, saying, Father, glorify Thy Son ; and Thou gavest it Him, Length of days for ever and ever. The prolonged ages of this world which the Church was to
have, and after them an eternity, world without end.
6. Ver. 5. His glory is great in Thy salvation. Great indeed is His glory in the salvation, whereby Thou hast raised Him up again. Glory and great honour shall Thou
lay upon Him. But Thou shalt yet add unto Him glory and great honour, when Thou shalt place Him in heaven at Thy right hand.
7. Ver. 6. For Thou shalt give Him blessing for ever and ever. This is the blessing which Thou shalt give Him for ever and ever : Thou shalt make Him glad in joy together with Thy countenance. According to His manhood, Thou shalt make Him glad together with Thy countenance, which He lifted up to Thee.
8. Ver. 7. For the King hopeth in the Lord. For the King is not proud, but humble in heart, he hopeth in the Lord. And in the mercy of the Most Highest He shall not be moved. And in the mercy of the Most Highest His obedience even unto the death of the Cross shall not disturb
His humility.
ciples,
His power to recompense enemies, here and hereafter. 143
9. Ver. 8. Let Thy hand be found by all Thine enemies. Vrr.
----'-
Be Thy power, O King, when Thou comest lo judgment, found by all Thine enemies ; who in Thy humiliation dis cerned it not. Let Thy right hand find out all that hate
Thee. Let the glory, wherein Thou reignest at the right hand of the Father, find out for punishment in the day of judgment all that hate Thee; for that now they have not
found it.
10. Ver. 9. Thou shalt make them like a fiery oven:
Thou shalt make them on fire within, by the consciousness of their ungodliness : In the time of Thy countenance : in the time of Thy manifestation. The Lord shall trouble them in His wrath, and the fire shall devour them. And then, being troubled by the vengeance of the Lord, after the accu sation of their conscience, they shall be given up to eternal fire, to be devoured.
11. Ver. 10. Their fruit shall Thou destroy out of the earth. Their fruit, because it is earthly, shalt Thou destroy out of the earth. And their seed from the sons of men. And their works ; or, whomsoever they have seduced, Thou shalt not reckon among the sons of men, whom Thou hast
called into the everlasting inheritance.
12. Ver. 11. Because they turned evils against Thee.
Now this punishment shall be recompensed to them, because the evils which they supposed to hang over them by Thy reign, they turned against Thee to Thy death. They
a device, which they were not able to establish.
They imagined a device, saying, It is expedient that one die Johnil,
for all: which they were not able to establish, not knowing 50" what they said.
13. Ver. 12. For Thou shalt set them low. For Thou shalt rank them among those from whom in degradation and contempt Thou wilt turn away. In Thy leavings Thou shalt make ready their countenance. And in these things that Thou leavest, that is, in the desires of an earthly king dom, Thou shalt make ready their shamelessness for Thy
passion.
14. Ver. 13. Be Thou exalted, 0 Lord, in Thy strength.
Be Thou, Lord, Whom in humiliation they did not discern, exalted in Thy strength, which they thought weakness. We
imagined
144 Complaint of the Old Man represented in Christ.
Psalm tffill sing and praise Thy power. In heart and in deed we --'--, ' will celebrate and make known Thy marvels.
^; PSALM XXII.
FIRST EXPOSITION.
To the end, for the taking up of the morning, a Pialm of David.
1. To the end, for His own resurrection, the Lord Jesus John20, Christ Himself speaketh. For in the morning on the first
6.
also the person of the old man, whose mortality He bare. For our old man was nailed together with Him to the Cross. 2. Ver. 1. 0 God, my God, look upon me, why hast Thou
forsaken me far from my salvation ? Far removed from my
<<55.
my sins. For these are not the words of righteousness, but of my sins. For it is the old man nailed to the Cross that speaks, ignorant even of the reason why God hath forsaken him : or else it may be thus, The words of my sins are far from
my salvation. Iwill cry unto Thee in the day-time, 3. Ver. 2. My God,
and Thou wilt not hear. My God, I will cry unto Thee in the prosperous circumstances of this life, that they be not changed ; and Thou wilt not hear, because I shall cry unto Thee in the words of my sins. And in the night-season, and not to myfolly. And so in the adversities of this life will I cry to Thee for prosperity; and in like manner Thou wilt not hear. And this Thou doest not to my folly, but rather that I may have wisdom to know what Thou wouldest have me cry for, not with the words of sins out of longing for life
? Vid. Ps. 37. ? . 6. and 43. ? . 2. and Enarr. i. Ps. 58. ? . 2. and Ep. 149.
day of the week was His resurrection, whereby He was taken
1-- I7.
