And he, who willeth not together, refuses, resists, rejects, with him there not this desirable ness more than gold, and much
precious
stone.
Augustine - Exposition on the Psalms - v1
This, God's glory, not thine.
For no good hast thou
not gratuitous.
the glory say,
I
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1.
of
it is is
of I
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3,
3,
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by is
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No glory due to us. All things the work of God's Hands. 131
done, and yet so great good hast thou received. If, therefore, Ver. i. thou attainest unto the glory which the heavens have de
clared, say unto the Lord thy God, My God, His mercy ps. 59, shall prevent me. For it hath prevented thee; of course it10. hath prevented thee, for that it found no good in thee.
Thou preventedst His punishment by thy pride; He pre
vented thy punishment by effacing thy sins. For as of a
sinner justified, of ungodly made godly, of one condemned received into the kingdom, say thou unto the Lord thy God,
Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto Thy Name ji'cePs. 115, the glory. Say we not unto us. For unto whom, if as unto
us? Say we, I repeat, not unto us; for if He were so to deal with us, He could only inflict punishment upon us. Not unto us, but unto His own Name let Him give the glory, because He hath not dealt with us according to our iniquities. Not therefore unto us, O Lord, not unto us. The repetition is confirmation ; Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto Thy Name give the glory. This those heavens knew, which declared the glory of God.
3. And the firmament sheweth the works of His hands. What was before said, the glory of God, is here repeated, the works of His hands. What are the works of His hands? It is not, as some think, that God made all things by the Word, and man, as more excellent than all other things, He made by His Own Hands. We must not think this; this is a weak and inexact notion ; for He made all things by the
Word. For although diverse works of God are mentioned, among which He made man after His own image, yet all^oha 1, things were made by Him, and without Him was not any
thing made. But as respects the Hands of God, it is said
of the heavens too, And the heavens are the works ofThuP*. 102,
? 25 Hands. And that you might not suppose that saints arc in
that place called heavens, he added, They shall perish, but Thou abidest. Therefore not man only, but the heavens also, that shall perish, did God make with His Hands, to Whom
it is said, The heavens are the works of Thy Hands. And of
the earth is this self-same said, For the sea is His and He Ps. 95,5. made it, and His Hands laid the foundations of the dry land. Therefore, if He made the heavens with His Hands, and
the earth with His Hands, He made not man alone with
k2
132 Figures in speaking ofGod. Mart's unworthiness ; His Glory.
Psalm His hands ; and if by the Word He made the heavens, and
Exp. ii. hy the Word the earth, therefore by the Word man too.
What by the Word that by the hand, what by the hand that
by the Word. For the stature of God is not marked out by
human members, Who is wholly every where, and is no
where contained. What therefore He made by the Word,
He made by the Wisdom, and what He made by the Hand
l Cor. I, he did by the Power; now Christ is the Power of God, and
John l H'c Wisdom of God, and all things were made by Him, and
3.
without Him was not any thing made. The heavens have declared, do declare, will declare, the glory of God. The heavens, I say, that is, the Saints will declare the glory of God ; raised aloft from earth, bearing God, thundering with precepts, lightening with Wisdom, will declare that glory of God, as I said, whereby we that are saved are unworthy of it. This unworthiness, that is, wherein we were unworthy, the younger son acknowledges when straitened by want; this unworthiness, I say, the younger son acknow ledges, far from his father's home, a worshipper of demons, as it were a feeder of swine ; he acknowledges the glory of God, but when straitened by want. And since by that glory of God we have been made what we were not worthy of, he
Lukei5, says to his father, / am not worthy to be called thy son.
3.
4. Ver. 2. Day unto day uttereth a word, and night unto night sheweth knowledge. What is this? Perhaps it is plain
'
Unhappy, he obtains happiness by his lowliness, and shews himself worthy in the confession of his unworthiness. This glory of God the heavens declare, and the firmament sheweth the works of His hands. The heavens, the firmament, are a firm heart, a fearless heart. For these things are shewn among the ungodly, among the enemies of God, among the lovers of the world, and the persecutors of the righteous; iu the midst of a violent world are these things shewn. But what could the violence of the world effect, when the firma ment shewed these things? Thefirmament sheweth; what? the works of His hands. What are the works of His hands?
Eph. 2, That glory of God, whereby we are saved, whereby we are created in good works. For we are His work, created in Christ Jesus in good works. For He not only made us men,
Ps. 100, but righteous men too, if so we be, and not we ourselves.
Many senses in Holy Writ. How ' night declareth to night. '' 1 33
and evident what day unto day uttereth a word evident Ver.
2. 3'
and plain as by day. But what night unto night sheircth knowledge is, obscure as by night. Day unto day, saints unto saints, Apostles unto believers, Christ Himself unto Apostles, to whom He said, Ye are the light of the Matt. world. This seems plain, and easy of apprehension. But
how doth night unto night shew knowledge Some have understood these words simply, and perhaps may be so, considering the meaning of this sentence to be, that what the Apostles heard in our Lord Jesus Christ's time, during His converse on earth, this has been passed on to posterity as from time to time; day unto day, night unto night, the former day unto the latter day, the former night unto the latter night, for that this doctrine preached day and
night. Let this simple interpretation suffice him whom will suffice. But some words in Scripture have from their obscurity this advantage, that ihey give birth to many inter pretations. Accordingly had this been plain, you would have heard some one thing, but as obscurely spoken, you will hear many. There too another interpretation, day unto day, night unto night, that is, spirit unto spirit, flesh unto
flesh. There another, day unto day, spiritual unto spiri tual, night unto night, carnal unto carnal. For both hear, though both do not equally understand. For the one hear
as word uttered, the other as knowledge declared. For what uttered uttered to those present, but what declared declared to those that are far removed. MoreOxf. senses of the word heavens may be discovered, but because
.
if by conjecture, opened. When, they say, the Lord Christ |je? f' talked with the Apostles, day unto day uttered word when Judas betrayed the Lord Christ to the Jews, night unto night declared knowledge.
