They were not permitted to
understand
heavenly things: they savoured earthly things.
Augustine - Exposition on the Psalms - v6
jesm Christ from the dead dwell in you, He Who raised up Jesus Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by His Spirit, Which duelleth in you.
This then is the earnest which our spirit hath received, that we begin through faith to serve God, and through faith to be
Rom. l, called righteous. For the just liveth by faith. But whatever
in you still fighteth and resisteth, is of the mortality of the flesh, and this shall be healed. For He shall quicken, saith the Apostle, your mortal bodies by His Spirit, Which dwelleth in you. For this He gave the earnest, that He will fulfil what He hath promised. What then now in this life, when as yet we are confessors, not yet possessors, what in this life is to be done ? How shall it be healed ? He healeth the bruised in heart: but perfect soundness will not be till the time we mentioned. What then now ? He bindeth up their bruises. He, Who healeth the bruised in heart, whose perfect soundness will be in the resurrection of the
just, now bindeth up their bruises.
7. What are the means whereby He bindeth up their
bruises? Just as physicians bind up fractures. For some times, (observe this, beloved; it is well known to those who have observed or have heard from physicians,) sometimes when limbs are sound, but are crooked and distoited, physicians break them in order to set them
and make new wound, because the soundness which was distorted was amiss. Just so then Scripture Hon. H. saith, The ways of the Lord are straight, but the crooked- hearted shall stumble in them. Who the crooked- hearled? The twisted-hearted: he that hath a twisted heart. He thinketh that all things which God hath said are twisted;
he thinketh that all which God hath done crooked and all the judgments of God displease him, especially those whereby he himself chastised and he sitteth, and argueth how evilly God doeth, because He doeth not according to his will. It not enough for the distorted heart not to set itself straight after God's pattern wisheth also to
17.
straight,
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Sacraments means of healing our ' bruises. ' 365
distort God after its own pattern. What then saith God Ver. from above ? Thou art twisted, I am straight. If thou ---- wast straight, thou wouldest see that I am straight. Just
as if thou wast to lay on an even floor a crooked piece of timber, it would not rest in its place, it would totter in every direction, it would be swayed in every direction, which yet
is not caused by the unevenness of the ground, but by the crookedness of the timber; so Scripture saith, How goodV>>-Ti,\. is God to Israel, to the right of heart. Well then, how
is the crooked heart straightened ? It is both crooked and
hard; being then both crooked and hard, let it be broken,
let it be bruised, that it may be set straight. Thou canst
not set thine own heart straight : do thou break let Him
set straight. How dost thou break it? how dost thou bruise By confessing and punishing thy sins. What
else doth beating the breast mean Unless perhaps we
think that our bones have sinned, when we beat our breasts.
Nay, we mean that we bruise our heart, that may be set
straight by God.
8. He healeth then them that are bruised in heart, that
have a bruised heart: and soundness of heart will then be perfected, when the restoration of the body also which promised shall be fulfilled. Now in the mean while, what doeth the physician He bindeth up thy bruises, that thou mayest arrive at most complete soundness, until that which has been broken and bound up may be firmly knit. What are these means whereby He bindeth? The sacraments of this present life. The means whereby He bindeth up our
bruises to heal them, are the sacraments of this present life, whereby in the mean time we obtain our comfort and all the words we speak to you, words which sound and pass away, all that done in the Church in this present time, are the means whereby He bindeth up our bruises. For just as, when the limb has become perfectly sound, the physician taketh off the bandage so in our own city Jerusalem, when we shall have been made equal to the Angels, think ye that
we shall receive there, what we have received here Will be needful then that the Gospel be read to us, that our faith may abide or that hands be laid upon us by any
Bishop All these are means of binding up fractures
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30ti Holy men are ' stars. '
Psalm when we have attained perfect soundness, they will be taken CxI"vn- 0ff ? but we should never attain they were not bound
He healeth then the bruised in heart, and bindeth up their bruises.
g. Who telleth the number of the stars, and calleth them all by their names. What great matter for God to tell the number of the stars! Men even have endeavoured to do this whether they have been able to achieve it, their concern they would not however attempt did they not think that they should achieve it. Let us leave alone what they can do, and how far they have attained; for God think no great matter to count all the stars. Or doth He perhaps go over the number, lest He should forget Is any great thing for God to number the stars, by Whom
ver. 4.
up.
Mat. 10, the very hairs of your head are numbered It plain, my brethren, that God willeth that we should understand some what by what He saith, Who telleth the number of the stars, and calleth them all their names. The stars are certain lights in the Church comforting our night, all of whom the
Phil. Apostle saith, among whom ye shine as lights in the world.
?
In the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, saith he, among whom ye shine as lights in the world, holding the Word of life. These stars God counteth all who shall
reign with Him, all who are to be gathered into the Body of His only-begotten Son, He hath counted, and still counteth them. Whoso unworthy, not even counted. Many too have believed, or rather may, with kind of shadowy appearance of faith, have attached themselves to His people yet He knoweth what He counteth, what He winnoweth away. For so great the height of the Gospel, that hath
Ps. 40,6. come to pass as was said, have declared, and have spoken they are multiplied above number: there are then among the people certain supernumeraries, so to speak. What do
mean by supernumeraries More than will be there. Within these walls are more than will be in the kingdom of God, in the heavenly Jerusalem; these are above the number. Let each one of you consider whether he shineth in darkness, whether he refuseth to be led astray by the dark iniquity of the world he be not led astray, nor conquered, he will be, as were, star, which God already nunibereth.
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Not gifts, but charity, wins God's favour. 307
10. And calling them all by their names, he saith. Herein Ver. is our whole reward. We have certain names with God; that ,----- God may know our names, this we ought to wish, for this
to act, for this to busy ourselves, as far as we are able ; not
to rejoice in other things, not even in certain
gifts. Consider, beloved ; there are many gifts in the Church, as the Apostle saith; to one is given by the Spirit iCor. 12,
c'
^
the word of wisdom; to another faith, by the same Spirit;6'
to another working of cures ; to another discerning of spirits,
that is, to discover between good and bad spirits ; to another
divers kinds of tongues ; to another prophecy. How great,
how many gifts hath he mentioned ! Many who have used
such gifts amiss, shall hear in the end, / know you not. Matt. 7,
And what will they say in the end who are to hear,
I
you not ? Lord, have we not prophesied in Thy Name, and
in Thy Name cast out devils, and in Thy Name done many wondrous works? All this in Thy Name. And what will
I
He say to them?
who work iniquity.
the sky, comforting the night and not overshadowing the
night? Yet, saith he, / shew unto you a more excellent lCor. 12,
spiritual
know*3'
never knew you; depart
What is it then to be already a light in
speak with the tongues men and angels, way. If I I of of
and have not charity,
tinkling cymbal. What a gift is it to speak with the tongues of men and of angels! Yet, if I have not charity, saith he, I/am as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though
I know all mysteries, and all knowledge, saiIth he, although
\cot 13( *? .