Pom. 6, up, into eternal life, Over whom death shall have no more
9-
Rom. 6, which He cried out, whilst hanging on the Cross, sustaining
dominion. Now what follows is spoken in the person of The Crucified. For from the head of this Psalm are the words,
ps. 119, salvation": for salvation is far from sinners. The words of
Christ scorned of men; drawn from womb of the Synagogue. 145
temporal, but with the words of turning to Thee for life V**. - eternal.
4. Ver. 3. But Thou dwellest in the holy place, 0 Thou praise of Israel. But Thou dwellest in the holy place, and therefore wilt not hear the unclean words of sins. The praise of him that seeth Thee ; not of him, who hath sought his own praise in tasling of the forbidden fruit, that on the
opening of his bodily eyes he should endeavour to hide himself from Thy sight.
5. Ver. 4. Our Fathers hoped in Thee. All the righteous, namely, who sought not their own praise, but Thine. They hoped in Thee, and Thou deliveredst them.
6. Ver. 5. They cried unto Thee, and were saved.
cried unto Thee, not in the words of sins, from which salva tion is far ; and therefore were they saved. They hoped in
Thee, and were not confounded. They hoped in Thee, and their hope did not deceive them. For they placed it not in
themselves. I \
am a worm, and no man. But I,
ing now not in the person of Adam, but I in My own person, Jesus Christ, was. born without human generation in the flesh, that I might be as man beyond men ; that so at least human pride might deign to imitate My humility. The
scorn of men, and outcast of the people. In which humility
1 was made the scorn of men, so as that it should be said, as
a reproachful railing, Be thou His disciple : and that the John 9, people despise Me.
8. Ver. 7.
eyes not dulling them, the eyes, not of the flesh, but of the heart, not of the outer, but of the inner man. This the
Holy Ghost. Lord; 10. Ver. 9. The fear of the
not slavish fear, but chaste, loving freely, not fearing to be punished by Him at Whom alarmed, but to be separated from Him
it is
a
is
;
is
; is
;
it
is ?
is,
XIX Exp. il. caste*h
Uohn4,that
18'
Luke23,
because of unity.
11. Ver. 10. To be desired more than gold, and much
precious stone. Either much gold, or much precious, or much to be desired; much any way, with the heretic little. They do not love together with us, yet with us they confess Christ. This same Christ Whom with me thou dost confess, Him love with me. And he, who willeth not together, refuses, resists, rejects, with him there not this desirable ness more than gold, and much precious stone. Listen again, sweeter also than honey, and the honeycomb. But this all against the wanderer; honey bitter to one in
fever but notwithstanding sweet and acceptable to one restored to health, for to sound health dear. To be desired more than gold, and much precious stone, sweeter also than honey, and the honeycomb.
12. Ver. 11. For Thy servant also keepeth them. How sweet they are Thy servant proves by keeping them, not by talking. Thy servant keepeth them, for that they are both at present sweet, and healthful for time to come for in keeping them there is great reward. But enamoured of
his strife, the heretic neither sees this briiliaucy, nor tastes the sweetness.
13. Ver. 12. For, Who nn deist an det sins? Fat her, fornive
130 God's judgments not duly loved by those out of Unity.
oul, Dut enduring ever. This is the Holy Ghost, for
Psalm Whom it loves. This is chaste fear, not which perfect love
this fear the Holy Ghost giveth, bringeth, im- The judgments of the Lord are true, justified together, not for the contentions of division, but for the
gathering together of unity. For this together. This the Holy Ghost. Therefore He made them, upon whom He first descended, speak in the tongues of all nations, because He announced that He would gather together the
tongues of all nations into unity. What one man did then on receiving the Holy Ghost, that one should speak in the tongues of all nations, this unity itself now doth, she speaketh in all tongues. And now One Man speaketh in all nations in all tongues, One Man the Head and the Body, One Man Christ and the Church, perfect Man together, the bridegroom
phmteth.
