save because Thou hast
possessed
my reins?
Augustine - Exposition on the Psalms - v6
hell who shall confess to Thee?
there also Thou art present,
to punish. Whither then shall I go that I may flee from
Thy presence, that is, not find Thee angry ?
12. This plan he found : So will I flee, saith he, from Thy
Face, so will I flee from Thy Spirit ; from Thy avenging
Spirit, Thy avenging Face thus will 1 flee. How? If I*TM- 9" lake again my wings right forward, and abide in the utmost parts of the sea. So can I flee from Thy Face. If
he will flee to the utmost part of the sea from the Face of
God, will not He from Whom he fleeth be there, He of
inspired by Him, Who now deigneth to recall him.
up to heaven, Tliou art there : if 1 go down to hell, Thou art present. If I lift myself up, I find Thee pressing me down ; if 1 hide myself, I find Thee seeking me, and not only seeking me, but also tracking me out. For if I pride myself on my righteousness, Thou art there, Whose is true righte
go
202 save to God.
Psalm Whom he said, If I go down to hell, Thou art present ? cxxxix, glrange, if He be not in the utmost parts of the sea, Who not even in hell is absent. But I know, saith he, how 1
may flee from Thy wrath. I must take again my wings, not an erring course but right forward, that I neither be lifted up to proud presumption, nor be sunk down to aban doned despair. What wings will he take again, save the
Mat. 22,two pinions, the two precepts of love, on which two com-
40-
mandmeuts hang all the Law and the Prophets? These wings, saith he, these pinions, if I thus take again to me, and abide in the utmost parts of the sea, I can flee from Thy Face to Thy Face ; from Thy Face in anger, to Thy Face appeased. For what are the utmost parts of the sea, but the end of the world ? Thither let us now flee in hope and longing, with the wings of twofold love ; let us have no rest, save in the utmost parts of the sea. For if elsewhere we wish for rest, we shall be hurled headlong into the sea. Let us fly even to the ends of the sea, let us bear ourselves aloft on the wings of twofold love; meanwhile let us flee to God in hope, and in faithful hope let us meditate on that end of the sea.
1 3. Now listen who may bring us thither. The very same One whose face in wrath we wish to flee from. For whaIt
I
If if
go down into hell, Thou art present :
followeth ?
take again my wings right forward, and abide in the utmost
parts of the sea, even thither shall Thy hand conduct me, and Thy right hand lead me. This let us meditate on, beloved brethren, let this be our hope, this our consolation. Let us take again through love the wings we lost through lust. For lust was the lime of our wings, it dashed us down from the freedom of our sky, that is, the free breezes of the
Spirit of God. Thence dashed down we lost our wings, and were, so to speak, imprisoned in the power of the fowler; thence He redeemed us with His Blood, Whom we fled from to be caught. He maketh us wings of His command ments; we raise them aloft now free from lime. Let us not
love the sea, but fly to the utmost parts of the sea. Let none be afraid, yet let none presume on his wings; for, winged though we be, unless He conduct us, we are thrown headlong into the depths of the sea, worn out and tired,
Christ makes our darkness light. 203
presuming as it were on our own strength. Needs then must Ver. we have wings, and needs must He conduct us, for He is our Helper. We have free-will; but even with that free-will what
can we do, unless He help us Whocommandeth us. For thither
shall Thy Hand conduct me, and Thy right Hand guide me. 14. And considering the length of the way, what said he
to himself? And I
said, Peradventure the darkness shall overwhelm me. Lo, now 1 have believed in Christ, now am
I wafted aloft on the wings of twofold love, and the ini
quity of this world aboundeth, and because iniquity abound- Mat-24, eth, the love of many waxeth cold. In this life amid so
many offences, so many sins, so many troubles of daily temptations, daily evil suggestions, what do I? saith he.
How shall I come to the utmost parts of the sea? He addeth,
he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved, ib. 13. Regarding the length of the way, I said to myself, Per adventure the darkness shall overwhelm me. And the night
was light in my delight. The night was made to me light, because in the night I despaired of being able to cross so
great a sea, to surmount so long a journey, to reach the utmost parts by persevering to the end. Thanks to Him
Who sought me when a runaway, who smote my back with strokes of the scourge, who by calling me re-called me from destruction, who made my night light. For it is night so
long as we are passing through this life. How was the
night made light? Because Christ came down into the
night. Christ took flesh in this world, and enlightened for
us the night. For the woman in the parable when she had Lukeis,
lost a drachma, lighted a candle. The wisdom of God had 8" lost a drachma. What is a drachma ? A piece of money whereon was the image of our king. For man was made in the image of God, and had perished. And what did the wise woman ? She lighted a lamp. A lamp is made of clay, yet has light, whereby the drachma may be found. The
lamp of wisdom then, the Flesh of Christ, is made of clay, yet shines with His Word, finds the lost. And night was made light in my delight. Night was made delight to me. Our delight is Christ. See how now we delight in Him. Those shouts of yours, that joy of yours, whence are they from our delight? and whence is that delight, save that our
204 We must confess our sins, not defend them.
Psalm night is enlightened, save that unto us Christ the Lord is : preached? For He sought you before ye sought Him, and found you before ye found Him. And night was made light
ver. 12.
in my delight.
