The
hope wherewith he lifted himself up, he set in confession, as though his soul, which troubled him with sadness, said to
him, Why sayest thou to me, Hope in God?
hope wherewith he lifted himself up, he set in confession, as though his soul, which troubled him with sadness, said to
him, Why sayest thou to me, Hope in God?
Augustine - Exposition on the Psalms - v6
My Son the earnest of the Holy Spirit : reckon that as paid.
-- 1 promised therein the blood and the crowns of the glorious Martyrs; let the massb remind you that My debt has been
paid. But that this glory of the Martyrs might be paid, which is promised thee in the bond, where it is written,
For Thy sake are we killed all the day long; that this might Ps. 44, be paid, the nations raged, and the people imagined t'at>>p^'2 ( things; the kings of the earth stood up, and the princess- came together, against the Lord, and against His Christ.
The princes came together, conspiring against the Christians. Further, did I not promise in the bond that the kings should believe, and have 1 not fulfilled it in deed ? Listen where I promised it: All kings shall worship Him, all nations shall Ps. 72,
serve Him. Ungrateful one ! thou readest what was due, thou
seest what has been paid, yet thou believest not what is promised. Read another thing in My bond: because the Pa. 2, i; nations raged, because Mine enemies spake evil of Me, (that is, *? 5" of Christ,) When shall He die, and His Name perish ? because
they did and said all these things, read what I promised, what
I bound Myself to pay. The Lord shall prevail against them, Zeph. 2, and shall destroy all the gods of the nations of the earth ;
and they shall worship Him, every one from his place. Well, now He hath prevailed, He hath destroyed all the gods of the nations of the earth. Doth He not do this, and pay it ? He setteth before the eyes of all His payment of His debts: some He hath paid in the time of our ancestors, which we saw not: some He hath paid in our times, which they saw not; throughout all generations He hath paid what was written. And what remaineth ? Do men not believe Him, when He hath paid all this ? What remaineth ? Behold thou hast reckoned: all this He hath paid: is He become unfaithful for the few things which remain ? God forbid ! Wherefore ? Because the Lord is faithful in His words, and holy in all His works.
18. The Lord strengtheneth all that are falling. But who ver. 14. are all that are falling ? All indeed fall in a general sense,
b See note on Ps. 1. 9. vol. ii. p. 314. ' White Mass,' as well as those there This sermon appears from this to have mentioned,
been preached in the Basilica of the
332 God helpeth His people in distress.
Psalm but he meaneth those who fall in a particular way. For many C*lT' fall from Him, many also fall from their own imaginations.
If they had evil imaginations, they fall from them, and God strengthened all that arefalling. They who lose any thing in this world, yet are holy, are as it were dishonoured in this world, from rich become poor, from honoured of low estate, yet are they God's saints ; they are, as it were, falling. But God
Prov. 2i, strengtheneth. For the just falleth seven times, and riseth
16'
again ; but the wicked shall be weakened in evils. When evils befall the wicked, they are weakened thereby ; when evils befall the righteous, the Lord strengthened all that are
falling. Job had fallen from the brightness of the former light of temporal things, with which he had shone for a while ; he had fallen from the glory of his house. Would ye know how far he had fallen ? He sat on the dunghill : yet
the Lord strengthened him when falling. How much did He strengthen him ? So much that, even in the grievous wound wherewith he was smitten throughout his whole body, he answered his wife, when she, the only helper whom the devil had left him, tempted him, Thou hast spoken as one of the foolish women : ifwe receive good at the hand of the Lord, shall we not also endure evil? How had He strengthened
Job 2, 10'
Ps. 37, him when falling! The Lord strengtheneth all that are
2i'
James4, him ; for God resisteth the proud.
15.
19. The eyes ofall hope upon Thee, and Thou givest them food in due season. Just as when thou refreshest a sick man in due season, when he ought to receive, then Thou givest, and what he ought to receive, that Thou givest. Sometimes then men long, and he giveth not: he who tendeth, knoweth the time to give. Wherefore say this, brethren Lest any
one, perchance he hath not been heard, when making some righteous request of God: (for when he maketh any unrighteous request, he heard to his punishment:) but when making some righteous request of God, perchance he have not been heard, let him not be down-hearted, let him not faint, let his eyes wait for the food, which He giveth in due season. When He giveth not, He therefore
falling. When the righteous falleth , he shall not be troubled, for the Lord strengthened his hand. And lifted up all those that have been cast down : all, that is, who belong to
if
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ver.
He withholds, as well as gives, for our good. 333 giveth not, lest that which He giveth do harm. For the Ver.
Apostle made no unrighteous request, when he besought that
17'
the thorn in the flesh, the messenger
was buffetted, might be taken from him
and did not receive, because as yet
exercising his weakness, not the due season of food. My\\,. grace, He saith, sufficient for thee: for My strength is made perfect in weakness. The devil asked permission to tempt Job, and received it. Learn here, my brethren, great mystery, needful to be learned, repeated, kept in mind, never forgotten, on account of the abundance of
in this world. What shall say Is the Apostle really to be compared with the devil The Apostle asketh, and receiveth not the devil asketh, and receiveth. But the Apostle received not, in order to his perfecting the devil received, to his damnation. Finally, Job himself received healing in due season. He was put off, however, that he might be proved, and he sat long in his sores, and asked God that they might be taken from him, and yet God took them not away. More readily did He hear the devil for Job's trial, than Job himself for his healing. Learn then not to murmur against God, and, when ye are not heard, let not that fail in you which written above, Every day will bless Thee. Even the Son Himself, even the only-begotten
temptations
Satan, whereby he", and yet he asked, was the time for
Himself, came to suffer, to pay what He owed not, to die by
the hands of sinners, to blot out with His own Blood the handwriting of our death for this He came and yet, that
He might shew thee an example of patience, He changed Phil. the body ofour humiliation, fashioning like unto the body l'
of His Glory. Father, He said, be possible, let this Mat. 26, cup pass from Me. And that, although He received not39" what He seemed to ask, He might fulfil, Every day will
bless Thee, He said, Nevertheless, not what will, but what Thou wilt, Father. The eyes of all hope in Thee, and Thou givest them meal in due season.
20. Thou openest Thine Hand, andfillest every living thing ver. 16. with blessing. Though sometimes Thou givest not, yet in
due season Thou givest: Thou delayest, not deniest, and
that in due season.
21. Righteous the Lord in all His ways. Both when ver. 17.
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334 God to be loved for Himself, not for Hi* gift* only.
Psalm He smiteth and when He healeth, He is righteous, and in C*lv' Him unrighteousness is not. Finally, all His saints, when set in the midst of tribulation, have first praised His righte
ousness, and so sought His blessings. They first have said, ' What Thou doest is righteous. ' So did Daniel ask, and other holy men: 'Righteous are Thy judgments: rightly have we suffered, deservedly have we suffered. ' They laid not unrighteousness to God, they laid not to Him injustice and folly. First they praised Him scourging, and so they felt Him feeding. Righteous is the Lord in all His ways. Let no one think Him unrighteous, when perchance he suffereth ought of evil, but let him praise His righteousness, and accuse his own unrighteousness. Righteous is the Lord in all His ways, and holy in all His works.