Mat. 19, and the bride. But they two, saith He, shall be one flesh. The judgments of the Lord are true justified together,
h
;
it is
is is
is,
a
is
is
;
is,
Prayer to be cleansed from secret sin, kept from temptation. 137
them,for they know not what they do. Therefore, saith he, Ver. he is a servant1 who keepeth this sweetness, the pleasantness ,--^i- of charity, the love of unity. I, he says, myself who keep Mss. entreat Thee, (for who understandeth sins? ) lest some steal lThere"
over me, man as am, and by some, as man, be first saith entangled. Cleanse me, Lord,from my secret sins. This^j<<,6'" then we have sung see, to this have come in my dis course. Let us say, and sing with understanding, aud pray
in our song, and by our prayer obtain our petition, let us say, Cleanse me, Lord,from my secret sins. For, Who understandeth sins If darkness seen, sins are under stood. In fact, when we repent of sin, we are in the light. For whilst one entangled in his sin, with eyes as were darkened and closed, he sees not the sin for so, the eye of thy body be covered, thou canst neither see aught else, nor that by which covered. Therefore say we to God, Who can see what He will purify, who can have an eye on what He will heal say we to Him, Cleanse me, Lord,from my
secret sins, (ver. 13. ) and preserve Thy servant from those of others. My own sins, he says, pollute me, the sins of others afflict me from the one cleanse me, from the other pre serve me. Take away from my heart, pray, the evil thought, keep back from me the evil counsellor, this is, Cleanse me from my secret sins, and preserve Thy servant
from those of others. For these two kinds of faults, both
our own and those of others, appeared even from the very first in the beginning. The devil fell by his own sin, he degraded Adam by another's sin. This same servant of God <? en. who keepeth the judgments of God in which there great
reward, in another Psalm too prays thus, Let not the foot of? *. 36, pride come unto me, and let not the hand of the wicked
move me. Let not the foot of pride come unto me, that is,
Cleanse me, Lord,from my secret sins and let not the hand of the wicked move me, that is, Preserve Thy servant
from the sins others.
14. Ifthey get not the dominion over me, then shall be
If they get not the dominion over me, mine own
secret sins and the sins of others, then shall be undefiled ^s0xf" This no daring reliance on his own strength, but he entreats the Lord to fulfil to Whom said in another
undefiled.
it
it is
;; IIO
is
of
O
;
;
I ;O
I s.
is
,
if
it
I
it,
3,
is
it ? O; is
is
I
a
138 Danger our own making. Pride the ' great offence?
Psalm Psalm, Order my ways according to Thy word, and let no
ExJ/ii iniquity have dominion over me. If thou art a Christian,
Ps. 119, fear not the dominion of any man without; the Lord thy
133,
God fear alway. Fear the evil in thyself, that is, thy lust,
not what God made in thee, but what thou hast made for
Eccles. thine own self. The Lord made thee a good servant, thou 7 29. .
hast created in thine own heart an evil lord for thine own self. Justly wilt thou be subject to iniquity, justly wilt thou be subject to the lord, whom thou hast made for thine own self; since thou wouldest not be subject to Him Who made thee.
15. But if, he says, they get not the dominion over me,
then shall I
offence.
be undefiled, and cleansed the great from
What offence, do we suppose ? What is that great
offence ? Perchance it is other than that I am about to
mention, yet 1 will not conceal what I think. I deem the
1I'
Oxf. great offence to be pride. This perhaps is in another way
' taliter,' intimated in that he saith, And from shall be cleansed the
' in this great offence. Do you enquire how great that offence is, which cast down an Angel, which of an Angel made a Devil, and for ever closed the kingdom of heaven against him ? This is the great offence, and the head and cause of all
Ecelus. offences. For it is written, The beginning of all sin is ' ' pride. And that thou mightest not disregard it as any light
lb. t. 1 2. matter, he says, The beginning of pride in man is to depart from God. No light evil, my brethren, is this vice ; Chris
tian humility is displeasing to this vice in those persons, which you see to be of high degree. By reason of this vice men disdain to submit their necks to the yoke of Christ, being more straitly fastened to the yoke of sin. For no release from serving will be theirs ; for they do not like to serve, but to serve is expedient for them. By misliking to serve they gain nothing, but that they serve not a good Lord, not that they do not serve at all. Since whosoever will not be the servant of love, he must needs be the servant of iniquity. From this vice, which is the head of all vices, for that all other vices spring from thence, is produced a departing from God, whilst the soul goes into darkness, and makes an evil use of its free will, with all other sins too in its train ; so that a man squanders all his substance
by
The humble love to please God in His men sight only. 189
prodigal living with harlots, and through want becomes aVet. 1 feeder of swine, who was the associate of Angels. On account of this vice, on account of this great sin of pride,
God came in humility. This cause, this great sin, this mighty disease of souls, brought down the Almighty Physician from heaven, humbled Him even to the form of
a servant, exposed Him to despiteful treatment, hung Him on the tree ; that by the saving strength of so great medicine this swelling might be cured. Let man now at length blush to be proud, forIwhose sake God hath become humble. So, saith he, shall
be cleansed the great offence, from
because, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to lhejamea
humble. 4? ? ? , 1 Pet.
