Thou
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Augustine - Exposition on the Psalms - v4
1. Beloved brethren, it ought already to be known to you, as sons of the Church, and well instructed in the school of Christ through all the books of our ancient Fathers, who wrote the words of God and the great things of God, that their wish was to consult for our good, who were to live at
this period, believers in Christ ; Who, at a seasonable time came unto us, the first time, in humility; at the second, destined to come in exaltation. For at the first time He came to stand before the j udge : He will afterwards come to sit as Judge, that the human race may stand before Him according to its deserts. Many heralds went before Him : as before a mighty Judge, and that Judge as yet to come in humility. Many heralds went before Him, Who was yet to be born of the Virgin Mary, Who was yet to be an Infant, yet to suck milk ; many heralds went before Him Who was to be a Child, the Word of God by Whom all things were made, and announced these future times; but they spoke so as to cover their meaning under certain figures of other objects, and that the covering which concealed the truth in the books of the old prophets, might then be removed, when the Truth Itself should arise from the earth. For thus it is said in the Psalms: Truth shall flourish out of the earth: and righteousness hath looked down from heaven. Now, therefore, our whole design when we hear a Psalm, a Prophet, or the Law, all of which was written before our Lord Jesus Christ came in the flesh, to see Christ there, to understand Christ there. Attend therefore, beloved, to this Psalm, with me, and let us herein seek Christ; certainly He will appear to those who seek Him, Who at first appeared to those who sought Him not; and He will not desert those who long for Him, Who redeemed those who neglected Him. Behold,-the Psalm beginneth concerning Him of Him said
2. Ver. The Lord King, be the peojile angry. For our Lord Jesus Christ began to reign, began to be preached, after He arose from the dead and ascended into heaven, after He
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Rage of idolaters against the kingdom of Christ. 445
had filled His disciples with the confidence of the Holy Ver. Spirit, that they should not fear death, which He had ------ already killed in Himself. Our Lord Christ began then to
be preached, that they who wished for salvation might believe in Him; and the peoples who worshipped idols
were angry. They who worshipped what they had made were angry, because He by Whom they were made was declared. He announced, in fact, through His disciples, Himself, Who wished them to be converted unto Him by Whom they were made, and to be turned away from those things which they had made themselves. They were angry with their Lord in behalf of their idols, they who even if they were angry with their slave on their idol's account, were to be condemned. For their slave was better than their idol : for God made their slave, the carpenter made their idol. They were so angry in their idol's behalf, that they feared not to be angry with their Lord. But the words, be they angry, are a prediction, not a command ; for in a pro phecy it is that this is said, The Lord is King, be the
people angry. Some good resulteth even from the enraged
people : let them be angry, and in their anger let the Martyrs
be crowned. What did they do to the preachers of the
Word of Truth, those the clouds of God travelling around
the world, and raining upon the field of God? What did
the angry people unto them, except afflict their flesh with
their hands, and cause their spirit to be crowned by the
hands of Christ? Nor did even that flesh, which the perse
cutors had power to kill, so die as to perish for ever : for it
will have its season when even itself may arise again : for
our Lord hath already shewn the resurrection of the flesh in Himself. For this reason He was willing to receive it from
us, that we might not despair of our own. Therefore, brethren, the flesh of those servants, which the worshippers of
idols slew, will rise again in its own time : never more will carpenter fashion the idols that Christ broke. Ye heard
when Jeremiah was being read before the reading of the Apostle, if ye listened ; ye saw therein the times in which we
now live. He said, The gods that have not made the Jer. 10, heavens and the earth, let them perish from the earth, and11,
from under the heaven. He said not, The gods that have
446 Destruction of idols. Christ's reign and seat.
Psalm not made the heavens and earth, let them perish from the XC1X' heaven and from the earth ; because they never were in heaven : but what did he say ? The gods that have not made heaven and earth, let them perish from the earth, and from under the heaven. As while the word earth was repeated, the repetition of the word heaven were wanting, (because they never were in heaven he repeateth the earth twice, since under heaven. Let them perish from the
earth, and from under the heaven, from their temples. Consider this be not now taking place in a great measure hath not already happened for what, or how much, hath remained? The idols remained rather in the hearts of the pagans, than in the niches of the temples.