am become as sounding brass or a
have all prophecy, and all faith, so that
mIountains, (how great gifts are these ! ) and have not charity,
could remove am nothing. How glorious a gift is it to beIa martyr, and
give all my give my body
to be burned, and have not charity, it profdeth me nothing. Whoso then hath not charity, though for a time he have
these gifts, yet they shall be taken from him. What he
hath shall be taken from him, because a certain other thing
he hath not. This certain thing he hath not, whereby the
other may be preserved, and himself not perish. What is
that which the Lord saith, he that hath, to him shall beu&tAS, given; but whoso hath not, from him shall be taken even12'
to give away all one's goods ! Yet, though I goods, saith he, to feed the poor, and though
from
Me, ye
368 Our names being written in heaven, the highest joy.
Psalm that which he hath? He then who hath not, from him shall Cxl' be taken even that which he hath. He hath grace to possess, but he hath not love to use ; since then he hath not this, even that which he hath shall be taken from him. Therefore, that the disciples, whom He willed to make stars in heaven,
walking by the more excellent way, might have charily, He,
Who telleth the number of the stars, and calleth them all
by their names, when the disciples returned from their
Lukelo, mission exulting, and saying, Lord, even the devils ate
17,
subject unto us in Thy Name --then He, I say, Who telleth the number of the stars, and calleth them all by their names, knowing that many would say, have we not /in Thy
Name cast out devils? to whom He should say,
know you not, because He counted them not among the number ib. 20. of the stars, nor called them by their names--said, In this rejoice not, that the devils are subject unto you ; but
ver. 5.
rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven. Who telleth the number of the stars, and calleth them all
by their names.
U. Great is our Lord. The Psalmist is filled with joy,
he hath poured out his words wonderfully : yet somewhat he was unable to speak, and how availed he to think on it? Great is the Lord, and great is His power, and of His under
standing is no numbering. He Who numbereth the mul titude of the stars, Himself cannot be numbered. Great is our Lord, and great is His power, and of His understanding is no numbering. Who can expound this ? who can worthily even imagine what is meant by, and of His understanding is no number? And would that He may infuse Himself into you, and where we fail, in that He is mighty, He may Himself enlighten your minds, that ye may know what is the meaning of, of His understanding is no number. For ye see, brethren, of the sand is there any number? To us there is not, to
Mat. 10, God there is; by Whom the hairs of our head are num bered, by Him the sand also is numbered. Whatsoever then that is infinite this world containeth, though it be in finite to man, yet is not to God : too little is it to say, to God : even by the angels it is numbered. Of His under standing there is no number. His understanding surpasses all calculators ; it cannot be counted by us. Numbers
God not to be comprehended by human intellect. 369 themselves who numbereth ? Whatever is numbered, is v er.
numbered by numbers. If whatever is numbered, is num-
bered by numbers, of numbers there can be no number; numbers cannot by any means be numbered. What then
is there with God ? wherewith made He all things, and where made He all things, to Whom it is said, Thou hastViM. arrayed all things in measure, number, and weight ? Or n' 20' who can number, or measure, or weigh, measure and number
and weight themselves, w herein God hath ordered all things ? Therefore, of His understanding is no number. Let human
voices be hushed, human thoughts still : let them not
stretch themselves out to incomprehensible things, as though
they could comprehend them, but as though they were to partake of them, for partakers we shall be. We shall not be
this which we do contain, nor shall we contain the whole;
but we shall be partakers: for of Jerusalem, whose dispersions
He gathereth, somewhat great is said : Jerusalem is built as P>>. 122, a city, whose partaking is in the same. What meaneth he
by the same, save that which cannot be changed ? All
other created things may be this way or that, but He Who created cannot be this way or that. He then is the same, for
to Him is said, Thou shalt change them, and they shall be Ps. 102, changed; but Thou art the same, and Thy years shall not26'2^'
If then He is the same, and can in no degree be changed, by partaking of His divine nature, we too shall be immortal for ever. And this earnest is given us of the Son of God, as I have already said to you, holy brethren, that before we became partakers of His immortal nature, He should first become partaker of our mortal nature. But as He became mortal, not of His own substance, but of ours, so do we become immortal, not of our own substance, but of His. Partakers then we shall be: let none doubt it: Scripture saith it. And of what shall we be partakers, as though these were parts in God, as though God were divided into parts ? Who then can explain how many become partakers of one single substance ? Require not then that which I think ye see cannot filly be said : but return to the healing of the Saviour, bruise your heart ; let the darkness of your heart be crushed, obstinacy of soul bruised; let it be accused in evil, be born again in good.
VOL. vi. B b
8
fail.
370 We should not criticise Scripture, but believe it.
Psalm He will guide He will bind up where broken, He
- -- vu-
ver. 6.
will make perfectly sound and then those things will not
For good that he confess weakness, who desireth to attain
be impossible with us, which now are impossible.
to the divine nature. Of His understanding is no number. 12. What therefore thou shouldest do in this difficulty
of understanding, he sheweth thee, when he goeth on to say, The Lord taketh up the gentle. For example thou under-
standest not, thou failest to understand, canst not attain honour God's Scripture, honour God's Word, though be not plain in reverence wait for understanding. Be not wanton to accuse either the obscurity or seeming contra diction of Scripture. There nothing in contradictory somewhat there which obscure, not in order that may be denied thee, but that may exercise him that shall afterward receive it. When then obscure, that the Physician's doing, that thou mayest knock. He willed that thou shouldest be exercised in knocking He willed that He might open to thee when thou knockest. By knocking
thou shalt be exercised exercised, thou shalt be enlarged enlarged, thou shalt contain what given. Be not then indignant for that shut be mild, be gentle. Kick not against what dark, nor say, It were better said, were said thus. For how canst thou thus say, or judge how
be said It said as expedient be said. Let not the sick man seek to amend his remedies
the Physician knoweth how to temper them believe Him Who careth for thee. Therefore what cometh next The Lord taketh up the gentle. Resist not then against what God shutteth up be gentle, that He may take thee up. But thou resistest, hear what followeth but humbleth the sinners even to the ground. Many kinds of sinners are there. He humbleth the sinners even to the ground. What sinners, save the opposite to the gentle? In fact, by what he hath said, The Lord taketh up the gentle, but humbleth the sinners even to the ground, he intended certain sort of sinners to be understood, from the gentleness mentioned first. By sinners then in this place, we understand the
fierce, and those who are not gentle. Wherefore doth He humble them even to the earth They carp at
expedient
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The Manichees blinded for their intellectual lrride.
objects of understanding, they shall perceive only things Veb,
- 13. This did He to men, who chose to ridicule the Law
earthly.
before they knew because they were not gentle. Under stand me, beloved. There arose certain most accursed
sect, the Manichees, who ridiculed
they had received and read them they chose to find fault with what they understood not, and by attacking and finding fault with what they understood not, they ensnared many. But they who chose to do this have been humbled even to the earth.