16. Ver. 14. And hereby shall the words of my mouth, 5,5. and the meditation of my heart, be pleasing in Thy sight alway. For if I be not cleansed from this great offence, my words will be pleasing in the sight of men, not in Thy
The proud soul would be pleasing in the sight of
men; the humble soul would be pleasing in secret, where
God seeth ; so that if she shall please men with any good
work, she would congratulate them whom the good work pleases, not herself, to whom it ought to be enough that she
hath done a good work. Our glory, saith the Apostle, M2cor. 1, this, the testimony of our conscience. And therefore let us 12, also say what follows, O Lord, my Helper and my Redeemer.
Helper in good, Redeemer from evil. Helper, that I may
dwell in Thy love, Redeemer, that Thou may est deliver me
from mine iniquity.
sight.
PSALM XX.
To the end, a Psalm of David.
xix.
1. This is a well-known title; and it is not Christ Who speaks ; but the prophet speaks to Christ, under the form of wishing foretelling things to come.
2. Ver. 1. The Lord hear Thee in the day of trouble. The Lord hear Thee in the day in which Thou saidsf,
140 Christs Sacrifice accepted, counsel and petitions fulfilled.
Psalm Father glorify Thy Son. The name of the God of Jacob
j 1.
23TM
' protect Thee. For to Thee belongeth the younger people. Since the elder shall serve the younger.
' (R)' Ver. 2. Send Thee help from the Holy, and from Sion
Bom. 9, defend Thee. Making for Thee a sanctified Body, the
1 'Sion,' Church, from watching1 safe, which waiteth when Thou shalt
' Ee- hold. ing,'p. 6.
come from the wedding.
4. Ver. 3. Be mindful of all Thy
32m
iieb 25.
wnere interceding for us at the Right Hand of the Father, He hath from thence shed abroad the Holy Spirit on them that believe on Him. In strength the safety of His right
Make us mindful of all Thy injuries and despiteful treatment, which Thou hast borne for us. And be Thy whole burnt offering
made fat. And turn the cross, whereon Thou wast wholly offered up to God, into the joy of the resurrection.
5. Diapsalma. (Ver. 4. ) The Lord render to Thee according to Thine Heart. The Lord render to Thee, not according to their heart, who thought by persecution they could destroy Thee; but according to Thine Heart, Wherein
sacrifice.
Johnl2, Thou knewest what profit Thy passion would have. And
fulfil all Thy counsel. And fulfil all Thy counsel, not only Johni5, that whereby Thou didst lay down Thy life for Thy friends, 12 that tne corrupted grain might rise again to more abundance; 24. but that also whereby blindness in part hath happened unto 25? . I26. 'Israel, that the fulness of the Gentiles might enter in, and
so all Israel might be saved.
6. Ver. 5. We will exult in Thy salvation. We will exult
in that death will in no wise hurt Thee; for so Thou wilt also shew that cannot hurt us either. And in the name of the Lord our God will we be magnified. And the confession of Thy name shall not only not destroy us, but shall even magnify us.
7. The Lord fulfil all Thy petitions. The Lord fulfil not only the petitions which Thou madest on earth, but those also whereby Thou intercedest for us in heaven. (Ver. 6. ) Now have known that the Lord hath saved His Christ. Now hath been shewn to me in prophecy, that the Lord will raise up His Christ again. He will hear Him from His holy heaven. He will hear Him not from earth only,
Johnl7, where He prayed to be glorified but from heaven also,
is
;
7
it I
it
J3'h
They that trust in God standfirm, while others fall. 141
hand. Our strength is in the safety of His favour, when Ver. even out of tribulation He giveth help, that when we are ~- weak, then we may be strong. For vain is that safety o/12, 10. man, which comes not of His right hand but of His left: for^8. 60, thereby are they lifted up to great pride, whosoever in their
sins have secured a temporal safety.