5. Ver. 3. There is no speech nor language in which
their voices are not heard. Whose, but of those heavens which declare the glory of God There no speech, nor language, in which their voices are not heard. Read the
Acts of the Apostles, how, when the Holy Ghost came uponAots2, them, they were all filled with Him, and spake in the tongues
of the stress of the present time, limit must be imposed, senses
-.
Yet let us mention one more meaning, which certain have, as found
. . . .
^re
. . maybe
is
a ;
it ?
,
is
is a
it ? is
if
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it
it
is is
if is
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5,
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134 The Church visible every where. Heretics called to her.
Psalm of all nations, as the Spirit gave them utterance. Lo, there Elcp. ii. JS no speech nor language, in which their voices are not heard. But not there only, where they were filled, was the
sound. (Ver. 4. ) Their sound went forth into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world. And therefore are we even speaking here. For that sound hath come even unto us, the sound which went forth into all the earth, and the heretic cometh not into the Church ! For this cause hath the sound gone forth into all the earth, that thou mayest enter into heaven. O man full of mischief and strife, most evil and still liking to err, O haughty son, hear thy Father's will. Lo, what can be more plain, what more evident? Their sound went forth into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world. Needs it any interpreter ? Why strivest thou against thyself? Wouldest thou hold a part in dissent, who canst hold the whole in concord ?
6. In the sun hath He set His tabernacle. His Church, that is, in open sight, not in secret, not that it should lie hid, Cant, l, not veiled as it were; lest haply as veiled it should light l'xx. upon the flocks of the heretics. It is said again to one in i2Sa12" holy Scripture, For thou didst this secretly, thou shall suffer
in the sun, that thou didst the evil in secret, thou shalt sufler the punishment in the open sight of all men. In the sun therefore hath He set His tabernacle. Why, heretic, fliest into darkness Art thou Christian Hear Christ. Art thou servant? Hear thy Lord. Art thou a son Hear thy Father; amend thyself, return to life again. Let us say
Lukel5, of thee too, He was dead, and is alive again he was lost, and found. Say not to me, Why dost thou seek me,
am lost? For therefore do seek thee, because thou art lost. Do not seek me, says he. This indeed the wish of ungodliness, whereby we are divided but not of charity,
impro- whereby we are brethren. should not be extravagant1, if were to seek my servant and am called extravagant, because seek my brother Be this his conceit, in whom
brotherly love exists not yet will seek my brother. Let him be even angry, so he be still sought, who appeased when he found. will seek, say, my brother, and appeal to my Lord, not against him, but for him. Nor in my appeal
Lukei2,will say, Lord, speak to my brother, that he divide the
I
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I I
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is
1
II
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;
I
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;
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Course of Christ on earth. The Holy Ghost, and His Gifts. 135 inheritance with me; but, speak to my brother, that he hold Ver.
the inheritance with me.
Whyflybythe corners?
His tabernacle in the sun.
coming forth out of His chamber, I suppose that thou mayest recognise Him. As a bridegroom coming forth out of His chamber, He rejoiced as a giant to run His course; He hath set His tabernacle in the sun ; that is, as a bridegroom when the Word was made flesh, He found a bridal chamber in the Virgin's womb ; and thence coming out as from a closet of surpassing purity, joined to the nature of man, humble in His mercy below all, strong in His majesty above all. For this He rejoiced as a giant to run His course, He was born, grew up, taught, suffered, rose again, ascended He ran His course, He halted not therein. The self-same bridegroom then Who did all this, He set in the sun, that is, in the open sight of all men, His tabernacle, that is, His holy Church.
7. Now wouldest thou hear what course He swiftly ran (Ver. 6. ) His going forth is from the highest heaven, and His meeting even to the height thereof. But after that
~ ' ,
Why then errest thou, brother ? Whytrytoliehid? Hehasset (Ver. 5. ) And as a bridegroom
He went forth thence, and returned on His backward course, He sent His Spirit. There appeared to them, upon Acts2,3. whom He came, cloven tongues as offire. As fire the Holy
Ghost came, to burn the hay of flesh, to smelt and refine
the gold as fire He came, and therefore follows, and
there is none that can hidefrom the heat thereof.
8. Ver. 7. The law of the Lord is undefiled, converting souls. This the Holy Ghost. The testimony of the Lord is sure, giving wisdom to babes, not to the proud. This the Holy Ghost.
9. Ver. 8. The statutes of the Lord are right, not terri fying, but rejoicing the heart. This the Holy Ghost. The commandment of the Lord is clear, enlightening the
eyes not dulling them, the eyes, not of the flesh, but of the heart, not of the outer, but of the inner man. This the
Holy Ghost. Lord; 10. Ver. 9. The fear of the
not slavish fear, but chaste, loving freely, not fearing to be punished by Him at Whom alarmed, but to be separated from Him
it is
a
is
;
is
; is
;
it
is ?
is,
XIX Exp. il. caste*h
Uohn4,that
18'
Luke23,
because of unity.
11. Ver. 10. To be desired more than gold, and much
precious stone. Either much gold, or much precious, or much to be desired; much any way, with the heretic little. They do not love together with us, yet with us they confess Christ. This same Christ Whom with me thou dost confess, Him love with me.