15. For darkness shall not be darkened by Thee. Do
not thou then darken thy darkness ; God darkeneth it not,
but enlighteneth it yet more; for to Hitn is said in another Ps. 18, Psalm, Thou, Lord, shall light my candle: my God shall enlighten my darkness. But who are they who darken their
darkness, which God darkeneth not ? Evil men, perverse men; when they sin, verily they are darkness; when they confess not their sins which they have committed, but go on to defend them, they darken their darkness. Wherefore now if thou hast sinned, thou art in darkness, but by con fessing thy darkness thou shalt obtain to have thy darkness lightened ; by defending thy darkness, thou shalt darken
thy darkness. And where wilt thou escape from double darkness, who wast in difficulty in single darkness? In what sense then doth the Lord not darken our darkness? Be cause he suffereth us not to have our sins unpunished, he scourgeth us in these toils, and disciplineth us. Know, my brethren, that all this misery of mankind in which the world groaneth, is medicinal pain, not penal sentence. Ye see that every where is pain, every where fear, every where need, every where toils. Avarice increaseth, but amid evils. If for this purpose God here disciplineth us with such scourges, that our darkness may not be darkened, let us acknowledge that we are under the punishment of the scourge, and let us bless God, Who mingleth bitternesses with the sweetness of this earthly life, lest, blinded by the enjoyment of temporal delights, we long not for everlasting delights, nor be willing that the sea come to end, or our selves to dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea. Let then the waves of the sea rage : the more the waves of the sea rage, the more does the dove soar with her wings. God then darkeneth not our darkness, because He mingleth
with our sins, and bitternesses with our evil delights. Let us not darken our darkness by defending our sins, and the night shall be light in our delight. For darkness shall not be darkened by Thee.
scourges
And be indifferent to things of this world. 205
16. And night shall be lightened as the day. Night, as Ver.
'---
the day. Day to us is worldly prosperity, night adversity in this world : but, if we learn that it is by the desert of our sins that we suffer adversities, and our Father's scourges are sweet to us, that the Judge's sentence may not be bitter to us, so shall we find the darkness of this night to be, as it were, the light of this night. If it is night, how is there light there? It is night, because here mankind wander; it is night because not yet have we reached the true day, the day not straitened by yesterday and to-morrow, the day everlasting, without rising, without setting. Here then it is night, but this night has a sort of light and darkness of its own. Why it is altogether night, we have said ; but what is the light of this night ? Prosperity and happiness of this world, temporal joy, temporal honour, are, as it were, the light of this night. But adversity, and the bitterness of tribulations and lowness of station, these are, as it were, the darkness of this night. In this night, in this mortal
condition of human life, men have darkness; their light prosperity, adversity their darkness. But when Christ our Lord has come, and has dwelt in the soul by faith, and promised other light, and inspired and given patience, and warned a man not to delight in prosperity or to be crushed by adversity, the man, being' faithful, begins to treat this world with indifference; not to be lifted up when
prosperity befalls him, nor crushed when adversity, but in all things to praise God, not only when he aboundeth, but also when he loseth ; not only when he is in health, but also when he is sick ; so that in his mouth that strain is true, / will bless the Lord at all times, His praise shall be ever in my mouth. If then ever, both when this night
is bright, and when it is dark; when prosperity smiles upon thee, and when adversity is sad ; if ever His praise be in thy mouth, then shall it also be to thee according to what is next said, As is His darkness, so is also His light. His darkness overwhelms me not, because His light lifts me not up.
17. Behold, thou hast its light in Job : he had abundance of every thing. First is described the light of his night, in his riches. In proportion to the greatness of the goods, and
Ps. 34,1.
2t)ti The example of Job.
Psalm the store he possessed in abundance, was the light of his HiEHL night. The enemy thought that such an one as he worshipped
God only because He had given him all these things, and asked that they might be taken from him. Then his night became darkness, which before had light. Still he knew that, whether it were darkness or light, it was night, wherein he was wandering in a far country, away from his God, and he had his God Himself as an inward Light, and that inner Light made him indifferent, whether it were darkness in this night, or light. And as in the light of this night, that is, in the midst of abundance, he worshipped God, when all was taken from him, when his night was made darkness,
J obi, 21. what said he? The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; as it hath pleased the Lord, so hath it happened; blessed be the Name of the Lord. I am, so to speak, in the night of this life : my Lord dwelleth in my heart, He enlightened that night for me with certain comforts, when He gave me abundance of temporal goods ; now He hath withdrawn that temporal light, and the night is, as it were, darkened. But since, as is His darkness, so is His light also; the Lord gave, the Lord hath taken away ; as it pleased the Lord, so hath it happened ; blessed be the Name of the
Lord. I am not sad in this night, for as is His darkness, so l Cor. 7, is also His light ; both pass away ; so that they which rejoice
3<1'
ver. 12.
are as though they rejoiced not, and they that weep as though they wept not ; for, as is His darkness, so is also His light.
18. For Thou, O Lord, hast possessed my reins. Not without reason, as is His darkness, so is also His light. The Possessor is within ; He occupieth not only the heart, but also the reins ; not only the thoughts, but also the delights : He then possesseth that whence I should feel delight at any light in this world : He occupieth my reins : I know not delight, save from the inward light of His Wisdom. What then ? Dost thou not delight that thy affairs are very prosperous, times fortunate to thee ? dost thou not delight in honour, in riches, in thy family ? ' I
do not,' saith he. Wherefore ? Because as is His darkness, so is also His light. Whence hast thou this indifference, that as is His darkness to thee, so is also His light ? Whence ?
W e are renewed by God's indwelling. 207
Because Thou hast possessed my reins, O Lord; Thou hast Vm. taken me up from my mother's womb. While 1 was in my -- mother's womb, I did not regard with indifference the dark
ness of that night and the light of that night. For my mother's womb is the custom of my city. What city is that?
