The Lord was scoffed at, because His
disciples
ate with un
washed hands.
washed hands.
Augustine - Exposition on the Psalms - v6
For, on the surface, it is such, that it
seemeth to need only a reader and a listener, not an ex positor. " True to this belief, St. Augustine pressed out word by word of Holy Scripture, and that, always in de pendence on the inward teaching of God the Holy Ghost Who wrote it, until he had extracted some fulness of meaning from it. More also, perhaps, than any other work of St. Augustine, this commentary abounds in those condensed statements of doctrinal and practical truth, which are so in structive, because at once so comprehensive and so accurate.
May He, under Whose gracious influence this great work was written, be with its readers also, and make it now, as heretofore, a treasure to this portion of His Church.
Advent, 1857.
E. B. P.
TO THE MEMORY
OF THE
MOST REVEREND FATHER IN OOD
WILLIAM
LORD ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY, PRIMATE OF All ENGlAND,
FORMERlv REGIUS PROFESSOR OF DIVINITv IN THE UNIVERSITv OF OxFOftP,
THIS LIBRARY 01
AN'CIENT BISHOPS, FATHERS, DOCTORS, MARTYRS, CONFESSORS, OF CHRIST'S HOLY CATHOLIC CHURCH,
UNDERTAKEN AMID HIS ENCOURAGEMENT,
AND
CARRIED ON FOR TWElVE YEARS UNDER HIS SANCTION,
UNTIl HIS DEPARTURE HENCE IN l'EACE, is
GRATEFUllY AND REVERENTlY INSCRIBED"
ST. AUGUSTINE ON
THE PSALMS.
PSALM CXXVI. Lat.
cXXv.
to that Jerusalem above, the mother of us all, which Heaven? The same that above, also everlasting. But26- this which was here on earth shewed shadow of that other. So then this fell, the other abideth: this fulfilled the period
of instruction, to the other belongeth the eternity of our restoration. From her we are on pilgrimage in this life, for return to her we sigh, wretched and toiling along, till we come home to her. Nor have our fellow citizens the Angels forsaken us in our pilgrimage; they have told us of our King Who to come to us. And He came to us, and was despised among us, first by ourselves, afterwards with ourselves; and taught us to be despised, because He was despised; taught us to endure, because He endured; taught
us to suffer, because He suffered; and promised that we should rise again, because He rose again; shewing in Himself what we ought to hope for. If therefore, brethren,
the ancient Prophets, our fathers, before the Lord Jesus Christ came in the flesh, before He rose from the dead, and ascended into Heaven, yet sighed after that city: how much
VOL. VI.
A Sermon to the People.
1. Ye will remember, that this next Psalm for us to treat in order is the hundred and twenty-fifth, which is among those Psalms the title of which is A Song of Degrees. Now this
as ye know, the voice of them that ascend; --whither, save
in Gal.
B
is
a is
is
is
4,
is,
2 We wait here as Captives for return to our Jerusalem. Psalm ought wo to long for the place whither Himself is gone
--
before us, and which He never left. For the Lord did not so come to us as to leave the Angels. He both abode for them, and came to us: for them He abode in majesty, to us He came in the flesh. But we were, where? If He is called our Redeemer, we were held captives. But where were we held, that He should come to redeem us as captives? Perchance among barbarians? worse than any barbarians are the devil and his angels. They were before in possession of the human race: from them He redeemed us, Who gave not gold nor silver for us, but His own Blood.
2. But how man had come into captivity, let us ask the Apostle Paul. For he especially groans in that captivity, sighing for the everlasting Jerusalem, and has taught us to groan from that very Spirit with which he too was filled
Rom. 8, when he groaned. For this he said : The whole creation groaneth together, and is in pain until now. And again, ib. 20. For tl,e creature was made subject to vanity, he says, not
of itself, but because of him who subjected the same in hope. By all creation, he meant that even in those who do not believe, but are yet to believe, the creature groaneth in labours. Is it then only in those who have not yet be lieved? Yea, does not the creature groan nor travail in those who have believed ? But not only so, he saith, but even we who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, that is, who
serve God in the Spirit, who now with the mind have believed in God, and in the very act of believing have given some sort of firstfruits, that we may follow our First- fruits. Therefore, we ourselves also groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. So then he himself also groaned, and all the faithful groan, waiting for the adoption, the redemption of their body. Where do they groan ? In this mortal state. What re demption do they wait for ? That of their body, which went before in the Lord, Who rose again from the dead, and ascended into Heaven. Till this be restored us, we must needs groan, though faithful, though hoping. There
fore he goes on after saying, We also ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body: as though it were said to him, What then,
ib. 23.
already
Our Lord has gone before, but not forsaken us. 3
hath Christ profited thee, if thou still groanest ; and how Title. hath the Saviour saved thee ? He who groaneth, is still
sick. Therefore he subjoined and said, For we are saved in hope; but hope that is seen is not hope; for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for ? But if we hope for that we see not, by patience we wait for it. Behold wherefore it is we groan, and how it is we groan, because what we hope for we are already indeed waiting for, but have it not yet in possession, and until we have it in possession we sigh, during time, because we long for what we have not yet. Wherefore? Because we have been saved in hope. Already the flesh taken of us in the Lord is saved not in hope but in fact. For our flesh hath risen again, and
ascended, in our Head, whole, though in the members it hath yet to be made whole. The members rejoice fear lessly, because they have not been deserted by their Head.
24? TM'56'
am with Mat. 28, For He said to His members in trouble, Behold, I 20
you, even unto the consummation of the world. Thus it was done that we might be converted unto God. For we had no hope save toward the world ; and thence were wretched slaves, and twice wretched, because we had placed our hope in this life, and had our face toward the world, and our back toward God. But when the Lord hath turned us, so that we begin now to have our face toward God, and our back toward the world, though still in the way, we mind our own home, and when perchance we suffer any tribulation, but yet keep on our voyage, and are borne on the Wood; the wind indeed is rough, but it is a favourable wind ; with toil indeed, but quickly it beareth
us, quickly it beareth us home. Since then we were groan
ing for our captivity ; and even they groan who have already believed; but had forgotten how we became captives, and
are reminded of it by the Scripture ; let us ask the Apostle
Paul himself. FoIr he saith; For we know that the Law^o",-7,
am carnal, sold under sin. Behold whence we became captives ; because we were sold under
sin. Who sold us ? We ourselves, who consented to the seducer. We could sell ourselves ; we could not redeem ourselves. We sold ourselves by consent of sin, we are redeemed in the faith of righteousness. For innocent blood
b2
is spiritual, but
4 Manner of our Redemption. This World, Babylon.
cXXvi WaS ? 'ven *or us' tnat we m'S^lt ^e redeemed. Whatsoever 'blood he shed in persecuting the righteous, what kind of
blood did he shed? Righteous men's blood, indeed, he shed; they were Prophets, righteous men, our fathers, and Martyrs. Whose blood he shed, yet all coming of the offspring of sm" ^ne Dloo^ ne sned of Him Who was not justified1,
? made
Hgh- , but born righteous : by shedding that blood, he lost those
teoua. whom he held. For they for whom innocent blood was given were redeemed, and, turned back from their captivity, they sing this Psalm.