They were not permitted to understand heavenly things: they savoured earthly things. All that thou hearest
in their fables nought but blasphemy and certain devices of bodily forms: for when they would understand God, they attained to the thought of this visible light, but could not advance beyond and they made such fields of light in the kingdom of God, as they saw our sun to be, looking on as a sort of product of that light. For all this which reached by means of the earth of the flesh, earth in God's eyes. For we have that whereby we see, hear, smell, taste, touch our flesh by means of those messengers, so to speak, which we call senses, perceives only corporeal things but things of the intellect and spirit, are taken in by the mind. Because then they ridiculed the obscurity of the Scriptures, which for this reason were shut, that they might be exercised in knocking, not that the Scriptures should be refused to babes, they were humbled even to the earth, so that they
could not any longer take in any thing save what per ceived by earth. And what mean by earth mean the flesh. For the flesh earth, and made of earth. What soever thou takest in by the eyes belongeth to earth what ever by the ear, whatever by the smell, whatever by the taste, whatever by the touch, pertaineth to the earth, for earth taken in. They therefore were not able to under stand His understanding of which there is no end, for
of His understanding is no end. Because they found fault with the Scriptures, which healthfully conceal understanding under certain mysteries, that the little ones may be ex
ercised and by this very finding fault being made ungentle, which the opposite to gentle, they were humbled even to
Bb2
the Scriptures when
371
is ;
it is
by
:
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it,
37i? The true road to knowledge is to humble one's self.
Psalm the earth, that they should not be able to perceive God Cx"'L1, Who is incorporeal, and that whatever thoughts they had of
ver. 7.
God, should be only corporeal thoughts.
14. God then humbleth sinners, even to the earth. What
then ought we to do, if we would not be humbled even to the earth ? For it is a great thing to advance to things of the understanding, it is a great thing to advance to things
spiritual, it is a great thing for the heart to advance so far as to know that there is somewhat which is neither extended through space, nor varied in time. For what is the appear ance of wisdom ? who imagineth it? Is it long? is it square? is it round? is it now here, and now there? One man thinketh of wisdom in the east, another thinketh of it in the west ; if they think of it aright, set as they are in such utterly different places, to both it is entirely present. What is this? who can take it in ? Who can take in this substance, this divine and unchangeable nature ? Be not in haste ; thou wilt be able to take it in. Begin to the Lord in confession. Begin with this, if thou wouldest arrive at a clear under standing of the truth. If thou wilt be brought from the road of faith to the profession of the reality, begin in con fession. First accuse thyself: accuse thyself, praise God.
Call on Him, Whom as yet thou knowest not, to come and be known ; not to come to thee Himself, but to lead thee to Him. For how can He come thither, whence He never departeth ? For this is the very perfection of wisdom ; it is every where, yet it is far from the wicked. It is, I say, every where ; yet is it far from the evil who are every where.
From whom, I ask you, is that far off which is every where ? How think ye, save because they lie in their unlikeness,
driving out in themselves the likeness of God ?
become unlike, they have withdrawn : when refashioned, let them return. Whence, saith he, shall we be refashioned ?
when shall we be refashioned ? Begin to the Lord in
What after confession ? Let good works follow. Sing unto our God upon the harp. What is, Upon the harp? As I have already explained, just like the Psalm upon the psaltery, so also is the harp : not with voice only, but with works. Sing unto our God upon the harp.
15. Behold, ye confess, ye work works of mercy; sing
confession.
Having
God made Scripture obscure, that we may study it the more. 373
unto our God.
with clouds. What is, Who covereth the heaven with " 8' --
What God? Who covereth the heaven Ver.
clouds? Who hideth Scripture under figures and sacra ments. He Who humbleth sinners even to the earth, He Who taketh up the gentle, covereth the heaven with clouds. Who then can see the heaven, which is covered with clouds ? Fear not: hear what followeth. Who covereth the heaven with clouds, Who prepareth rain for the earth. Who
covereth the heaven with clouds: now thou art alarmed, because thou canst not see the heaven : when it hath rained thou shalt gather fruit, and shalt see clear sky. He covereth the heaven with clouds, Who prepareth rain for the earth : perhaps our God hath done this. For had we not the obscurity of Scripture as an occasion, we should not say to you those things wherein ye rejoice. This then perhaps is the rain whereat ye rejoice. It would not be possible for it to be expressed to you by our tongue, were it not that God covereth with clouds of figures the heaven of the Scriptures. For this purpose then doth He cover the heaven with clouds, that He may prepare rain for the earth. For this purpose willed He that the words of the Prophets should be obscure, that the servants of God might afterwards have that by inter preting which they might flow over the ears and hearts of men, that they might receive from the clouds of God the fatness of spiritual joy. Who covereth the heaven with clouds, Who prepareth rain for the earth.
16. Who maketh grass to grow upon the monntains, and herb for the service of men. Behold the fruit of the rain.
Who maketh, saith he, grass to grow upon the mountains.
Doth it not also grow upon the low ground ? Yes, but it is
a great thing that it groweth on the mountains. By moun
tains he meaneth the high ones of the world : by mountains understand in this place, those who are endowed with some
great dignity. And it is not wonderful that a certain widow Marki2 , cast two mites into the treasury; that the earth brought
forth grass over the low ground : the mountain also brought
forth even Zacchens the chief of the publicans. This wasLukeii), more wonderful, that the mountains brought forth grass.
For the more men are exalted, the more grasping are they ;
and the greater they are in this world, the more do they love
5'
sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing ifwe reap your carnal things ? yet said, that he was a servant. For we are your servants, brethren. Let none of us speak of himself, as though he were greater than you. We shall be
