If it were gold, thou
wouldest
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Augustine - Exposition on the Psalms - v1
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360 Invitation to seek God for Himself alone.
Psalm this world be scourged ; needs must thou suffer some tempta- xxxiv. uons, some suggestions : God will cleanse all, He will deliver
II. thee frIom all thy troubles; seek thou Him.
*? ? 22.
. rejoice, and thy joy none shall take from thee ; because thou ' soughtest the Lord, and He heard thee, and out of all thy
troubles delivered thee.
10. 1 have said who was the exhorter, namely, that lover,
who would not alone embrace what he loveth, and saith,(ver. 5. ) Approach unto Him, and be ye lightened. For he saith what he himself proved. For some spiritual person in the Body of Christ, or even our Lord Jesus Christ Himself according to the flesh, the Head exhorting His Own Mem bers, saith; what? Approach unto Him, and be ye lightened. Or rather some spiritual Christian inviteth us to approach to our Lord Jesus Christ Himself. But let us approach to Him and be lightened ; not as the Jews approached to Him,
the Lord Himself. /
sought
(saith he)
the Lord, and He heard me. Who then are
9.
not heard, seek not the Lord. Attend, Holy Brethren ; he said not, I sought gold from the Lord, and He heard me ; I sought from the Lord long life, and He heard me ; I sought from the Lord this or that, and He heard me. It is one thing to seek any thing from the Lord, another to seek
the Lord, and He heard me. But thou, when thou prayest, saying, Kill that my enemy, seekest not the Lord, but, as it were, makest thyself a judge over thy enemy, and makest thy God an
executioner1. How knowest thou that he is not better than thou, whose death thou seekest? In that very thing haply he is, that he seeketh not thine. Therefore seek not from the Lord any thing without, but seek the Lord Himself, and He will hIear thee, and while thou yet speakest, He will say, Lo, here am. What is, Lo, here Iam? Lo, I am present: what wouldest thou ? what seekest thou of Me ? Whatever I should give thee, is more vile than I; Myself have thou, Me enjoy, Me embrace : not yet art thou able wholly ; by faith touch Me, and thou shalt cleave unto Me, (this God saith to thee,) and thy other burdens will I remove from off thee, that thou mayest wholly cleave unto Me, when I have changed this thy mortal to immortality, that thou mayest be
sought
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Is. 65, 24'
l Cor.
Mat. 22, equal to My Angels, and ever see My Face, and mayest
None shall be put to shame who come to Christ's light. 361
that they might be darkened; for they approached to Him Vrr. that they might crucify Him: let us approach to Him that --"-- we may receive His Body and Blood. They by Him cruci
fied were darkened; we by eating and drinking The Crucified
are lightened. Approach unto Him, and be ye lightened. Lo, this is said to the Gentiles. Christ was crucified amid the Jews raging and seeing ; the Gentiles were absent ; lo, they have approached who were in darkness, and they who saw not are lightened. Whereby approach the Gentiles ? By following with faith, by longing with the heart, by run ning with charity. Thy feet are thy charity. Have two feet, be not lame. What are thy two feet ? The two com mandments of love, of thy God, and of thy Neighbour. With these feet run thou unto God, approach unto Him, for
He hath both exhorted thee to run, and hath Himself shed His Own Light, as he hath magnificently and divinely con tinued'. And your faces shall not be ashamed. Approach (saith he) unto Him, and be ye lightened; and your faces shall not be ashamed. No face shall be ashamed but of the proud. Wherefore? Because he would be lifted up, and when he hath suffered insult, or ignominy, or mischance in this world, or any affliction, he is ashamed. But fear not thou, approach unto Him, and thou shalt not be ashamed. Whatever thy enemy doth to thee, he seemeth to be superior to thee before men, but before God thou art superior. I have taken, I have bound, I have killed : how superior seem they to themselves who say these things ! How superior seemed the Jews unto themselves, when they buffeted the Lord, when they spat in His face, and smote Him on the head with a reed, when they crowned Him with thorns, when they covered Him with a robe of ignominy ! How superior were they ! And He seemed inferior, because He fell down
at the doors of the gate : but He was not ashamed. For
He was the True Light, which lighteth every man that John l, cometh into the world. As then the Light cannot be con-9, founded, so He suffereth not him that is lightened to be
>> So our Mss. and others, as Ed. Him. ' ' Sic, ut magnifice et divine se Ben. says, ' magno consensu. ' ' Sicut sequi possitis. ' See on Ps. xxii, Exp. ii. magnifice et divine secutus est. ' Ben. ? . 16. ' Gloriously expressed. ' The however reads, ' so that ye may be able word is ' magnifice. '
magnificently and divinely to follow
362 He that crieth as poor, shall have the Angel's help.
Psai. m confounded. Therefore approach unto Him, and be ye xxxiv \ lightened, and your faces shall not be ashamed.
II.
11. But saith some one, How shall I approach unto Him ? With so great evils, so great sins am I burdened ; so great crimes cry out from my conscience ; how can I dare to approach unto God ? How ?
penance. But I am ashamed, sayest thou, to do penance. Approach then unto Him, and thou shalt be lightened, and thy face shall not be ashamed. For if the fear of being ashamed recalleth thee from penance, but penance maketh thee to approach unto God : seest thou not that thou bearest thy punishment in thy face, for therefore was thy face ashamed, because it approached not unto God, and there fore it approached not, because it will not do penance ? As the Prophet testifieth, (ver. 6. ) The poor man cried, and the Lord heard him. He teacheth thee how thou mayest be heard. Therefore art thou not heard, because thou art rich. Lest
haply thou say, thou criedst and wast not heard, hear where fore ; The poor man cried, and the Lord heard him. As poor cry thou, and the Lord heareth. And how shall I cry as poor ? By not, if thou hast aught, presuming therefrom upon thy own strength: by understanding that thou art needy; by understanding that so long art thou poor, as thou hast not Him Who maketh thee rich. But how did the Lord hear him ? And saved him out of all his troubles. And how saveth He men out of all their troubles ? (Ver. 7. ) The Angel of the Lord shall send b round about them that fear Him, and shall deliver them. So it is written, brethren, not as some bad copies have The Lord shall send His Angel round about them that fear Him, and He shall deliver them but thus, The Angel of the Lord shall send round about them thatfear Him, and shall deliver them. Whom called He here the Angel of the Lord, who shall send round about them that fear Him, and shall deliver them? Our Lord Jesus
If thou humble thyself through
Is. 6. Christ Himself called in Prophecy, the Angel of the
great Counsel, the Messenger of the great Counsel so the Prophets called Him. Even He then, the Angel of the great Counsel, that the Messenger, shall send unto them that fear the Lord, and shall deliver them. Fear not then
immittet. LXX. r>>(itifiiiki7, shall encamp.