3. Ver. 1 . When the Lord turned back the captivity ofSion, we became as those that are comforted. He meant by this to say, we became joyful. When ? When the Lord turned back the captivity of Sion. What is Sion ? Jerusalem, the same is also the eternal Sion. How is Sion eternal, how is Sion captive ? In angels eternal, in men captive. For not all the citizens of that city are captives, but those who are away from thence, they are captives. Man was a citizen of
Jerusalem, but sold under sin he became a pilgrim. Of his progeny was born the human race, and the captivity of Sion filled all lands. And how is this captivity of Sion a shadow of that Jerusalem ? The shadow of that Sion, which
Jer. 25, was granted to the Jews, in an image, in a figure, was in
Rom.
10.
captivity in Babylonia, and after seventy years that people turned back to its own city. Seventy years signify all that time which revolves in seven days. But when all time past, then we return to our country, as after seventy years that people returned from the Babylonish captivity, for Babylon this world; since Babylon interpreted con
See the whole of man's life not confusion. Whatsoever men do in vain hope, when they have found out what they are doing they blush. Wherefore do they labour For whom do they labour? For my children, he saith. And they for whom For their children. And they for whom For their children. No one, therefore, for him self. From this confusion, then, they were already turned back to whom the Apostle saith, For what glory had ye in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? So then this whole life of human affairs confusion, which belongeth not unto God. In this confusion, in this Baby
fusion.
is
is is
6,
?
?
is if
? is
2<<J
The mourners comforted, through our Lord's Resurrection. 5
lonish land, Sion is held captive. But the Lord hath Vrr. turned back the captivity of Sion. -----
4. And we became, he saith, as those that are comforted. That is, we rejoiced as receiving consolation. Consolation is not save for the unhappy, consolation is not save for them that groan, that mourn. Wherefore, as those that are com
forted, except because we are still mourning r We mourn for our present lot, we are comforted in hope : when the present is passed by, of our mourning will come everlasting
joy, when there will be no need of consolation, because we shall be wounded with no distress. But wherefore saith he as those that are comforted, and saith not comforted ? This word as, is not always put for likeness : when we say As, it
sometimes refers to the actual case, sometimes to likeness : here it is with reference to the actual case. But we must give examples also from the common speech of men, that we may be easily understood. When we say, As the father lived so did also the son, we say it of likeness : and, As a beast dieth, so man dieth ; this too is said of likeness. But when wesay,Heactedasagoodman; ishenotagoodman,but something like a good man ? He acted like a just man. This 'like' does not deny that he is just, but denotes his
actual character. Thou didst it as a senator : if he should say, Am I not then a senator? Yea, because thou art, thou didst it as a senator ; and because thou art just, thou didst like 'a just man ; and because thou art good, thou didst it like a good man. Therefore because these also were truly comforted, they rejoiced as those that were comforted. That
is, great was their joy, as of those who are comforted, when He Who had died comforted those who had yet to die. For we all groan in that we die : He Who died hath com forted us, that we should not fear to die. He rose again
first, that we might have what to hope for. Since then He first rose again, He gave us hope. Because when in distress, we were comforted by hope ; hence our joy is great. And the Lord hath turned back our captivity, so that now from our captivity we are on our way, and are going toward our home. Now then, being redeemed, on our way let us not
fear our enemies that lay wait for us. For He therefore redeemed us, that the enemy might not dare to lay wait for
(i The mouth of the heart.
Psalm us if we did not leave the way. For Christ Himself became CXXVI. our w Wouldest thou not suffer from robbers ? He saith to thee. I have paved thee a way to thy home, leave not
the way. Such a way have I paved, that the robber cannot venture to come nigh thee: do thou beware of leaving
and the robber dares not come nigh thee. Walk therefore in Christ, and sing rejoicing, sing as one that comforted because He went before thee Who hath commanded thee to follow Him.
5. Ver. 2. Tlien was our mouth filled with joy, and our tongue with exultation. That mouth, brethren, which we have in our body, how filled with joy? It useth not to be filled, save with meat, or drink, or some such thing put into the mouth. Sometimes our mouth filled and
more that we say to your holiness, when we have our
mouth full, we cannot speak. But we have
that in the heart, whence whatsoever proceedeth,
evil, defileth us, good, cleanseth us. For concerning this very mouth ye heard when the Gospel was read. For
Mat. 15, the Jews reproached the Lord, because His disciples ate &c' with unwashen hands. They reproached who had cleanness
without and within were full of stains.
whose righteousness was only in the eyes of men. But the
Lord sought our inward cleanness, which
Mat. 23, outside must needs be clean also. Cleanse, He saith, the 25- inside, and the outside shall be clean also. The Lord Him- Lukell. self saith in another place, But give alms, and behold all 4l* things are clean unto you. But whence proceedeth alms?
From the heart. For thou hold out thy hand, and pity not in thy heart, thou hast done nothing; but if thou hast compassion in thy heart, even though thou hast not what to bestow with thy hand, God accepteth thy alms. But they, wicked men as they were, sought cleanness without.
Among them was that Pharisee, who had invited the Lord, when
Luke woman, who had been notorious sinner in the city, came 30-&c- unto Him, who washed the Lord's feet with tears, wiped them with her hair, anointed them with ointment. The
Pharisee, who had invited the Lord, and had not cleanness save outwardly in the body, but was in heart full of iniquity
ib. 39. and rapine, said unto himself, This
man he were a
mouth within,
They reproached,
we have, the
if
if ais
7,
is is,
a if is it
a
it
is it
; it,
;
1"
if it is
; if
is
Inward purity required by our Lord. 7
prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman Ver. this is that toucheth Him. How did he learn whether Jesus ---- knew or knew not ? But he concluded that He knew not, because He did not repel her from Him. If such a woman
had approached this Pharisee, he whose purity was as it were in the flesh, would have blown upon her as something evil, would have repelled her, would have cast her off; that the unclean might not touch the clean, and pollute his cleanness. Because our Lord did not this, he believed Him to be ignorant what sort of woman had approached His feet: whereas the Lord not only knew her, but also heard his thoughts: for although the touch of the body doth some thing, O unclean Pharisee, would the Lord's flesh have been
polluted by a woman's touch, or the woman have been cleansed by the Lord's touch ? But the Physician allowed the sick to touch the healer ; and she who had come, knew the Physician ; and she who had been wont perhaps in her fornication to be bold, became even more bold for her cure. She burst into a house whither she had not been invited : but she had wounds, and had come where the Physician was reclining. But he who had invited the Physician, seemed to himself whole; and for this very reason, he was left unhealed. What followeth in the Gospel ye know; how this Pharisee was confounded, when He shewed him both that He knew this woman's character, and had heard his thoughts.
6. But let us return to what was just now read from the Gospel, relating to the verse before us, Our mouth was filted
with joy, and our tongue with delight: for we are enquiring
what mouth and what tongue. Listen, beloved brethren.