374 God's Grace can soften all hearts.
Psalm their riches. And so the man went away sorrowful, who
asked of the Lord counsel about eternal life, and Icalled
16. &c. Him Good Master, What shall I saying,
^/"^'In Mat. 19,
may commandments. Which ? The commandments of the Law,
do that
have eternal life? And the Lord said to Him, Keep the
I
it is not any thing carnal which is gained by them. Hear
what thou buyest with these worthless things. For thus 1 Cor. 9,saith the Apostle, shewing that these things are grass: ifwe 1 1 have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if
we reap your carnal things ? Hear also that carnal things Is. 40, 6. are grass. All flesh is grass, and all the glory thereof is as the flower of grass. He then went away sorrowful : and the Mat. 19, Lord said, How hard is it for a rich man to enter into the
23 kingdom of heaven ! This then is great, that He maketh grass to grow upon the mountains. And how maketh He grass to grow upon the mountains, if that rich man, when he had heard that he ought to give to the poor, went away sorrowful ? How did He afterwards answer the Apostles
ib. 26. when they were saddened ? The things which are difficult with men, are easy with God. He then maketh the grass to grow upon the mountains, to Whom all things are easy. For nothing could be more barren than the hard mountains. He raineth, Who maketh the grass to grow upon the moun tains, and herb for the service of men. What service? Listen to Paul himself. And ourselves, saith he, your
2 Cor. 4, servants for Jesus ChrisCs sake. He who said, If we have
said He. All these have
thing, said He, thou lackest. Wilt thou be perfect? Go and sell all that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shall have treasure in heaven, and come, follow Me. What said the Lord ? Behold, thou art a mountain ; receive rain, give forth grass. For what is it that thou wilt give ? Is it not grass ? For all that is given to the Church for the needs of God's servants by the rich, what is it but grass ? For they are carnal things, which appear but for a time : but
Mat. 20, greater if we are more humble. But whosoever will be 26.
kept
from
my youth. One
We must be fruitful in return for Grace. 375
great among you, the Lord's saying,) shall be your vEr. servant. Therefore, He maketh the grass to grow upon the ---- mountains, and herb for the service of men. Paul the Apostle, indeed, living by his own labour, refused even to receive the grass of the mountains; he chose to want; nevertheless, the mountains gave grass. Because he chose
not to receive, ought the mountains
and so to remain barren Fruit due to the rain, food
due to the servant, as the Lord saith, Eat such things as Lnkelo, they give you: and that they should not think that they'"8' gave ought of their own, He added, for the labourer is worthy of his hire.
17. Therefore, brethren, since has been given to me
to say somewhat to you upon this opportunity, specially
since we who speak to you seek no such things from you,
and therefore speak the more freely (though even we did
seek, we should be seeking your profit, and not your riches,
but your righteousness;) yet warn you in few words, since
we have already said much, and our discourse must at length come to an end ye would not be barren, repay
the rain by fruitfulness, lest hereafter your barrenness be condemned for the Lord threaleneth the barren and thorn- Heb. bearing land with fire, even as He prepared His granary8'
for the fruitful take heed to exact of yourselves be your
own exactors. Christ silently exacteth and louder His
Voice though He be silent, in that He not silent in the Gospel. For He not truly silent, since He saith, Make i. ukeie, to yourselves friends of the Mammon of unrighteousness,9-
that they too may receive you into everlasting habitations.
He not silent; hear His Voice. For none can exact of
you: unless perhaps there need of exacting, that they
who serve you in the Gospel, ask of you. If come to
this, that they have to ask, take heed lest what ye ask of
God, ye ask in vain. Be then your own exactors, lest they
who serve you in the Gospel, do not say be compelled to
ask of you, for perhaps they ask not even when compelled,
but by their silence accuse you. Wherefore written,
Blessed is he who understandeth concerning the poor and Ps. 4l,i.
needy. When he saith, who understandeth concerning the poor and needy, he waiteth not for him to ask. Understand
therefore not to give,
it is
it
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if
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370 We must give to Christ's Treasury.
Psalm concerning him. One needy man seeketh thee, another >xI,WI-. needy man thou oughtest to seek. Both are said, my Luke 6, brethren: just now has been read, Give to every one that
asketh of thee; and in another place Scripture* saith, Let alms sweat in thy hand, till thou findest a righteous man to whom to give it. One there is who seeketh thee, another thou oughtest to seek. Leave not indeed him who seeketh thee empty, for, give to every one that asketh of thee ; yet still there is another whom thou oughtest to seek ; let alms sweat in thine hand, till thou findest a righteous man to whom to give it Ye will never do this, unless ye have somewhat set aside from your substance, each what pleaseth him according to the needs of his family, as a sort of debt to be paid to the treasury. If Christ have not a state1 of His own, ueither hath He a treasury*. For know ye what ' fiscus' means ? ' Fiscus' is a bag, and from the
1 rem-
Think not that fiscus is a kind of dragon, because men are alarmed when they hear of the collector of the fiscus : the ' hscus' is the public purse. The Lord had one here on earth when He had the bag : and the bag was entrusted to Judas. The Lord endured Judas, who was both a traitor and a thief, in him shewing to all the world His long- suffering; yet they who contributed, contributed to the Lord's treasury. Unless perchance ye think that the Lord went and sought, or was in need when Angels served Him, and He fed so many thousands with five loaves. Wherefore then willed He to want, save to shew an example to the mountains to bring forth grass, that they should not repay the rain with barrenness. Cut off then and prune off some
fixed b sum either from thy yearly profits or thy daily gains, else thou seemest as it were to give of thy capital, and thy hand must needs hesitate, when thou puttest it forth to that which thou hast not vowed. Cut off some part of thy income ; a tenth if thou choosest, though that iIs but little.
'am!
3 fiscus. same source come also the words ' fiscella,' and ' fiscina. '
I ukel8, For it is said that the Pharisees gave I
fast twice And what
l1'
in the week, I give tithes of all that
a tenth ; possess.
" The Benedictine Editors were unnhle to identify this text.
1e AHquid fixum; nthi r Ms? , fisoo,
which suits the context better ;" prune off somewhat for the treasury. " i. e. Christ's treasury, spoken of above.
The 'young of the ravens' are Christians. 377
saith the Lord ? Except your righteousness exceed the Ver. righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees, ye shall not
enter into the kingdom of heaven. He whose righteousness 20. thou oughtest to exceed, giveth a tenth: thou givest not
even a thousandth. How wilt thou surpass him whom thou malcbest not ? Who covereth the heaven with clouds, Who prelmreth rain for the earth; Who maketh the grass to
grow upon the mountains, and herb for the service of men.
18. And giveth unto the cattle their food. These are the ver. 9.
cattle he meaneth, even God's flocks. God defraudeth not
His flock of their food through men, for whose service He maketh the grass to grow. Whence the Apostle saith, Who l Cor. 9,
feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock ? Who giveth unto the cattle their food, and to the young of
the ravens that call upon Him. Shall we perchance think this, that the ravens call upon God to give them their food ? Think not that the unreasoning creature calls upon God : no creature knows how to call upon God, save the reasonable alone. Consider it as spoken in a figure, lest thou think, as some evil men say, that the souls of men migrate into cattle, dogs, swine, ravens. Give this no place in your hearts or in your faith. The soul of man is made after the image of God: He will not give His image to dog or swine. What is then, And to the young of the ravens that call upon Him ? Who are the young of the ravens ? The Israelites used to say that they alone were righteous, because to them the Law had been given : all other men of every nation they used to call sinners. And in truth all nations were given up to sin, to idolatry, to the worship of stones and stocks : but did they continue so ? Although the ravens themselves, our fathers, did not, yet we, the young of the ravens, do call upon God.