22. The Lord is nigh unto all that call upon Him. Prov. I, Where then is that, Then shall they call upon Me, and I
28'
will not hear thein? See then what follows: all who call upon Him in truth. For many call upon Him, but not in truth. They seek something else from Him, but seek not Himself. Why lovest thou God 1 ' Because He hath made me whole. ' That is clear: it was He that made thee so. For from none else cometh health, save Him. ' Because He gave me,' saith another, ' a rich wife, whereas I before had nothing, and one that obeyeth me. ' This too He gave : thou sayest true. ' He gave me,' saith another, ' sons many and good, He gave me a household, He gave me all good things. ' Dost thou love Him for this ? Seekest thou then nothing more ? Be hungry : still knock at the door of the Master of the household : still hath He somewhat to give.
Thou art but a beggar with all these things which thou hast received, and Thou kuowest it not. Thou bearest about as yet the ragged flesh of mortality : thou hast not yet received that glorious robe of immortality, and, as
Matt. 5, if already satisfied, dost thou cease to ask ? Blessed are they that do hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled. Therefore if God is good, Who hath given thee what thou hast, how much more blessed wilt thou be
when He hath given thee Himself! Thou hast desired all these things of Him : I beseech thee desire of Him Himself also. For these things are not truly sweeter than He is, nor
And therefore even when He withdraws them. 335
in any way are they to be compared to Him. He then vBr. who preferreth God Himself to all the things which he has -- received, whereat he rejoiceth, to the things he has received,
he calleth upon God in truth. For to tell you the truth, if to
such men a question were put, and it were said, ' What, if
God chose to take away from thee all those things wherein
thou delightest ? ' then He would be no longer loved : there would be none to say, The Lord gave, the Lord hath taken job 1, away; as it hath pleased the Lord,so hath it been done; blessed21'
be the Name of the Lord. But what saith he, from whom He hath taken these things away ? ' What have I done to Thee, O God ? wherefore hast Thou taken from me, and given to them ? ' Thou givest to the unrighteous, aud takest from Thine own. Thou accusest God of being unrighteous,
thou praisest thyself as righteous. Turn thee, accuse thy self, praise Him. Then wilt thou be right, when in all the good which He doth, God pleaseth thee ; and in all the ills which thou sufferest, He displeaseth thee not. This is to call upon God in truth. Those who thus call upon God, He heareth : He is nigh : that is, not yet hath He given what thou wishest, yet there He is. Just as if perchance a physician lays either upon eyes or stomach what is to heal by burning, though the sick man ask that it be taken from him, the physician awaiteth the time, he doeth not what the sick man asketh ; yet he departeth not from him. He is near, yet he doeth it not: yea, all the more he doeth it not, because he is near. For to heal him he laid on what he hath laid on, and to heal him he doeth not what he is asked. He heareth him not in regard of his present will, yet he heareth him in regard of his future healing, and this at all events according to his will. For surely he wisheth to be made whole, even if he wish not to be burnt. Nigh then is the Lord to all that call upon Him. But what all ? All that call upon Him in truth.
23. He will perform the will of them that fear Him. ver. 19. He will perform it, He will perform it: though He perform
it not at once, yet He will perform it. Certainly if therefore
thou fearest God, that thou mayest do His will, behold even
He in a manner ministereth to thee; He doeth thy will.
And He shall hear their prayer, and save them. Thou
336 The goodness and severity of God.
Psalm seest that for this purpose the Physician hears, that He
Vs ' may save. When ? Hear the Apostle telling thee. For
24. we are saved in hope : but hope which is seen is not hope :
but if what we see not we hope for, then do we with
l Vet. i,patience wait for it: the salvation, that is, which Peter
''*
ver. 20.
calleth ready to be revealed in the last time.
24. The Lord guardeth all that love Him, and all sinners
He will destroy. Thou seest that there is severity with Him, with Whom is so great sweetness. He will save all that hope in Him, all the faithful, all that fear Him, all that call upon Him in truth : and all sinners He will destroy. What all sinners, save those who persevere in sin; who dare to blame God, not themselves; who daily argue against God ; who despair of pardon for their sins, and from this very despair heap up their sins ; or who perversely promise themselves pardon, and through this very promise depart not from their sins and impiety ? The time will come for all these to be separated, and for the two divisions to be made of them, one on the right hand, the other on the left ; and for the righteous to receive the everlasting Kingdom, the wicked to go into everlasting fire. And all sinners He shall destroy.
25. Since this is so, and we have heard the blessing of the Lord, the works of the Lord, the wondrous things of the Lord, the mercies of the Lord, the severity of the Lord, His Providence over all His works, the con fession of all His works; observe how He concludeth in
ver. 21. His praise, My mouth shall speak the praise of the Lord, and let allJlesh bless His holy Name for ever and ever.
Lat. CxI. V.
PSALM CXLVI. Sermon to the people.
1. The divine songs are the delights of our spirits, wherein even weeping is not without joy. To a faithful man, and one who is a stranger in the world, no remembrance is so
joyous as that of the city whence he is a wanderer: but the recollection of his city in his wanderings is not without sorrow and sighing. Yet the sure hope of our return
We are to hope in God, and therefore to praise Him. 337
comforteth and cheereth us when sad with our wandering. Let the words of God seize upon your hearts, and let Him, Whose ye are, claim His own possession, that your mind, that they be not turned aside to ought else. Let each one of you so be entirely here, that he be not here that is, let him give himself wholly to the word of God, which soundeth on earth, that by he may be lifted up, and not be on earth. For therefore was He God with us, that we might be with Him. For He Who came down from heaven to be with us, maketh us ascend to Him, that we may be with Him. Meanwhile He scorned not our estrangement; for no where He
stranger, Who made all things.
2. Behold the Psalm soundeth the voice ofsome
one, (and that some one are ye, ye will,) of some one encouraging his soul to praise God, and saying to himself, Praise the Lord, my soul. For sometimes in the tribu-ver. lations and temptations of this present life, whether we will
or no, our soul troubled of which troubling he speaketh
in another Psalm, saying, Wherefore art thou sad, >>iyP>>. 42, soul, and wherefore troublest thou me? But to remove 14"15- this troubling, he suggesteth joy; not as yet in reality, but
in hope and saith to when troubled and anxious, sad and sorrowing, Hope in God, for will yet confess to Him.
The
hope wherewith he lifted himself up, he set in confession, as though his soul, which troubled him with sadness, said to
him, Why sayest thou to me, Hope in God? am called
back therefrom by consciousness of sins know what have committed, and thou sayest to me, hope in God. Thou hast committed these things, true but whence dost thou hope? Because, will confess to Him. As God hateth
one who defendeth his sin, so He helpeth one who con- fesseth. Having then received this hope, which hope cannot
be without joy, although we be in circumstances most difficult as concerning this life, and full of storms and tempests, yet the soul uplifted by this hope, because
rejoiceth in hope, as the Apostle saith, rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, hath received sort of lifting up to
God, to praise God; and to said, Praise the Lord, my soul.