The Lord was scoffed at, because His disciples ate with un
washed hands. The Lord answered them as was fitting, and
said unto the crowds whom He had called unto Him, Hear Mat. 15, ye all, and understand : not that which goeth into the mouth j defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this36- &c. defilelh a man. What is this ? when He said, what goeth
into the mouth, He meant only the mouth of the body. For
meat goeth in, and meats defile not a man; because, /iWiTim. 4, things are clean to the clean; and, Every creature of God
is good, and none to be refused, if it be received with thanks- Lerit giving. Some things were placed in a figurative relation to
8 The mouth of the heart filled with joy toward God.
Psalm the Jews, and were called unclean. But after the light itself CXXVI. came> the shadows were removed. We are not bound in the letter, but quickened in the Spirit: and the yoke of these ceremonial observances, imposed upon the Jew, was not
Mat. n, imposed upon Christians; for the Lord said, For My yoke
30*
is easy, and My burden is light; and the Apostle saith, Titus 1, Unto the pure are all things pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving, is nothing pure: but even their
mind and conscience is defiled. What did he mean to be understood ? Both bread and swine's flesh is pure to a pure man, to an impure man neither bread nor swine's flesh is pure. To the unbelieving and the defiled, he saith, nothing is pure. Why is nothing pure ? But even their mind and
conscience, he saith, are defiled : because if what is within is impure; what is without cannot be pure. If therefore to them unto whom the inner is impure, the outward cannot be pure; if thou wishest that the outside should be pure, purify the inward. For there is the mouth which shall be filled with joy, even when thou art silent : for when thou art silent and dost rejoice, thy mouth crieth unto the Lord. But consider whence thou rejoicest. If thy joy be from the
world, thou criest unto God with impure joy : but if thou rejoicest in thy redemption, as this Psalm saith, When the Lord turned again the captivity of Sion, then did we rejoice; then is thy mouth filled with true joy, and thy tongue with delight : it is clear that thou rejoicest in hope, and thy joy
is accepted with God. In this very joy, or in this very mouth which we have within, we both eat and drink: just as we eat with this mouth for our bodily refreshment, so do we with that mouth for the refreshment of the heart. For from
Matt. 5, thence, Blessed are they that do hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled.
7. But if nothing make a man impure save what goeth forth from his mouth, and, when we hear this in the Gospel, if we only understand the mouth of the body; it is ridi culous and outrageously foolish, to imagine that a man doth not become impure when he eateth, and to think that^he then becometh impure, if he vomit. For the Lord saith,
ii 'Not that which goeth into the mouth, defileth a man, but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man.
The inward will is the speech of the heart's mouth. 9
When therefore thou eatest, thou art not unclean ; when Ver. thou dost vomit, dost thou then become unclean ? When ------ thou drinkest, thou art not unclean: and when thou spewest,
art thou then unclean ? For when thou spewest, something
goeth forth from thy mouth ; when thou drinkest, something
goeth into thy mouth. What did the Lord mean to say?
Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man, but
that which goeth out of the mouth, that defileth a man. According to another Evangelist, He goeth on at once to describe what things go out of the mouth ; that thou mayest understand that He spake not of the mouth of the body,
but of the mouth of the heart. For he saith, For out o/"M>>l is, the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, forni- Bnd*c' cations, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: these are the^KVJ' things that defile a man, but to eat with unwashen hands dejileth not a man. In what sense then, my brethren,
do these things go out of the mouth, save because they go out of the heart, even as the Lord Himself saith? For they do not defile us when we speak of them. Let not any one say, When we speak of them, they go forth from our mouth, because words and sounds go forth from our mouth ; and when we speak evil words, we become impure. What if any one should not speak, and should only think of evil things : is he clean, because nothing hath gone out of the mouth of his body ? But God hath already heard it from the mouth of his heart. Behold, my brethren, listen to what I say. I name a theft: I have only named a theft; because 1 have named a theft, hath the theft defiled me 1 Behold, it hath gone out of my mouth, and hath not made me
But the thief ariseth in the night, and saith nothing with his mouth, and by his deed becometh impure. He not only saith not, but buries the deed in utter silence ; and is so fearful of his voice being heard, that he wisheth not even his steps to creak: because, then, he is thus
impure.
I say even more, my brethren. Lo, he still lieth in his couch, he hath not yet risen to execute the theft; he is awake, and waiting for men to sleep: he already crieth in the ear of God, he is already a thief, he is already impure, already the deed hath gone out of his inward mouth. For when doth the crime go out of his
silent, is he pure ?
10 Psalm mouth ?
God considers chiefly our inward speech.
CXXVI
When he maketh up his mind to perpetrate it. ?
"Thou hast decided to do it: thou hast said, thou hast done it. If thou hast not committed an outward act of theft, possibly he from whom thou didst plan to take away, did not deserve to lose : and he hath lost nothing, while thou wilt be condemned for theft. Thou hast determined to kill a man ; thou hast said this in thy heart, murder hath sounded from thy inward mouth : still the man liveth, and thou the murderer art punished. For the question before God is, what thou art, not what thou hast not yet appeared
in the sight of men.
8. We then surely know, and ought to be certain, to
maintain, that there is a mouth of the heart, there is also a tongue of the heart. That mouth itself is filled with joy: in that mouth itself we pray God inwardly, when the lips are closed, and the conscience is laid open. All is silent : and the breast crieth out: but unto whose ears? Not to the ears of man, but of God. Be therefore fearless: He who hath mercy, heareth. And again, when no man heareth evil words, if they go out of thy mouth, be not fearless,
Hist. of because He who condemneth, heareth. Susanna was not 35s"" heard by her unjust judges, she was silent, and prayed.
Her mouth was not heard by men, her heart cried forth unto God. Because her voice went not out of the mouth of her body, did she not on that account deserve to be heard ? She was heard ; when she prayed, no man knew. Therefore, brethren, consider what we have in the inner mouth. See that ye say no evil there within, and ye will do no evil without : for nothing can be done by man with out, save what hath been said within. Guard the mouth of thy heart from evil, and thou wilt be innocent : the tongue of thy body will be innocent, thy hands will be innocent; even thy feet will be innocent, thy eyes, thy ears, will be innocent; all thy members will serve under righteousness, because a righteous commander hath thy heart.
9. Then shall they say among the heathen, the Lord hath done great things for them. (Ver. 3. ) Yea, the Lord hath done great things for us already, whereof we rejoice. Consider, my brethren, if Sion doth not at present say this among the heathen, throughout the whole world ; consider
Prophecies fulfilled in the Church. Past put for future. 1 1
if men are not running unto the Church. In the whole Van. world our redemption is received ; Amen is answered. The ---- dwellers in Jerusalem, therefore, captive, destined to return, pilgrims, sighing for their country, speak thus among the heathen. What do they say ? The Lord hath done great things for us, whereof we rejoice. Have they done any
thing for themselves ? They have done ill with themselves, for they have sold themselves under sin. The Redeemer came, and did the good things for them : The Lord hath done great things for them: the Lord hath done great things for us already, whereof we rejoice.
10. Ver. 4. Turn our captivity, O Lord, as the torrents
in the south. Consider, my brethren, what this meaneth.