That which first gave us birth in captivity. We know that Babylon, whereof we spoke yesterday, from whence all go forth who believe in and sigh for the true light, the heavenly Jerusalem. Therefore have 1 said, From my mother's womb was I taken up by the Lord, thence are the darkness and light of this night become indifferent to me. But he that is in the womb of that mother, Babylon, joys in the prosperity of this world, is crushed by the adversity of this world, knows not to rejoice, unless some
temporal prosperity befall him ; knows not to be saddened, unless some temporal
adversity befall him. Now come forth from the womb of Babylon, begin to sing a song to the Lord ; come forth and be born : God shall take thee up from thy mother's womb. What God? That God of the Apostle Paul, who said, Bui when it pleased God, Who separated me from my mother's womb, to reveal His Son in me. For who was his mother? The Synagogue. And what had he learnt there, save what the Jews themselves, the people itself, had and had learnt? The name of God's praise had remained in them, but there were not found in them deeds : there were in them
the words of God, as leaves on a tree: the fruit was no where. Such a fig-tree, as ye know, the Lord when HeMat. Sl, found, withered away with a curse, for He found thereon
leaves, but fruit He did not find. Some tree He was speak
ing of in a figure to us. For the time offigs was not yet: Mark
'
what all men knew, did the Maker of earth and sky not know ? He therefore, Who separated Paul from his mother's womb, hath also separated us from our mother's womb. And who is our mother? Babylon. Being then taken up from that womb, let us now begin to entertain other hopes. He hath promised, brethren, that wherein ye may rejoice: now bring forth fruit, being set in other hopes. Now know no ill, save to offend God, and so not to be brought to those things which He promiseth. What of the goods of this world, and the ills of this world ? Let us regard them with
208 And therefore should despise the world, yet be humble.
Psai. m indifference; for now, having been taken up from the womb -' of that our mother, we look on them with indifference, and say, As is His darkness, so is also His light. Neither doth
earthly prosperity make us happy, nor earthly adversity wretched. We must maintain righteousness, love faith, hope in God, love God, love our neighbours also. After these toils we shall have unfailing light, day without setting. Fleeting is all the light and darkness of this night. For Thou, Lord, hast possessed my reins: Thou hast taken me up from my mother's womb.
19. / trill confess to Thee, O Lord, for terribly hast Thou been made wonderful. Terribly hast Thou been made won
in the very fact that we wonder at Thee, Thou art terrible, we rejoice with trembling. For we fear lest, being puffed up with pride at Thy gifts, we be punished by the loss of what we have gained by humility. /will confess to
Thee, O Lord, for terribly hast Thou been made wonderful : wondrous are Thy works, and my soul knoueth it right well. Now my soul knoweth it right well, because Thou hast taken me up from my mother's womb; but aforetime Thy know ledge was Imade wonderful from me, it had waxed great,
20. My bone is not hid from Thee, which Thou hast made in secret. His bone, he saith. What the people call 'ossmn,' is in Latin called 'os. ' This is the word in the Greek". For we might think the word 'os' is here the one which makes in the plural ' ora,' not ' os' short, which makes ' ossa. ' He saith then, my bone is not hid from Tlwe, which Thou hast made in secret. I have a certain bone in secret (ossum). For this word let us prefer to use ; better is it that scholars find fault with us, than that the people understand us not. ' There is then,' saith he, 'a certain bone of mine, within, hidden ; Thou hast made within a bone for me in secret, yet is it not hidden from Thee. In secret hast Thou made it,
derful:
ver. 15.
1 Gr.
attainI unto it. From me then it had waxed attain unto it. Whence doth my soul
nor could
great, nor could
now know right well, save because the night is light in my delight ? save because Thy grace hath come unto me, and enlightened my darkness?
save because Thou hast possessed my reins? save because Thou hast taken me up from my mother's womb ?
The hidden strength of Christ's members. 209
but hast Thou therefore hidden it from Thyself? This my Ver. bone made by Thee in secret men see not, men know not : -- Thou knowest, Who hast made. What bone then meaneth
he, brethren ? Let us seek in secret. But because
as Christians we are speaking in the Name of the Lord to Christians, now we find what bone of this kind.
sort of inward strength for strength and fortitude are understood to be in the bones. There then sort of inward strength of the soul, wherein not broken. What
ever tortures, whatever tribulations, whatever adversities
rage around, that which God hath made strong in secret
in us, cannot be broken, yieldeth not. For by God
made certain strength of patience, of which said in another Psalm, But my soul shall be subjected to God, Ps. 62, 5.
for of Him is my patience. Observe too the Apostle Paul,
how he hath within him this kind of strength. As sorrow- Cor.
ful, saith he, yet alway rejoicing. Whence, as sorrowful ? 10, From insults, reproaches, persecutions, scourgings, stripes, stonings, imprisonment, chains. Who would not think them wretched in all these Nay, their very persecutors would not so rage against them, did they not think that they were made wretched by their persecutions. For from their own weakness did they guess at them, not having them selves a bone hidden within but they who had, to men without indeed seemed sad, yet within rejoiced to God, from Whom their bone was not hidden, which He Himself had made in secret. And the same Apostle Paul discloseth to
us this bone made in secret by God, in these words, And Rom. not only so, but we even glory in tribulation. ' Is too ' small a thing that thou art not sad, but dost thou glory also
Let suffice thee not to be sad. Too small thing
saith he, to Christians such bone hath He made for me secret, that too small thing for me not to be crushed,
glory not also. Wherein dost thou glory In tribu- \b. 5. latious, knowing that tribulation worketh patience. See
how that strength fashioned within in his heart knowing
that tribulation worketh patience; and patience, experience
and experience, hope; and hope maketh not ashamed; because the love God shed abroad in our hearts by the
Holy Ghost Which given unto us. So fashioned and
VOL. VI.