And he, who willeth not together, refuses, resists, rejects, with him there not this desirable ness more than gold, and much precious stone. Listen again, sweeter also than honey, and the honeycomb. But this all against the wanderer; honey bitter to one in
fever but notwithstanding sweet and acceptable to one restored to health, for to sound health dear. To be desired more than gold, and much precious stone, sweeter also than honey, and the honeycomb.
12. Ver. 11. For Thy servant also keepeth them. How sweet they are Thy servant proves by keeping them, not by talking. Thy servant keepeth them, for that they are both at present sweet, and healthful for time to come for in keeping them there is great reward. But enamoured of
his strife, the heretic neither sees this briiliaucy, nor tastes the sweetness.
13. Ver. 12. For, Who nn deist an det sins? Fat her, fornive
130 God's judgments not duly loved by those out of Unity.
oul, Dut enduring ever. This is the Holy Ghost, for
Psalm Whom it loves. This is chaste fear, not which perfect love
this fear the Holy Ghost giveth, bringeth, im- The judgments of the Lord are true, justified together, not for the contentions of division, but for the
gathering together of unity. For this together. This the Holy Ghost. Therefore He made them, upon whom He first descended, speak in the tongues of all nations, because He announced that He would gather together the
tongues of all nations into unity. What one man did then on receiving the Holy Ghost, that one should speak in the tongues of all nations, this unity itself now doth, she speaketh in all tongues. And now One Man speaketh in all nations in all tongues, One Man the Head and the Body, One Man Christ and the Church, perfect Man together, the bridegroom
phmteth.
Mat. 19, and the bride. But they two, saith He, shall be one flesh. The judgments of the Lord are true justified together,
h
;
it is
is is
is,
a
is
is
;
is,
Prayer to be cleansed from secret sin, kept from temptation. 137
them,for they know not what they do. Therefore, saith he, Ver. he is a servant1 who keepeth this sweetness, the pleasantness ,--^i- of charity, the love of unity. I, he says, myself who keep Mss. entreat Thee, (for who understandeth sins? ) lest some steal lThere"
over me, man as am, and by some, as man, be first saith entangled. Cleanse me, Lord,from my secret sins. This^j<<,6'" then we have sung see, to this have come in my dis course. Let us say, and sing with understanding, aud pray
in our song, and by our prayer obtain our petition, let us say, Cleanse me, Lord,from my secret sins. For, Who understandeth sins If darkness seen, sins are under stood. In fact, when we repent of sin, we are in the light. For whilst one entangled in his sin, with eyes as were darkened and closed, he sees not the sin for so, the eye of thy body be covered, thou canst neither see aught else, nor that by which covered. Therefore say we to God, Who can see what He will purify, who can have an eye on what He will heal say we to Him, Cleanse me, Lord,from my
secret sins, (ver. 13. ) and preserve Thy servant from those of others. My own sins, he says, pollute me, the sins of others afflict me from the one cleanse me, from the other pre serve me. Take away from my heart, pray, the evil thought, keep back from me the evil counsellor, this is, Cleanse me from my secret sins, and preserve Thy servant
from those of others. For these two kinds of faults, both
our own and those of others, appeared even from the very first in the beginning. The devil fell by his own sin, he degraded Adam by another's sin. This same servant of God <? en. who keepeth the judgments of God in which there great
reward, in another Psalm too prays thus, Let not the foot of? *. 36, pride come unto me, and let not the hand of the wicked
move me. Let not the foot of pride come unto me, that is,
Cleanse me, Lord,from my secret sins and let not the hand of the wicked move me, that is, Preserve Thy servant
from the sins others.
14. Ifthey get not the dominion over me, then shall be
If they get not the dominion over me, mine own
secret sins and the sins of others, then shall be undefiled ^s0xf" This no daring reliance on his own strength, but he entreats the Lord to fulfil to Whom said in another
undefiled.
it
it is
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138 Danger our own making. Pride the ' great offence?
Psalm Psalm, Order my ways according to Thy word, and let no
ExJ/ii iniquity have dominion over me. If thou art a Christian,
Ps. 119, fear not the dominion of any man without; the Lord thy
133,
God fear alway. Fear the evil in thyself, that is, thy lust,
not what God made in thee, but what thou hast made for
Eccles. thine own self. The Lord made thee a good servant, thou 7 29. .
hast created in thine own heart an evil lord for thine own self. Justly wilt thou be subject to iniquity, justly wilt thou be subject to the lord, whom thou hast made for thine own self; since thou wouldest not be subject to Him Who made thee.
15. But if, he says, they get not the dominion over me,
then shall I
offence.
be undefiled, and cleansed the great from
What offence, do we suppose ? What is that great
offence ? Perchance it is other than that I am about to
mention, yet 1 will not conceal what I think. I deem the
1I'
Oxf. great offence to be pride. This perhaps is in another way
' taliter,' intimated in that he saith, And from shall be cleansed the
' in this great offence. Do you enquire how great that offence is, which cast down an Angel, which of an Angel made a Devil, and for ever closed the kingdom of heaven against him ? This is the great offence, and the head and cause of all
Ecelus. offences. For it is written, The beginning of all sin is ' ' pride. And that thou mightest not disregard it as any light
lb. t. 1 2. matter, he says, The beginning of pride in man is to depart from God. No light evil, my brethren, is this vice ; Chris
tian humility is displeasing to this vice in those persons, which you see to be of high degree. By reason of this vice men disdain to submit their necks to the yoke of Christ, being more straitly fastened to the yoke of sin. For no release from serving will be theirs ; for they do not like to serve, but to serve is expedient for them. By misliking to serve they gain nothing, but that they serve not a good Lord, not that they do not serve at all. Since whosoever will not be the servant of love, he must needs be the servant of iniquity. From this vice, which is the head of all vices, for that all other vices spring from thence, is produced a departing from God, whilst the soul goes into darkness, and makes an evil use of its free will, with all other sins too in its train ; so that a man squanders all his substance
by
The humble love to please God in His men sight only. 189
prodigal living with harlots, and through want becomes aVet. 1 feeder of swine, who was the associate of Angels. On account of this vice, on account of this great sin of pride,
God came in humility. This cause, this great sin, this mighty disease of souls, brought down the Almighty Physician from heaven, humbled Him even to the form of
a servant, exposed Him to despiteful treatment, hung Him on the tree ; that by the saving strength of so great medicine this swelling might be cured. Let man now at length blush to be proud, forIwhose sake God hath become humble. So, saith he, shall
be cleansed the great offence, from
because, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to lhejamea
humble. 4? ? ? , 1 Pet.