Mai.
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Tasting The Lord 's goodness. Folly of trust in man. 363
lest thou be hid: wheresoever thou hast feared the Lord, there doth that Angel know thee, Who shall send to succour -- thee, and shall deliver thee.
12. Now will He speak openly of the same Sacrament, whereby He was carried in His Own Hands. (Ver. 8. ) O taste and see that the Lord is good. Doth not the Psalm now open itself, and shew thee that seeming insanity and constant
madness, the same insanity and sober inebriety of that David, who in a figure shewed I know not what, when in the person
of king Achis they said to him, How is itc ? When the Lord said, Except a man eat My Flesh and drink My Blood, he John
' 3'
shall have no life in him? And they in whom reigned6 Achis, that error and ignorance, said what said they
How can this man give us his flesh to eat? If thou art John ignorant, Taste and see that the Lord is good: but thou5 ' understandest not, thou art king Achis David shall change
His Countenance and shall depart from thee, and shall quit thee, and shall depart.
13. Blessed is the man that trusteth in Him. Why needeth this to be explained at length Whoever trusteth not in the Lord, miserable. Who is there that trusteth not in the Lord He that trusteth in himself. Sometimes,
Ver.
which even worse, (my Brethren, attend,) sometimes men trust not in themselves, but in other men. While Garseus1 <<l
alU9'
is alive and well, thou canst do me no harm saith one, and perhaps he speaketh of one already dead. In this very city, saith one, while such an one alive and well; and he perhaps has died in another place. And how soon do men say this they say not, trust in God, that He will not permit thee to hurt me. They say not, trust in my God, that although He may permit thee to touch somewhat of mine, to touch my soul He will not permit thee. But when they say, While such an one alive and well, they both refuse to have safety themselves, and weigh down these, through whom they think to have safety.
14. Ver. 9. Ofear the Lord, all ye His saints, for there is no want to them that fear Him. For many therefore will not fear God the Lord, lest they suffer hunger. said to them, Defraud not and they say, Whence can feed my
al, when those wretched ones before king Achis said, How
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364 Fear God, but not for this life only.
Psalm self ? No art can be without imposture ; no business can xxxiv. ke witnoul fraucl. But fraud God punisheth : fear God. II. But if I should fear God, I shall not have whence to live. Ofear the Lord, all ye His saints, for there is no want to them that fear Him. He promiseth plenty to him that trembleth, and doubteth, lest haply if he should fear God,
he should lose things superfluous. The Lord fed thee despising Him, and will He desert thee fearing Him? Attend, and say not, Such a one is rich, and I am poor. I fear the Lord, he by not fearing how much has he gained, and 1 by fearing am bare! See what follows; (ver. 10. ) The rich* do lack and suffer hunger, but they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing. If thou receive it according to the letter, He seemeth to deceive thee, for thou seest that many rich men that are wicked die in their riches, and are not made poor while they live ; thou seest them grow old, and come even to the end of life amid great abundance and riches.
Thou seest their funeral pomp celebrated with great pro fusion, the man himself brought rich even to the sepulchre, having expired in beds of ivory, his family weeping around ; and thou sayest in thy mind, if haply thou knowest some both sins and crimes done by him : I know what things that man hath done ; lo, he hath grown old, he hath died in his bed, his friends follow him to the grave, his funeral is cele brated with all this pomp ;
I know what he hath done ; the Scripture has deceived me, and has spoken falsely, where I hear and sing ; The rich do lack and suffer hunger. When was this man in need ? when did he suffer hunger ? But they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing. Daily I rise up to Church, daily I bend the knee, daily I
seek the Lord, and have nothing good : this man sought not the Lord, and he hath died in the midst of all these good things ! Thus thinking, the snare of offence choketh him ; for he seeketh mortal food on the earth, and seeketh not a true reward in heaven, and so he putteth his head into the devil's noose, his jaws are tied close, and the devil holdeth him fast unto evil doing, that so he may imitate the evil
men, whom he seeth to die in such plenty.
15. Therefore understand it not so. And how
shall I understand it ? Of spiritual goods. But where are they ?
d E. V. The young lions do lack, $r.
The true and only satisfying riches are within. 365
They are not seen with the eyes, but with the heart. I see Ver.
stature, well formed ; but a thief, good for nothing, fraudu lent : but perhaps thou hast another small of stature, de formed in face, of bad complexion ; but faithful, thrifty, sober : attend, I pray thee ; which of these two lovest thou ? Ifthou askest the eyes of the flesh, the handsome dishonest one prevaileth with thee ; if the eyes of the heart, then prevaileth the deformed faithfnl. Thou seest then what it is thou wouldest that another should shew unto thee, namely, faith; do thou shew unto him the same. Wherefore re- joicest thou at him who sheweth faith towards thee, and praisest him for those goods which are not seen but with the eye of the heart ? When thou art filled with spiritual riches, canst thou be poor? And was he therefore rich, because he had a bed of ivory ; and art thou poor who hast the chamber of thy heart filled with such jewelry of virtues,
justice, truth, charity, faith, endurance? Unfold thy riches, ifthou hast them, and compare them with the riches of the rich. But such an one has found in the market mules of great value, and has bought them. If thou couldest find faith to be sold, how much wouldest thou give for that, which God willeth that thou shouldest have gratis, and thou art ungrateful ? Those rich then lack, they lack, and what is heavier, they lack bread. But do not haply think that they lack gold and silver, although indeed they lack these also. How much had such a man ; and yet what could ever satisfy him ? So he died lacking, because he wished to gain more than he possessed. They lack even bread. How lack
If thou understandest bread. For He
thirst after righteousness : for they shall be filled. But 6'
not those same goods. He seeth them who loveth. Righte
'-- ousness I see not. No, for it is not gold, nor is it silver.