of is
is is
is
is
is
;
;
is is a
:
is
if in I
it
? a
4,
it
a
pa;? a
it, it
it is, ?
it '
It
5,
6,
2
it is
is is
a
;
210 His compassion for their imperfections.
Psalm made strong that hidden bone, that it maketh us even to cxxxix. glory in tribulations. But to men we seem wretched, because
that which we have within is hidden from them. My bone is not hid from Thee, which Thou hast made in secret, and my substance is in the lower parts of the earth. Behold, in flesh is my substance, in the lower parts of the earth is my substance; yet have I a bone within, which Thou hast fashioned, such as to cause me never to yield to any
of this lower region, where still my substance is. For what great matter is an Angel be brave This great matter, flesh brave. And whence flesh brave, whence an earthen vessel brave, save because in
made a bone in secret? And my substance in the lower parts the earth.
21. What of them who are less strong? For, as have already brought to your notice, Christ that speaketh. But many things are spoken in the person of the Body, hear now somewhat in the person of the Head and that, not as though He maketh distinction, so as to introduce the person now of the Head, now of the Body. For he make distinction, he in a manner divideth, and so there will not be two in one flesh. But there be two in one flesh, wonder not there be two in one voice. When our Lord Jesus Christ suffered, His disciples had not yet that inward bone, not yet had their strength of patience been made strong; and they knew not themselves, knew not their own strength, and Peter dared to promise to share his Lord's Passion even unto death: the sick man knew not himself, but the Physician knew the sick man. What
Luke22, was the result will go with Thee, saith he, even unto
persecutions
~3'
death. Verily say unto thee, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny Me thrice. The answer of the Physician proved truer than the presumption of the sick man. Of those then he saith, My bone not hidden from Thee, which Thou hast made in secret,' in whom this bone made strong within especially the strength of endurance in our
Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, Who when He willed lay down, w hen He willed rose again when He willed, slept, when He willed, awoke; for, have power, saith He, to lay
John 10, My life down and have power to take again. Wrhat
, ; I of ?
is
if
I / if '
/
; is if
is
itis ;
if
I
is
is
it is
it, if
it is
is a
?
Yet they must strive to amend them. 2 1 1
of them in whom this strength was not fashioned and esta- Ver.
blished? what saith He of them? See what He saith to --
--- God His Father. Thine eyes did see My imperfect one.
My imperfect one, My Peter, promising and denying, pre suming and failing ; yet Thine eyes saw him. For because the Lord Himself turned and looked on him, as it is written in the Gospel, at length after the third denial he remembered what the Lord had foretold to him, and went out and wept bitterly; that weeping was at God's looking upon him, for, Mine imperfect one, saith He, Thine eyes did see. For he, imperfect, stumbling at his Lord's Passion, without doubt would have perished, but that Thine eyes saw him, and not him only, but all too who were imperfect, till they were strength ened by Christ's resurrection. For it was made plain to their eyes that that had not perished in their Lord which had died, and so that bone was made for them in secret, so that now they did not even fear to die themselves. Thine eyes did see Mine imperfect one, and in Thy book shall all be written, not only the perfect, but also the imperfect. Let not the imperfect fear, only let them advance. Nor yet, because I have said, ' let them not fear,' let them love their imperfection, and remain there, where they are found. Let them advance, as far as in them lieth. Daily let them add, daily let them approach ; yet let them not fall back from the Body of the Lord : that, compacted in one Body and among these members, they may be counted worthy to have that said of them, Thine eyes did see My imperfect one, and in Thy book shall all be written.
22. By day shall they wander, and none among them. Tlie ver. 16. Day was yet on earth, even our Lord Jesus Christ. Whence
He said, Walk while ye have the Day. But by day shall John 12, His imperfect ones wander. They too thought that our35- Lord Jesus Christ was only man, that He had not within
Him the hidden Godhead, that He was not secretly God,
but that He was that only which was seen: this they too thought. For even Peter himself, (for of him especially we
speak, in whom is set forth to us also a pattern that we despair not of our weakness,) even Peter had said to the
Lord, when He asked whom men said that He was, Thou Mat. ifi, art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And the Lord 16 17
had said to him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona, for p2
22. See.
sllan mt oe ullt0 fhee^ And the Lord, Who had called him blessed in those former words, now saith, Get thee behind me, Satan, for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men. Before, because he had said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God, it was said to him, Flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but My Father Which is in heaven : therefore art thou a stone, therefore blessed. But now, because not from the Father's revelation, but from the flesh's weakness he had an swered, he is called Satan. Thou savourest not, He says, the things that be of God, but those that be of men. And this was Christ, my brethren ; He had walked among them,
He had commanded the winds, He had walked on the waters before their eyes, before their eyes He had raised one who had been four days dead, before their eyes He had done all those great miracles, and yet they were amazed at His Passion, as though they had lost Him, on Whom they had in vain trusted. But by day shall they wander, and none among' them. No one whatever; not even he who had said, / will go with Thee even unto death. For He had
212 The Apostles knew not our Lord while on earth.
and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but My cxxxix. Fa^ner ,rhicft is in heaven. Wherefore ? Because he has called Him the Son of God. Then, but a little after, in the same place, in the same conversation, the Lord began to
speak of His coming Passion. Then did that same Peter, who already had confessed Him to be the Son of God, fear lest He should die like a son of man. He was the Son of God, He was also the Son of man; Son of God, in the Form of God, equal to the Father; Sou of man, in the form of a servant, wherein He is inferior to the Father. Doubtless
He was destined to come to His Passion in the form of a servant; why did Peter fear that in the form of a servant the Form of God would perish, and not rather presume that through the Form of God the form of a servant would live
Mat. 16, again ? He saith to Him, That be far from Thee, Lord;
PsAlM^es/t
John 16, said unto them, The hour cometh, that ye shall leave Me
32
alone, and go every one his own way; and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me. The Father was with Him, and He with the Father; the Father in Him, and He
* St. Augustine seems to have understood this very elliptically : none was among them, i. e. who did not do so.