He had already said, When the Lord turned again the captivity of Sion. He was speaking as it seemeth of the
past : but a Prophet, speaking of the past, usually foretells
the future. He seemed to be speaking of the past, when he
said in another Psalm, They pierced My hands and My P*. 2-2,
feet: they numbered all My bones. He said not, they will16' 1 " pierce My feet : he said not, they will number : he said not,
they will part My garments among them : he said not, over
My raiment will they cast lots : these things were to come,
and were yet related as if they had passed. For all things destined to happen, have already happened unto God. So here when he was saying, When the Lord turned again the captivity of Sion, then were we like unto them that are consoled. Then was our mouth filled with joy, and our tongue with delight; that he might shew that he was thinking of things future under the figure of the past, he addeth,
Then shall they say among the heathen. Shall say, is now of the future. The Lord hath done great things for us, whereof we rejoice. Then when they were being sung they were future, and now they are seen as present. He therefore prayeth for them as if for things future, though he sang of future things as things past : Turn our captivity, O Lord. Their captivity therefore was not as yet turned, because the Redeemer had not as yet come. Therefore, when the Psalms were sung, what was then prayed for, is now done : Turn our captivity, O Lord, as the torrents in the south. As torrents are turned in the south, so turn our captivity. We
12 Frost of sin thawed by grace. Sowing in tears.
Psalm were enquiring what this was : but it will presently appear, CXXVl. ^ the Lord's help, revealed unto your prayers. In a certain passage Scripture saith, in admonishing us concerning good
Ecclus. works, Tliy sins also shall melt away, even as the ice in
'
fair warm weather. Our sins therefore bound us. How ? As the cold bindeth the water that it run not. Bound with the frost of our sins, we have frozen. But the south wind is a warm wind : when the south wind blows, the ice melts, and the torrents are filled. Now winter streams are called torrents; for filled with sudden rains they run with great force. We had therefore become frozen in captivity; our sins bound us: the south wind the Holy Spirit hath blown: our sins are forgiven us, we are released from the frost of iniquity; as the ice in fair weather, our sins are melted. Let us run unto our country, as the torrents in the south. For we have long toiled, and even in good works we toil. For the life of man, which we have entered upon, is wretched, full of toils, sorrows, dangers, troubles, temptations. Be not seduced with a delight in human life ; heed the things that should be wept for in human life. The new born infant might first laugh before he wept: why doth he commence life with weeping ? He knoweth not yet how to laugh: why doth he already know how to weep? Because
he hath begun to enter upon this life. But if he be among those captives, he here weepeth and groaneth: but joy will come.
11. Ver. 5. For the next words are, Tliey that sow in tears, shall reap in joy. In this life, which is full of tears, let us sow. What shall we sow? Good works. Works of mercy are our seeds: of which seeds the Apostle saith,
Gal. 6, Let us not be weary in well doing; for in due season we
shall reap if we faint not. As we have therefore oppor
tunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them
that are the household I therefore of of of faith. Speaking
2 Cor. 9, almsgiving itself, what saith he ? Tliis
sparingly, shall reap also sparingly. He therefore who soweth plentifully, shall reap plentifully : he who soweth sparingly, shall reap also sparingly : and he that soweth nothing, shall reap nothing. Why do ye long for ample estates, where ye may sow plentifully ? There is not a wider
say; he that soweth
A good will can sow with small means. 13
field on which ye can sow than Christ, Who hath willed
VgB. that we should sow in Himself. Your soil is the Church ; -----
sow as much as ye can. But thou hast not enough to do
this. Hast thou the will >> ? As what thou hadst would be nothing, if thou hadst not a good will ; so do not despond, because thou hast not, if thou hast a good will. For what
dost thou sow ? Mercy. And what wilt thou reap ? Peace.
Said the Angels, Peace on earth unto rich men ? No, but,
Peace on earth unto men of a good will. Zacchaeus had a Luke 2, strong will, Zacchaeus had great charity. He entertained 14*
the Lord hospitably and with joy, and promised that he
would give the half of his patrimony to the poor, and would Lukei9, restore fourfold if he had taken any thing from any man ; so 6' 8" that thou mayest understand that he retained the half, not
that he might hold it as a safe possession, but that he might
have some means of paying his debts. He had a great will,
he gave much, he sowed much. Did then that widow who
cast her two farthings into the treasury, sow little. Nay, as
much as Zacchaeus. For she had narrower means, but an
equal will. She gave her two mites with as good a will asLuke21, Zacchaeus gave the half of his patrimony. If thou consider
what they gave, thou wilt find their gifts different ; if thou look to the source, thou wilt find them equal; she gave whatever she had, and he gave what he had.
12. Suppose some one not to have even two coins: is
there any thing still cheaper that we can sow, so that we may
reap that harvest ? There is : Whosoever shall give a disciple Mat. 10, a cup of cold water, shall not lose his reward. A cup of Mark 9, cold water doth not cost two coins, but is had for nothing; 41.
nevertheless, it sometimes so happenetb, that one man hath and another hath not therefore he who hath give to another who hath not he hath given as much, he
gave what he gave with full charity, he hath given as much, say, as the widow in her two mites, as Zacchaeus in the half of his property. For He added not without cause the epithet cold to water, that he might show that the donor was poor. He said, cup of cold water, that no man might object on the ground that he had not wood to heat the water. Whosoever shall give unto one of these little ones a
Oxf. Mss. Have a good will. '
*
'
;
; if
I
it it,
A it it
if it
14 All opportunities are means of charity, as well as riches.
Psalm cup of cold water only, shall in no wise lose his reward. ^^2-* What if he have not even this? Let him be without fear, Luke 2, even if he have not this; Peace on earth unto men of good li' will. Let him fear this only, lest he have the means and
neglect to bestow them. For if he have them and give not, he hath become frozen within, his sins are not yet melted like the torrent in the south, because his will is cold. What do so great goods as we possess avail ? Fervent will cometh, now set free by the southern heat ; though it have nothing, the whole is reckoned unto it. How great things do beg
gars bestow upon one another ? Consider, my beloved, how their alms are given. Verily they unto whom thou dost alms are beggars, beggars want. Ye probably attend to your brethren, if they want aught ; ye give, if Christ be in you, even to strangers. But if they are beggars whose pro
fession is asking alms, in trouble they also have what to be stow upon one another. God hath not so forsaken them, but that they have wherein they may be tried by their bestowing of alms. This man cannot walk ; he who can walk, lendeth his feet to the lame ; he who seeth, lendeth his eyes to the blind ; and he who is young and sound, lendeth his strength
to the old or the infirm, he carrieth him : the one is poor, the other is rich.
13. Sometimes also the rich man is found to be poor, and something is bestowed upon him by the poor. Some body cometh to a river, so much the more delicate as he is more rich ; he cannot pass over : if he were to pass over with bare limbs, he would catch cold, would be ill, would die : a poor man more active in body cometh up: he carries the rich man over; he giveth alms unto the rich. Think not
therefore those only poor, who have not money. Attend to every man in that wherein he wanteth: for perhaps thou art rich in this, wherein he is poor, and hast wherewith thou mayest help him. Perhaps thou lendest him thy limbs, and this is more than if thou shouldest lend him money. He
wanteth counsel, thou art full of counsel ; he is poor, thou art rich in counsel. Lo, thou dost not toil, nor losest any thing; thou givest counsel, and thou hast given alms. Now, my brethren, while we are speaking, ye are as it were poor, compared unto us: and since God hath deigned to give
When all shall be happy, alms will have no place. 15
unto ns, we bestow therefore upon you; and we all receive Ver.
seemeth to need only a reader and a listener, not an ex positor. " True to this belief, St. Augustine pressed out word by word of Holy Scripture, and that, always in de pendence on the inward teaching of God the Holy Ghost Who wrote it, until he had extracted some fulness of meaning from it. More also, perhaps, than any other work of St. Augustine, this commentary abounds in those condensed statements of doctrinal and practical truth, which are so in structive, because at once so comprehensive and so accurate.