3. But who saith and to whom saith he What VOL. vi.
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338 The sinful soul superior to the spiritual body,
Psalm shall we say, brethren? Is it the flesh that saith, Praise thou the Lord, O my soul? And can the flesh suggest good counsel to the soul ? However much the flesh be con quered, and subjected as a servant to us through strength which the Lord imparteth, that it serve us entirely as a bond slave, enough for us that it hinder us not. In the next place, surely, brethren, men seek counsel from their betters : and if our soul be in some sense good, and our flesh is in some sense good, because He created both Who created all things
Gen. 1, very good, although, I say, both be good in their several Rom 8 kinds, yet the Apostle saith, the body is dead because of sin.
,0'
ib. 23. in hope, as the Apostle saith, We groan within ourselves,
There is indeed that body also which is promised to us, which as yet we have not, in whose redemption we rejoice
&e'
waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our bodies. For we are saved in hope. But hope which is seen is not hope ; for what a man seeth, why doth he hope
for? but if we hope for what we see not, then do we with patience wait for it. Although then our body be in some sense good, yet, so long as it is mortal because of sin, as long as it is needy, as long as it is corruptible, as long
as it is so changeable, that even for a moment it abideth not, without doubt it is such, that we must wish for its redemption, whereby it will at length cease to be such. But what will it be hereafter ? Such as the same Apostle saith
iCor. 1S. in another place, For this corruptible must put on in corruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. But even when our body shall have become such as this, a body now heavenly and spiritual, a body angel-like in its fellowship with angels, not even then will it give counsel to the soul. For the body, inasmuch as it is the body, is even beneath the soul; and every soul, however vile, is found more excellent than the most excellent body.
4. And let not this seem to you to be wonderful, that even any vile and sinful soul is better than any great and most surpassing body. It is better, not in deserts, but in nature. The soul indeed is sinful, is stained with certain defilements of lusts ; yet gold, though rusted, is better than the most polished lead. Let your mind then run over every part of creation, and ye will see that what we are saying is not
because its capacity, when amended, higher. 339
incredible, that a soul, however blameable, is yet more praise worthy than a praiseworthy body. There are two things, a soul and a body. The soul I chide, the body I praise : the soul I chide, because it is sinful ; the body I praise, because it is sound. Yet it is in its own kind that I praise the soul, and in its own kind that I blame the soul : and so in its own kind I praise the body, or blame it. If you ask me which is better, what I have blamed or what I have praised, wondrous is the answer thou wilt receive. True, I praised the one and blamed the other, yet, when asked which is better, I answer that what I have blamed is better than what I have praised. If thou wonderest at these two things,
observe the case of the two things ready to our hands, which I have already quoted, the gold and the lead. Observe: I have found fault with the gold : it is rusted : it shines not as much, it is not as clean : this lead is beautiful, as clean as can be. The former I have found fault with, the latter I have praised, and have set before you both, finding fault with the one, praising the other. After thus bestowing my blame and praise, ask me which of these is better : I shall an swer, the gold, even though rusted, is better, is better than the lead when clear. How, better, and wherefore then hast thou found fault with it ? Wherefore have I found fault with it ? Because it is not yet the gold which it can be. What can it
be? Cleansed and better. Because it hath not yet been cleansed, it is found fault with. Why hast thou praised the lead ? Because it is already so clean that it cannot be better. So you speak of the best horse and the worst man; yet thou preferrest the man thou findest fault with to the horse thou praisest. For if thou wert asked which of these two was better, thou wouldest say, ' the man,' not by deserts, but by nature. So in trades, thou speakest of a first-rate cobbler,
and findest fault with some lawyer, because he is ignorant of many laws : thou hast praised the cobbler, thou hast blamed the lawyer; yet ask which of these two is better, and the unskilled lawyer is preferred to the perfect cobbler.
Observe, my beloved, after having in so many instances praised some things, blamed others, yet when asked, we for the most part prefer what we have blamed to what we have praised. The nature of the soul is more excellent than the
z2
340 The soul divided between love of other things and of God.
Psalm nature of the body : it surpasseth it by far, it is a thing -Cx1vI' spiritual, incorporeal, akin to the substance of God. It is somewhat invisible, it ruleth the body, moveth the limbs,
guideth the senses, prepareth thoughts, putteth forth actions, taketh in images of countless things; who is there, in short, beloved brethren, who may suffice for the praises of the soul ? And yet such is the grace given to it, that this man saith, Praise the Lord, O my soul. Who can praise
spreading thou praiseth.
'
If he said, praise thyself,' perchance it would fail :
God ?
he saith, praise God. Endeavour with the affection of love, still thou wilt fall short in His praise. Better is it for thee to fall short in praising God, than to go forward in praising thyself. For when thou praisest God, and unfoldest not what thou wouldest, thy thought spreads inwardly, its very
maketh thee more able to contain Him Whom
5. Who then is as began to say, who saith, Praise the Lord, my soul? It not the flesh that saith it. Let the body be angel-like, still inferior to the soul, cannot give advice to its superior. The flesh when duly obedient the handmaid of the soul the soul rules, the body obeys the soul commands, the body performs how then can the flesh give this advice to the soul Who then
who saith, Praise the Lord, my soul? We find nothing more in man than flesh and soul the whole man consists of this, of body and soul. Is then perchance the soul herself, who saith to herself, and in manner commandeth herself, and exhorteth and asketh herself? For through certain passions in one part of her nature she
wavered but in another part, which they call the reasonable mind, the wisdom whereby she thinks, clinging to God, and now sighing towards Him, she perceives that certain inferior parts of her are troubled by worldly emotions, and by certain excitement of earthly desires, betake them to outward things, leaving God Who within so she recalleth herself from things outward to inward, from lower to higher, and says, Praise the Lord, my soul. What pleaseth thee in the world what there which thou
wishest to praise what that thou wishest to love Whithersoever thou turnest thyself with thy corporeal senses,
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Man should obey God, rule his body. 341
there meeteth thee the sky, meeteth thee the earth; what Ver. thou lovest on earth, is earthly ; whatever thou lovest even in :-- the sky, is corporeal. Every where thou lovest, and every
where thou praisest: how greatly is He to be praised, Who
made these things which thou praisest ! Now then thou
hast long lived in the midst of engagements, and hast been battered by various desires, so that thou art wounded, and bearest the mark of their blows : thou hast been distracted between many loves, ever disquieted, never free from care; concentrate thyself within thyself ; whatever before pleased
thee without thee, seek now Who was its Author. For instance, there is nothing better on earth than this and that;
gold, for example, or silver, or animals, or trees, or beautiful places, or the whole earth together. What is there in
the sky better than sun, moon, and stars? or consider if
you will the whole heaven together. All these things together are very good ; for God made all things very Gen. I, yood. On all sides is the beauty of the work, which com- mendeth to thee the Maker. Thou admirest the workman
ship, love the Worker. Be not taken up with that which is made, and withdraw from Him Who made it. For these things with which thou art taken up, He made beneath thee, Who made thee beneath Himself. If thou cling to Him Who is above thee, thou wilt trample under thee what is below thee: if thou withdraw thyself from Him that is above thee, these things will be turned into punishment for thee. For this is the case, my brethren ; man received a body to be servant to him, having God as his Lord, his body as his servant : having above him his Creator, beneath him that which was created below him; while the reason able soul, set in a sort of middle ground, had a law laid upon to cling to Him Who above to rule that which below it. It cannot rule that which below unless be
ruled by Him that better than it. If be drawn away by what beneath has abandoned Him Who better than it. It can no longer rule what did rule, because
would not be ruled by Him, Who used to rule it. Now then let return, let praise. The soul itself giveth itself counsel from the light of God by the reasonable mind, whereby conceiveth the wisdom fixed in the everlasting
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342 We must praise God as we can.