Yet afterwards converted the world in His Name. 213
in the Father; He and the Father were one ; yet feared they Ver. when He died. Wherefore, save because in the day they 1 ' wandered, and there was no one in them. In the day
they shall wander, and none among them.
23. But what is, In the day they shall wander ? Shall they perish ? Where then is, Thine eyes did see My im
perfect one, and in Thy book shall all he written ? When
then did they wander in the day ? When they understood
not the Lord set upon earth. And what followeth? Butter. ir. to me Thy friends are made very honourable, O God ; those
very ones, who wandered in the day, and none was in them, became Thy friends, and were made very honourable to me.
That bone was made in them in secret after the resurrection
of the Lord, and they suffered for His Name, at whose death
they had been amazed. To me Thy friends are made very honourable, O God, mightily strengthened were their chief tainships. They became Apostles, they became leaders of
the Church, they became rams leading their flocks, mightily strengthened were their chieftainships.
/ will number them, and they shall be multiplied ver. 18.
24.
above the sand. By means of them, who wandered in the day, and there was none in them, lo ! there has been born all this great multitude, which now is like the sand innum erable, save by God. For He said, they shall be multiplied
/ will number them. The very same who are numbered, shall be multiplied above
above the sand, and yet He had said,
the sand. For by Him is the sand numbered, by Whom the Mat. io,
I will number them,30, and theIy shall be multiplied above the sand.
very hairs of our head are numbered.
have risen, and yet am 1 with Thee. What hare risen, and yet am with Thee? Already have
suffered, saith He, already have been buried lo have risen, and not yet do they understand that am with them. Yet am with Tliee, that is, not yet with them, for not yet do they recognise Me. For thus do we read in the Gospel, that after the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, when He appeared to them, they did not at once know Him. There another meaning also have risen, and yet am with Thee, as though He would signify this present time,
wherein he as yet hidden at the right hand of the Father,
25.
I/
is is
I
:/
I I
1
;
! 1
I is,
214 The sin of Schism.
Psalm before He is revealed in the brightness, wherein He shall cxxxlx" come to judge the quick and the dead.
26. And then He telleth what meanwhile, during this whole time when He already has risen, and remaineth still with the Father, He suffereth by ihe intermixture of sinners in His Body, the Church, and by the separation of heretics.
v. 19. 20. If Thou, 0 God, shall slay the sinners, since Thou shall say in Thy thought, Depart from Me, ye men of blood, they shall receive in vanity their cities. The words seem to be connected in this order; If Thou, O God, shall slay the sinners, they shall receive in vanity their cities. For in this way doth He mean them to be understood to be slain,
when by pride, whereby they are puffed up, they lose the Wisd. l, grace whereby they live. For the holy spirit of discipline
will flee deceit, and remove from thoughts that are without Eph. 4, understanding. Thus are sinners slain, because, having
their understandings darkened, they are alienated from the life of God. For on account of elation they lose confession, and so they are slain, and in them is fulfilled what Scripture
'is not. And so they receive in vanity their cities, that is, their vain peoples, who follow their vanity ; when, puffed up by the name of righteousness, they persuade men to burst the bond of unity, and blindly and ignorantly follow them, as bein# more righteous. And because it is hence for the most part that tbey find an occasion for separating from the unity of Christ, namely, by accusing evil men, with whom they pretend that they are unwilling to hold communion;
and because it is possible that they not only disparage the guiltless, whom they pretend to flee from as wicked, but also say truth of some wicked men, like unto themselves,
Mat. l3,among whom the wheat of Christ, preserving the bond of unity, groaneth ; therefore He hath inserted, Because Thou
shall say in Thy thought, Depart from Me, ye men of blood, they shall receive in vanity their cities: that therefore they shall draw away to their own schism their peoples, to corrupt them with their vanity, because Thou in Thy thought shall say, Depart from Me, ye men of blood in order, that is, that sinners, slain in the spirit as the due reward of their pride, may therefore receive their cities, that
5-
Eeclus. saith, Confession perisheth from the dead, as from one that
'
: is,
The Church not partaker of the guilt of wicked members. 215
is, their peoples, into vanity, that may draw them away Ver. separation into the vanity of error and offended, as
were, by the intermixture of the chaff, may break unity, and abandon the wheat; because He warneth the wheat, that is,
good and faithful men, that before the winnowing, which
to be at the end, separate not itself openly from the bad,
lest abandon the good that are still mingled with them
but by good conversation, and contrariety of life, in manner, say silently to them, Depart from Me, ye men of blood. For this he sailh to them by the Voice of God, which Voice in thought, as God speaketh in the thought
of His holy people. For who are men of blood, save they
who hate their brethren As John saith, He who hateth
his brother, is a murderer. The slain sinners then not understanding this, how God saith to the wicked in the thought of the good, Depart from Me, ye men blood,
find fault with them for holding communion with wicked
men, and, separating themselves on the ground of these false charges, receive in vanity their cities. This saying, which
now in the thought of the good said to the wicked, will be openly said in that day when shall be said to them by our Head Himself, never knew you: depart from Me, all ye Matt. workers of iniquity.