May He, under Whose gracious influence this great work was written, be with its readers also, and make it now, as heretofore, a treasure to this portion of His Church.
Advent, 1857.
E. B. P.
TO THE MEMORY
OF THE
MOST REVEREND FATHER IN OOD
WILLIAM
LORD ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY, PRIMATE OF All ENGlAND,
FORMERlv REGIUS PROFESSOR OF DIVINITv IN THE UNIVERSITv OF OxFOftP,
THIS LIBRARY 01
AN'CIENT BISHOPS, FATHERS, DOCTORS, MARTYRS, CONFESSORS, OF CHRIST'S HOLY CATHOLIC CHURCH,
UNDERTAKEN AMID HIS ENCOURAGEMENT,
AND
CARRIED ON FOR TWElVE YEARS UNDER HIS SANCTION,
UNTIl HIS DEPARTURE HENCE IN l'EACE, is
GRATEFUllY AND REVERENTlY INSCRIBED"
ST. AUGUSTINE ON
THE PSALMS.
PSALM CXXVI. Lat.
cXXv.
to that Jerusalem above, the mother of us all, which Heaven? The same that above, also everlasting. But26- this which was here on earth shewed shadow of that other. So then this fell, the other abideth: this fulfilled the period
of instruction, to the other belongeth the eternity of our restoration. From her we are on pilgrimage in this life, for return to her we sigh, wretched and toiling along, till we come home to her. Nor have our fellow citizens the Angels forsaken us in our pilgrimage; they have told us of our King Who to come to us. And He came to us, and was despised among us, first by ourselves, afterwards with ourselves; and taught us to be despised, because He was despised; taught us to endure, because He endured; taught
us to suffer, because He suffered; and promised that we should rise again, because He rose again; shewing in Himself what we ought to hope for. If therefore, brethren,
the ancient Prophets, our fathers, before the Lord Jesus Christ came in the flesh, before He rose from the dead, and ascended into Heaven, yet sighed after that city: how much
VOL. VI.
A Sermon to the People.
1. Ye will remember, that this next Psalm for us to treat in order is the hundred and twenty-fifth, which is among those Psalms the title of which is A Song of Degrees. Now this
as ye know, the voice of them that ascend; --whither, save
in Gal.
B
is
a is
is
is
4,
is,
2 We wait here as Captives for return to our Jerusalem. Psalm ought wo to long for the place whither Himself is gone
--
before us, and which He never left. For the Lord did not so come to us as to leave the Angels. He both abode for them, and came to us: for them He abode in majesty, to us He came in the flesh. But we were, where? If He is called our Redeemer, we were held captives. But where were we held, that He should come to redeem us as captives? Perchance among barbarians? worse than any barbarians are the devil and his angels. They were before in possession of the human race: from them He redeemed us, Who gave not gold nor silver for us, but His own Blood.
2. But how man had come into captivity, let us ask the Apostle Paul. For he especially groans in that captivity, sighing for the everlasting Jerusalem, and has taught us to groan from that very Spirit with which he too was filled
Rom. 8, when he groaned. For this he said : The whole creation groaneth together, and is in pain until now. And again, ib. 20. For tl,e creature was made subject to vanity, he says, not
of itself, but because of him who subjected the same in hope. By all creation, he meant that even in those who do not believe, but are yet to believe, the creature groaneth in labours. Is it then only in those who have not yet be lieved? Yea, does not the creature groan nor travail in those who have believed ? But not only so, he saith, but even we who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, that is, who
serve God in the Spirit, who now with the mind have believed in God, and in the very act of believing have given some sort of firstfruits, that we may follow our First- fruits. Therefore, we ourselves also groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. So then he himself also groaned, and all the faithful groan, waiting for the adoption, the redemption of their body. Where do they groan ? In this mortal state. What re demption do they wait for ? That of their body, which went before in the Lord, Who rose again from the dead, and ascended into Heaven. Till this be restored us, we must needs groan, though faithful, though hoping. There
fore he goes on after saying, We also ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body: as though it were said to him, What then,
ib. 23.
already
Our Lord has gone before, but not forsaken us. 3
hath Christ profited thee, if thou still groanest ; and how Title. hath the Saviour saved thee ? He who groaneth, is still
sick. Therefore he subjoined and said, For we are saved in hope; but hope that is seen is not hope; for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for ? But if we hope for that we see not, by patience we wait for it. Behold wherefore it is we groan, and how it is we groan, because what we hope for we are already indeed waiting for, but have it not yet in possession, and until we have it in possession we sigh, during time, because we long for what we have not yet. Wherefore? Because we have been saved in hope. Already the flesh taken of us in the Lord is saved not in hope but in fact. For our flesh hath risen again, and
ascended, in our Head, whole, though in the members it hath yet to be made whole. The members rejoice fear lessly, because they have not been deserted by their Head.
24? TM'56'
am with Mat. 28, For He said to His members in trouble, Behold, I 20
you, even unto the consummation of the world. Thus it was done that we might be converted unto God. For we had no hope save toward the world ; and thence were wretched slaves, and twice wretched, because we had placed our hope in this life, and had our face toward the world, and our back toward God. But when the Lord hath turned us, so that we begin now to have our face toward God, and our back toward the world, though still in the way, we mind our own home, and when perchance we suffer any tribulation, but yet keep on our voyage, and are borne on the Wood; the wind indeed is rough, but it is a favourable wind ; with toil indeed, but quickly it beareth
us, quickly it beareth us home. Since then we were groan
ing for our captivity ; and even they groan who have already believed; but had forgotten how we became captives, and
are reminded of it by the Scripture ; let us ask the Apostle
Paul himself. FoIr he saith; For we know that the Law^o",-7,
am carnal, sold under sin. Behold whence we became captives ; because we were sold under
sin. Who sold us ? We ourselves, who consented to the seducer. We could sell ourselves ; we could not redeem ourselves. We sold ourselves by consent of sin, we are redeemed in the faith of righteousness. For innocent blood
b2
is spiritual, but
4 Manner of our Redemption. This World, Babylon.
cXXvi WaS ? 'ven *or us' tnat we m'S^lt ^e redeemed. Whatsoever 'blood he shed in persecuting the righteous, what kind of
blood did he shed? Righteous men's blood, indeed, he shed; they were Prophets, righteous men, our fathers, and Martyrs. Whose blood he shed, yet all coming of the offspring of sm" ^ne Dloo^ ne sned of Him Who was not justified1,
? made
Hgh- , but born righteous : by shedding that blood, he lost those
teoua. whom he held. For they for whom innocent blood was given were redeemed, and, turned back from their captivity, they sing this Psalm.