Psalm nature of its Author. It readeth there of somewhat to be ? iClvl" feared, to be praised, to be loved, to be longed for, and
sought after : as yet it graspeth it not, it comprehendeth it not ; it is, as it were, dazzled with brightness ; it has not strength to abide there. Therefore it gathers itself, as it were, into a sound state, and saith, Praise the Lord, O my soul.
6. And what is the case, brethren ? Do we not praise the Lord? Do we not daily sing our hymn? Daily doth not our mouth sound, our heart utter, according to our measure, the praise of God? And what is it which we praise ? Great is that which we praise, but that wherewith we praise as yet is weak. When doth he who praiseth fully reach the excellence of Him he praiseth ? Behold a man standeth up, he singeth unto God at great length, and often his lips are moving in song, while his thoughts are flitting through I know not what desires. Our mind then stood up, as it were, to praise God; our soul the while was drifting hither and thither amid divers desires or anxieties of business. The mind, as it were, from above observeth drifting hither and thither, and turning, as were, to its disquiet in its anxieties, saith, Praise the Lord, my soul. Why
busiest thou thyself in other things Why art thou taken up with anxiety about things of earth, and of this life Stand with me, and praise the Lord. And then the soul, weighed down, as were, and unable to stand up as is
ver. 2. fitting, answereth the mind, will praise the Lord in my life. What is, in my life Because now am in my death. Therefore first encourage thyself, and say, Praise the Lord,
'',
Cor. 5,
my soul. Thy soul answereth thee, do praise so far as can, slightly, poorly, weakly. Wherefore Because, while we are in the body, we are absent from the Lord. Wherefore
thus praisest thou the Lord, not perfectly, not stedfastly
Wiad. 9, Ask Scripture: for the corruptible body presseth down the
15-
soul, and the earthly tabernacle weigheth down the mind that museth upon many things. Take me away the body that presseth down the soul, and praise the Lord take me away the earthly tabernacle that weigheth down the mind that museth upon many things, that from
many things may concentrate myself to one, and praise the
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The true difference between man and man, their end. 343
Lord : but, as long as I am thus, I cannot, I am weighed down. What then ? Wilt thou be silent, and not praise the
life.
Ve<<. '---
we say, Thou art my hope ; but my portion, not here, but, in
the land of the living: for this is the land of the dying:
we pass from hence; but it makes a difference whither.
For both the evil man is a wanderer here, and the good man
is a wanderer here. For it is not that the good passeth away,
or the evil abideth here ; or that the evil passeth away, and
the good remaineth here : both pass away, but not both to
one end. There were two men : a beggar full of sores, lying Lukei6, at the rich man's gate; and a rich man, clothed in purple 19'&c' and fine linen, faring sumptuously every day : both were
here; both passed away from hence; but not both to the
same place : different places receive them, because different
deserts bring them thither. The beggar passed into Abra
ham's bosom, the rich man passed into the torments of hell.
In body they were neighbours upon earth ; one in the house,
the other at the gate : after death they were so widely severed, that Abraham saith, between us and you there is
a great gulph fixed. Therefore, brethren, since faith feed?
us here, but our life is not perfect, save that which is promised to us, here we have groans, here temptations, here
straits, here sorrows, here dangers ; there our soul shall
praise God as He is to be praised; according to what is said
in another Psalm, Blessed are they who dwell in Thy house, Ps. 84,4. they shall be alway praising Tliee: when our whole busi
ness will be merely praise. But when will this be ? In my life. Now what has it ? It might answer thee, ' My death. ' Whence, ' My death ? ' because 1 am absent from the Lord. For if to cling to Him is life, to depart from Him is death. But what comforteth thee? Hope. Now thou livest in hope : in hope praise, in hope sing. Thy death is from the sadness of this life, thou livest in hope of a
future life. / will praise, saith he, my God in my life.
Iou praise thy Lord ? 8. And how wilt th
/ will praise the Lord in my
7. What is, in my life? Thou art my hope here. Here Ps- 1*2,
Lord perfectly ?
/ will sing unto have my being. WhIat sort of praise
my God, as long as
is this, / will sing unto my God as long as
Behold, my brethren, what sort of being this will be ; where
have my being?
344 We should seek the help, not of man, but of God.
Psalm there will be everlasting praise, there will be also everlasting --lTI' being. Behold, now thou hast being: dost thou sing unto God as long as thou hast being ? Behold, thou wast singing,
and hast turned thyself away to some business, thou singest no longer, yet thou hast being : thou hast being, yet thou singest not. It may be also thy desire turneth thee to somewhat; not only dost thou not sing, but thou even offendest His ears, yet thou hast being. What praise will that be, when thou praisest as long as thou hast being ?
I
any time when he will not be ? Nay, rather, that long will
But what meaneth, as long as
have being? Will there be
be everlasting, and therefore it will be truly long. For whatever hath end in time, however prolonged it is, is yet not
long.
I will sing unto God as long as
9. Meanwhile it is well: thou shalt praise God in thy life,
thou singest hereafter to thy God as long as thou hast being. It is well : whatever thou reliest on here, hope in Him. Let not hope desert us here, in this pilgrimage and trial, amid these wickednesses and snare of our enemy, while the temptations of the world roar around us on all sides, while we are set in the midst of toils and distresses on all sides,
ver. 3. What then shall we do? Hear what followeth. Put not your trust in princes. Brethren, here we receive a mighty task ; it is a voice from heaven, from above it soundeth to us. For now through some kind of weakness the soul of man, whensoever it is in tribulation here, despaireth of God, and chooseth to rely on man. Let it be said to one when set in some affliction, 'There is a great man, by whom thou may est be set free ;' he smileth, he rejoiceth, he is lifted up. But if it is said to him, ' God freeth thee,' he is chilled, so
to speak, by despair. The aid of a mortal is promised, and thou rejoicest; the aid of the Immortal is promised, and art thou sad ? It is promised thee that thou shalt be freed by one who needeth to be freed with thee, and thou ex- ultest, as at some great aid : thou art promised that Liberator, Who needeth none to free Him, and thou despairest, as though it were but a fable. Woe to such thoughts : they wander far; truly there is sad and great death in them. Approach, begin to long, begin to seek and to know Him by Whom thou wast made. For He will not leave His
I
have being.
Man cannot even help himself, 3J5
work, if He be not left by His work. Turn thee then to Ver. Him, to Whom thou sayest, / will praise the Lord in my ------
I
For the Psalmist warneth us as one filled with the Spirit,
life, J will sing unto my God as long as
have being.
and saith, as to men far distant and wandering, and not only not willing to praise God, but not as yet hoping in God, Pat not your trust in princes, nor in the sons of men, in whom is no salvation. In one Son of man alone is there salvation, and in Him, not because He is the Son of man, but because He is the Son of God ; not on account of that which He took of thee, but of that which He retained in Himself. In no man then is there salvation, for even in
Him there is salvation only because He is God, Who is over Rom. 9, all, God blessed for ever. Of Christ is said, Of whom accord-5'
ing to the flesh Christ came. Of whom ?
paid. But that this glory of the Martyrs might be paid, which is promised thee in the bond, where it is written,
For Thy sake are we killed all the day long; that this might Ps. 44, be paid, the nations raged, and the people imagined t'at>>p^'2 ( things; the kings of the earth stood up, and the princess- came together, against the Lord, and against His Christ.