16. Ver. 14. And hereby shall the words of my mouth, 5,5. and the meditation of my heart, be pleasing in Thy sight alway. For if I be not cleansed from this great offence, my words will be pleasing in the sight of men, not in Thy
The proud soul would be pleasing in the sight of
men; the humble soul would be pleasing in secret, where
God seeth ; so that if she shall please men with any good
work, she would congratulate them whom the good work pleases, not herself, to whom it ought to be enough that she
hath done a good work. Our glory, saith the Apostle, M2cor. 1, this, the testimony of our conscience. And therefore let us 12, also say what follows, O Lord, my Helper and my Redeemer.
Helper in good, Redeemer from evil. Helper, that I may
dwell in Thy love, Redeemer, that Thou may est deliver me
from mine iniquity.
sight.
PSALM XX.
To the end, a Psalm of David.
xix.
1. This is a well-known title; and it is not Christ Who speaks ; but the prophet speaks to Christ, under the form of wishing foretelling things to come.
2. Ver. 1. The Lord hear Thee in the day of trouble. The Lord hear Thee in the day in which Thou saidsf,
140 Christs Sacrifice accepted, counsel and petitions fulfilled.
Psalm Father glorify Thy Son. The name of the God of Jacob
j 1.
23TM
' protect Thee. For to Thee belongeth the younger people. Since the elder shall serve the younger.
' (R)' Ver. 2. Send Thee help from the Holy, and from Sion
Bom. 9, defend Thee. Making for Thee a sanctified Body, the
1 'Sion,' Church, from watching1 safe, which waiteth when Thou shalt
' Ee- hold. ing,'p. 6.
come from the wedding.
4. Ver. 3. Be mindful of all Thy
32m
iieb 25.
wnere interceding for us at the Right Hand of the Father, He hath from thence shed abroad the Holy Spirit on them that believe on Him. In strength the safety of His right
Make us mindful of all Thy injuries and despiteful treatment, which Thou hast borne for us. And be Thy whole burnt offering
made fat. And turn the cross, whereon Thou wast wholly offered up to God, into the joy of the resurrection.
5. Diapsalma. (Ver. 4. ) The Lord render to Thee according to Thine Heart. The Lord render to Thee, not according to their heart, who thought by persecution they could destroy Thee; but according to Thine Heart, Wherein
sacrifice.
Johnl2, Thou knewest what profit Thy passion would have. And
fulfil all Thy counsel. And fulfil all Thy counsel, not only Johni5, that whereby Thou didst lay down Thy life for Thy friends, 12 that tne corrupted grain might rise again to more abundance; 24. but that also whereby blindness in part hath happened unto 25? . I26. 'Israel, that the fulness of the Gentiles might enter in, and
so all Israel might be saved.
6. Ver. 5. We will exult in Thy salvation. We will exult
in that death will in no wise hurt Thee; for so Thou wilt also shew that cannot hurt us either. And in the name of the Lord our God will we be magnified. And the confession of Thy name shall not only not destroy us, but shall even magnify us.
7. The Lord fulfil all Thy petitions. The Lord fulfil not only the petitions which Thou madest on earth, but those also whereby Thou intercedest for us in heaven. (Ver. 6. ) Now have known that the Lord hath saved His Christ. Now hath been shewn to me in prophecy, that the Lord will raise up His Christ again. He will hear Him from His holy heaven. He will hear Him not from earth only,
Johnl7, where He prayed to be glorified but from heaven also,
is
;
7
it I
it
J3'h
They that trust in God standfirm, while others fall. 141
hand. Our strength is in the safety of His favour, when Ver. even out of tribulation He giveth help, that when we are ~- weak, then we may be strong. For vain is that safety o/12, 10. man, which comes not of His right hand but of His left: for^8. 60, thereby are they lifted up to great pride, whosoever in their
sins have secured a temporal safety.
8. Ver. 7. Some in chariots, and some in horses. Some
are drawn away by the ever moving succession of temporal goods j and some are preferred to proud honours, and in them exult : But we will exult in the name of the Lord our God. But we fixing our hope on things eternal, and not seeking our own glory, will exult in the name of the Lord our God
9. Ver. 8. They have been bound, and fallen. And there
fore were they bound by the lust of temporal things, fearing
to spare the Lord, lest they should lose their place by the Johni1, Romans: and rushing violently on the stone of offence and48. rock of stumbling, they fell from the heavenly hope : to
whom the blindness in part of Israel hath happened, being Rom. ignorant of God's righteousness, and wishing to establish g^ ' their own. But we are risen, and stand upright. But we, 10. 3.
''
that the Gentile people might enter in, out of the stones 9, raised up as children to Abraham, who followed not after righteousness, have attained to and are risen; and not Rom. by our own strength, but being justified by faith, we stand30- upright.