3. Ver. 1 . When the Lord turned back the captivity ofSion, we became as those that are comforted. He meant by this to say, we became joyful. When ? When the Lord turned back the captivity of Sion. What is Sion ? Jerusalem, the same is also the eternal Sion. How is Sion eternal, how is Sion captive ? In angels eternal, in men captive. For not all the citizens of that city are captives, but those who are away from thence, they are captives. Man was a citizen of
Jerusalem, but sold under sin he became a pilgrim. Of his progeny was born the human race, and the captivity of Sion filled all lands. And how is this captivity of Sion a shadow of that Jerusalem ? The shadow of that Sion, which
Jer. 25, was granted to the Jews, in an image, in a figure, was in
Rom.
10.
captivity in Babylonia, and after seventy years that people turned back to its own city. Seventy years signify all that time which revolves in seven days. But when all time past, then we return to our country, as after seventy years that people returned from the Babylonish captivity, for Babylon this world; since Babylon interpreted con
See the whole of man's life not confusion. Whatsoever men do in vain hope, when they have found out what they are doing they blush. Wherefore do they labour For whom do they labour? For my children, he saith. And they for whom For their children. And they for whom For their children. No one, therefore, for him self. From this confusion, then, they were already turned back to whom the Apostle saith, For what glory had ye in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? So then this whole life of human affairs confusion, which belongeth not unto God. In this confusion, in this Baby
fusion.
is
is is
6,
?
?
is if
? is
2<<J
The mourners comforted, through our Lord's Resurrection. 5
lonish land, Sion is held captive. But the Lord hath Vrr. turned back the captivity of Sion. -----
4. And we became, he saith, as those that are comforted. That is, we rejoiced as receiving consolation. Consolation is not save for the unhappy, consolation is not save for them that groan, that mourn. Wherefore, as those that are com
forted, except because we are still mourning r We mourn for our present lot, we are comforted in hope : when the present is passed by, of our mourning will come everlasting
joy, when there will be no need of consolation, because we shall be wounded with no distress. But wherefore saith he as those that are comforted, and saith not comforted ? This word as, is not always put for likeness : when we say As, it
sometimes refers to the actual case, sometimes to likeness : here it is with reference to the actual case. But we must give examples also from the common speech of men, that we may be easily understood. When we say, As the father lived so did also the son, we say it of likeness : and, As a beast dieth, so man dieth ; this too is said of likeness. But when wesay,Heactedasagoodman; ishenotagoodman,but something like a good man ? He acted like a just man. This 'like' does not deny that he is just, but denotes his
actual character. Thou didst it as a senator : if he should say, Am I not then a senator? Yea, because thou art, thou didst it as a senator ; and because thou art just, thou didst like 'a just man ; and because thou art good, thou didst it like a good man. Therefore because these also were truly comforted, they rejoiced as those that were comforted. That
is, great was their joy, as of those who are comforted, when He Who had died comforted those who had yet to die. For we all groan in that we die : He Who died hath com forted us, that we should not fear to die. He rose again
first, that we might have what to hope for. Since then He first rose again, He gave us hope. Because when in distress, we were comforted by hope ; hence our joy is great. And the Lord hath turned back our captivity, so that now from our captivity we are on our way, and are going toward our home. Now then, being redeemed, on our way let us not
fear our enemies that lay wait for us. For He therefore redeemed us, that the enemy might not dare to lay wait for
(i The mouth of the heart.
Psalm us if we did not leave the way. For Christ Himself became CXXVI. our w Wouldest thou not suffer from robbers ? He saith to thee. I have paved thee a way to thy home, leave not
the way. Such a way have I paved, that the robber cannot venture to come nigh thee: do thou beware of leaving
and the robber dares not come nigh thee. Walk therefore in Christ, and sing rejoicing, sing as one that comforted because He went before thee Who hath commanded thee to follow Him.
5. Ver. 2. Tlien was our mouth filled with joy, and our tongue with exultation. That mouth, brethren, which we have in our body, how filled with joy? It useth not to be filled, save with meat, or drink, or some such thing put into the mouth. Sometimes our mouth filled and
more that we say to your holiness, when we have our
mouth full, we cannot speak. But we have
that in the heart, whence whatsoever proceedeth,
evil, defileth us, good, cleanseth us. For concerning this very mouth ye heard when the Gospel was read. For
Mat. 15, the Jews reproached the Lord, because His disciples ate &c' with unwashen hands. They reproached who had cleanness
without and within were full of stains.
whose righteousness was only in the eyes of men. But the
Lord sought our inward cleanness, which
Mat. 23, outside must needs be clean also. Cleanse, He saith, the 25- inside, and the outside shall be clean also. The Lord Him- Lukell. self saith in another place, But give alms, and behold all 4l* things are clean unto you. But whence proceedeth alms?
From the heart. For thou hold out thy hand, and pity not in thy heart, thou hast done nothing; but if thou hast compassion in thy heart, even though thou hast not what to bestow with thy hand, God accepteth thy alms. But they, wicked men as they were, sought cleanness without.
Among them was that Pharisee, who had invited the Lord, when
Luke woman, who had been notorious sinner in the city, came 30-&c- unto Him, who washed the Lord's feet with tears, wiped them with her hair, anointed them with ointment. The
Pharisee, who had invited the Lord, and had not cleanness save outwardly in the body, but was in heart full of iniquity
ib. 39. and rapine, said unto himself, This
man he were a
mouth within,
They reproached,
we have, the
if
if ais
7,
is is,
a if is it
a
it
is it
; it,
;
1"
if it is
; if
is
Inward purity required by our Lord. 7
prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman Ver. this is that toucheth Him. How did he learn whether Jesus ---- knew or knew not ? But he concluded that He knew not, because He did not repel her from Him. If such a woman
had approached this Pharisee, he whose purity was as it were in the flesh, would have blown upon her as something evil, would have repelled her, would have cast her off; that the unclean might not touch the clean, and pollute his cleanness. Because our Lord did not this, he believed Him to be ignorant what sort of woman had approached His feet: whereas the Lord not only knew her, but also heard his thoughts: for although the touch of the body doth some thing, O unclean Pharisee, would the Lord's flesh have been
polluted by a woman's touch, or the woman have been cleansed by the Lord's touch ? But the Physician allowed the sick to touch the healer ; and she who had come, knew the Physician ; and she who had been wont perhaps in her fornication to be bold, became even more bold for her cure. She burst into a house whither she had not been invited : but she had wounds, and had come where the Physician was reclining. But he who had invited the Physician, seemed to himself whole; and for this very reason, he was left unhealed. What followeth in the Gospel ye know; how this Pharisee was confounded, when He shewed him both that He knew this woman's character, and had heard his thoughts.
6. But let us return to what was just now read from the Gospel, relating to the verse before us, Our mouth was filted
with joy, and our tongue with delight: for we are enquiring
what mouth and what tongue. Listen, beloved brethren.