Therefore, the Lord King, be the people angry He Who silteth between the cherubims: thou dost understand, He King let the earth be stirred up. He repeateth, Be
the people stirred up. For the word, Lord, repeated in the expression, He Who silteth between the cherubim the words, King, he maketh us understand in the next verse and the words, be the people angry, are here repeated, in the following, Be the earth stirred up. For what are people, but the earth Let the earth be as angry as can with Him Who now sitting in the heavens. For the Lord was both upon the earth, and took upon Himself eaith in which to
abide when on earth. He clothed Himself with flesh, and chose first to suffer the angry people. That His servants might not fear the anger of the people, He chose first to suffer Himself: and as the anger of the people against His servants was necessary for them, that they might be cured, and healed from all their sins by means of tribulations the Physician first drank the bitter cup, that the sick man might not fear to drink it. Therefore, The Lord King, let the
be angry. Let the people be angry, because by their anger God hath wrought many blessings. They are impatient, and God's servants are cleansed; they are crowned, who are tried. Be the people angry; He Who sitteth be tween the cherubims, He King be the earth stirred up. The Cherubim the seat of God, as the Scripture sheweth us, certain exalted heavenly throne, which we see not;
but the Word of God knoweth knoweth as His own
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The Cherubim. Love, the true ' Fulness of Knowledge. ' 447
seat: and the Word of God and the Spirit of God hath Ver. Itself revealed to the servants of God where God sitteth. ----- Not that God doth sit, as doth man ; but thou, if thou dost
wish that God sit in thee, if thou wilt be good, shalt be
the seat of God; for thus is it written, The soul of thePl? y- righteous is the seat of wisdom. For a throne is in our 12 ' 23 language called a seat. For some, conversant with the Hebrew tongue, have interpreted cherubim in the Latin language (for it is a Hebrew term) by the words, fulness of knowledge. Therefore, because God surpasseth all know ledge, He is said to sit above the fulness of knowledge.
Let there be therefore in thee fulness of knowledge, and
even thou shalt be the throne of God. But perhaps thou
wast about to say, and when shall there be in me fulness
of knowledge? And who can attain such a height, that
there may be in him fulness of knowledge. Thinkest thou
it is the will of God that there be in us that fulness of know
ledge, that we may know either how many stars, or grains of
wheat, (not to say of sand,) there are, or how many apples
hang on a tree ? He knoweth all things: for our hairs are Mat. 10,
numbered before God. But the fulness of knowledge which30'
He willed mau to know is different from this; the know
ledge which He willed thee to have, pertaineth to the law of
God. And who can, thou mayest perhaps say unto me, perfectly know the Law, so that he may have within himself
the fulness of the knowledge of the Law, and be able to
be the seat of God? Be not disturbed; it is briefly told
thee what thou hast, if thou dost wish to have the fulness
of knowledge, and to become the throne of God: for the Apostle saith, Love is the fulfilling of the Law. WhatRoni l3, followeth then ? Thou hast lost the whole of thine excuse.
Ask thine heart ; see whether it hath love. If there be love there, there is the fulfilment of the Law there also ; already God dwelletl) in thee, thou hast become the throne of God. Be the people angry; what can the angry people do against him who hath become the throne of God ? Thou givest heed unto them who rage against thee : Who is it That sitteth within thee, thou givest not heed. Thou art become a heaven, and fearest thou the earth ? For the Scripture saith in another passage, that the Lord our God doth declare,
448 How to have a right in the name ' Sion. '
Psalm The heaven is My throne. If therefore even thou by having jH gg i- the fulness of knowledge, and by having love, hast been made the throne of God, thou hast become a heaven. For this heaven which we look up to with these eyes of ours, is not very precious before God. Holy souls are the heaven of God ; the minds of the Angels, and all the minds of His
servants, are the heaven of God. Be the people, therefore, angry. Be the earth stirred up ; what can they do, or what can it do, to the throne of God, and to the heaven whereon God is enthroned ?