Rom. l, called righteous. For the just liveth by faith. But whatever
in you still fighteth and resisteth, is of the mortality of the flesh, and this shall be healed. For He shall quicken, saith the Apostle, your mortal bodies by His Spirit, Which dwelleth in you. For this He gave the earnest, that He will fulfil what He hath promised. What then now in this life, when as yet we are confessors, not yet possessors, what in this life is to be done ? How shall it be healed ? He healeth the bruised in heart: but perfect soundness will not be till the time we mentioned. What then now ? He bindeth up their bruises. He, Who healeth the bruised in heart, whose perfect soundness will be in the resurrection of the
just, now bindeth up their bruises.
7. What are the means whereby He bindeth up their
bruises? Just as physicians bind up fractures. For some times, (observe this, beloved; it is well known to those who have observed or have heard from physicians,) sometimes when limbs are sound, but are crooked and distoited, physicians break them in order to set them
and make new wound, because the soundness which was distorted was amiss. Just so then Scripture Hon. H. saith, The ways of the Lord are straight, but the crooked- hearted shall stumble in them. Who the crooked- hearled? The twisted-hearted: he that hath a twisted heart. He thinketh that all things which God hath said are twisted;
he thinketh that all which God hath done crooked and all the judgments of God displease him, especially those whereby he himself chastised and he sitteth, and argueth how evilly God doeth, because He doeth not according to his will. It not enough for the distorted heart not to set itself straight after God's pattern wisheth also to
17.
straight,
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Sacraments means of healing our ' bruises. ' 365
distort God after its own pattern. What then saith God Ver. from above ? Thou art twisted, I am straight. If thou ---- wast straight, thou wouldest see that I am straight. Just
as if thou wast to lay on an even floor a crooked piece of timber, it would not rest in its place, it would totter in every direction, it would be swayed in every direction, which yet
is not caused by the unevenness of the ground, but by the crookedness of the timber; so Scripture saith, How goodV>>-Ti,\. is God to Israel, to the right of heart. Well then, how
is the crooked heart straightened ? It is both crooked and
hard; being then both crooked and hard, let it be broken,
let it be bruised, that it may be set straight. Thou canst
not set thine own heart straight : do thou break let Him
set straight. How dost thou break it? how dost thou bruise By confessing and punishing thy sins. What
else doth beating the breast mean Unless perhaps we
think that our bones have sinned, when we beat our breasts.
Nay, we mean that we bruise our heart, that may be set
straight by God.
8. He healeth then them that are bruised in heart, that
have a bruised heart: and soundness of heart will then be perfected, when the restoration of the body also which promised shall be fulfilled. Now in the mean while, what doeth the physician He bindeth up thy bruises, that thou mayest arrive at most complete soundness, until that which has been broken and bound up may be firmly knit. What are these means whereby He bindeth? The sacraments of this present life. The means whereby He bindeth up our
bruises to heal them, are the sacraments of this present life, whereby in the mean time we obtain our comfort and all the words we speak to you, words which sound and pass away, all that done in the Church in this present time, are the means whereby He bindeth up our bruises. For just as, when the limb has become perfectly sound, the physician taketh off the bandage so in our own city Jerusalem, when we shall have been made equal to the Angels, think ye that
we shall receive there, what we have received here Will be needful then that the Gospel be read to us, that our faith may abide or that hands be laid upon us by any
Bishop All these are means of binding up fractures
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30ti Holy men are ' stars. '
Psalm when we have attained perfect soundness, they will be taken CxI"vn- 0ff ? but we should never attain they were not bound
He healeth then the bruised in heart, and bindeth up their bruises.
g. Who telleth the number of the stars, and calleth them all by their names. What great matter for God to tell the number of the stars! Men even have endeavoured to do this whether they have been able to achieve it, their concern they would not however attempt did they not think that they should achieve it. Let us leave alone what they can do, and how far they have attained; for God think no great matter to count all the stars. Or doth He perhaps go over the number, lest He should forget Is any great thing for God to number the stars, by Whom
ver. 4.
up.
Mat. 10, the very hairs of your head are numbered It plain, my brethren, that God willeth that we should understand some what by what He saith, Who telleth the number of the stars, and calleth them all their names. The stars are certain lights in the Church comforting our night, all of whom the
Phil. Apostle saith, among whom ye shine as lights in the world.
?
In the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, saith he, among whom ye shine as lights in the world, holding the Word of life. These stars God counteth all who shall
reign with Him, all who are to be gathered into the Body of His only-begotten Son, He hath counted, and still counteth them. Whoso unworthy, not even counted. Many too have believed, or rather may, with kind of shadowy appearance of faith, have attached themselves to His people yet He knoweth what He counteth, what He winnoweth away. For so great the height of the Gospel, that hath
Ps. 40,6. come to pass as was said, have declared, and have spoken they are multiplied above number: there are then among the people certain supernumeraries, so to speak. What do
mean by supernumeraries More than will be there. Within these walls are more than will be in the kingdom of God, in the heavenly Jerusalem; these are above the number. Let each one of you consider whether he shineth in darkness, whether he refuseth to be led astray by the dark iniquity of the world he be not led astray, nor conquered, he will be, as were, star, which God already nunibereth.
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Not gifts, but charity, wins God's favour. 307
10. And calling them all by their names, he saith. Herein Ver. is our whole reward. We have certain names with God; that ,----- God may know our names, this we ought to wish, for this
to act, for this to busy ourselves, as far as we are able ; not
to rejoice in other things, not even in certain
gifts. Consider, beloved ; there are many gifts in the Church, as the Apostle saith; to one is given by the Spirit iCor. 12,
c'
^
the word of wisdom; to another faith, by the same Spirit;6'
to another working of cures ; to another discerning of spirits,
that is, to discover between good and bad spirits ; to another
divers kinds of tongues ; to another prophecy. How great,
how many gifts hath he mentioned ! Many who have used
such gifts amiss, shall hear in the end, / know you not. Matt. 7,
And what will they say in the end who are to hear,
I
you not ? Lord, have we not prophesied in Thy Name, and
in Thy Name cast out devils, and in Thy Name done many wondrous works? All this in Thy Name. And what will
I
He say to them?
who work iniquity.
the sky, comforting the night and not overshadowing the
night? Yet, saith he, / shew unto you a more excellent lCor. 12,
spiritual
know*3'
never knew you; depart
What is it then to be already a light in
speak with the tongues men and angels, way. If I I of of
and have not charity,
tinkling cymbal. What a gift is it to speak with the tongues of men and of angels! Yet, if I have not charity, saith he, I/am as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though
I know all mysteries, and all knowledge, saiIth he, although
\cot 13( *? .