10. Ver. Lord, save the King: that He, Who in His Passion hath shewn us an example of conflict, should also offer up our sacrifices, the Priest raised from the dead, and established in heaven. And hear us in the day when we shall call on Thee. And as He now offereth for us, hear us in the day when we shall call on Thee.
PSALM XXI.
not gratuitous.
the glory say,
I
is
of
is
1.
of
it is is
of I
it,
3,
3,
i 1,
by is
is
if it
a it
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No glory due to us. All things the work of God's Hands. 131
done, and yet so great good hast thou received. If, therefore, Ver. i. thou attainest unto the glory which the heavens have de
clared, say unto the Lord thy God, My God, His mercy ps. 59, shall prevent me. For it hath prevented thee; of course it10. hath prevented thee, for that it found no good in thee.
Thou preventedst His punishment by thy pride; He pre
vented thy punishment by effacing thy sins. For as of a
sinner justified, of ungodly made godly, of one condemned received into the kingdom, say thou unto the Lord thy God,
Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto Thy Name ji'cePs. 115, the glory. Say we not unto us. For unto whom, if as unto
us? Say we, I repeat, not unto us; for if He were so to deal with us, He could only inflict punishment upon us. Not unto us, but unto His own Name let Him give the glory, because He hath not dealt with us according to our iniquities. Not therefore unto us, O Lord, not unto us. The repetition is confirmation ; Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto Thy Name give the glory. This those heavens knew, which declared the glory of God.
3. And the firmament sheweth the works of His hands. What was before said, the glory of God, is here repeated, the works of His hands. What are the works of His hands? It is not, as some think, that God made all things by the Word, and man, as more excellent than all other things, He made by His Own Hands. We must not think this; this is a weak and inexact notion ; for He made all things by the
Word. For although diverse works of God are mentioned, among which He made man after His own image, yet all^oha 1, things were made by Him, and without Him was not any
thing made. But as respects the Hands of God, it is said
of the heavens too, And the heavens are the works ofThuP*. 102,
? 25 Hands. And that you might not suppose that saints arc in
that place called heavens, he added, They shall perish, but Thou abidest. Therefore not man only, but the heavens also, that shall perish, did God make with His Hands, to Whom
it is said, The heavens are the works of Thy Hands. And of
the earth is this self-same said, For the sea is His and He Ps. 95,5. made it, and His Hands laid the foundations of the dry land. Therefore, if He made the heavens with His Hands, and
the earth with His Hands, He made not man alone with
k2
132 Figures in speaking ofGod. Mart's unworthiness ; His Glory.
Psalm His hands ; and if by the Word He made the heavens, and
Exp. ii. hy the Word the earth, therefore by the Word man too.
What by the Word that by the hand, what by the hand that
by the Word. For the stature of God is not marked out by
human members, Who is wholly every where, and is no
where contained. What therefore He made by the Word,
He made by the Wisdom, and what He made by the Hand
l Cor. I, he did by the Power; now Christ is the Power of God, and
John l H'c Wisdom of God, and all things were made by Him, and
3.
without Him was not any thing made. The heavens have declared, do declare, will declare, the glory of God. The heavens, I say, that is, the Saints will declare the glory of God ; raised aloft from earth, bearing God, thundering with precepts, lightening with Wisdom, will declare that glory of God, as I said, whereby we that are saved are unworthy of it. This unworthiness, that is, wherein we were unworthy, the younger son acknowledges when straitened by want; this unworthiness, I say, the younger son acknow ledges, far from his father's home, a worshipper of demons, as it were a feeder of swine ; he acknowledges the glory of God, but when straitened by want. And since by that glory of God we have been made what we were not worthy of, he
Lukei5, says to his father, / am not worthy to be called thy son.
3.
4. Ver. 2. Day unto day uttereth a word, and night unto night sheweth knowledge. What is this? Perhaps it is plain
'
Unhappy, he obtains happiness by his lowliness, and shews himself worthy in the confession of his unworthiness. This glory of God the heavens declare, and the firmament sheweth the works of His hands. The heavens, the firmament, are a firm heart, a fearless heart. For these things are shewn among the ungodly, among the enemies of God, among the lovers of the world, and the persecutors of the righteous; iu the midst of a violent world are these things shewn. But what could the violence of the world effect, when the firma ment shewed these things? Thefirmament sheweth; what? the works of His hands. What are the works of His hands?
Eph. 2, That glory of God, whereby we are saved, whereby we are created in good works. For we are His work, created in Christ Jesus in good works. For He not only made us men,
Ps. 100, but righteous men too, if so we be, and not we ourselves.
Many senses in Holy Writ. How ' night declareth to night. '' 1 33
and evident what day unto day uttereth a word evident Ver.
2. 3'
and plain as by day. But what night unto night sheircth knowledge is, obscure as by night. Day unto day, saints unto saints, Apostles unto believers, Christ Himself unto Apostles, to whom He said, Ye are the light of the Matt. world. This seems plain, and easy of apprehension. But
how doth night unto night shew knowledge Some have understood these words simply, and perhaps may be so, considering the meaning of this sentence to be, that what the Apostles heard in our Lord Jesus Christ's time, during His converse on earth, this has been passed on to posterity as from time to time; day unto day, night unto night, the former day unto the latter day, the former night unto the latter night, for that this doctrine preached day and
night. Let this simple interpretation suffice him whom will suffice. But some words in Scripture have from their obscurity this advantage, that ihey give birth to many inter pretations. Accordingly had this been plain, you would have heard some one thing, but as obscurely spoken, you will hear many. There too another interpretation, day unto day, night unto night, that is, spirit unto spirit, flesh unto
flesh. There another, day unto day, spiritual unto spiri tual, night unto night, carnal unto carnal. For both hear, though both do not equally understand. For the one hear
as word uttered, the other as knowledge declared. For what uttered uttered to those present, but what declared declared to those that are far removed. MoreOxf. senses of the word heavens may be discovered, but because
.
if by conjecture, opened. When, they say, the Lord Christ |je? f' talked with the Apostles, day unto day uttered word when Judas betrayed the Lord Christ to the Jews, night unto night declared knowledge.