The princes came together, conspiring against the Christians. Further, did I not promise in the bond that the kings should believe, and have 1 not fulfilled it in deed ? Listen where I promised it: All kings shall worship Him, all nations shall Ps. 72,
serve Him. Ungrateful one ! thou readest what was due, thou
seest what has been paid, yet thou believest not what is promised. Read another thing in My bond: because the Pa. 2, i; nations raged, because Mine enemies spake evil of Me, (that is, *? 5" of Christ,) When shall He die, and His Name perish ? because
they did and said all these things, read what I promised, what
I bound Myself to pay. The Lord shall prevail against them, Zeph. 2, and shall destroy all the gods of the nations of the earth ;
and they shall worship Him, every one from his place. Well, now He hath prevailed, He hath destroyed all the gods of the nations of the earth. Doth He not do this, and pay it ? He setteth before the eyes of all His payment of His debts: some He hath paid in the time of our ancestors, which we saw not: some He hath paid in our times, which they saw not; throughout all generations He hath paid what was written. And what remaineth ? Do men not believe Him, when He hath paid all this ? What remaineth ? Behold thou hast reckoned: all this He hath paid: is He become unfaithful for the few things which remain ? God forbid ! Wherefore ? Because the Lord is faithful in His words, and holy in all His works.
18. The Lord strengtheneth all that are falling. But who ver. 14. are all that are falling ? All indeed fall in a general sense,
b See note on Ps. 1. 9. vol. ii. p. 314. ' White Mass,' as well as those there This sermon appears from this to have mentioned,
been preached in the Basilica of the
332 God helpeth His people in distress.
Psalm but he meaneth those who fall in a particular way. For many C*lT' fall from Him, many also fall from their own imaginations.
If they had evil imaginations, they fall from them, and God strengthened all that arefalling. They who lose any thing in this world, yet are holy, are as it were dishonoured in this world, from rich become poor, from honoured of low estate, yet are they God's saints ; they are, as it were, falling. But God
Prov. 2i, strengtheneth. For the just falleth seven times, and riseth
16'
again ; but the wicked shall be weakened in evils. When evils befall the wicked, they are weakened thereby ; when evils befall the righteous, the Lord strengthened all that are
falling. Job had fallen from the brightness of the former light of temporal things, with which he had shone for a while ; he had fallen from the glory of his house. Would ye know how far he had fallen ? He sat on the dunghill : yet
the Lord strengthened him when falling. How much did He strengthen him ? So much that, even in the grievous wound wherewith he was smitten throughout his whole body, he answered his wife, when she, the only helper whom the devil had left him, tempted him, Thou hast spoken as one of the foolish women : ifwe receive good at the hand of the Lord, shall we not also endure evil? How had He strengthened
Job 2, 10'
Ps. 37, him when falling! The Lord strengtheneth all that are
2i'
James4, him ; for God resisteth the proud.
15.
19. The eyes ofall hope upon Thee, and Thou givest them food in due season. Just as when thou refreshest a sick man in due season, when he ought to receive, then Thou givest, and what he ought to receive, that Thou givest. Sometimes then men long, and he giveth not: he who tendeth, knoweth the time to give. Wherefore say this, brethren Lest any
one, perchance he hath not been heard, when making some righteous request of God: (for when he maketh any unrighteous request, he heard to his punishment:) but when making some righteous request of God, perchance he have not been heard, let him not be down-hearted, let him not faint, let his eyes wait for the food, which He giveth in due season. When He giveth not, He therefore
falling. When the righteous falleth , he shall not be troubled, for the Lord strengthened his hand. And lifted up all those that have been cast down : all, that is, who belong to
if
?
is
I
if
ver.
He withholds, as well as gives, for our good. 333 giveth not, lest that which He giveth do harm. For the Ver.
Apostle made no unrighteous request, when he besought that
17'
the thorn in the flesh, the messenger
was buffetted, might be taken from him
and did not receive, because as yet
exercising his weakness, not the due season of food. My\\,. grace, He saith, sufficient for thee: for My strength is made perfect in weakness. The devil asked permission to tempt Job, and received it. Learn here, my brethren, great mystery, needful to be learned, repeated, kept in mind, never forgotten, on account of the abundance of
in this world. What shall say Is the Apostle really to be compared with the devil The Apostle asketh, and receiveth not the devil asketh, and receiveth. But the Apostle received not, in order to his perfecting the devil received, to his damnation. Finally, Job himself received healing in due season. He was put off, however, that he might be proved, and he sat long in his sores, and asked God that they might be taken from him, and yet God took them not away. More readily did He hear the devil for Job's trial, than Job himself for his healing. Learn then not to murmur against God, and, when ye are not heard, let not that fail in you which written above, Every day will bless Thee. Even the Son Himself, even the only-begotten
temptations
Satan, whereby he", and yet he asked, was the time for
Himself, came to suffer, to pay what He owed not, to die by
the hands of sinners, to blot out with His own Blood the handwriting of our death for this He came and yet, that
He might shew thee an example of patience, He changed Phil. the body ofour humiliation, fashioning like unto the body l'
of His Glory. Father, He said, be possible, let this Mat. 26, cup pass from Me. And that, although He received not39" what He seemed to ask, He might fulfil, Every day will
bless Thee, He said, Nevertheless, not what will, but what Thou wilt, Father. The eyes of all hope in Thee, and Thou givest them meal in due season.
20. Thou openest Thine Hand, andfillest every living thing ver. 16. with blessing. Though sometimes Thou givest not, yet in
due season Thou givest: Thou delayest, not deniest, and
that in due season.
21. Righteous the Lord in all His ways. Both when ver. 17.
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9.
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334 God to be loved for Himself, not for Hi* gift* only.
Psalm He smiteth and when He healeth, He is righteous, and in C*lv' Him unrighteousness is not. Finally, all His saints, when set in the midst of tribulation, have first praised His righte
ousness, and so sought His blessings. They first have said, ' What Thou doest is righteous. ' So did Daniel ask, and other holy men: 'Righteous are Thy judgments: rightly have we suffered, deservedly have we suffered. ' They laid not unrighteousness to God, they laid not to Him injustice and folly. First they praised Him scourging, and so they felt Him feeding. Righteous is the Lord in all His ways. Let no one think Him unrighteous, when perchance he suffereth ought of evil, but let him praise His righteousness, and accuse his own unrighteousness. Righteous is the Lord in all His ways, and holy in all His works.
22. The Lord is nigh unto all that call upon Him. Prov. I, Where then is that, Then shall they call upon Me, and I
28'
will not hear thein? See then what follows: all who call upon Him in truth. For many call upon Him, but not in truth. They seek something else from Him, but seek not Himself. Why lovest thou God 1 ' Because He hath made me whole. ' That is clear: it was He that made thee so. For from none else cometh health, save Him. ' Because He gave me,' saith another, ' a rich wife, whereas I before had nothing, and one that obeyeth me. ' This too He gave : thou sayest true. ' He gave me,' saith another, ' sons many and good, He gave me a household, He gave me all good things. ' Dost thou love Him for this ? Seekest thou then nothing more ? Be hungry : still knock at the door of the Master of the household : still hath He somewhat to give.