am become as sounding brass or a
have all prophecy, and all faith, so that
mIountains, (how great gifts are these ! ) and have not charity,
could remove am nothing. How glorious a gift is it to beIa martyr, and
give all my give my body
to be burned, and have not charity, it profdeth me nothing. Whoso then hath not charity, though for a time he have
these gifts, yet they shall be taken from him. What he
hath shall be taken from him, because a certain other thing
he hath not. This certain thing he hath not, whereby the
other may be preserved, and himself not perish. What is
that which the Lord saith, he that hath, to him shall beu&tAS, given; but whoso hath not, from him shall be taken even12'
to give away all one's goods ! Yet, though I goods, saith he, to feed the poor, and though
from
Me, ye
368 Our names being written in heaven, the highest joy.
Psalm that which he hath? He then who hath not, from him shall Cxl' be taken even that which he hath. He hath grace to possess, but he hath not love to use ; since then he hath not this, even that which he hath shall be taken from him. Therefore, that the disciples, whom He willed to make stars in heaven,
walking by the more excellent way, might have charily, He,
Who telleth the number of the stars, and calleth them all
by their names, when the disciples returned from their
Lukelo, mission exulting, and saying, Lord, even the devils ate
17,
subject unto us in Thy Name --then He, I say, Who telleth the number of the stars, and calleth them all by their names, knowing that many would say, have we not /in Thy
Name cast out devils? to whom He should say,
know you not, because He counted them not among the number ib. 20. of the stars, nor called them by their names--said, In this rejoice not, that the devils are subject unto you ; but
ver. 5.
rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven. Who telleth the number of the stars, and calleth them all
by their names.
U. Great is our Lord. The Psalmist is filled with joy,
he hath poured out his words wonderfully : yet somewhat he was unable to speak, and how availed he to think on it? Great is the Lord, and great is His power, and of His under
standing is no numbering. He Who numbereth the mul titude of the stars, Himself cannot be numbered. Great is our Lord, and great is His power, and of His understanding is no numbering. Who can expound this ? who can worthily even imagine what is meant by, and of His understanding is no number? And would that He may infuse Himself into you, and where we fail, in that He is mighty, He may Himself enlighten your minds, that ye may know what is the meaning of, of His understanding is no number. For ye see, brethren, of the sand is there any number? To us there is not, to
Mat. 10, God there is; by Whom the hairs of our head are num bered, by Him the sand also is numbered. Whatsoever then that is infinite this world containeth, though it be in finite to man, yet is not to God : too little is it to say, to God : even by the angels it is numbered. Of His under standing there is no number. His understanding surpasses all calculators ; it cannot be counted by us. Numbers
God not to be comprehended by human intellect. 369 themselves who numbereth ? Whatever is numbered, is v er.
numbered by numbers. If whatever is numbered, is num-
bered by numbers, of numbers there can be no number; numbers cannot by any means be numbered. What then
is there with God ? wherewith made He all things, and where made He all things, to Whom it is said, Thou hastViM. arrayed all things in measure, number, and weight ? Or n' 20' who can number, or measure, or weigh, measure and number
and weight themselves, w herein God hath ordered all things ? Therefore, of His understanding is no number. Let human
voices be hushed, human thoughts still : let them not
stretch themselves out to incomprehensible things, as though
they could comprehend them, but as though they were to partake of them, for partakers we shall be. We shall not be
this which we do contain, nor shall we contain the whole;
but we shall be partakers: for of Jerusalem, whose dispersions
He gathereth, somewhat great is said : Jerusalem is built as P>>. 122, a city, whose partaking is in the same. What meaneth he
by the same, save that which cannot be changed ? All
other created things may be this way or that, but He Who created cannot be this way or that. He then is the same, for
to Him is said, Thou shalt change them, and they shall be Ps. 102, changed; but Thou art the same, and Thy years shall not26'2^'
If then He is the same, and can in no degree be changed, by partaking of His divine nature, we too shall be immortal for ever. And this earnest is given us of the Son of God, as I have already said to you, holy brethren, that before we became partakers of His immortal nature, He should first become partaker of our mortal nature. But as He became mortal, not of His own substance, but of ours, so do we become immortal, not of our own substance, but of His. Partakers then we shall be: let none doubt it: Scripture saith it. And of what shall we be partakers, as though these were parts in God, as though God were divided into parts ? Who then can explain how many become partakers of one single substance ? Require not then that which I think ye see cannot filly be said : but return to the healing of the Saviour, bruise your heart ; let the darkness of your heart be crushed, obstinacy of soul bruised; let it be accused in evil, be born again in good.
VOL. vi. B b
8
fail.
370 We should not criticise Scripture, but believe it.
Psalm He will guide He will bind up where broken, He
- -- vu-
ver. 6.
will make perfectly sound and then those things will not
For good that he confess weakness, who desireth to attain
be impossible with us, which now are impossible.
to the divine nature. Of His understanding is no number. 12. What therefore thou shouldest do in this difficulty
of understanding, he sheweth thee, when he goeth on to say, The Lord taketh up the gentle. For example thou under-
standest not, thou failest to understand, canst not attain honour God's Scripture, honour God's Word, though be not plain in reverence wait for understanding. Be not wanton to accuse either the obscurity or seeming contra diction of Scripture. There nothing in contradictory somewhat there which obscure, not in order that may be denied thee, but that may exercise him that shall afterward receive it. When then obscure, that the Physician's doing, that thou mayest knock. He willed that thou shouldest be exercised in knocking He willed that He might open to thee when thou knockest. By knocking
thou shalt be exercised exercised, thou shalt be enlarged enlarged, thou shalt contain what given. Be not then indignant for that shut be mild, be gentle. Kick not against what dark, nor say, It were better said, were said thus. For how canst thou thus say, or judge how
be said It said as expedient be said. Let not the sick man seek to amend his remedies
the Physician knoweth how to temper them believe Him Who careth for thee. Therefore what cometh next The Lord taketh up the gentle. Resist not then against what God shutteth up be gentle, that He may take thee up. But thou resistest, hear what followeth but humbleth the sinners even to the ground. Many kinds of sinners are there. He humbleth the sinners even to the ground. What sinners, save the opposite to the gentle? In fact, by what he hath said, The Lord taketh up the gentle, but humbleth the sinners even to the ground, he intended certain sort of sinners to be understood, from the gentleness mentioned first. By sinners then in this place, we understand the
fierce, and those who are not gentle. Wherefore doth He humble them even to the earth They carp at
expedient
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The Manichees blinded for their intellectual lrride.
objects of understanding, they shall perceive only things Veb,
- 13. This did He to men, who chose to ridicule the Law
earthly.
before they knew because they were not gentle. Under stand me, beloved. There arose certain most accursed
sect, the Manichees, who ridiculed
they had received and read them they chose to find fault with what they understood not, and by attacking and finding fault with what they understood not, they ensnared many. But they who chose to do this have been humbled even to the earth.