4. Ver. 2. The Lord is great in Sion, and high above all people. Lo, if the words, He Who silteth above the Cherubims, were obscure to thee, thou wast ignorant what Cherubim is; and perhaps thou didst figure to thyself in mind some heavenly throne, vast, and- jewelled, and didst call it Cherubim, fluttering among phantasms in thy carnal sense ; and it was said to thee, that fulness of knowledge, not of every knowledge, but of the knowledge of the Law, is profitable for man ; and that thou shouldest not despair of
Bom. 13, this very knowledge of the Law, it is briefly told thee, Love
'"?
is the fulfilling of the Law. Have, therefore, love unto God, and unto thy neighbour, and thou shalt be a throne of God ; thou shalt belong to the Cherubim. But if thou dost not yet understand, hear what followeth : The Lord is great in Sion. He Whom I spoke to thee of as above the Cherubims, is great in Sion. Ask thou now, what is Sion ? We know Sion to be the city of God. The city of Jeru salem is called Sion ; and is so called according to a certain interpretation, for that Sion signifieth watching, that is, sight and contemplation ; for to watch is to look forward to, or gaze upon, or strain the eyes to see. Now every soul is a Sion, if it trieth to see that light which is to be seen. For if it shall have gazed upon a light of its own, it is darkened; if upon His, it is enlightened. But, now that it is clear that Sion is the city of God ; what is the city of God, but the Holy Church ? For men who love one another, and who love their God Who dwelleth in them, constitute a city unto God. Because a city is held together by some law ; their very law is Love ; and that very Love is God : for openly
iJohn4,it is written, God is Love. He therefore who is full of Love,
Heathens angry that Christiansfast while they sport. 449
is full of God ; and many, full of love, constitute a city full
of God. That city of God is called Sion ; the Church 2-
therefore is Sion. In it God is great. Be thou in
God shall not be apart from thee. And when God shall be in thee, because thou hast become citizen of Sion, a member of Sion, belonging to the society of the people of God; God will be high in thee, above all people, above those who are enraged, or above those who have enraged. For do ye imagine that they were then enraged,
and are not now enraged They were then enraged but because they were more numerous, they were enraged openly now that they have dwindled into few, they are enraged secretly. In the meantime, their boldness hath been broken their rage also shall have an end.
5. For do ye imagine, brethren, that they whose instru ments re-echoed yesterday, are not angry with our fastings But let us not be angry with them, but let us fast for them.
For the Lord our God Who sitteth in us hath said, He hath Himself commanded us to pray for our enemies, to pray for Matt. them that persecute us: and as the Church doth this, the44- persecutors are almost extinct. For she was heard when
she did this, and she still heard when she doth it: they
prevailed to their evil, they have been brought to an end to their good. But do yc wish to know how they were brought to an end They were eaten up by the Church. Thou seekest them in themselves, and findest them not seek for them in her who hath eaten them up, and they are discovered in her entrails. For by passing over to the Church, they have become Christians persecutors have disappeared, preachers have increased. Therefore through
out their festal days, since we see those of them who have been left behind, still frenzied in their wicked and perverse pleasures, we pray God in their behalf, that they who hear the instrument of music with delight, may with greater delight listen to the voice of God. For cannot be, that while that which soundeth without reason delighteth the ear, the word of God also should be unable to delight the heart. But we pray for them for this reason, when we fast
on their holidays, that they may become spectacle unto
themselves. For when they shall have seen themselves,
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450 Specialfasts at the games. Christ's Namecnce little.