Thou art but a beggar with all these things which thou hast received, and Thou kuowest it not. Thou bearest about as yet the ragged flesh of mortality : thou hast not yet received that glorious robe of immortality, and, as
Matt. 5, if already satisfied, dost thou cease to ask ? Blessed are they that do hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled. Therefore if God is good, Who hath given thee what thou hast, how much more blessed wilt thou be
when He hath given thee Himself! Thou hast desired all these things of Him : I beseech thee desire of Him Himself also. For these things are not truly sweeter than He is, nor
And therefore even when He withdraws them. 335
in any way are they to be compared to Him. He then vBr. who preferreth God Himself to all the things which he has -- received, whereat he rejoiceth, to the things he has received,
he calleth upon God in truth. For to tell you the truth, if to
such men a question were put, and it were said, ' What, if
God chose to take away from thee all those things wherein
thou delightest ? ' then He would be no longer loved : there would be none to say, The Lord gave, the Lord hath taken job 1, away; as it hath pleased the Lord,so hath it been done; blessed21'
be the Name of the Lord. But what saith he, from whom He hath taken these things away ? ' What have I done to Thee, O God ? wherefore hast Thou taken from me, and given to them ? ' Thou givest to the unrighteous, aud takest from Thine own. Thou accusest God of being unrighteous,
thou praisest thyself as righteous. Turn thee, accuse thy self, praise Him. Then wilt thou be right, when in all the good which He doth, God pleaseth thee ; and in all the ills which thou sufferest, He displeaseth thee not. This is to call upon God in truth. Those who thus call upon God, He heareth : He is nigh : that is, not yet hath He given what thou wishest, yet there He is. Just as if perchance a physician lays either upon eyes or stomach what is to heal by burning, though the sick man ask that it be taken from him, the physician awaiteth the time, he doeth not what the sick man asketh ; yet he departeth not from him. He is near, yet he doeth it not: yea, all the more he doeth it not, because he is near. For to heal him he laid on what he hath laid on, and to heal him he doeth not what he is asked. He heareth him not in regard of his present will, yet he heareth him in regard of his future healing, and this at all events according to his will. For surely he wisheth to be made whole, even if he wish not to be burnt. Nigh then is the Lord to all that call upon Him. But what all ? All that call upon Him in truth.
23. He will perform the will of them that fear Him. ver. 19. He will perform it, He will perform it: though He perform
it not at once, yet He will perform it. Certainly if therefore
thou fearest God, that thou mayest do His will, behold even
He in a manner ministereth to thee; He doeth thy will.
And He shall hear their prayer, and save them. Thou
336 The goodness and severity of God.
Psalm seest that for this purpose the Physician hears, that He
Vs ' may save. When ? Hear the Apostle telling thee. For
24. we are saved in hope : but hope which is seen is not hope :
but if what we see not we hope for, then do we with
l Vet. i,patience wait for it: the salvation, that is, which Peter
''*
ver. 20.
calleth ready to be revealed in the last time.
24. The Lord guardeth all that love Him, and all sinners
He will destroy. Thou seest that there is severity with Him, with Whom is so great sweetness. He will save all that hope in Him, all the faithful, all that fear Him, all that call upon Him in truth : and all sinners He will destroy. What all sinners, save those who persevere in sin; who dare to blame God, not themselves; who daily argue against God ; who despair of pardon for their sins, and from this very despair heap up their sins ; or who perversely promise themselves pardon, and through this very promise depart not from their sins and impiety ? The time will come for all these to be separated, and for the two divisions to be made of them, one on the right hand, the other on the left ; and for the righteous to receive the everlasting Kingdom, the wicked to go into everlasting fire. And all sinners He shall destroy.
25. Since this is so, and we have heard the blessing of the Lord, the works of the Lord, the wondrous things of the Lord, the mercies of the Lord, the severity of the Lord, His Providence over all His works, the con fession of all His works; observe how He concludeth in
ver. 21. His praise, My mouth shall speak the praise of the Lord, and let allJlesh bless His holy Name for ever and ever.
Lat. CxI. V.
PSALM CXLVI. Sermon to the people.
1. The divine songs are the delights of our spirits, wherein even weeping is not without joy. To a faithful man, and one who is a stranger in the world, no remembrance is so
joyous as that of the city whence he is a wanderer: but the recollection of his city in his wanderings is not without sorrow and sighing. Yet the sure hope of our return
We are to hope in God, and therefore to praise Him. 337
comforteth and cheereth us when sad with our wandering. Let the words of God seize upon your hearts, and let Him, Whose ye are, claim His own possession, that your mind, that they be not turned aside to ought else. Let each one of you so be entirely here, that he be not here that is, let him give himself wholly to the word of God, which soundeth on earth, that by he may be lifted up, and not be on earth. For therefore was He God with us, that we might be with Him. For He Who came down from heaven to be with us, maketh us ascend to Him, that we may be with Him. Meanwhile He scorned not our estrangement; for no where He
stranger, Who made all things.
2. Behold the Psalm soundeth the voice ofsome
one, (and that some one are ye, ye will,) of some one encouraging his soul to praise God, and saying to himself, Praise the Lord, my soul. For sometimes in the tribu-ver. lations and temptations of this present life, whether we will
or no, our soul troubled of which troubling he speaketh
in another Psalm, saying, Wherefore art thou sad, >>iyP>>. 42, soul, and wherefore troublest thou me? But to remove 14"15- this troubling, he suggesteth joy; not as yet in reality, but
in hope and saith to when troubled and anxious, sad and sorrowing, Hope in God, for will yet confess to Him.
The
hope wherewith he lifted himself up, he set in confession, as though his soul, which troubled him with sadness, said to
him, Why sayest thou to me, Hope in God? am called
back therefrom by consciousness of sins know what have committed, and thou sayest to me, hope in God. Thou hast committed these things, true but whence dost thou hope? Because, will confess to Him. As God hateth
one who defendeth his sin, so He helpeth one who con- fesseth. Having then received this hope, which hope cannot
be without joy, although we be in circumstances most difficult as concerning this life, and full of storms and tempests, yet the soul uplifted by this hope, because
rejoiceth in hope, as the Apostle saith, rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, hath received sort of lifting up to
God, to praise God; and to said, Praise the Lord, my soul.
3. But who saith and to whom saith he What VOL. vi.
--
it,
it
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it
it ?
O
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is
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:
if ;it is
it
is /O
it
it I is
;
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: is,
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338 The sinful soul superior to the spiritual body,
Psalm shall we say, brethren? Is it the flesh that saith, Praise thou the Lord, O my soul? And can the flesh suggest good counsel to the soul ? However much the flesh be con quered, and subjected as a servant to us through strength which the Lord imparteth, that it serve us entirely as a bond slave, enough for us that it hinder us not. In the next place, surely, brethren, men seek counsel from their betters : and if our soul be in some sense good, and our flesh is in some sense good, because He created both Who created all things
Gen. 1, very good, although, I say, both be good in their several Rom 8 kinds, yet the Apostle saith, the body is dead because of sin.