The Lord was scoffed at, because His disciples ate with un
washed hands. The Lord answered them as was fitting, and
said unto the crowds whom He had called unto Him, Hear Mat. 15, ye all, and understand : not that which goeth into the mouth j defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this36- &c. defilelh a man. What is this ? when He said, what goeth
into the mouth, He meant only the mouth of the body. For
meat goeth in, and meats defile not a man; because, /iWiTim. 4, things are clean to the clean; and, Every creature of God
is good, and none to be refused, if it be received with thanks- Lerit giving. Some things were placed in a figurative relation to
8 The mouth of the heart filled with joy toward God.
Psalm the Jews, and were called unclean. But after the light itself CXXVI. came> the shadows were removed. We are not bound in the letter, but quickened in the Spirit: and the yoke of these ceremonial observances, imposed upon the Jew, was not
Mat. n, imposed upon Christians; for the Lord said, For My yoke
30*
is easy, and My burden is light; and the Apostle saith, Titus 1, Unto the pure are all things pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving, is nothing pure: but even their
mind and conscience is defiled. What did he mean to be understood ? Both bread and swine's flesh is pure to a pure man, to an impure man neither bread nor swine's flesh is pure. To the unbelieving and the defiled, he saith, nothing is pure. Why is nothing pure ? But even their mind and
conscience, he saith, are defiled : because if what is within is impure; what is without cannot be pure. If therefore to them unto whom the inner is impure, the outward cannot be pure; if thou wishest that the outside should be pure, purify the inward. For there is the mouth which shall be filled with joy, even when thou art silent : for when thou art silent and dost rejoice, thy mouth crieth unto the Lord. But consider whence thou rejoicest. If thy joy be from the
world, thou criest unto God with impure joy : but if thou rejoicest in thy redemption, as this Psalm saith, When the Lord turned again the captivity of Sion, then did we rejoice; then is thy mouth filled with true joy, and thy tongue with delight : it is clear that thou rejoicest in hope, and thy joy
is accepted with God. In this very joy, or in this very mouth which we have within, we both eat and drink: just as we eat with this mouth for our bodily refreshment, so do we with that mouth for the refreshment of the heart. For from
Matt. 5, thence, Blessed are they that do hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled.
7. But if nothing make a man impure save what goeth forth from his mouth, and, when we hear this in the Gospel, if we only understand the mouth of the body; it is ridi culous and outrageously foolish, to imagine that a man doth not become impure when he eateth, and to think that^he then becometh impure, if he vomit. For the Lord saith,
ii 'Not that which goeth into the mouth, defileth a man, but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man.
The inward will is the speech of the heart's mouth. 9
When therefore thou eatest, thou art not unclean ; when Ver. thou dost vomit, dost thou then become unclean ? When ------ thou drinkest, thou art not unclean: and when thou spewest,
art thou then unclean ? For when thou spewest, something
goeth forth from thy mouth ; when thou drinkest, something
goeth into thy mouth. What did the Lord mean to say?
Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man, but
that which goeth out of the mouth, that defileth a man. According to another Evangelist, He goeth on at once to describe what things go out of the mouth ; that thou mayest understand that He spake not of the mouth of the body,
but of the mouth of the heart. For he saith, For out o/"M>>l is, the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, forni- Bnd*c' cations, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: these are the^KVJ' things that defile a man, but to eat with unwashen hands dejileth not a man. In what sense then, my brethren,
do these things go out of the mouth, save because they go out of the heart, even as the Lord Himself saith? For they do not defile us when we speak of them. Let not any one say, When we speak of them, they go forth from our mouth, because words and sounds go forth from our mouth ; and when we speak evil words, we become impure. What if any one should not speak, and should only think of evil things : is he clean, because nothing hath gone out of the mouth of his body ? But God hath already heard it from the mouth of his heart. Behold, my brethren, listen to what I say. I name a theft: I have only named a theft; because 1 have named a theft, hath the theft defiled me 1 Behold, it hath gone out of my mouth, and hath not made me
But the thief ariseth in the night, and saith nothing with his mouth, and by his deed becometh impure. He not only saith not, but buries the deed in utter silence ; and is so fearful of his voice being heard, that he wisheth not even his steps to creak: because, then, he is thus
impure.
I say even more, my brethren. Lo, he still lieth in his couch, he hath not yet risen to execute the theft; he is awake, and waiting for men to sleep: he already crieth in the ear of God, he is already a thief, he is already impure, already the deed hath gone out of his inward mouth. For when doth the crime go out of his
silent, is he pure ?
10 Psalm mouth ?
God considers chiefly our inward speech.
CXXVI
When he maketh up his mind to perpetrate it. ?
"Thou hast decided to do it: thou hast said, thou hast done it. If thou hast not committed an outward act of theft, possibly he from whom thou didst plan to take away, did not deserve to lose : and he hath lost nothing, while thou wilt be condemned for theft. Thou hast determined to kill a man ; thou hast said this in thy heart, murder hath sounded from thy inward mouth : still the man liveth, and thou the murderer art punished. For the question before God is, what thou art, not what thou hast not yet appeared
in the sight of men.
8. We then surely know, and ought to be certain, to
maintain, that there is a mouth of the heart, there is also a tongue of the heart. That mouth itself is filled with joy: in that mouth itself we pray God inwardly, when the lips are closed, and the conscience is laid open. All is silent : and the breast crieth out: but unto whose ears? Not to the ears of man, but of God. Be therefore fearless: He who hath mercy, heareth. And again, when no man heareth evil words, if they go out of thy mouth, be not fearless,
Hist. of because He who condemneth, heareth. Susanna was not 35s"" heard by her unjust judges, she was silent, and prayed.
Her mouth was not heard by men, her heart cried forth unto God. Because her voice went not out of the mouth of her body, did she not on that account deserve to be heard ? She was heard ; when she prayed, no man knew. Therefore, brethren, consider what we have in the inner mouth. See that ye say no evil there within, and ye will do no evil without : for nothing can be done by man with out, save what hath been said within. Guard the mouth of thy heart from evil, and thou wilt be innocent : the tongue of thy body will be innocent, thy hands will be innocent; even thy feet will be innocent, thy eyes, thy ears, will be innocent; all thy members will serve under righteousness, because a righteous commander hath thy heart.
9. Then shall they say among the heathen, the Lord hath done great things for them. (Ver. 3. ) Yea, the Lord hath done great things for us already, whereof we rejoice. Consider, my brethren, if Sion doth not at present say this among the heathen, throughout the whole world ; consider
Prophecies fulfilled in the Church. Past put for future. 1 1
if men are not running unto the Church. In the whole Van. world our redemption is received ; Amen is answered. The ---- dwellers in Jerusalem, therefore, captive, destined to return, pilgrims, sighing for their country, speak thus among the heathen. What do they say ? The Lord hath done great things for us, whereof we rejoice. Have they done any
thing for themselves ? They have done ill with themselves, for they have sold themselves under sin. The Redeemer came, and did the good things for them : The Lord hath done great things for them: the Lord hath done great things for us already, whereof we rejoice.
10. Ver. 4. Turn our captivity, O Lord, as the torrents
in the south. Consider, my brethren, what this meaneth.