they will displease themselves ; but they do not displease themselves, because they do not heed themselves. The drunken man doth not offend himself, but he offendeth the sober man. Shew me a man who is at last happy in God, liveth gravely, sigheth for that everlasting peace which God hath promised him ; and see that when he hath seen a man dancing to an instrument, he is more grieved for his madness, than for a man who is in a frenzy from a fever. If
then we know their evils, considering that we also have been freed from those very evils, let us grieve for them ; and if we grieve for them, let us pray for them ; and that we may be heard, let us fast for them. For we do not keep our own fasts in their holidays. Different are the fasts which we celebrate through the days of the approaching Passover, through different seasons which are fixed for us in Christ : but through their holidays we fast for this reason, that when they are rejoicing, we may groan for them. For by their joy they excite our grief, and cause us to remember how wretched they are as yet. But since we see many freed thence, where we also have been, we ought not to despair even of them. And if they are still enraged, let us pray ; and if still a particle of earth that hath remained behind be stirred up against us, let us con tinue in lamentation for them, that to them also God may grant understanding, and that with us they may hear those words, in which we are at this moment rejoicing : The Lord is great in Sion: and high above all people.
6. Ver. 3, 4. Let them confess unto Thy Name, which is great. All these very people, over whom Thou art great in Sion, Let them confess unto Thy Name, which is great. Thy Name was little when they were enraged: it hath become great; let them now confess. In what sense do
we say, that the Name of Christ was little, before it was spread abroad to so great an extent ? Because His report is meant by His Name. His Name was small ; already it hath become great. What nation is there that hath not heard of the Name of Christ ? Therefore let now the people confess unto Thy Name, which is great, who before were enraged with Thy little Name : Let them confess unto Thy Name, which is great. Wherefore shall they confess? Because it is wonderful and holy. Thy very Name is
His Name now Wonderful.
Mercy and Judgment. 451
wonderful and holy. He is so preached as crucified, so Ver. preached as humbled, so preached as judged, that He may ----- come exalted, that He may come living, thai He may come
to judge in power. He spareth at present the people who blaspheme Him, because the longsufferivg of God leadeth to Rom. 2, repentance. For He Who now spareth, will not always spare : 4,
nor will He, Who is now being preached that He may be feared, fail to come to judge. He will come, my brethren,
He will come : let us fear Him, and let us live so that we
may be found on His right hand. For He will come, andMat. 26, will judge, so as to place some on the left hand, some on the31'-33- right. And He doth not act in an uncertain manner, so as
to err perchance betwixt men, so that he who should be set on the right hand, be set ou the left ; or that he who ought to stand on the left, by a mistake of God should stand on. the right: He cannot err, so as to place the evil where He ought to set the good; nor to place the good, where He should have set the evil. If He cannot err, we err, if we fear not ; but if we have feared in this life, we shall not then have what to fear for. For Thy Name is wonderful and holy. The King's honour loveth judgment. Let the people therefore so fear Him as to reform themselves : let them not, as in great presumption on His mercy, set themselves at liberty, and live evilly ; for while He loveth mercy, He loveth also judgment. What is mercy ? His preaching to
thee truth at present, His crying unto thee now to be con verted. Is it little mercy that thou hast lived in evil deeds, and He did not carry thee off when thou wast in thy sins, that He might forgive thy sins when thou didst believe ? is that a slight act of mercy? Dost thou imagine that such mercy will for ever last, so that He will punish no man ? Think not so! His Name is wonderful and holy; and the King's power loveth judgment. For judgment is unjust, and absolutely is not judgment, unless each man's deserts are
recompensed, according as each man hath done in his body, 2 Cor. whether it be good or bad: And the King's honour loveth"' l? '
?
judgmeul. Let us therefore fear, let us therefore work righteousness, let us therefore do equity.