If it were gold, thou wouldest see it. Because it is faith, thou
seest it not. And if thou seest not faith, wherefore lovest
thou a faithful servant ? Ask thyself, what sort of servant thou
lovest. Perhaps thou hast a servant handsome, of good
they even bread ?
/ am the Living Bread which came down
John 6, Heaven. And again, Blessed are they which do hunger and Matt. 5,
hath said*,
from
? So Ms*, an. Ben. and ours. Ben. reads, ' If thou understandest not bread.
. . . . . . oam, He bath said. o
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360 Learn of Christ. Error of seeking 'good days' here.
Psalm they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing: but
SerjT wnat manner of good, I have already said, I II. 16. Ver. 11. Come, ye children, hearken unto me:
will teach you the fear of the Lord. Ye think ', brethren, that I say this : think that David saith it ; think that an Apostle saith
it; nay think that our Lord Jesus Christ Himself saith it; Come, ye children, hearken unto Me. Let us hearken unto Him together; hearken ye unto Him through us. For He would teach us ; He the Humble, He that drurumeth, He that affecteth, would teach us. And what saith He ? Come, ye children, hearken unto Me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord. Let Him then teach, let us give ear, let us give heart. Let us not open the ears of the flesh, and shut those of the heart; but as He Himself said in His Gospel,
Mat. 11, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. Who would not hear Christ teaching through His Prophet ?
1 7. Ver. 1 2. What man is he that desireth life, and loveth to see good days ? He asketh a question. Doth not every one among you answer, I ? Is there any man among you that loveth not life, that is, that desireth not life, and loveth not to see good days ? Do ye not daily thus murmur, and thus speak ; How long shall we suffer these things ? Daily are they worse and worse : in our fathers' time were days more
joyful, were days better. O if thou couldest ask those same, thy fathers, in like manner would they murmur to thee of their own days. Our fathers were happy, miserable are we, evil days have we : such an one ruled over us, we thought that after his death might some refreshing be given to us; worse things have come : O God, shew unto us good days ! What man is he that desireth life, and loveth to see good days ? Let him not seek here good days. A good thing he seeketh, but not in its right place doth he seek it. As, if thou shouldest seek some
righteous man in a country, wherein he lived not, it would be said to thee, A good man thou seekest, a great man thou seekest, seek him still, but not here ; in vain thou seekest him here, thou wilt never find
him. Good days thou seekest, together let us seek them, seek not here. But our fathers had them. Ye are deceived : all men here have so laboured. Read the Scriptures ;
r Most Mss. * Think,' imperative, as in the other clauses.
Times not worse than ofold. Nothing safe but fear of God. 367
therefore God willed them to be written, that we might have Ver. consolation. In the time of Elias was there a famine, our--',--- fathers suffered it. The heads of dead beasts were sold for
gold ; they slew their own people, and ate them ; and two women agreed together to kill their sons, and eat them ; one killed her son, and the two ate him together; the other refused to kill her son, and she who had first slain her son
sued her, and this her suit came before the king, they betook themselves even before the king, contending concern
ing the slaying of their sons. As concerning such food, God 2 Kings avert what we read. Always are there evil days in this6'25'30.
world, but always good days in God. Good days had Abraham, but within, in his heart: evil days had he, when through famine he changed his place, and sought food. So Gen. 12,
all men have sought food. Had Paul good days, who saith,
In hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and naked-
ness? But let not the servants be wroth the Lord Himself11' 27. had not good days in this world insults, injuries, the Cross,
and all those evils did He suffer.
18. Let not a Christian then murmur, let him see whose steps he followeth but he loveth good days, let him hearken unto Him teaching and saying, Come, ye children, hearken unto Me will teach you the fear of the Lord. What wouldest thou Life and good days. Hear, and do. (Ver. 13. ) Keep thy tongue from evil. This do. will not, saith miserable man, will not keep my tongue from evil, and
desire life and good days. If workman of thine should say to thee, indeed lay waste this vineyard, yet require of thee my reward thou broughtest me to the vineyard to lop and prune cut away all the useful wood, will cut short also the very trunks of the vines, that thou have thereon nothing to gather, and when have done this, thou shalt re pay to me my labour. Wouldest thou not call him mad Wouldest thou not drive him from thy house or ever he put
bis hand to the knife Such are those men, who would both do evil, and swear falsely, and speak blasphemy against God, and murmur, and defraud, and be drunken, and dispute, and commit adultery, and use charms, and consult diviners, and withal see good days. To such said, thou canst not doing ill seek good reward. If thou art unjust, shall God
yet
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368 The Law of Love goes beyond abstinence from crime.
Psalm also be unjust ? What shall I do, then ? What desirest xxxiv. thou ? Life 1 desire, good days I desire. Keep thy tongue II. from evil, and thy lips that they speak no guile, that is,
defraud not any, lie not to any.