8. Ver. 7. Some in chariots, and some in horses.
Some
are drawn away by the ever moving succession of temporal goods j and some are preferred to proud honours, and in them exult : But we will exult in the name of the Lord our God. But we fixing our hope on things eternal, and not seeking our own glory, will exult in the name of the Lord our God
9. Ver. 8. They have been bound, and fallen. And there
fore were they bound by the lust of temporal things, fearing
to spare the Lord, lest they should lose their place by the Johni1, Romans: and rushing violently on the stone of offence and48. rock of stumbling, they fell from the heavenly hope : to
whom the blindness in part of Israel hath happened, being Rom. ignorant of God's righteousness, and wishing to establish g^ ' their own. But we are risen, and stand upright. But we, 10. 3.
''
that the Gentile people might enter in, out of the stones 9, raised up as children to Abraham, who followed not after righteousness, have attained to and are risen; and not Rom. by our own strength, but being justified by faith, we stand30- upright.
10. Ver. Lord, save the King: that He, Who in His Passion hath shewn us an example of conflict, should also offer up our sacrifices, the Priest raised from the dead, and established in heaven. And hear us in the day when we shall call on Thee. And as He now offereth for us, hear us in the day when we shall call on Thee.
PSALM XXI.
To the end, a Psalm of David himself.
familiar one the Psalm of Christ. Lord, the King shall rejoice in Thy strength. O Lord, in Thy strength, whereby the Word was made flesh,
Lat. xx.
The title 2. Ver.
1.
9. O
O
is
1.
a
;
is
it,
9,
142 Christ hath His desire, glory, and blessing, with suffering.
Psalm the Man Christ Jesus shall rejoice. And shall exult excecd- ----- ingly in Thy salvation. And in that, whereby Thou quick-
cnest all things, shall exult exceedingly.
3. Ver. 2. Thou hast given Him the desire of His soul.
Luke22, He desired to eat the Passover, and to lay down His life Johnio when He would, and again when He would to take it; and
18. 27.
Thou hast given it to Him. And hast not deprived Him of
' the good pleasure His lips. My peace, saith We, 1 leave of
with you : and it was done.
4. Ver. 3. For Thou hast presented Him with the bless
ings ofsweetness. Because He had first quaffed the blessing of Thy sweetness, the gall of our sins did not hurt Him. Diapsalma. Thou hast set a crown of precious stone on
Matt. 5, His Head. At the beginning of His discoursing precious stones were brought, and compassed Him about; His dis
from whom the commencement of His preaching should be made.
5. Ver. 4. He asked life; and Thou gavest Him: He Johni", asked a resurrection, saying, Father, glorify Thy Son ; and Thou gavest it Him, Length of days for ever and ever. The prolonged ages of this world which the Church was to
have, and after them an eternity, world without end.
6. Ver. 5. His glory is great in Thy salvation. Great indeed is His glory in the salvation, whereby Thou hast raised Him up again. Glory and great honour shall Thou
lay upon Him. But Thou shalt yet add unto Him glory and great honour, when Thou shalt place Him in heaven at Thy right hand.
7. Ver. 6. For Thou shalt give Him blessing for ever and ever. This is the blessing which Thou shalt give Him for ever and ever : Thou shalt make Him glad in joy together with Thy countenance. According to His manhood, Thou shalt make Him glad together with Thy countenance, which He lifted up to Thee.
8. Ver. 7. For the King hopeth in the Lord. For the King is not proud, but humble in heart, he hopeth in the Lord. And in the mercy of the Most Highest He shall not be moved. And in the mercy of the Most Highest His obedience even unto the death of the Cross shall not disturb
His humility.
ciples,
His power to recompense enemies, here and hereafter. 143
9. Ver. 8. Let Thy hand be found by all Thine enemies. Vrr.
----'-
Be Thy power, O King, when Thou comest lo judgment, found by all Thine enemies ; who in Thy humiliation dis cerned it not. Let Thy right hand find out all that hate
Thee. Let the glory, wherein Thou reignest at the right hand of the Father, find out for punishment in the day of judgment all that hate Thee; for that now they have not
found it.
10. Ver. 9. Thou shalt make them like a fiery oven:
Thou shalt make them on fire within, by the consciousness of their ungodliness : In the time of Thy countenance : in the time of Thy manifestation. The Lord shall trouble them in His wrath, and the fire shall devour them. And then, being troubled by the vengeance of the Lord, after the accu sation of their conscience, they shall be given up to eternal fire, to be devoured.