7. But who doth equity? Who executeth righteousness? The sinner, the ungodly, the perverse man, the man who is
g g2
452 God alone can cure sin, and impart righteousness.
Psalm turned aside from the light of truth ? What ought a man to --^-^do? To turn himself unto God only, that He may work that righteousness in Him, which he cannot form for himself, though he can deform it. A man is capable of wounding himself; is he capable of curing himself? He is sick, when he doth wish, he riseth not when it is his wish. If he will,
let him live intemperately in cold or heat; he is sick on that day when he shall will to be sick : when by intemperate living his sickness hath commenced, let him rise when he will ; let him who hath lain down when he willed, rise, if he can, when he willeth. His intemperance was needful for him to lie down sick : but to rise, he findeth his Creator's healing needful. Thus then, in order that a man may sin, he sufficeth to himself: to his being justified, he is not self- sufficient, unless he be justified by Him, who alone is Just. In order then that men may surrender themselves to be formed to righteousness, after this Psalm had alarmed the people, and had said, Let them confess unto Tltn Name, which is great, wonderful, and holy. The King's power
loveth judgment: as if the trembling people were seeking how they should live righteously, since they cannot have righteousness in themselves, it recommendeth to them one who will form their righteousness, and saith as followeth: Thou hast prepared equity ; Thou hast wrought judgment and righteousness in Jacob. For we too ought to have
judgment, we ought to have righteousness; but He worketh in us judgment and righteousness, Who created us in whom He might work them. How ought we too to have
judgment and righteousness? Thou hast judgment, when thou dost distinguish evil from good : and righteousness when thou followest the good, and turnest aside from the evil. By distinguishing them, thou hast judgment; by doing,
Ps. 34, thou hast righteousness. Eschew evil, he saith, and do
14-
good; seek peace, and ensue it.
Thou shouldest first have judgment, then righteousness. What judgment? That thou mayest first judge what is evil, and what is go'od. And what righteousness ? That thou mayest shun evil, and do good. But this thou wilt not gain from thyself; see what he hath said, Tfuiu hast wroughtjudgment and righteousness in Jacob.
8. Ver. 5. O magnify the Lord our God.
Magnify Him
Christ's Flesh the ' Footstool' before which we bow. 458
truly, magnify Him well. Let us praise Him, let us magnify Ver.
~ have; Who wrought it in us, Himself. For Who but He Who justified us, wrought righteousness in us? For of Christ it is
Him Who hath wrought the very righteousness which we
said, Who justifieth the ungodly. We then are the ungodly, Rom. 4, He the Justifier, since He Himself wrought in us that very6, righteousness by which we are to please Him, that He may
place us on the right hand, and not on the left: that He may
say unto those placed on the right hand, Come, ye blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; and that He may not place us on the left, among those unto whom He will say, Depart into everlasting fire, that is prepared for the devil and his angels. He Who will crown in us not our own deserts, but His own gifts, how greatly ought He to be magnified ! O magnify the
Lord our God!
9. And fall down before"* His footstool : for He is holy. 1 Ado-
What are we to fall down before ? His footstool. What is
under the feet is called a footstool, in Greek, (ncottiltov, in424. Latin, Scabellum, or, Suppedaneum. But consider, brethren,
what he commandeth us to fall down before. In another passage of the Scriptures it is said, The heaven is My throne, Is. 66, and the earth is My footstool. Doth he then bid us worship *?
the earth, since in another passage it is said, that it is God's footstool ? How then shall we worship the earth, when the Scripture saith openly, Thou shall worship the Lord thy Dent. 6,
God? Yet here it saith, fall down before His footstool . -13- and, explaining to us what His footstool is, it saith, The earth is My footstool. I am in doubt; I fear to worship the earth, lest He who made the heaven and the earth con demn me ; again, I fear not to worship the footstool of my Lord, because the Psalm biddeth me, fall down before His
I ask, what is His footstool? and the Scripture telleth me, the earth is My footstool. In hesitation I turn unto Christ, since I am herein seeking Himself: and I dis cover how the earth may be worshipped without impiety>>, how His footstool may be worshipped without impiety. For He took upon Him earth from earth ; because flesh is from earth, and He received flesh from the flesh of Mary. And
? 2 Sent. Dint. 9. o. aiii>> autem.
footstool.