5. Ver. 3. There is no speech nor language in which
their voices are not heard. Whose, but of those heavens which declare the glory of God There no speech, nor language, in which their voices are not heard. Read the
Acts of the Apostles, how, when the Holy Ghost came uponAots2, them, they were all filled with Him, and spake in the tongues
of the stress of the present time, limit must be imposed, senses
-.
Yet let us mention one more meaning, which certain have, as found
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134 The Church visible every where. Heretics called to her.
Psalm of all nations, as the Spirit gave them utterance. Lo, there Elcp. ii. JS no speech nor language, in which their voices are not heard. But not there only, where they were filled, was the
sound. (Ver. 4. ) Their sound went forth into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world. And therefore are we even speaking here. For that sound hath come even unto us, the sound which went forth into all the earth, and the heretic cometh not into the Church ! For this cause hath the sound gone forth into all the earth, that thou mayest enter into heaven. O man full of mischief and strife, most evil and still liking to err, O haughty son, hear thy Father's will. Lo, what can be more plain, what more evident? Their sound went forth into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world. Needs it any interpreter ? Why strivest thou against thyself? Wouldest thou hold a part in dissent, who canst hold the whole in concord ?
6. In the sun hath He set His tabernacle. His Church, that is, in open sight, not in secret, not that it should lie hid, Cant, l, not veiled as it were; lest haply as veiled it should light l'xx. upon the flocks of the heretics. It is said again to one in i2Sa12" holy Scripture, For thou didst this secretly, thou shall suffer
in the sun, that thou didst the evil in secret, thou shalt sufler the punishment in the open sight of all men. In the sun therefore hath He set His tabernacle. Why, heretic, fliest into darkness Art thou Christian Hear Christ. Art thou servant? Hear thy Lord. Art thou a son Hear thy Father; amend thyself, return to life again. Let us say
Lukel5, of thee too, He was dead, and is alive again he was lost, and found. Say not to me, Why dost thou seek me,
am lost? For therefore do seek thee, because thou art lost. Do not seek me, says he. This indeed the wish of ungodliness, whereby we are divided but not of charity,
impro- whereby we are brethren. should not be extravagant1, if were to seek my servant and am called extravagant, because seek my brother Be this his conceit, in whom
brotherly love exists not yet will seek my brother. Let him be even angry, so he be still sought, who appeased when he found. will seek, say, my brother, and appeal to my Lord, not against him, but for him. Nor in my appeal
Lukei2,will say, Lord, speak to my brother, that he divide the
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Course of Christ on earth. The Holy Ghost, and His Gifts. 135 inheritance with me; but, speak to my brother, that he hold Ver.
the inheritance with me.
Whyflybythe corners?
His tabernacle in the sun.
coming forth out of His chamber, I suppose that thou mayest recognise Him. As a bridegroom coming forth out of His chamber, He rejoiced as a giant to run His course; He hath set His tabernacle in the sun ; that is, as a bridegroom when the Word was made flesh, He found a bridal chamber in the Virgin's womb ; and thence coming out as from a closet of surpassing purity, joined to the nature of man, humble in His mercy below all, strong in His majesty above all. For this He rejoiced as a giant to run His course, He was born, grew up, taught, suffered, rose again, ascended He ran His course, He halted not therein. The self-same bridegroom then Who did all this, He set in the sun, that is, in the open sight of all men, His tabernacle, that is, His holy Church.
7. Now wouldest thou hear what course He swiftly ran (Ver. 6. ) His going forth is from the highest heaven, and His meeting even to the height thereof. But after that
~ ' ,
Why then errest thou, brother ? Whytrytoliehid? Hehasset (Ver. 5. ) And as a bridegroom
He went forth thence, and returned on His backward course, He sent His Spirit. There appeared to them, upon Acts2,3. whom He came, cloven tongues as offire. As fire the Holy
Ghost came, to burn the hay of flesh, to smelt and refine
the gold as fire He came, and therefore follows, and
there is none that can hidefrom the heat thereof.
8. Ver. 7. The law of the Lord is undefiled, converting souls. This the Holy Ghost. The testimony of the Lord is sure, giving wisdom to babes, not to the proud. This the Holy Ghost.
9. Ver. 8. The statutes of the Lord are right, not terri fying, but rejoicing the heart. This the Holy Ghost. The commandment of the Lord is clear, enlightening the
eyes not dulling them, the eyes, not of the flesh, but of the heart, not of the outer, but of the inner man. This the
Holy Ghost. Lord; 10. Ver. 9. The fear of the
not slavish fear, but chaste, loving freely, not fearing to be punished by Him at Whom alarmed, but to be separated from Him
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XIX Exp. il. caste*h
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because of unity.
11. Ver. 10. To be desired more than gold, and much
precious stone. Either much gold, or much precious, or much to be desired; much any way, with the heretic little. They do not love together with us, yet with us they confess Christ. This same Christ Whom with me thou dost confess, Him love with me.
And he, who willeth not together, refuses, resists, rejects, with him there not this desirable ness more than gold, and much precious stone. Listen again, sweeter also than honey, and the honeycomb. But this all against the wanderer; honey bitter to one in
fever but notwithstanding sweet and acceptable to one restored to health, for to sound health dear. To be desired more than gold, and much precious stone, sweeter also than honey, and the honeycomb.