They were not permitted to understand heavenly things: they savoured earthly things. All that thou hearest
in their fables nought but blasphemy and certain devices of bodily forms: for when they would understand God, they attained to the thought of this visible light, but could not advance beyond and they made such fields of light in the kingdom of God, as they saw our sun to be, looking on as a sort of product of that light. For all this which reached by means of the earth of the flesh, earth in God's eyes. For we have that whereby we see, hear, smell, taste, touch our flesh by means of those messengers, so to speak, which we call senses, perceives only corporeal things but things of the intellect and spirit, are taken in by the mind. Because then they ridiculed the obscurity of the Scriptures, which for this reason were shut, that they might be exercised in knocking, not that the Scriptures should be refused to babes, they were humbled even to the earth, so that they
could not any longer take in any thing save what per ceived by earth. And what mean by earth mean the flesh. For the flesh earth, and made of earth. What soever thou takest in by the eyes belongeth to earth what ever by the ear, whatever by the smell, whatever by the taste, whatever by the touch, pertaineth to the earth, for earth taken in. They therefore were not able to under stand His understanding of which there is no end, for
of His understanding is no end. Because they found fault with the Scriptures, which healthfully conceal understanding under certain mysteries, that the little ones may be ex
ercised and by this very finding fault being made ungentle, which the opposite to gentle, they were humbled even to
Bb2
the Scriptures when
371
is ;
it is
by
:
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is I
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:
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it,
37i? The true road to knowledge is to humble one's self.
Psalm the earth, that they should not be able to perceive God Cx"'L1, Who is incorporeal, and that whatever thoughts they had of
ver. 7.
God, should be only corporeal thoughts.
14. God then humbleth sinners, even to the earth. What
then ought we to do, if we would not be humbled even to the earth ? For it is a great thing to advance to things of the understanding, it is a great thing to advance to things
spiritual, it is a great thing for the heart to advance so far as to know that there is somewhat which is neither extended through space, nor varied in time. For what is the appear ance of wisdom ? who imagineth it? Is it long? is it square? is it round? is it now here, and now there? One man thinketh of wisdom in the east, another thinketh of it in the west ; if they think of it aright, set as they are in such utterly different places, to both it is entirely present. What is this? who can take it in ? Who can take in this substance, this divine and unchangeable nature ? Be not in haste ; thou wilt be able to take it in. Begin to the Lord in confession. Begin with this, if thou wouldest arrive at a clear under standing of the truth. If thou wilt be brought from the road of faith to the profession of the reality, begin in con fession. First accuse thyself: accuse thyself, praise God.
Call on Him, Whom as yet thou knowest not, to come and be known ; not to come to thee Himself, but to lead thee to Him. For how can He come thither, whence He never departeth ? For this is the very perfection of wisdom ; it is every where, yet it is far from the wicked. It is, I say, every where ; yet is it far from the evil who are every where.
From whom, I ask you, is that far off which is every where ? How think ye, save because they lie in their unlikeness,
driving out in themselves the likeness of God ?
become unlike, they have withdrawn : when refashioned, let them return. Whence, saith he, shall we be refashioned ?
when shall we be refashioned ? Begin to the Lord in
What after confession ? Let good works follow. Sing unto our God upon the harp. What is, Upon the harp? As I have already explained, just like the Psalm upon the psaltery, so also is the harp : not with voice only, but with works. Sing unto our God upon the harp.
15. Behold, ye confess, ye work works of mercy; sing
confession.
Having
God made Scripture obscure, that we may study it the more. 373
unto our God.
with clouds. What is, Who covereth the heaven with " 8' --
What God? Who covereth the heaven Ver.
clouds? Who hideth Scripture under figures and sacra ments. He Who humbleth sinners even to the earth, He Who taketh up the gentle, covereth the heaven with clouds. Who then can see the heaven, which is covered with clouds ? Fear not: hear what followeth. Who covereth the heaven with clouds, Who prepareth rain for the earth. Who
covereth the heaven with clouds: now thou art alarmed, because thou canst not see the heaven : when it hath rained thou shalt gather fruit, and shalt see clear sky. He covereth the heaven with clouds, Who prepareth rain for the earth : perhaps our God hath done this. For had we not the obscurity of Scripture as an occasion, we should not say to you those things wherein ye rejoice. This then perhaps is the rain whereat ye rejoice. It would not be possible for it to be expressed to you by our tongue, were it not that God covereth with clouds of figures the heaven of the Scriptures. For this purpose then doth He cover the heaven with clouds, that He may prepare rain for the earth. For this purpose willed He that the words of the Prophets should be obscure, that the servants of God might afterwards have that by inter preting which they might flow over the ears and hearts of men, that they might receive from the clouds of God the fatness of spiritual joy. Who covereth the heaven with clouds, Who prepareth rain for the earth.
16. Who maketh grass to grow upon the monntains, and herb for the service of men. Behold the fruit of the rain.
Who maketh, saith he, grass to grow upon the mountains.
Doth it not also grow upon the low ground ? Yes, but it is
a great thing that it groweth on the mountains. By moun
tains he meaneth the high ones of the world : by mountains understand in this place, those who are endowed with some
great dignity. And it is not wonderful that a certain widow Marki2 , cast two mites into the treasury; that the earth brought
forth grass over the low ground : the mountain also brought
forth even Zacchens the chief of the publicans. This wasLukeii), more wonderful, that the mountains brought forth grass.
For the more men are exalted, the more grasping are they ;
and the greater they are in this world, the more do they love
5'
sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing ifwe reap your carnal things ? yet said, that he was a servant. For we are your servants, brethren. Let none of us speak of himself, as though he were greater than you. We shall be
374 God's Grace can soften all hearts.
Psalm their riches. And so the man went away sorrowful, who
asked of the Lord counsel about eternal life, and Icalled
16. &c. Him Good Master, What shall I saying,
^/"^'In Mat. 19,
may commandments. Which ? The commandments of the Law,
do that
have eternal life? And the Lord said to Him, Keep the
I
it is not any thing carnal which is gained by them. Hear
what thou buyest with these worthless things. For thus 1 Cor. 9,saith the Apostle, shewing that these things are grass: ifwe 1 1 have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if
we reap your carnal things ? Hear also that carnal things Is. 40, 6. are grass. All flesh is grass, and all the glory thereof is as the flower of grass. He then went away sorrowful : and the Mat. 19, Lord said, How hard is it for a rich man to enter into the
23 kingdom of heaven ! This then is great, that He maketh grass to grow upon the mountains. And how maketh He grass to grow upon the mountains, if that rich man, when he had heard that he ought to give to the poor, went away sorrowful ? How did He afterwards answer the Apostles
ib. 26. when they were saddened ? The things which are difficult with men, are easy with God. He then maketh the grass to grow upon the mountains, to Whom all things are easy. For nothing could be more barren than the hard mountains. He raineth, Who maketh the grass to grow upon the moun tains, and herb for the service of men. What service? Listen to Paul himself. And ourselves, saith he, your
2 Cor. 4, servants for Jesus ChrisCs sake. He who said, If we have
said He. All these have
thing, said He, thou lackest. Wilt thou be perfect? Go and sell all that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shall have treasure in heaven, and come, follow Me. What said the Lord ? Behold, thou art a mountain ; receive rain, give forth grass. For what is it that thou wilt give ? Is it not grass ? For all that is given to the Church for the needs of God's servants by the rich, what is it but grass ? For they are carnal things, which appear but for a time : but
Mat. 20, greater if we are more humble. But whosoever will be 26.