454 Adoration of Christ in receiving the Holy Eucharist.
Psalm because He walked here in very flesh, and gave that very XC1X- flesh to us to eat for our salvation ; and no one eateth that flesh, unless he hath first worshipped : we have found out in what sense such a footstool of our Lord's may be worshipped, and not only that we sin not in worshipping but that we sin in not worshipping. But doth the flesh give life Our
Lord Himself, when He was speaking in praise of this same earth, said, is the Spirit that quickeneth, theflesh prqfiteth nothing. Therefore when thou bowest thyself down prostrate before the 'earth,' look not as unto earth, but unto that Holy One Whose footstool that thou dost worship for thou dost worship on His account wherefore he hath added here also, fall down before His footstool, for He is holy. Who holy He in whose honour thou dost worship His footstool. And when thou worshippest Him, see that thou do not in thy thought remain in the flesh,
John and be not quickened by the Spirit for, He saith, is
63'
the Spirit that quickeneth: the flesh prqfiteth nothing.
But when our Lord praised He was speaking of His ib. 64. own flesh, and He had said, Except a man eat My flesh, he shall have no life in him. Some disciples of His, about seventy were offended, and said, This an hard saying, who can hear And they went back, and walked
no more with Him. It seemed unto them hard that He said, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of Man, ye have no life in you they received foolishly, they thought of carnally, and imagined that the Lord would cut off parts from His body, and give unto them; and they said, This a hard saying. was they who were hard, not the saying; for unless they had been hard, and not meek, they would have said unto themselves, He saith not this without reason, but there must be some latent mystery herein. They would have remained with Him, softened, not hard and would have learnt that from Him which they who remained, when the others departed, learnt. For when twelve disciples had remained with Him, on their departure, these remaining followers suggested to Him, as in grief for the death
Septnaginta ferme. It difficult they can hardly be supposed identical to know whenie this number conns, with these. One might think it a gloas, unless that of the Seventy. But but fo! the mention of twelve. '
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Spiritual understanding. Moses; Aaron; Samuel. 455
of the former, that they were offended by His words, and v*r. turned back. But He instructed them, and sailh unto them, 8~8'
It is the Spirit that I but the
quickeneth, flesh profiteth
nothing ; the words that
spirit, and they are life. Understand spiritually what I have said ; ye are not to eat this body which ye see ; nor to drink that blood which they who will crucify Me shall pour forth. I have commended unto you a certain mystery ; spiritually understood, it will quicken. Although it is needful that this be visibly celebrated, yet it must be spiritually understood. O magnify the Lord our God, and fall down before His
footstool, for He is Iwly.
10. Ver. 6--8. Moses and Aaron among His priests, and
Samuel among such as call upon His Name : these called upon the Lord, and He heard them. He spake unto them out of the cloudy pillar. Those men of old, Moses and Aaron and Samuel, servants of God, were great among the men of old. Ye know that Moses led forth, in the strength of God, the people of Israel from Egypt, through the Red Sea, and guided them in the wilderness ; and all those who cheerfully listen to those Scriptures in the Church, or read them at home, or have learnt them in any way, know how great miracles God wrought at that season by the hand of Moses ; Aaron was his brother, whom he ordained
Aaron. For in those Scriptures Aaron is openly styled the Ex. 28,
etc'
have
spoken unto you, they are
John 6>>
priest also. And there indeed there seemeth to be no priest besides
priest of God : of Moses it is not there stated that he was a priest. But if he was not this, what was he ? Could he be
any thing greater than a priest ? This Psalm declareth that
he also was himself a priest : Moses and Aaron among His priests. They therefore were the Lord's priests. Samuel is
read of later in the Book of Kings: this Samuel is in David's times; for he anointed the holy David. Samuel from his infancy grew up in the temple. His mother was barren: anxious to have a son, she prayed with deep groaning unto
the Lord, and entreating that God might give her a son, she shewed that she did not wish to have one carnally, and that
son she gave unto Him, who willed that he should be. For
she vowed him to the Lord God, saying, " If there be born i sam. unto me a man child, then shall he serve in Thy Temple all 1, ll-