11. Ver. 10. Their fruit shall Thou destroy out of the earth. Their fruit, because it is earthly, shalt Thou destroy out of the earth. And their seed from the sons of men. And their works ; or, whomsoever they have seduced, Thou shalt not reckon among the sons of men, whom Thou hast
called into the everlasting inheritance.
12. Ver. 11. Because they turned evils against Thee.
Now this punishment shall be recompensed to them, because the evils which they supposed to hang over them by Thy reign, they turned against Thee to Thy death. They
a device, which they were not able to establish.
They imagined a device, saying, It is expedient that one die Johnil,
for all: which they were not able to establish, not knowing 50" what they said.
13. Ver. 12. For Thou shalt set them low. For Thou shalt rank them among those from whom in degradation and contempt Thou wilt turn away. In Thy leavings Thou shalt make ready their countenance. And in these things that Thou leavest, that is, in the desires of an earthly king dom, Thou shalt make ready their shamelessness for Thy
passion.
14. Ver. 13. Be Thou exalted, 0 Lord, in Thy strength.
Be Thou, Lord, Whom in humiliation they did not discern, exalted in Thy strength, which they thought weakness. We
imagined
144 Complaint of the Old Man represented in Christ.
Psalm tffill sing and praise Thy power. In heart and in deed we --'--, ' will celebrate and make known Thy marvels.
^; PSALM XXII.
FIRST EXPOSITION.
To the end, for the taking up of the morning, a Pialm of David.
1. To the end, for His own resurrection, the Lord Jesus John20, Christ Himself speaketh. For in the morning on the first
6.
also the person of the old man, whose mortality He bare. For our old man was nailed together with Him to the Cross. 2. Ver. 1. 0 God, my God, look upon me, why hast Thou
forsaken me far from my salvation ? Far removed from my
<<55.
my sins. For these are not the words of righteousness, but of my sins. For it is the old man nailed to the Cross that speaks, ignorant even of the reason why God hath forsaken him : or else it may be thus, The words of my sins are far from
my salvation. Iwill cry unto Thee in the day-time, 3. Ver. 2. My God,
and Thou wilt not hear. My God, I will cry unto Thee in the prosperous circumstances of this life, that they be not changed ; and Thou wilt not hear, because I shall cry unto Thee in the words of my sins. And in the night-season, and not to myfolly. And so in the adversities of this life will I cry to Thee for prosperity; and in like manner Thou wilt not hear. And this Thou doest not to my folly, but rather that I may have wisdom to know what Thou wouldest have me cry for, not with the words of sins out of longing for life
? Vid. Ps. 37. ? . 6. and 43. ? . 2. and Enarr. i. Ps. 58. ? . 2. and Ep. 149.
day of the week was His resurrection, whereby He was taken
1-- I7.
Pom. 6, up, into eternal life, Over whom death shall have no more
9-
Rom. 6, which He cried out, whilst hanging on the Cross, sustaining
dominion. Now what follows is spoken in the person of The Crucified. For from the head of this Psalm are the words,
ps. 119, salvation": for salvation is far from sinners. The words of
Christ scorned of men; drawn from womb of the Synagogue. 145
temporal, but with the words of turning to Thee for life V**. - eternal.
4. Ver. 3. But Thou dwellest in the holy place, 0 Thou praise of Israel. But Thou dwellest in the holy place, and therefore wilt not hear the unclean words of sins. The praise of him that seeth Thee ; not of him, who hath sought his own praise in tasling of the forbidden fruit, that on the
opening of his bodily eyes he should endeavour to hide himself from Thy sight.
5. Ver. 4. Our Fathers hoped in Thee. All the righteous, namely, who sought not their own praise, but Thine. They hoped in Thee, and Thou deliveredst them.
6. Ver. 5. They cried unto Thee, and were saved.
cried unto Thee, not in the words of sins, from which salva tion is far ; and therefore were they saved. They hoped in
Thee, and were not confounded. They hoped in Thee, and their hope did not deceive them. For they placed it not in
themselves. I \
am a worm, and no man. But I,
ing now not in the person of Adam, but I in My own person, Jesus Christ, was. born without human generation in the flesh, that I might be as man beyond men ; that so at least human pride might deign to imitate My humility. The
scorn of men, and outcast of the people. In which humility
1 was made the scorn of men, so as that it should be said, as
a reproachful railing, Be thou His disciple : and that the John 9, people despise Me.
8. Ver. 7.