12. Ver. 11. For Thy servant also keepeth them. How sweet they are Thy servant proves by keeping them, not by talking. Thy servant keepeth them, for that they are both at present sweet, and healthful for time to come for in keeping them there is great reward. But enamoured of
his strife, the heretic neither sees this briiliaucy, nor tastes the sweetness.
13. Ver. 12. For, Who nn deist an det sins? Fat her, fornive
130 God's judgments not duly loved by those out of Unity.
oul, Dut enduring ever. This is the Holy Ghost, for
Psalm Whom it loves. This is chaste fear, not which perfect love
this fear the Holy Ghost giveth, bringeth, im- The judgments of the Lord are true, justified together, not for the contentions of division, but for the
gathering together of unity. For this together. This the Holy Ghost. Therefore He made them, upon whom He first descended, speak in the tongues of all nations, because He announced that He would gather together the
tongues of all nations into unity. What one man did then on receiving the Holy Ghost, that one should speak in the tongues of all nations, this unity itself now doth, she speaketh in all tongues. And now One Man speaketh in all nations in all tongues, One Man the Head and the Body, One Man Christ and the Church, perfect Man together, the bridegroom
phmteth.
Mat. 19, and the bride. But they two, saith He, shall be one flesh. The judgments of the Lord are true justified together,
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Prayer to be cleansed from secret sin, kept from temptation. 137
them,for they know not what they do. Therefore, saith he, Ver. he is a servant1 who keepeth this sweetness, the pleasantness ,--^i- of charity, the love of unity. I, he says, myself who keep Mss. entreat Thee, (for who understandeth sins? ) lest some steal lThere"
over me, man as am, and by some, as man, be first saith entangled. Cleanse me, Lord,from my secret sins. This^j<<,6'" then we have sung see, to this have come in my dis course. Let us say, and sing with understanding, aud pray
in our song, and by our prayer obtain our petition, let us say, Cleanse me, Lord,from my secret sins. For, Who understandeth sins If darkness seen, sins are under stood. In fact, when we repent of sin, we are in the light. For whilst one entangled in his sin, with eyes as were darkened and closed, he sees not the sin for so, the eye of thy body be covered, thou canst neither see aught else, nor that by which covered. Therefore say we to God, Who can see what He will purify, who can have an eye on what He will heal say we to Him, Cleanse me, Lord,from my
secret sins, (ver. 13. ) and preserve Thy servant from those of others. My own sins, he says, pollute me, the sins of others afflict me from the one cleanse me, from the other pre serve me. Take away from my heart, pray, the evil thought, keep back from me the evil counsellor, this is, Cleanse me from my secret sins, and preserve Thy servant
from those of others. For these two kinds of faults, both
our own and those of others, appeared even from the very first in the beginning. The devil fell by his own sin, he degraded Adam by another's sin. This same servant of God <? en. who keepeth the judgments of God in which there great
reward, in another Psalm too prays thus, Let not the foot of? *. 36, pride come unto me, and let not the hand of the wicked
move me. Let not the foot of pride come unto me, that is,
Cleanse me, Lord,from my secret sins and let not the hand of the wicked move me, that is, Preserve Thy servant
from the sins others.
14. Ifthey get not the dominion over me, then shall be
If they get not the dominion over me, mine own
secret sins and the sins of others, then shall be undefiled ^s0xf" This no daring reliance on his own strength, but he entreats the Lord to fulfil to Whom said in another
undefiled.
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138 Danger our own making. Pride the ' great offence?
Psalm Psalm, Order my ways according to Thy word, and let no
ExJ/ii iniquity have dominion over me. If thou art a Christian,
Ps. 119, fear not the dominion of any man without; the Lord thy
133,
God fear alway. Fear the evil in thyself, that is, thy lust,
not what God made in thee, but what thou hast made for
Eccles. thine own self. The Lord made thee a good servant, thou 7 29. .
hast created in thine own heart an evil lord for thine own self. Justly wilt thou be subject to iniquity, justly wilt thou be subject to the lord, whom thou hast made for thine own self; since thou wouldest not be subject to Him Who made thee.
15. But if, he says, they get not the dominion over me,
then shall I
offence.
be undefiled, and cleansed the great from
What offence, do we suppose ? What is that great
offence ? Perchance it is other than that I am about to
mention, yet 1 will not conceal what I think. I deem the
1I'
Oxf. great offence to be pride. This perhaps is in another way
' taliter,' intimated in that he saith, And from shall be cleansed the
' in this great offence. Do you enquire how great that offence is, which cast down an Angel, which of an Angel made a Devil, and for ever closed the kingdom of heaven against him ? This is the great offence, and the head and cause of all
Ecelus. offences. For it is written, The beginning of all sin is ' ' pride. And that thou mightest not disregard it as any light
lb. t. 1 2. matter, he says, The beginning of pride in man is to depart from God. No light evil, my brethren, is this vice ; Chris
tian humility is displeasing to this vice in those persons, which you see to be of high degree. By reason of this vice men disdain to submit their necks to the yoke of Christ, being more straitly fastened to the yoke of sin. For no release from serving will be theirs ; for they do not like to serve, but to serve is expedient for them. By misliking to serve they gain nothing, but that they serve not a good Lord, not that they do not serve at all. Since whosoever will not be the servant of love, he must needs be the servant of iniquity. From this vice, which is the head of all vices, for that all other vices spring from thence, is produced a departing from God, whilst the soul goes into darkness, and makes an evil use of its free will, with all other sins too in its train ; so that a man squanders all his substance
by
The humble love to please God in His men sight only. 189
prodigal living with harlots, and through want becomes aVet. 1 feeder of swine, who was the associate of Angels. On account of this vice, on account of this great sin of pride,
God came in humility. This cause, this great sin, this mighty disease of souls, brought down the Almighty Physician from heaven, humbled Him even to the form of
a servant, exposed Him to despiteful treatment, hung Him on the tree ; that by the saving strength of so great medicine this swelling might be cured. Let man now at length blush to be proud, forIwhose sake God hath become humble. So, saith he, shall
be cleansed the great offence, from
because, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to lhejamea
humble. 4? ? ? , 1 Pet.