Psalm
456 Christ spoke of old from the ' cloud,' now more clearly.
the days of his life :" and thus she did. Holy Samuel after his birth, during his suckling, remained with his mother;
when she had weaned him, she gave him up to the Temple, that there he might grow, there be strengthened in spirit, there serve God : he became a great priest, a holy priest at that season. He mentioneth these : and by these desireth us to understand all the saints. Yet why hath he here named those ? Because we said that we ought here to understand Christ. Attend, holy brethren. He said above, O magnify the Lord our God : and fall down before His
footstool, for He is holy : praising some one, that is, our Lord Jesus Christ ; Whose footstool is to be worshipped, because He assumed flesh, in which He was to appear before the human race; and wishing to shew unto us that the ancient Fathers also had preached of Him, because our Lord Jesus Christ is Himself the True Priest, he mentioned these, because God spake unto them out of the cloudy pillar. What meaneth, out of the cloudy pillar ? He was speaking figuratively. For if He spoke in some cloud, those obscure words predicted some one unknown, yet to be manifest. This unknown one is no longer unknown ; for He is known by us, our Lord Jesus Christ. Moses and Aaron among His priests: and Samuel among such as call upon His Name : these called upon the Lord, and He heard them. He spake unto them out of the cloudy pillar. He Who first spoke out of the cloudy pillar, hath in Person spoken unto us in His footstool ; that
on earth, when He had assumed the flesh, for which reason we worship His footstool, for He holy. He Himself used to speak out of the cloud, which was not then understood: He hath spoken in His own footstool, and the words of His cloud have been understood. He spake unto them out the cloudy pillar.
Let us attend, therefore, brethren see whom and of what sort he hath termed holy. They kept His testimonies, and the law that He gave them. They kept certainly, attend ye. They kept His testimonies, and the law that He gave them. This he saith, and cannot be denied. Had they nothing of sin How so Since they kept His testimonies, and the law that He gave them. See of what sort He would have us to be formed, that we may not
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God most merciful when He chastens for sin. 457
presume in our righteousness as pertect. Behold, Moses and Ver. Aaron among His priests, and Samuel among those that 6~~8' call upon His Name, unto whom He spake out of the cloudy
pillar, so openly did He hear them who kept His testi monies, and the law that He gave them. Thou heardest them, he saith, O Lord our God: Thou wast forgiving to them, O God. God is not said to be forgiving toward any thing but sins: when He pardoneth sins, then forgiveth. And what had He in them to punish, so that He was forgiving in pardoning them ? He was forgiving in pardoning their sins, He was also forgiving in punishing them. For what followeth ? Thou wast forgiving toward them, 0 God, and punishedst all their own
He
for not in remitting, but also in punishing their sins, hast Thou been forgiving. Consider, my brethren, what he hath taught us here: attend. God is angry with him, whom, when he sinneth, He scourgeth not: for unto him to whom He is truly forgiving, He not only remitteth sins, that they may not injure him in a future life; but also chasteneth him, that he delight not in continual sin.
12. Come, my brethren ; if we ask how these were punished, the Lord will aid me to tell you. Let us consider
these three persons, Moses, Aaron, and Samuel : and how
they were punished, since he said, Thou hast punished all
their own affections: meaning those affections of theirs,
which the Lord knew in their hearts, which men knew not.
For they were living in the midst of the people of God, without complaint from man. But what do we say ? That perhaps the early life of Moses was sinful ; for he fled from
Egypt, after slaying a man. The early life of Aaron also Ex. 2, was such as would displease God ; for he allowed a mad- 12 16, dened and infatuated people to make an idol to worship ; Id. 32, and an idol was made for God's people to worship. What 1--4' sin did Samuel, who was given up when an infant to the temple? He passed all his life amid the holy sacraments of
God: from childhood the servant of God. Nothing was ever said of Samuel, nothing by men. Perhaps God knew of somewhat there to chasten ; since even what seemeth perfect unto men, unto that Perfection is still imperfect.