19. But what is, Depart from evil? It is little that thou
injure none, murder none, steal not, commit not adultery, do no wrong, speak no false witness ; Depart from evil. When thou hast departed, thou sayest, Now I am safe, I have done all, I shall have life, I shall see good days. Not only saith he, Depart from evil, but also, and do good. It is nothing that thou spoil not: clothe the naked. If thou hast not spoiled, thou hast declined from evil ; but thou wilt not do good, except thou receive the stranger into thine house. So
then depart from evil, as to do good. Seek peace, and ensue it. He hath not said, Thou shalt have peace here ; seek it, and ensue it. Whither shall 1 ensue it ? Whither it hath gone before. For the Lord is our peace, hath risen again, and hath ascended into Heaven. Seek peace, and ensue it ; because when thou also hast risen, this mortal shall be changed, and thou shalt embrace peace there where no man shall trouble thee. For there is perfect peace, where thou wilt not hunger. For here it is bread that maketh thy peace :
withhold bread, and see what a war there will be within thy bowels. How is it that even the righteous groan here, Brethren ? That ye may know that here we seek peace, but shall obtain it only in the end. But in part must we have it here, that there we may deserve it wholly. What is, in part ? Let us be peaceful here, let us love our neighbour as ourselves. So love thy brother as thyself, be at peace with
him. But there cannot but exist some strifes, as between Acts i5, brethren and between Saints have existed, as between Bar-
s9,
nabas and Paul, but not such as to destroy concord, not such as to inteiTupt charity. For even thyself thou some times resistest, and yet thou hatest not thyself. For every one who repenteth of any thing, striveth with himself. He hath sinned, he returneth, he is angry with himself that he hath done this, that he hath committed that. Therefore he is at strife with himself, but that strife tendeth to concord. See how a certain righteous man striveth with himself, say-
Ps. 42, ing, Why art thou sorrowful, O my soul; and why dost 2.
God cares for us when He seems not to hear.
thou disquiet me? Hope thou in God; for
Him. When he saith to his soul, Why dost thou disquiet me ? it surely did disquiet him. He wished perhaps himself to suffer for Christ, and his soul became sorrowful.
who knew and said, Why art thou sorrowful, O my soul, and why dost thou disquiet me ? had not yet peace with himself; but in his heart he clave unto Christ, that his soul might follow Him, and not disquiet himself. ISeek then peace, Brethren. The Lord saith, These things
have spoken unto John you, that in me ye might have peace. Peace in this world33'
16,
I promise not unto you. In this life is not true peace,
neither tranquillity. The joy of immortality, the society of Angels, is promised. But whoever hath not sought it while here he hath been, shall not have when there he shall arrive.
20. Ver. 15. The Eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous: fear not then; labour; the eyes of the Lord are upon thee. And His Ears are open unto iheir prayers. What wouldest thou more If an householder in great house should not hearken to servant murmuring, he would complain, and say, What hardship do we here suffer, and none heareth us. Canst thou say this of God, What hardships suffer, and none heareth me If He heard me, haply, sayest thou, He would take away my tribulation cry unto Him, and yet have tribulation. Only do thou hold fast His ways, and when thou art in tribulation, He heareth thee. But He a Physician, and still hast thou something of putrefaction thou criest out, but still He cutteth, and taketh not away His Hand, until He hath cut as much as pleaseth Him. For that Physician cruel who heareth man, and spareth his wound and putrefaction. How do mothers rub their chil dren in the baths for their health. Do not the little ones cry out in their hands Are they then cruel because they spare not, nor hearken unto their tears Are they not full of affection And yet the children cry out, and are not
So our God also full of charity, but therefore
seemeth He not to hear, that He may spare and heal us for
everlasting.
21. The Eyes the Lord are upon the righteous, and His Ears are open unto their prayers. Haply say the wicked,
Bb
369
yet praise Vbr. -
I will
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And he
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370 Those not less delivered who are saved invisibly.
Psalm securely do evil, because the Eyes of the Lord are not upon xxxiv. me . qo(l aitendeth to the righteous, me He seeth not, and ir. whatever I do, I do securely. Immediately added the Holy Spirit, seeing the thoughts of men, and said, The Eyes of the
Lord are upon the righteous, and His Ears are open unto their prayers : (ver. 16. ) but the Face of the Lord is against them that do evil; to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.
22. Ver. 17. The righteous cried, and the Lord heard them, and delivered them out of all their troubles. Righteous were the Three Children ; out of the furnace cried they unto the Lord, and in His praises their flames cooled. The flame could not approach nor hurt the innocent and righteous Children
Dan. 3, praising God, and He delivered them out of the fire. Some one saith, Lo, truly righteous were those who were heard, as it is written, The righteous cried, and the Lord heard them,
and delivered them out of all their troubles: but I have
cried, and He delivereth me not ; either I am not righteous, 1 al. audor I do not1 the things which He commandeth me, or haply
0 no ' He seeth me not. Fear not : only do what He commandeth ; and if He deliver thee not bodily, He will deliver thee
spiritually.
For He Who took out of the fire the Three Chil-
2 Mac. dren, did He take out of the fire the Maccabees ? Did not 73.
the first sing hymns in the flames, these last in the flames expire ? The God of the Three Children, was not He the God also of the Maccabees ? The one He delivered, the other He delivered not. Nay, He delivered both : but the Three Children He so delivered, that even the carnal were con founded ; but the Maccabees therefore He delivered not so, that those who persecuted them should go into greater tor ments, while they thought that they had overcome God's
Acts 12, Martyrs. He delivered Peter, when the Angel came unto him being in prison, and said, Arise, and go forth, and sud denly his chains were loosed, and he followed the Angel, and He delivered him. Had Peter lost righteousness when He delivered him not from the cross ? Did He not deliver him then ? Even then He delivered him. Did his long life make him unrighteous ? Haply He heard him more at last than at first, when truly he delivered him out of all his troubles. For when He first delivered him, how many things
Troubles of Saints. Bones of Chrisfs Body kept whole. 371
did he suffer afterwards ! For thither He sent him at last, Vrr. where he could have suffered no evil. i-----
23. Ver. 18. The Lord is nigh unto them that have broken their heart ; and saveth such as be lowly in spirit. God is High : let a Christian be lowly. If he would that the Most High God draw nigh unto him, let him be lowly.