,0'
ib. 23. in hope, as the Apostle saith, We groan within ourselves,
There is indeed that body also which is promised to us, which as yet we have not, in whose redemption we rejoice
&e'
waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our bodies. For we are saved in hope. But hope which is seen is not hope ; for what a man seeth, why doth he hope
for? but if we hope for what we see not, then do we with patience wait for it. Although then our body be in some sense good, yet, so long as it is mortal because of sin, as long as it is needy, as long as it is corruptible, as long
as it is so changeable, that even for a moment it abideth not, without doubt it is such, that we must wish for its redemption, whereby it will at length cease to be such. But what will it be hereafter ? Such as the same Apostle saith
iCor. 1S. in another place, For this corruptible must put on in corruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. But even when our body shall have become such as this, a body now heavenly and spiritual, a body angel-like in its fellowship with angels, not even then will it give counsel to the soul. For the body, inasmuch as it is the body, is even beneath the soul; and every soul, however vile, is found more excellent than the most excellent body.
4. And let not this seem to you to be wonderful, that even any vile and sinful soul is better than any great and most surpassing body. It is better, not in deserts, but in nature. The soul indeed is sinful, is stained with certain defilements of lusts ; yet gold, though rusted, is better than the most polished lead. Let your mind then run over every part of creation, and ye will see that what we are saying is not
because its capacity, when amended, higher. 339
incredible, that a soul, however blameable, is yet more praise worthy than a praiseworthy body. There are two things, a soul and a body. The soul I chide, the body I praise : the soul I chide, because it is sinful ; the body I praise, because it is sound. Yet it is in its own kind that I praise the soul, and in its own kind that I blame the soul : and so in its own kind I praise the body, or blame it. If you ask me which is better, what I have blamed or what I have praised, wondrous is the answer thou wilt receive. True, I praised the one and blamed the other, yet, when asked which is better, I answer that what I have blamed is better than what I have praised. If thou wonderest at these two things,
observe the case of the two things ready to our hands, which I have already quoted, the gold and the lead. Observe: I have found fault with the gold : it is rusted : it shines not as much, it is not as clean : this lead is beautiful, as clean as can be. The former I have found fault with, the latter I have praised, and have set before you both, finding fault with the one, praising the other. After thus bestowing my blame and praise, ask me which of these is better : I shall an swer, the gold, even though rusted, is better, is better than the lead when clear. How, better, and wherefore then hast thou found fault with it ? Wherefore have I found fault with it ? Because it is not yet the gold which it can be. What can it
be? Cleansed and better. Because it hath not yet been cleansed, it is found fault with. Why hast thou praised the lead ? Because it is already so clean that it cannot be better. So you speak of the best horse and the worst man; yet thou preferrest the man thou findest fault with to the horse thou praisest. For if thou wert asked which of these two was better, thou wouldest say, ' the man,' not by deserts, but by nature. So in trades, thou speakest of a first-rate cobbler,
and findest fault with some lawyer, because he is ignorant of many laws : thou hast praised the cobbler, thou hast blamed the lawyer; yet ask which of these two is better, and the unskilled lawyer is preferred to the perfect cobbler.
Observe, my beloved, after having in so many instances praised some things, blamed others, yet when asked, we for the most part prefer what we have blamed to what we have praised. The nature of the soul is more excellent than the
z2
340 The soul divided between love of other things and of God.
Psalm nature of the body : it surpasseth it by far, it is a thing -Cx1vI' spiritual, incorporeal, akin to the substance of God. It is somewhat invisible, it ruleth the body, moveth the limbs,
guideth the senses, prepareth thoughts, putteth forth actions, taketh in images of countless things; who is there, in short, beloved brethren, who may suffice for the praises of the soul ? And yet such is the grace given to it, that this man saith, Praise the Lord, O my soul. Who can praise
spreading thou praiseth.
'
If he said, praise thyself,' perchance it would fail :
God ?
he saith, praise God. Endeavour with the affection of love, still thou wilt fall short in His praise. Better is it for thee to fall short in praising God, than to go forward in praising thyself. For when thou praisest God, and unfoldest not what thou wouldest, thy thought spreads inwardly, its very
maketh thee more able to contain Him Whom
5. Who then is as began to say, who saith, Praise the Lord, my soul? It not the flesh that saith it. Let the body be angel-like, still inferior to the soul, cannot give advice to its superior. The flesh when duly obedient the handmaid of the soul the soul rules, the body obeys the soul commands, the body performs how then can the flesh give this advice to the soul Who then
who saith, Praise the Lord, my soul? We find nothing more in man than flesh and soul the whole man consists of this, of body and soul. Is then perchance the soul herself, who saith to herself, and in manner commandeth herself, and exhorteth and asketh herself? For through certain passions in one part of her nature she
wavered but in another part, which they call the reasonable mind, the wisdom whereby she thinks, clinging to God, and now sighing towards Him, she perceives that certain inferior parts of her are troubled by worldly emotions, and by certain excitement of earthly desires, betake them to outward things, leaving God Who within so she recalleth herself from things outward to inward, from lower to higher, and says, Praise the Lord, my soul. What pleaseth thee in the world what there which thou
wishest to praise what that thou wishest to love Whithersoever thou turnest thyself with thy corporeal senses,
?
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;
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is
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Man should obey God, rule his body. 341
there meeteth thee the sky, meeteth thee the earth; what Ver. thou lovest on earth, is earthly ; whatever thou lovest even in :-- the sky, is corporeal. Every where thou lovest, and every
where thou praisest: how greatly is He to be praised, Who
made these things which thou praisest ! Now then thou
hast long lived in the midst of engagements, and hast been battered by various desires, so that thou art wounded, and bearest the mark of their blows : thou hast been distracted between many loves, ever disquieted, never free from care; concentrate thyself within thyself ; whatever before pleased
thee without thee, seek now Who was its Author. For instance, there is nothing better on earth than this and that;
gold, for example, or silver, or animals, or trees, or beautiful places, or the whole earth together. What is there in
the sky better than sun, moon, and stars? or consider if
you will the whole heaven together. All these things together are very good ; for God made all things very Gen. I, yood. On all sides is the beauty of the work, which com- mendeth to thee the Maker. Thou admirest the workman
ship, love the Worker. Be not taken up with that which is made, and withdraw from Him Who made it. For these things with which thou art taken up, He made beneath thee, Who made thee beneath Himself. If thou cling to Him Who is above thee, thou wilt trample under thee what is below thee: if thou withdraw thyself from Him that is above thee, these things will be turned into punishment for thee. For this is the case, my brethren ; man received a body to be servant to him, having God as his Lord, his body as his servant : having above him his Creator, beneath him that which was created below him; while the reason able soul, set in a sort of middle ground, had a law laid upon to cling to Him Who above to rule that which below it. It cannot rule that which below unless be
ruled by Him that better than it. If be drawn away by what beneath has abandoned Him Who better than it. It can no longer rule what did rule, because
would not be ruled by Him, Who used to rule it. Now then let return, let praise. The soul itself giveth itself counsel from the light of God by the reasonable mind, whereby conceiveth the wisdom fixed in the everlasting
it
it it is
it,
it
it, is it
it
it
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it
is it,
it,
is
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342 We must praise God as we can.