affections. Even in punishing them Thou wast forgiving toward them :
458 Moses' chastisement not great, but typical.
Psalm Artists shew many of their works to the unskilful; and XCIX- when the unskilful have pronounced them perfect, the artists
polish them still further, as they know what is still wanting to them, so that men wonder at things they had imagined already perfect having received so much additional polish. This happeneth in buildings, and in paintings, and in
and almost in every species of art. At first they judge it to be already in a manner perfect, so that their
eyes desire nothing further: but the judgment of the in experienced eye is one, and that of the rule of art another. Thus also these Saints were living before the eyes of God, as if faultless, as if perfect, as if Angels: but He Who punished all their own affections, knew what was wanting in them. But He punished them not in anger, but in mercy : He punished them that He might perfect what He had begun, not to condemn what He had cast away. God therefore punished all their affections. How did He punish Samuel ? where is this punishment ? This I say, that Christians, who have already known Christ, to whom He came in His footstool, whom He loved so, for whom He shed His blood, may know how those are beaten, who bave made such progress. We seek punishment in Moses; he hath almost none : except that at the last God saith unto him, Get thee up into this mountain, and die. He said to
embroidery,
Deat.
32,49-- tne aged man, Die: he had already passed through the seasons
of life : was he never to die ? what sort of punishment was Ibid, that? Did He shew His punishment in the words, Thou shalt not go up into the land of promise, where the people
were about to go? Moses represented certain persons in a type. For was it a great punishment for one who entered into the kingdom of heaven, not to reach that land which was promised for a season, that it might display the shadow, and then pass away ? Did not many faithless men enter that land ? did they not when living in that land do many evil deeds, and offend God ? Did they not follow idolatry in that very land ? Was it a great thing not to have given that land to Moses? But He intended Moses to typify those who were under the Law, since the Law was given through Moses : and He sheweth that those who chose to be under the Law, and chose not to be under grace, could not enter
Servants of God really chastised by others' sins. 459
into the land of promise. Therefore, what was said unto Ver. Moses was a type, not a punishment. What punishment is ---- death to an old man ? What punishment was not to
enter into that land, into which unworthy men entered?
20 24 28'; 33,
Samuel also died holy old man, leaving his sons as
* 6 his? 8-
Sam.
successors. seek for the punishment inflicted upon them,
and according to men find not but according to what I26' ' know the servants of God suffer every day, they were day by
day punished. Read ye, and see the punishments, and ye
also who are advanced bear the punishments. Every day
they suffered from the obstinate people, every day they suffered from the ungodly livers and were compelled to livo
among those whose lives they daily censured. This was
their punishment. He unto whom small hath not advanced far for the ungodliness of others tormenteth thee
in proportion as thou hast departed far from thine own.
For when thou art become wheat, that is, good blade from
good seed, son of the kingdom, when thou hast begun to
yield fruit, then tares will appear unto thee for when the Mat. 13,
blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared26-^9' the tares also. When the tares have begun to appear, thou
wilt see thyself among the wicked. Thou mayest wish
to separate thyself from the wicked, and to separate all
the wicked from the Church; our Lord's injunction will answer thee, Let both grow together unto the harvest, lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. According to our Lord's words, will be needful to spare the tares according to the condition of servant, will be needful to live among the tares thou canst not separate them, thou must endure them. See what wounds thou sufferest in heart, when with thy body whole thou livest among the wicked. Whoever of you shall advance far will prove this, whoever of you have already advanced far have proved it. These things
therefore must be endured and perhaps this pertaineth unto
it: That servant which knoweth His Lord's will, and doth Luke12,
? not worthily, shall be beaten with many stripes. In many47,48'
But what said of Aaron He also died an old man his
sons succeeded him in the priesthood his son afterwards Numb.
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ruled in the priesthood how did He punish Aaron also
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460 How St. Paul was chastened for his perfection.
Psalm cases the more the will of God becometh known to us, the -more doth our guilt become known to us; and the more He
becometh known unto us, the more do we weep and groan. For we see how just what God demandeth of us is : and in what an imperfect state we lie; and what is said, happeneth
Eccles. in us; He that increaseth knowledge, increaseth sorrow.
' 18'
Lo, let love abound in thee, thou wilt grieve more for the sinner. The more love there be in thee, the more will he whom thou bearest with torment thee : he will not torment thee with anger against him, but with grief for him.
1 3.