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360 Invitation to seek God for Himself alone.
Psalm this world be scourged ; needs must thou suffer some tempta- xxxiv. uons, some suggestions : God will cleanse all, He will deliver
II. thee frIom all thy troubles; seek thou Him.
*? ? 22.
. rejoice, and thy joy none shall take from thee ; because thou ' soughtest the Lord, and He heard thee, and out of all thy
troubles delivered thee.
10. 1 have said who was the exhorter, namely, that lover,
who would not alone embrace what he loveth, and saith,(ver. 5. ) Approach unto Him, and be ye lightened. For he saith what he himself proved. For some spiritual person in the Body of Christ, or even our Lord Jesus Christ Himself according to the flesh, the Head exhorting His Own Mem bers, saith; what? Approach unto Him, and be ye lightened. Or rather some spiritual Christian inviteth us to approach to our Lord Jesus Christ Himself. But let us approach to Him and be lightened ; not as the Jews approached to Him,
the Lord Himself. /
sought
(saith he)
the Lord, and He heard me. Who then are
9.
not heard, seek not the Lord. Attend, Holy Brethren ; he said not, I sought gold from the Lord, and He heard me ; I sought from the Lord long life, and He heard me ; I sought from the Lord this or that, and He heard me. It is one thing to seek any thing from the Lord, another to seek
the Lord, and He heard me. But thou, when thou prayest, saying, Kill that my enemy, seekest not the Lord, but, as it were, makest thyself a judge over thy enemy, and makest thy God an
executioner1. How knowest thou that he is not better than thou, whose death thou seekest? In that very thing haply he is, that he seeketh not thine. Therefore seek not from the Lord any thing without, but seek the Lord Himself, and He will hIear thee, and while thou yet speakest, He will say, Lo, here am. What is, Lo, here Iam? Lo, I am present: what wouldest thou ? what seekest thou of Me ? Whatever I should give thee, is more vile than I; Myself have thou, Me enjoy, Me embrace : not yet art thou able wholly ; by faith touch Me, and thou shalt cleave unto Me, (this God saith to thee,) and thy other burdens will I remove from off thee, that thou mayest wholly cleave unto Me, when I have changed this thy mortal to immortality, that thou mayest be
sought
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Is. 65, 24'
l Cor.
Mat. 22, equal to My Angels, and ever see My Face, and mayest
None shall be put to shame who come to Christ's light. 361
that they might be darkened; for they approached to Him Vrr. that they might crucify Him: let us approach to Him that --"-- we may receive His Body and Blood. They by Him cruci
fied were darkened; we by eating and drinking The Crucified
are lightened. Approach unto Him, and be ye lightened. Lo, this is said to the Gentiles. Christ was crucified amid the Jews raging and seeing ; the Gentiles were absent ; lo, they have approached who were in darkness, and they who saw not are lightened. Whereby approach the Gentiles ? By following with faith, by longing with the heart, by run ning with charity. Thy feet are thy charity. Have two feet, be not lame. What are thy two feet ? The two com mandments of love, of thy God, and of thy Neighbour. With these feet run thou unto God, approach unto Him, for
He hath both exhorted thee to run, and hath Himself shed His Own Light, as he hath magnificently and divinely con tinued'. And your faces shall not be ashamed. Approach (saith he) unto Him, and be ye lightened; and your faces shall not be ashamed. No face shall be ashamed but of the proud. Wherefore? Because he would be lifted up, and when he hath suffered insult, or ignominy, or mischance in this world, or any affliction, he is ashamed. But fear not thou, approach unto Him, and thou shalt not be ashamed. Whatever thy enemy doth to thee, he seemeth to be superior to thee before men, but before God thou art superior. I have taken, I have bound, I have killed : how superior seem they to themselves who say these things ! How superior seemed the Jews unto themselves, when they buffeted the Lord, when they spat in His face, and smote Him on the head with a reed, when they crowned Him with thorns, when they covered Him with a robe of ignominy ! How superior were they ! And He seemed inferior, because He fell down
at the doors of the gate : but He was not ashamed. For
He was the True Light, which lighteth every man that John l, cometh into the world. As then the Light cannot be con-9, founded, so He suffereth not him that is lightened to be
>> So our Mss. and others, as Ed. Him. ' ' Sic, ut magnifice et divine se Ben. says, ' magno consensu. ' ' Sicut sequi possitis. ' See on Ps. xxii, Exp. ii. magnifice et divine secutus est. ' Ben. ? . 16. ' Gloriously expressed. ' The however reads, ' so that ye may be able word is ' magnifice. '
magnificently and divinely to follow
362 He that crieth as poor, shall have the Angel's help.
Psai. m confounded. Therefore approach unto Him, and be ye xxxiv \ lightened, and your faces shall not be ashamed.
II.
11. But saith some one, How shall I approach unto Him ? With so great evils, so great sins am I burdened ; so great crimes cry out from my conscience ; how can I dare to approach unto God ? How ?
penance. But I am ashamed, sayest thou, to do penance. Approach then unto Him, and thou shalt be lightened, and thy face shall not be ashamed. For if the fear of being ashamed recalleth thee from penance, but penance maketh thee to approach unto God : seest thou not that thou bearest thy punishment in thy face, for therefore was thy face ashamed, because it approached not unto God, and there fore it approached not, because it will not do penance ? As the Prophet testifieth, (ver. 6. ) The poor man cried, and the Lord heard him. He teacheth thee how thou mayest be heard. Therefore art thou not heard, because thou art rich. Lest
haply thou say, thou criedst and wast not heard, hear where fore ; The poor man cried, and the Lord heard him. As poor cry thou, and the Lord heareth. And how shall I cry as poor ? By not, if thou hast aught, presuming therefrom upon thy own strength: by understanding that thou art needy; by understanding that so long art thou poor, as thou hast not Him Who maketh thee rich. But how did the Lord hear him ? And saved him out of all his troubles. And how saveth He men out of all their troubles ? (Ver. 7. ) The Angel of the Lord shall send b round about them that fear Him, and shall deliver them. So it is written, brethren, not as some bad copies have The Lord shall send His Angel round about them that fear Him, and He shall deliver them but thus, The Angel of the Lord shall send round about them thatfear Him, and shall deliver them. Whom called He here the Angel of the Lord, who shall send round about them that fear Him, and shall deliver them? Our Lord Jesus
If thou humble thyself through
Is. 6. Christ Himself called in Prophecy, the Angel of the
great Counsel, the Messenger of the great Counsel so the Prophets called Him. Even He then, the Angel of the great Counsel, that the Messenger, shall send unto them that fear the Lord, and shall deliver them. Fear not then
immittet. LXX. r>>(itifiiiki7, shall encamp.