27. But now the Body of Christ, the Church, saith, Why do the proud speak falsely against me, as though were stained other men's sins, and so, by separating themselves,
receive in vanity their cities? Have not hated those ver. 81.
J? l,n
who hated Thee, Lord? Why do those who are worse
themselves require of me to separate myself in body as well as spirit from the wicked, so as to root up the wheat, together with the tares, before the time of harvest, that before the time of winnowing lose my power of enduring the chaff; that before all the different sorts of fishes are brought to the end of the world, as to the shore, to be separated, tear the nets of peace and unity Are the sacraments which receive, those of evil men Do by consent, communicate
their life and deeds Hare not hated those who hated Thee, Lord, and at Thine enemies wasled away When the zeal of Thine house eat me, did not see the senseless ones, and waste away? Did not horror take
Pe. 69,8. Pa. 119,
in
by
by
1
is, ;
I
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II
it
? 1
of
'
it,
l a; is it
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it
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? ? ? ?
7,
it
21 tJ Christians to love sinners, but hate their sin.
Psalm hold of me, because of the wicked that forsake Thy law ? -- For who are Thine enemies, save they who by their life declare how they hate Thy law ? These then when I hated, why do they who receive in vanity their cities, falsely
accuse me, as though their sins could be laid to my charge,
whom I hated, and at whom I wasted away with zeal for the Matt. 5, Lord's house? But where is, Love your enemies? Is it
4i'
hate yon. He saith not, who hate God. ' So he followeth
because He said yours, not ' God's ? ' Do good to them that
'I the pattern, and saith, Have not
hated those who haled Thee, Lord ? He saith not, ' Who have hated me. ' And
waste
at Thine enemies did I away. Tliine, he said, not
' mine. ' But those who hate us and are enemies unto us, only because we serve Him, what else do they but hate Him, and are His enemies. Ought we then to love such enemies as these ? Or do not they suffer persecution for God's sake, to whom it is said, Pray for them that persecute you ? Observe then what followeth.
ver.
to punish. Whither then shall I go that I may flee from
Thy presence, that is, not find Thee angry ?
12. This plan he found : So will I flee, saith he, from Thy
Face, so will I flee from Thy Spirit ; from Thy avenging
Spirit, Thy avenging Face thus will 1 flee. How? If I*TM- 9" lake again my wings right forward, and abide in the utmost parts of the sea. So can I flee from Thy Face. If
he will flee to the utmost part of the sea from the Face of
God, will not He from Whom he fleeth be there, He of
inspired by Him, Who now deigneth to recall him.
up to heaven, Tliou art there : if 1 go down to hell, Thou art present. If I lift myself up, I find Thee pressing me down ; if 1 hide myself, I find Thee seeking me, and not only seeking me, but also tracking me out. For if I pride myself on my righteousness, Thou art there, Whose is true righte
go
202 save to God.
Psalm Whom he said, If I go down to hell, Thou art present ? cxxxix, glrange, if He be not in the utmost parts of the sea, Who not even in hell is absent. But I know, saith he, how 1
may flee from Thy wrath. I must take again my wings, not an erring course but right forward, that I neither be lifted up to proud presumption, nor be sunk down to aban doned despair. What wings will he take again, save the
Mat. 22,two pinions, the two precepts of love, on which two com-
40-
mandmeuts hang all the Law and the Prophets? These wings, saith he, these pinions, if I thus take again to me, and abide in the utmost parts of the sea, I can flee from Thy Face to Thy Face ; from Thy Face in anger, to Thy Face appeased. For what are the utmost parts of the sea, but the end of the world ? Thither let us now flee in hope and longing, with the wings of twofold love ; let us have no rest, save in the utmost parts of the sea. For if elsewhere we wish for rest, we shall be hurled headlong into the sea. Let us fly even to the ends of the sea, let us bear ourselves aloft on the wings of twofold love; meanwhile let us flee to God in hope, and in faithful hope let us meditate on that end of the sea.
1 3. Now listen who may bring us thither. The very same One whose face in wrath we wish to flee from. For whaIt
I
If if
go down into hell, Thou art present :
followeth ?
take again my wings right forward, and abide in the utmost
parts of the sea, even thither shall Thy hand conduct me, and Thy right hand lead me. This let us meditate on, beloved brethren, let this be our hope, this our consolation. Let us take again through love the wings we lost through lust. For lust was the lime of our wings, it dashed us down from the freedom of our sky, that is, the free breezes of the
Spirit of God. Thence dashed down we lost our wings, and were, so to speak, imprisoned in the power of the fowler; thence He redeemed us with His Blood, Whom we fled from to be caught. He maketh us wings of His command ments; we raise them aloft now free from lime. Let us not
love the sea, but fly to the utmost parts of the sea. Let none be afraid, yet let none presume on his wings; for, winged though we be, unless He conduct us, we are thrown headlong into the depths of the sea, worn out and tired,
Christ makes our darkness light. 203
presuming as it were on our own strength. Needs then must Ver. we have wings, and needs must He conduct us, for He is our Helper. We have free-will; but even with that free-will what
can we do, unless He help us Whocommandeth us. For thither
shall Thy Hand conduct me, and Thy right Hand guide me. 14. And considering the length of the way, what said he
to himself? And I
said, Peradventure the darkness shall overwhelm me. Lo, now 1 have believed in Christ, now am
I wafted aloft on the wings of twofold love, and the ini
quity of this world aboundeth, and because iniquity abound- Mat-24, eth, the love of many waxeth cold. In this life amid so
many offences, so many sins, so many troubles of daily temptations, daily evil suggestions, what do I? saith he.