He had already said, When the Lord turned again the captivity of Sion. He was speaking as it seemeth of the
past : but a Prophet, speaking of the past, usually foretells
the future. He seemed to be speaking of the past, when he
said in another Psalm, They pierced My hands and My P*. 2-2,
feet: they numbered all My bones. He said not, they will16' 1 " pierce My feet : he said not, they will number : he said not,
they will part My garments among them : he said not, over
My raiment will they cast lots : these things were to come,
and were yet related as if they had passed. For all things destined to happen, have already happened unto God. So here when he was saying, When the Lord turned again the captivity of Sion, then were we like unto them that are consoled. Then was our mouth filled with joy, and our tongue with delight; that he might shew that he was thinking of things future under the figure of the past, he addeth,
Then shall they say among the heathen. Shall say, is now of the future. The Lord hath done great things for us, whereof we rejoice. Then when they were being sung they were future, and now they are seen as present. He therefore prayeth for them as if for things future, though he sang of future things as things past : Turn our captivity, O Lord. Their captivity therefore was not as yet turned, because the Redeemer had not as yet come. Therefore, when the Psalms were sung, what was then prayed for, is now done : Turn our captivity, O Lord, as the torrents in the south. As torrents are turned in the south, so turn our captivity. We
12 Frost of sin thawed by grace. Sowing in tears.
Psalm were enquiring what this was : but it will presently appear, CXXVl. ^ the Lord's help, revealed unto your prayers. In a certain passage Scripture saith, in admonishing us concerning good
Ecclus. works, Tliy sins also shall melt away, even as the ice in
'
fair warm weather. Our sins therefore bound us. How ? As the cold bindeth the water that it run not. Bound with the frost of our sins, we have frozen. But the south wind is a warm wind : when the south wind blows, the ice melts, and the torrents are filled. Now winter streams are called torrents; for filled with sudden rains they run with great force. We had therefore become frozen in captivity; our sins bound us: the south wind the Holy Spirit hath blown: our sins are forgiven us, we are released from the frost of iniquity; as the ice in fair weather, our sins are melted. Let us run unto our country, as the torrents in the south. For we have long toiled, and even in good works we toil. For the life of man, which we have entered upon, is wretched, full of toils, sorrows, dangers, troubles, temptations. Be not seduced with a delight in human life ; heed the things that should be wept for in human life. The new born infant might first laugh before he wept: why doth he commence life with weeping ? He knoweth not yet how to laugh: why doth he already know how to weep? Because
he hath begun to enter upon this life. But if he be among those captives, he here weepeth and groaneth: but joy will come.
11. Ver. 5. For the next words are, Tliey that sow in tears, shall reap in joy. In this life, which is full of tears, let us sow. What shall we sow? Good works. Works of mercy are our seeds: of which seeds the Apostle saith,
Gal. 6, Let us not be weary in well doing; for in due season we
shall reap if we faint not. As we have therefore oppor
tunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them
that are the household I therefore of of of faith. Speaking
2 Cor. 9, almsgiving itself, what saith he ? Tliis
sparingly, shall reap also sparingly. He therefore who soweth plentifully, shall reap plentifully : he who soweth sparingly, shall reap also sparingly : and he that soweth nothing, shall reap nothing. Why do ye long for ample estates, where ye may sow plentifully ? There is not a wider
say; he that soweth
A good will can sow with small means. 13
field on which ye can sow than Christ, Who hath willed
VgB. that we should sow in Himself. Your soil is the Church ; -----
sow as much as ye can. But thou hast not enough to do
this. Hast thou the will >> ? As what thou hadst would be nothing, if thou hadst not a good will ; so do not despond, because thou hast not, if thou hast a good will. For what
dost thou sow ? Mercy. And what wilt thou reap ? Peace.
Said the Angels, Peace on earth unto rich men ? No, but,
Peace on earth unto men of a good will. Zacchaeus had a Luke 2, strong will, Zacchaeus had great charity. He entertained 14*
the Lord hospitably and with joy, and promised that he
would give the half of his patrimony to the poor, and would Lukei9, restore fourfold if he had taken any thing from any man ; so 6' 8" that thou mayest understand that he retained the half, not
that he might hold it as a safe possession, but that he might
have some means of paying his debts. He had a great will,
he gave much, he sowed much. Did then that widow who
cast her two farthings into the treasury, sow little. Nay, as
much as Zacchaeus. For she had narrower means, but an
equal will. She gave her two mites with as good a will asLuke21, Zacchaeus gave the half of his patrimony. If thou consider
what they gave, thou wilt find their gifts different ; if thou look to the source, thou wilt find them equal; she gave whatever she had, and he gave what he had.
12. Suppose some one not to have even two coins: is
there any thing still cheaper that we can sow, so that we may
reap that harvest ? There is : Whosoever shall give a disciple Mat. 10, a cup of cold water, shall not lose his reward. A cup of Mark 9, cold water doth not cost two coins, but is had for nothing; 41.
nevertheless, it sometimes so happenetb, that one man hath and another hath not therefore he who hath give to another who hath not he hath given as much, he
gave what he gave with full charity, he hath given as much, say, as the widow in her two mites, as Zacchaeus in the half of his property. For He added not without cause the epithet cold to water, that he might show that the donor was poor. He said, cup of cold water, that no man might object on the ground that he had not wood to heat the water. Whosoever shall give unto one of these little ones a
Oxf. Mss. Have a good will. '
*
'
;
; if
I
it it,
A it it
if it
14 All opportunities are means of charity, as well as riches.
Psalm cup of cold water only, shall in no wise lose his reward. ^^2-* What if he have not even this? Let him be without fear, Luke 2, even if he have not this; Peace on earth unto men of good li' will. Let him fear this only, lest he have the means and
neglect to bestow them. For if he have them and give not, he hath become frozen within, his sins are not yet melted like the torrent in the south, because his will is cold. What do so great goods as we possess avail ? Fervent will cometh, now set free by the southern heat ; though it have nothing, the whole is reckoned unto it. How great things do beg
gars bestow upon one another ? Consider, my beloved, how their alms are given. Verily they unto whom thou dost alms are beggars, beggars want. Ye probably attend to your brethren, if they want aught ; ye give, if Christ be in you, even to strangers. But if they are beggars whose pro
fession is asking alms, in trouble they also have what to be stow upon one another. God hath not so forsaken them, but that they have wherein they may be tried by their bestowing of alms. This man cannot walk ; he who can walk, lendeth his feet to the lame ; he who seeth, lendeth his eyes to the blind ; and he who is young and sound, lendeth his strength
to the old or the infirm, he carrieth him : the one is poor, the other is rich.
13. Sometimes also the rich man is found to be poor, and something is bestowed upon him by the poor. Some body cometh to a river, so much the more delicate as he is more rich ; he cannot pass over : if he were to pass over with bare limbs, he would catch cold, would be ill, would die : a poor man more active in body cometh up: he carries the rich man over; he giveth alms unto the rich. Think not
therefore those only poor, who have not money. Attend to every man in that wherein he wanteth: for perhaps thou art rich in this, wherein he is poor, and hast wherewith thou mayest help him. Perhaps thou lendest him thy limbs, and this is more than if thou shouldest lend him money. He
wanteth counsel, thou art full of counsel ; he is poor, thou art rich in counsel. Lo, thou dost not toil, nor losest any thing; thou givest counsel, and thou hast given alms. Now, my brethren, while we are speaking, ye are as it were poor, compared unto us: and since God hath deigned to give
When all shall be happy, alms will have no place. 15
unto ns, we bestow therefore upon you; and we all receive Ver.