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Tasting The Lord 's goodness. Folly of trust in man. 363
lest thou be hid: wheresoever thou hast feared the Lord, there doth that Angel know thee, Who shall send to succour -- thee, and shall deliver thee.
12. Now will He speak openly of the same Sacrament, whereby He was carried in His Own Hands. (Ver. 8. ) O taste and see that the Lord is good. Doth not the Psalm now open itself, and shew thee that seeming insanity and constant
madness, the same insanity and sober inebriety of that David, who in a figure shewed I know not what, when in the person
of king Achis they said to him, How is itc ? When the Lord said, Except a man eat My Flesh and drink My Blood, he John
' 3'
shall have no life in him? And they in whom reigned6 Achis, that error and ignorance, said what said they
How can this man give us his flesh to eat? If thou art John ignorant, Taste and see that the Lord is good: but thou5 ' understandest not, thou art king Achis David shall change
His Countenance and shall depart from thee, and shall quit thee, and shall depart.
13. Blessed is the man that trusteth in Him. Why needeth this to be explained at length Whoever trusteth not in the Lord, miserable. Who is there that trusteth not in the Lord He that trusteth in himself. Sometimes,
Ver.
which even worse, (my Brethren, attend,) sometimes men trust not in themselves, but in other men. While Garseus1 <<l
alU9'
is alive and well, thou canst do me no harm saith one, and perhaps he speaketh of one already dead. In this very city, saith one, while such an one alive and well; and he perhaps has died in another place. And how soon do men say this they say not, trust in God, that He will not permit thee to hurt me. They say not, trust in my God, that although He may permit thee to touch somewhat of mine, to touch my soul He will not permit thee. But when they say, While such an one alive and well, they both refuse to have safety themselves, and weigh down these, through whom they think to have safety.
14. Ver. 9. Ofear the Lord, all ye His saints, for there is no want to them that fear Him. For many therefore will not fear God the Lord, lest they suffer hunger. said to them, Defraud not and they say, Whence can feed my
al, when those wretched ones before king Achis said, How
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364 Fear God, but not for this life only.
Psalm self ? No art can be without imposture ; no business can xxxiv. ke witnoul fraucl. But fraud God punisheth : fear God. II. But if I should fear God, I shall not have whence to live. Ofear the Lord, all ye His saints, for there is no want to them that fear Him. He promiseth plenty to him that trembleth, and doubteth, lest haply if he should fear God,
he should lose things superfluous. The Lord fed thee despising Him, and will He desert thee fearing Him? Attend, and say not, Such a one is rich, and I am poor. I fear the Lord, he by not fearing how much has he gained, and 1 by fearing am bare! See what follows; (ver. 10. ) The rich* do lack and suffer hunger, but they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing. If thou receive it according to the letter, He seemeth to deceive thee, for thou seest that many rich men that are wicked die in their riches, and are not made poor while they live ; thou seest them grow old, and come even to the end of life amid great abundance and riches.
Thou seest their funeral pomp celebrated with great pro fusion, the man himself brought rich even to the sepulchre, having expired in beds of ivory, his family weeping around ; and thou sayest in thy mind, if haply thou knowest some both sins and crimes done by him : I know what things that man hath done ; lo, he hath grown old, he hath died in his bed, his friends follow him to the grave, his funeral is cele brated with all this pomp ;
I know what he hath done ; the Scripture has deceived me, and has spoken falsely, where I hear and sing ; The rich do lack and suffer hunger. When was this man in need ? when did he suffer hunger ? But they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing. Daily I rise up to Church, daily I bend the knee, daily I
seek the Lord, and have nothing good : this man sought not the Lord, and he hath died in the midst of all these good things ! Thus thinking, the snare of offence choketh him ; for he seeketh mortal food on the earth, and seeketh not a true reward in heaven, and so he putteth his head into the devil's noose, his jaws are tied close, and the devil holdeth him fast unto evil doing, that so he may imitate the evil
men, whom he seeth to die in such plenty.
15. Therefore understand it not so. And how
shall I understand it ? Of spiritual goods. But where are they ?
d E. V. The young lions do lack, $r.
The true and only satisfying riches are within. 365
They are not seen with the eyes, but with the heart. I see Ver.
stature, well formed ; but a thief, good for nothing, fraudu lent : but perhaps thou hast another small of stature, de formed in face, of bad complexion ; but faithful, thrifty, sober : attend, I pray thee ; which of these two lovest thou ? Ifthou askest the eyes of the flesh, the handsome dishonest one prevaileth with thee ; if the eyes of the heart, then prevaileth the deformed faithfnl. Thou seest then what it is thou wouldest that another should shew unto thee, namely, faith; do thou shew unto him the same. Wherefore re- joicest thou at him who sheweth faith towards thee, and praisest him for those goods which are not seen but with the eye of the heart ? When thou art filled with spiritual riches, canst thou be poor? And was he therefore rich, because he had a bed of ivory ; and art thou poor who hast the chamber of thy heart filled with such jewelry of virtues,
justice, truth, charity, faith, endurance? Unfold thy riches, ifthou hast them, and compare them with the riches of the rich. But such an one has found in the market mules of great value, and has bought them. If thou couldest find faith to be sold, how much wouldest thou give for that, which God willeth that thou shouldest have gratis, and thou art ungrateful ? Those rich then lack, they lack, and what is heavier, they lack bread. But do not haply think that they lack gold and silver, although indeed they lack these also. How much had such a man ; and yet what could ever satisfy him ? So he died lacking, because he wished to gain more than he possessed. They lack even bread. How lack
If thou understandest bread. For He
thirst after righteousness : for they shall be filled. But 6'
not those same goods. He seeth them who loveth. Righte
'-- ousness I see not. No, for it is not gold, nor is it silver.