16. Ver. 14. And hereby shall the words of my mouth, 5,5. and the meditation of my heart, be pleasing in Thy sight alway. For if I be not cleansed from this great offence, my words will be pleasing in the sight of men, not in Thy
The proud soul would be pleasing in the sight of
men; the humble soul would be pleasing in secret, where
God seeth ; so that if she shall please men with any good
work, she would congratulate them whom the good work pleases, not herself, to whom it ought to be enough that she
hath done a good work. Our glory, saith the Apostle, M2cor. 1, this, the testimony of our conscience. And therefore let us 12, also say what follows, O Lord, my Helper and my Redeemer.
Helper in good, Redeemer from evil. Helper, that I may
dwell in Thy love, Redeemer, that Thou may est deliver me
from mine iniquity.
sight.
PSALM XX.
To the end, a Psalm of David.
xix.
1. This is a well-known title; and it is not Christ Who speaks ; but the prophet speaks to Christ, under the form of wishing foretelling things to come.
2. Ver. 1. The Lord hear Thee in the day of trouble. The Lord hear Thee in the day in which Thou saidsf,
140 Christs Sacrifice accepted, counsel and petitions fulfilled.
Psalm Father glorify Thy Son. The name of the God of Jacob
j 1.
23TM
' protect Thee. For to Thee belongeth the younger people. Since the elder shall serve the younger.
' (R)' Ver. 2. Send Thee help from the Holy, and from Sion
Bom. 9, defend Thee. Making for Thee a sanctified Body, the
1 'Sion,' Church, from watching1 safe, which waiteth when Thou shalt
' Ee- hold. ing,'p. 6.
come from the wedding.
4. Ver. 3. Be mindful of all Thy
32m
iieb 25.
wnere interceding for us at the Right Hand of the Father, He hath from thence shed abroad the Holy Spirit on them that believe on Him. In strength the safety of His right
Make us mindful of all Thy injuries and despiteful treatment, which Thou hast borne for us. And be Thy whole burnt offering
made fat. And turn the cross, whereon Thou wast wholly offered up to God, into the joy of the resurrection.
5. Diapsalma. (Ver. 4. ) The Lord render to Thee according to Thine Heart. The Lord render to Thee, not according to their heart, who thought by persecution they could destroy Thee; but according to Thine Heart, Wherein
sacrifice.
Johnl2, Thou knewest what profit Thy passion would have. And
fulfil all Thy counsel. And fulfil all Thy counsel, not only Johni5, that whereby Thou didst lay down Thy life for Thy friends, 12 that tne corrupted grain might rise again to more abundance; 24. but that also whereby blindness in part hath happened unto 25? . I26. 'Israel, that the fulness of the Gentiles might enter in, and
so all Israel might be saved.
6. Ver. 5. We will exult in Thy salvation. We will exult
in that death will in no wise hurt Thee; for so Thou wilt also shew that cannot hurt us either. And in the name of the Lord our God will we be magnified. And the confession of Thy name shall not only not destroy us, but shall even magnify us.
7. The Lord fulfil all Thy petitions. The Lord fulfil not only the petitions which Thou madest on earth, but those also whereby Thou intercedest for us in heaven. (Ver. 6. ) Now have known that the Lord hath saved His Christ. Now hath been shewn to me in prophecy, that the Lord will raise up His Christ again. He will hear Him from His holy heaven. He will hear Him not from earth only,
Johnl7, where He prayed to be glorified but from heaven also,
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They that trust in God standfirm, while others fall. 141
hand. Our strength is in the safety of His favour, when Ver. even out of tribulation He giveth help, that when we are ~- weak, then we may be strong. For vain is that safety o/12, 10. man, which comes not of His right hand but of His left: for^8. 60, thereby are they lifted up to great pride, whosoever in their
sins have secured a temporal safety.
8. Ver. 7. Some in chariots, and some in horses. Some
are drawn away by the ever moving succession of temporal goods j and some are preferred to proud honours, and in them exult : But we will exult in the name of the Lord our God. But we fixing our hope on things eternal, and not seeking our own glory, will exult in the name of the Lord our God
9. Ver. 8. They have been bound, and fallen. And there
fore were they bound by the lust of temporal things, fearing
to spare the Lord, lest they should lose their place by the Johni1, Romans: and rushing violently on the stone of offence and48. rock of stumbling, they fell from the heavenly hope : to
whom the blindness in part of Israel hath happened, being Rom. ignorant of God's righteousness, and wishing to establish g^ ' their own. But we are risen, and stand upright. But we, 10. 3.
''
that the Gentile people might enter in, out of the stones 9, raised up as children to Abraham, who followed not after righteousness, have attained to and are risen; and not Rom. by our own strength, but being justified by faith, we stand30- upright.
10. Ver. Lord, save the King: that He, Who in His Passion hath shewn us an example of conflict, should also offer up our sacrifices, the Priest raised from the dead, and established in heaven. And hear us in the day when we shall call on Thee. And as He now offereth for us, hear us in the day when we shall call on Thee.
PSALM XXI.