Psalm nature of its Author. It readeth there of somewhat to be ? iClvl" feared, to be praised, to be loved, to be longed for, and
sought after : as yet it graspeth it not, it comprehendeth it not ; it is, as it were, dazzled with brightness ; it has not strength to abide there. Therefore it gathers itself, as it were, into a sound state, and saith, Praise the Lord, O my soul.
6. And what is the case, brethren ? Do we not praise the Lord? Do we not daily sing our hymn? Daily doth not our mouth sound, our heart utter, according to our measure, the praise of God? And what is it which we praise ? Great is that which we praise, but that wherewith we praise as yet is weak. When doth he who praiseth fully reach the excellence of Him he praiseth ? Behold a man standeth up, he singeth unto God at great length, and often his lips are moving in song, while his thoughts are flitting through I know not what desires. Our mind then stood up, as it were, to praise God; our soul the while was drifting hither and thither amid divers desires or anxieties of business. The mind, as it were, from above observeth drifting hither and thither, and turning, as were, to its disquiet in its anxieties, saith, Praise the Lord, my soul. Why
busiest thou thyself in other things Why art thou taken up with anxiety about things of earth, and of this life Stand with me, and praise the Lord. And then the soul, weighed down, as were, and unable to stand up as is
ver. 2. fitting, answereth the mind, will praise the Lord in my life. What is, in my life Because now am in my death. Therefore first encourage thyself, and say, Praise the Lord,
'',
Cor. 5,
my soul. Thy soul answereth thee, do praise so far as can, slightly, poorly, weakly. Wherefore Because, while we are in the body, we are absent from the Lord. Wherefore
thus praisest thou the Lord, not perfectly, not stedfastly
Wiad. 9, Ask Scripture: for the corruptible body presseth down the
15-
soul, and the earthly tabernacle weigheth down the mind that museth upon many things. Take me away the body that presseth down the soul, and praise the Lord take me away the earthly tabernacle that weigheth down the mind that museth upon many things, that from
many things may concentrate myself to one, and praise the
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:
it,
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The true difference between man and man, their end. 343
Lord : but, as long as I am thus, I cannot, I am weighed down. What then ? Wilt thou be silent, and not praise the
life.
Ve<<. '---
we say, Thou art my hope ; but my portion, not here, but, in
the land of the living: for this is the land of the dying:
we pass from hence; but it makes a difference whither.
For both the evil man is a wanderer here, and the good man
is a wanderer here. For it is not that the good passeth away,
or the evil abideth here ; or that the evil passeth away, and
the good remaineth here : both pass away, but not both to
one end. There were two men : a beggar full of sores, lying Lukei6, at the rich man's gate; and a rich man, clothed in purple 19'&c' and fine linen, faring sumptuously every day : both were
here; both passed away from hence; but not both to the
same place : different places receive them, because different
deserts bring them thither. The beggar passed into Abra
ham's bosom, the rich man passed into the torments of hell.
In body they were neighbours upon earth ; one in the house,
the other at the gate : after death they were so widely severed, that Abraham saith, between us and you there is
a great gulph fixed. Therefore, brethren, since faith feed?
us here, but our life is not perfect, save that which is promised to us, here we have groans, here temptations, here
straits, here sorrows, here dangers ; there our soul shall
praise God as He is to be praised; according to what is said
in another Psalm, Blessed are they who dwell in Thy house, Ps. 84,4. they shall be alway praising Tliee: when our whole busi
ness will be merely praise. But when will this be ? In my life. Now what has it ? It might answer thee, ' My death. ' Whence, ' My death ? ' because 1 am absent from the Lord. For if to cling to Him is life, to depart from Him is death. But what comforteth thee? Hope. Now thou livest in hope : in hope praise, in hope sing. Thy death is from the sadness of this life, thou livest in hope of a
future life. / will praise, saith he, my God in my life.
Iou praise thy Lord ? 8. And how wilt th
/ will praise the Lord in my
7. What is, in my life? Thou art my hope here. Here Ps- 1*2,
Lord perfectly ?
/ will sing unto have my being. WhIat sort of praise
my God, as long as
is this, / will sing unto my God as long as
Behold, my brethren, what sort of being this will be ; where
have my being?
344 We should seek the help, not of man, but of God.
Psalm there will be everlasting praise, there will be also everlasting --lTI' being. Behold, now thou hast being: dost thou sing unto God as long as thou hast being ? Behold, thou wast singing,
and hast turned thyself away to some business, thou singest no longer, yet thou hast being : thou hast being, yet thou singest not. It may be also thy desire turneth thee to somewhat; not only dost thou not sing, but thou even offendest His ears, yet thou hast being. What praise will that be, when thou praisest as long as thou hast being ?
I
any time when he will not be ? Nay, rather, that long will
But what meaneth, as long as
have being? Will there be
be everlasting, and therefore it will be truly long. For whatever hath end in time, however prolonged it is, is yet not
long.
I will sing unto God as long as
9. Meanwhile it is well: thou shalt praise God in thy life,
thou singest hereafter to thy God as long as thou hast being. It is well : whatever thou reliest on here, hope in Him. Let not hope desert us here, in this pilgrimage and trial, amid these wickednesses and snare of our enemy, while the temptations of the world roar around us on all sides, while we are set in the midst of toils and distresses on all sides,
ver. 3. What then shall we do? Hear what followeth. Put not your trust in princes. Brethren, here we receive a mighty task ; it is a voice from heaven, from above it soundeth to us. For now through some kind of weakness the soul of man, whensoever it is in tribulation here, despaireth of God, and chooseth to rely on man. Let it be said to one when set in some affliction, 'There is a great man, by whom thou may est be set free ;' he smileth, he rejoiceth, he is lifted up. But if it is said to him, ' God freeth thee,' he is chilled, so
to speak, by despair. The aid of a mortal is promised, and thou rejoicest; the aid of the Immortal is promised, and art thou sad ? It is promised thee that thou shalt be freed by one who needeth to be freed with thee, and thou ex- ultest, as at some great aid : thou art promised that Liberator, Who needeth none to free Him, and thou despairest, as though it were but a fable. Woe to such thoughts : they wander far; truly there is sad and great death in them. Approach, begin to long, begin to seek and to know Him by Whom thou wast made. For He will not leave His
I
have being.
Man cannot even help himself, 3J5
work, if He be not left by His work. Turn thee then to Ver. Him, to Whom thou sayest, / will praise the Lord in my ------
I
For the Psalmist warneth us as one filled with the Spirit,
life, J will sing unto my God as long as
have being.
and saith, as to men far distant and wandering, and not only not willing to praise God, but not as yet hoping in God, Pat not your trust in princes, nor in the sons of men, in whom is no salvation. In one Son of man alone is there salvation, and in Him, not because He is the Son of man, but because He is the Son of God ; not on account of that which He took of thee, but of that which He retained in Himself. In no man then is there salvation, for even in
Him there is salvation only because He is God, Who is over Rom. 9, all, God blessed for ever. Of Christ is said, Of whom accord-5'
ing to the flesh Christ came. Of whom ?