If it were gold, thou wouldest see it. Because it is faith, thou
seest it not. And if thou seest not faith, wherefore lovest
thou a faithful servant ? Ask thyself, what sort of servant thou
lovest. Perhaps thou hast a servant handsome, of good
they even bread ?
/ am the Living Bread which came down
John 6, Heaven. And again, Blessed are they which do hunger and Matt. 5,
hath said*,
from
? So Ms*, an. Ben. and ours. Ben. reads, ' If thou understandest not bread.
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360 Learn of Christ. Error of seeking 'good days' here.
Psalm they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing: but
SerjT wnat manner of good, I have already said, I II. 16. Ver. 11. Come, ye children, hearken unto me:
will teach you the fear of the Lord. Ye think ', brethren, that I say this : think that David saith it ; think that an Apostle saith
it; nay think that our Lord Jesus Christ Himself saith it; Come, ye children, hearken unto Me. Let us hearken unto Him together; hearken ye unto Him through us. For He would teach us ; He the Humble, He that drurumeth, He that affecteth, would teach us. And what saith He ? Come, ye children, hearken unto Me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord. Let Him then teach, let us give ear, let us give heart. Let us not open the ears of the flesh, and shut those of the heart; but as He Himself said in His Gospel,
Mat. 11, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. Who would not hear Christ teaching through His Prophet ?
1 7. Ver. 1 2. What man is he that desireth life, and loveth to see good days ? He asketh a question. Doth not every one among you answer, I ? Is there any man among you that loveth not life, that is, that desireth not life, and loveth not to see good days ? Do ye not daily thus murmur, and thus speak ; How long shall we suffer these things ? Daily are they worse and worse : in our fathers' time were days more
joyful, were days better. O if thou couldest ask those same, thy fathers, in like manner would they murmur to thee of their own days. Our fathers were happy, miserable are we, evil days have we : such an one ruled over us, we thought that after his death might some refreshing be given to us; worse things have come : O God, shew unto us good days ! What man is he that desireth life, and loveth to see good days ? Let him not seek here good days. A good thing he seeketh, but not in its right place doth he seek it. As, if thou shouldest seek some
righteous man in a country, wherein he lived not, it would be said to thee, A good man thou seekest, a great man thou seekest, seek him still, but not here ; in vain thou seekest him here, thou wilt never find
him. Good days thou seekest, together let us seek them, seek not here. But our fathers had them. Ye are deceived : all men here have so laboured. Read the Scriptures ;
r Most Mss. * Think,' imperative, as in the other clauses.
Times not worse than ofold. Nothing safe but fear of God. 367
therefore God willed them to be written, that we might have Ver. consolation. In the time of Elias was there a famine, our--',--- fathers suffered it. The heads of dead beasts were sold for
gold ; they slew their own people, and ate them ; and two women agreed together to kill their sons, and eat them ; one killed her son, and the two ate him together; the other refused to kill her son, and she who had first slain her son
sued her, and this her suit came before the king, they betook themselves even before the king, contending concern
ing the slaying of their sons. As concerning such food, God 2 Kings avert what we read. Always are there evil days in this6'25'30.
world, but always good days in God. Good days had Abraham, but within, in his heart: evil days had he, when through famine he changed his place, and sought food. So Gen. 12,
all men have sought food. Had Paul good days, who saith,
In hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and naked-
ness? But let not the servants be wroth the Lord Himself11' 27. had not good days in this world insults, injuries, the Cross,
and all those evils did He suffer.
18. Let not a Christian then murmur, let him see whose steps he followeth but he loveth good days, let him hearken unto Him teaching and saying, Come, ye children, hearken unto Me will teach you the fear of the Lord. What wouldest thou Life and good days. Hear, and do. (Ver. 13. ) Keep thy tongue from evil. This do. will not, saith miserable man, will not keep my tongue from evil, and
desire life and good days. If workman of thine should say to thee, indeed lay waste this vineyard, yet require of thee my reward thou broughtest me to the vineyard to lop and prune cut away all the useful wood, will cut short also the very trunks of the vines, that thou have thereon nothing to gather, and when have done this, thou shalt re pay to me my labour. Wouldest thou not call him mad Wouldest thou not drive him from thy house or ever he put
bis hand to the knife Such are those men, who would both do evil, and swear falsely, and speak blasphemy against God, and murmur, and defraud, and be drunken, and dispute, and commit adultery, and use charms, and consult diviners, and withal see good days. To such said, thou canst not doing ill seek good reward. If thou art unjust, shall God
yet
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368 The Law of Love goes beyond abstinence from crime.
Psalm also be unjust ? What shall I do, then ? What desirest xxxiv. thou ? Life 1 desire, good days I desire. Keep thy tongue II. from evil, and thy lips that they speak no guile, that is,
defraud not any, lie not to any.