How shall I come to the utmost parts of the sea? He addeth,
he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved, ib. 13. Regarding the length of the way, I said to myself, Per adventure the darkness shall overwhelm me. And the night
was light in my delight. The night was made to me light, because in the night I despaired of being able to cross so
great a sea, to surmount so long a journey, to reach the utmost parts by persevering to the end. Thanks to Him
Who sought me when a runaway, who smote my back with strokes of the scourge, who by calling me re-called me from destruction, who made my night light. For it is night so
long as we are passing through this life. How was the
night made light? Because Christ came down into the
night. Christ took flesh in this world, and enlightened for
us the night. For the woman in the parable when she had Lukeis,
lost a drachma, lighted a candle. The wisdom of God had 8" lost a drachma. What is a drachma ? A piece of money whereon was the image of our king. For man was made in the image of God, and had perished. And what did the wise woman ? She lighted a lamp. A lamp is made of clay, yet has light, whereby the drachma may be found. The
lamp of wisdom then, the Flesh of Christ, is made of clay, yet shines with His Word, finds the lost. And night was made light in my delight. Night was made delight to me. Our delight is Christ. See how now we delight in Him. Those shouts of yours, that joy of yours, whence are they from our delight? and whence is that delight, save that our
204 We must confess our sins, not defend them.
Psalm night is enlightened, save that unto us Christ the Lord is : preached? For He sought you before ye sought Him, and found you before ye found Him. And night was made light
ver. 12.
in my delight.
15. For darkness shall not be darkened by Thee. Do
not thou then darken thy darkness ; God darkeneth it not,
but enlighteneth it yet more; for to Hitn is said in another Ps. 18, Psalm, Thou, Lord, shall light my candle: my God shall enlighten my darkness. But who are they who darken their
darkness, which God darkeneth not ? Evil men, perverse men; when they sin, verily they are darkness; when they confess not their sins which they have committed, but go on to defend them, they darken their darkness. Wherefore now if thou hast sinned, thou art in darkness, but by con fessing thy darkness thou shalt obtain to have thy darkness lightened ; by defending thy darkness, thou shalt darken
thy darkness. And where wilt thou escape from double darkness, who wast in difficulty in single darkness? In what sense then doth the Lord not darken our darkness? Be cause he suffereth us not to have our sins unpunished, he scourgeth us in these toils, and disciplineth us. Know, my brethren, that all this misery of mankind in which the world groaneth, is medicinal pain, not penal sentence. Ye see that every where is pain, every where fear, every where need, every where toils. Avarice increaseth, but amid evils. If for this purpose God here disciplineth us with such scourges, that our darkness may not be darkened, let us acknowledge that we are under the punishment of the scourge, and let us bless God, Who mingleth bitternesses with the sweetness of this earthly life, lest, blinded by the enjoyment of temporal delights, we long not for everlasting delights, nor be willing that the sea come to end, or our selves to dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea. Let then the waves of the sea rage : the more the waves of the sea rage, the more does the dove soar with her wings. God then darkeneth not our darkness, because He mingleth
with our sins, and bitternesses with our evil delights. Let us not darken our darkness by defending our sins, and the night shall be light in our delight. For darkness shall not be darkened by Thee.
scourges
And be indifferent to things of this world. 205
16. And night shall be lightened as the day. Night, as Ver.
'---
the day. Day to us is worldly prosperity, night adversity in this world : but, if we learn that it is by the desert of our sins that we suffer adversities, and our Father's scourges are sweet to us, that the Judge's sentence may not be bitter to us, so shall we find the darkness of this night to be, as it were, the light of this night. If it is night, how is there light there? It is night, because here mankind wander; it is night because not yet have we reached the true day, the day not straitened by yesterday and to-morrow, the day everlasting, without rising, without setting. Here then it is night, but this night has a sort of light and darkness of its own. Why it is altogether night, we have said ; but what is the light of this night ? Prosperity and happiness of this world, temporal joy, temporal honour, are, as it were, the light of this night. But adversity, and the bitterness of tribulations and lowness of station, these are, as it were, the darkness of this night. In this night, in this mortal
condition of human life, men have darkness; their light prosperity, adversity their darkness. But when Christ our Lord has come, and has dwelt in the soul by faith, and promised other light, and inspired and given patience, and warned a man not to delight in prosperity or to be crushed by adversity, the man, being' faithful, begins to treat this world with indifference; not to be lifted up when
prosperity befalls him, nor crushed when adversity, but in all things to praise God, not only when he aboundeth, but also when he loseth ; not only when he is in health, but also when he is sick ; so that in his mouth that strain is true, / will bless the Lord at all times, His praise shall be ever in my mouth. If then ever, both when this night
is bright, and when it is dark; when prosperity smiles upon thee, and when adversity is sad ; if ever His praise be in thy mouth, then shall it also be to thee according to what is next said, As is His darkness, so is also His light. His darkness overwhelms me not, because His light lifts me not up.
17. Behold, thou hast its light in Job : he had abundance of every thing. First is described the light of his night, in his riches. In proportion to the greatness of the goods, and
Ps. 34,1.
2t)ti The example of Job.