kept
from
my youth. One
We must be fruitful in return for Grace. 375
great among you, the Lord's saying,) shall be your vEr. servant. Therefore, He maketh the grass to grow upon the ---- mountains, and herb for the service of men. Paul the Apostle, indeed, living by his own labour, refused even to receive the grass of the mountains; he chose to want; nevertheless, the mountains gave grass. Because he chose
not to receive, ought the mountains
and so to remain barren Fruit due to the rain, food
due to the servant, as the Lord saith, Eat such things as Lnkelo, they give you: and that they should not think that they'"8' gave ought of their own, He added, for the labourer is worthy of his hire.
17. Therefore, brethren, since has been given to me
to say somewhat to you upon this opportunity, specially
since we who speak to you seek no such things from you,
and therefore speak the more freely (though even we did
seek, we should be seeking your profit, and not your riches,
but your righteousness;) yet warn you in few words, since
we have already said much, and our discourse must at length come to an end ye would not be barren, repay
the rain by fruitfulness, lest hereafter your barrenness be condemned for the Lord threaleneth the barren and thorn- Heb. bearing land with fire, even as He prepared His granary8'
for the fruitful take heed to exact of yourselves be your
own exactors. Christ silently exacteth and louder His
Voice though He be silent, in that He not silent in the Gospel. For He not truly silent, since He saith, Make i. ukeie, to yourselves friends of the Mammon of unrighteousness,9-
that they too may receive you into everlasting habitations.
He not silent; hear His Voice. For none can exact of
you: unless perhaps there need of exacting, that they
who serve you in the Gospel, ask of you. If come to
this, that they have to ask, take heed lest what ye ask of
God, ye ask in vain. Be then your own exactors, lest they
who serve you in the Gospel, do not say be compelled to
ask of you, for perhaps they ask not even when compelled,
but by their silence accuse you. Wherefore written,
Blessed is he who understandeth concerning the poor and Ps. 4l,i.
needy. When he saith, who understandeth concerning the poor and needy, he waiteth not for him to ask. Understand
therefore not to give,
it is
it
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if
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370 We must give to Christ's Treasury.
Psalm concerning him. One needy man seeketh thee, another >xI,WI-. needy man thou oughtest to seek. Both are said, my Luke 6, brethren: just now has been read, Give to every one that
asketh of thee; and in another place Scripture* saith, Let alms sweat in thy hand, till thou findest a righteous man to whom to give it. One there is who seeketh thee, another thou oughtest to seek. Leave not indeed him who seeketh thee empty, for, give to every one that asketh of thee ; yet still there is another whom thou oughtest to seek ; let alms sweat in thine hand, till thou findest a righteous man to whom to give it Ye will never do this, unless ye have somewhat set aside from your substance, each what pleaseth him according to the needs of his family, as a sort of debt to be paid to the treasury. If Christ have not a state1 of His own, ueither hath He a treasury*. For know ye what ' fiscus' means ? ' Fiscus' is a bag, and from the
1 rem-
Think not that fiscus is a kind of dragon, because men are alarmed when they hear of the collector of the fiscus : the ' hscus' is the public purse. The Lord had one here on earth when He had the bag : and the bag was entrusted to Judas. The Lord endured Judas, who was both a traitor and a thief, in him shewing to all the world His long- suffering; yet they who contributed, contributed to the Lord's treasury. Unless perchance ye think that the Lord went and sought, or was in need when Angels served Him, and He fed so many thousands with five loaves. Wherefore then willed He to want, save to shew an example to the mountains to bring forth grass, that they should not repay the rain with barrenness. Cut off then and prune off some
fixed b sum either from thy yearly profits or thy daily gains, else thou seemest as it were to give of thy capital, and thy hand must needs hesitate, when thou puttest it forth to that which thou hast not vowed. Cut off some part of thy income ; a tenth if thou choosest, though that iIs but little.
'am!
3 fiscus. same source come also the words ' fiscella,' and ' fiscina. '
I ukel8, For it is said that the Pharisees gave I
fast twice And what
l1'
in the week, I give tithes of all that
a tenth ; possess.
" The Benedictine Editors were unnhle to identify this text.
1e AHquid fixum; nthi r Ms? , fisoo,
which suits the context better ;" prune off somewhat for the treasury. " i. e. Christ's treasury, spoken of above.
The 'young of the ravens' are Christians. 377
saith the Lord ? Except your righteousness exceed the Ver. righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees, ye shall not
enter into the kingdom of heaven. He whose righteousness 20. thou oughtest to exceed, giveth a tenth: thou givest not
even a thousandth. How wilt thou surpass him whom thou malcbest not ? Who covereth the heaven with clouds, Who prelmreth rain for the earth; Who maketh the grass to
grow upon the mountains, and herb for the service of men.
18. And giveth unto the cattle their food. These are the ver. 9.
cattle he meaneth, even God's flocks. God defraudeth not
His flock of their food through men, for whose service He maketh the grass to grow. Whence the Apostle saith, Who l Cor. 9,
feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock ? Who giveth unto the cattle their food, and to the young of
the ravens that call upon Him. Shall we perchance think this, that the ravens call upon God to give them their food ? Think not that the unreasoning creature calls upon God : no creature knows how to call upon God, save the reasonable alone. Consider it as spoken in a figure, lest thou think, as some evil men say, that the souls of men migrate into cattle, dogs, swine, ravens. Give this no place in your hearts or in your faith. The soul of man is made after the image of God: He will not give His image to dog or swine. What is then, And to the young of the ravens that call upon Him ? Who are the young of the ravens ? The Israelites used to say that they alone were righteous, because to them the Law had been given : all other men of every nation they used to call sinners. And in truth all nations were given up to sin, to idolatry, to the worship of stones and stocks : but did they continue so ? Although the ravens themselves, our fathers, did not, yet we, the young of the ravens, do call upon God.