19. But what is, Depart from evil? It is little that thou
injure none, murder none, steal not, commit not adultery, do no wrong, speak no false witness ; Depart from evil. When thou hast departed, thou sayest, Now I am safe, I have done all, I shall have life, I shall see good days. Not only saith he, Depart from evil, but also, and do good. It is nothing that thou spoil not: clothe the naked. If thou hast not spoiled, thou hast declined from evil ; but thou wilt not do good, except thou receive the stranger into thine house. So
then depart from evil, as to do good. Seek peace, and ensue it. He hath not said, Thou shalt have peace here ; seek it, and ensue it. Whither shall 1 ensue it ? Whither it hath gone before. For the Lord is our peace, hath risen again, and hath ascended into Heaven. Seek peace, and ensue it ; because when thou also hast risen, this mortal shall be changed, and thou shalt embrace peace there where no man shall trouble thee. For there is perfect peace, where thou wilt not hunger. For here it is bread that maketh thy peace :
withhold bread, and see what a war there will be within thy bowels. How is it that even the righteous groan here, Brethren ? That ye may know that here we seek peace, but shall obtain it only in the end. But in part must we have it here, that there we may deserve it wholly. What is, in part ? Let us be peaceful here, let us love our neighbour as ourselves. So love thy brother as thyself, be at peace with
him. But there cannot but exist some strifes, as between Acts i5, brethren and between Saints have existed, as between Bar-
s9,
nabas and Paul, but not such as to destroy concord, not such as to inteiTupt charity. For even thyself thou some times resistest, and yet thou hatest not thyself. For every one who repenteth of any thing, striveth with himself. He hath sinned, he returneth, he is angry with himself that he hath done this, that he hath committed that. Therefore he is at strife with himself, but that strife tendeth to concord. See how a certain righteous man striveth with himself, say-
Ps. 42, ing, Why art thou sorrowful, O my soul; and why dost 2.
God cares for us when He seems not to hear.
thou disquiet me? Hope thou in God; for
Him. When he saith to his soul, Why dost thou disquiet me ? it surely did disquiet him. He wished perhaps himself to suffer for Christ, and his soul became sorrowful.
who knew and said, Why art thou sorrowful, O my soul, and why dost thou disquiet me ? had not yet peace with himself; but in his heart he clave unto Christ, that his soul might follow Him, and not disquiet himself. ISeek then peace, Brethren. The Lord saith, These things
have spoken unto John you, that in me ye might have peace. Peace in this world33'
16,
I promise not unto you. In this life is not true peace,
neither tranquillity. The joy of immortality, the society of Angels, is promised. But whoever hath not sought it while here he hath been, shall not have when there he shall arrive.
20. Ver. 15. The Eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous: fear not then; labour; the eyes of the Lord are upon thee. And His Ears are open unto iheir prayers. What wouldest thou more If an householder in great house should not hearken to servant murmuring, he would complain, and say, What hardship do we here suffer, and none heareth us. Canst thou say this of God, What hardships suffer, and none heareth me If He heard me, haply, sayest thou, He would take away my tribulation cry unto Him, and yet have tribulation. Only do thou hold fast His ways, and when thou art in tribulation, He heareth thee. But He a Physician, and still hast thou something of putrefaction thou criest out, but still He cutteth, and taketh not away His Hand, until He hath cut as much as pleaseth Him. For that Physician cruel who heareth man, and spareth his wound and putrefaction. How do mothers rub their chil dren in the baths for their health. Do not the little ones cry out in their hands Are they then cruel because they spare not, nor hearken unto their tears Are they not full of affection And yet the children cry out, and are not
So our God also full of charity, but therefore
seemeth He not to hear, that He may spare and heal us for
everlasting.
21. The Eyes the Lord are upon the righteous, and His Ears are open unto their prayers. Haply say the wicked,
Bb
369
yet praise Vbr. -
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370 Those not less delivered who are saved invisibly.
Psalm securely do evil, because the Eyes of the Lord are not upon xxxiv. me . qo(l aitendeth to the righteous, me He seeth not, and ir. whatever I do, I do securely. Immediately added the Holy Spirit, seeing the thoughts of men, and said, The Eyes of the
Lord are upon the righteous, and His Ears are open unto their prayers : (ver. 16. ) but the Face of the Lord is against them that do evil; to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.
22. Ver. 17. The righteous cried, and the Lord heard them, and delivered them out of all their troubles. Righteous were the Three Children ; out of the furnace cried they unto the Lord, and in His praises their flames cooled. The flame could not approach nor hurt the innocent and righteous Children
Dan. 3, praising God, and He delivered them out of the fire. Some one saith, Lo, truly righteous were those who were heard, as it is written, The righteous cried, and the Lord heard them,
and delivered them out of all their troubles: but I have
cried, and He delivereth me not ; either I am not righteous, 1 al. audor I do not1 the things which He commandeth me, or haply
0 no ' He seeth me not. Fear not : only do what He commandeth ; and if He deliver thee not bodily, He will deliver thee
spiritually.
For He Who took out of the fire the Three Chil-
2 Mac. dren, did He take out of the fire the Maccabees ? Did not 73.
the first sing hymns in the flames, these last in the flames expire ? The God of the Three Children, was not He the God also of the Maccabees ? The one He delivered, the other He delivered not. Nay, He delivered both : but the Three Children He so delivered, that even the carnal were con founded ; but the Maccabees therefore He delivered not so, that those who persecuted them should go into greater tor ments, while they thought that they had overcome God's
Acts 12, Martyrs. He delivered Peter, when the Angel came unto him being in prison, and said, Arise, and go forth, and sud denly his chains were loosed, and he followed the Angel, and He delivered him. Had Peter lost righteousness when He delivered him not from the cross ? Did He not deliver him then ? Even then He delivered him. Did his long life make him unrighteous ? Haply He heard him more at last than at first, when truly he delivered him out of all his troubles. For when He first delivered him, how many things
Troubles of Saints. Bones of Chrisfs Body kept whole. 371
did he suffer afterwards ! For thither He sent him at last, Vrr. where he could have suffered no evil. i-----
23. Ver. 18. The Lord is nigh unto them that have broken their heart ; and saveth such as be lowly in spirit. God is High : let a Christian be lowly. If he would that the Most High God draw nigh unto him, let him be lowly.