Psalm the store he possessed in abundance, was the light of his HiEHL night. The enemy thought that such an one as he worshipped
God only because He had given him all these things, and asked that they might be taken from him. Then his night became darkness, which before had light. Still he knew that, whether it were darkness or light, it was night, wherein he was wandering in a far country, away from his God, and he had his God Himself as an inward Light, and that inner Light made him indifferent, whether it were darkness in this night, or light. And as in the light of this night, that is, in the midst of abundance, he worshipped God, when all was taken from him, when his night was made darkness,
J obi, 21. what said he? The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; as it hath pleased the Lord, so hath it happened; blessed be the Name of the Lord. I am, so to speak, in the night of this life : my Lord dwelleth in my heart, He enlightened that night for me with certain comforts, when He gave me abundance of temporal goods ; now He hath withdrawn that temporal light, and the night is, as it were, darkened. But since, as is His darkness, so is His light also; the Lord gave, the Lord hath taken away ; as it pleased the Lord, so hath it happened ; blessed be the Name of the
Lord. I am not sad in this night, for as is His darkness, so l Cor. 7, is also His light ; both pass away ; so that they which rejoice
3<1'
ver. 12.
are as though they rejoiced not, and they that weep as though they wept not ; for, as is His darkness, so is also His light.
18. For Thou, O Lord, hast possessed my reins. Not without reason, as is His darkness, so is also His light. The Possessor is within ; He occupieth not only the heart, but also the reins ; not only the thoughts, but also the delights : He then possesseth that whence I should feel delight at any light in this world : He occupieth my reins : I know not delight, save from the inward light of His Wisdom. What then ? Dost thou not delight that thy affairs are very prosperous, times fortunate to thee ? dost thou not delight in honour, in riches, in thy family ? ' I
do not,' saith he. Wherefore ? Because as is His darkness, so is also His light. Whence hast thou this indifference, that as is His darkness to thee, so is also His light ? Whence ?
W e are renewed by God's indwelling. 207
Because Thou hast possessed my reins, O Lord; Thou hast Vm. taken me up from my mother's womb. While 1 was in my -- mother's womb, I did not regard with indifference the dark
ness of that night and the light of that night. For my mother's womb is the custom of my city. What city is that?
That which first gave us birth in captivity. We know that Babylon, whereof we spoke yesterday, from whence all go forth who believe in and sigh for the true light, the heavenly Jerusalem. Therefore have 1 said, From my mother's womb was I taken up by the Lord, thence are the darkness and light of this night become indifferent to me. But he that is in the womb of that mother, Babylon, joys in the prosperity of this world, is crushed by the adversity of this world, knows not to rejoice, unless some
temporal prosperity befall him ; knows not to be saddened, unless some temporal
adversity befall him. Now come forth from the womb of Babylon, begin to sing a song to the Lord ; come forth and be born : God shall take thee up from thy mother's womb. What God? That God of the Apostle Paul, who said, Bui when it pleased God, Who separated me from my mother's womb, to reveal His Son in me. For who was his mother? The Synagogue. And what had he learnt there, save what the Jews themselves, the people itself, had and had learnt? The name of God's praise had remained in them, but there were not found in them deeds : there were in them
the words of God, as leaves on a tree: the fruit was no where. Such a fig-tree, as ye know, the Lord when HeMat. Sl, found, withered away with a curse, for He found thereon
leaves, but fruit He did not find. Some tree He was speak
ing of in a figure to us. For the time offigs was not yet: Mark
'
what all men knew, did the Maker of earth and sky not know ? He therefore, Who separated Paul from his mother's womb, hath also separated us from our mother's womb. And who is our mother? Babylon. Being then taken up from that womb, let us now begin to entertain other hopes. He hath promised, brethren, that wherein ye may rejoice: now bring forth fruit, being set in other hopes. Now know no ill, save to offend God, and so not to be brought to those things which He promiseth. What of the goods of this world, and the ills of this world ? Let us regard them with
208 And therefore should despise the world, yet be humble.
Psai. m indifference; for now, having been taken up from the womb -' of that our mother, we look on them with indifference, and say, As is His darkness, so is also His light. Neither doth
earthly prosperity make us happy, nor earthly adversity wretched. We must maintain righteousness, love faith, hope in God, love God, love our neighbours also. After these toils we shall have unfailing light, day without setting. Fleeting is all the light and darkness of this night. For Thou, Lord, hast possessed my reins: Thou hast taken me up from my mother's womb.
19. / trill confess to Thee, O Lord, for terribly hast Thou been made wonderful. Terribly hast Thou been made won
in the very fact that we wonder at Thee, Thou art terrible, we rejoice with trembling. For we fear lest, being puffed up with pride at Thy gifts, we be punished by the loss of what we have gained by humility. /will confess to
Thee, O Lord, for terribly hast Thou been made wonderful : wondrous are Thy works, and my soul knoueth it right well. Now my soul knoweth it right well, because Thou hast taken me up from my mother's womb; but aforetime Thy know ledge was Imade wonderful from me, it had waxed great,
20. My bone is not hid from Thee, which Thou hast made in secret. His bone, he saith. What the people call 'ossmn,' is in Latin called 'os. ' This is the word in the Greek". For we might think the word 'os' is here the one which makes in the plural ' ora,' not ' os' short, which makes ' ossa. ' He saith then, my bone is not hid from Tlwe, which Thou hast made in secret. I have a certain bone in secret (ossum). For this word let us prefer to use ; better is it that scholars find fault with us, than that the people understand us not. ' There is then,' saith he, 'a certain bone of mine, within, hidden ; Thou hast made within a bone for me in secret, yet is it not hidden from Thee. In secret hast Thou made it,
derful:
ver. 15.
1 Gr.
attainI unto it. From me then it had waxed attain unto it. Whence doth my soul
nor could
great, nor could
now know right well, save because the night is light in my delight ? save because Thy grace hath come unto me, and enlightened my darkness?
save because Thou hast possessed my reins? save because Thou hast taken me up from my mother's womb ?
The hidden strength of Christ's members. 209
but hast Thou therefore hidden it from Thyself? This my Ver. bone made by Thee in secret men see not, men know not : -- Thou knowest, Who hast made. What bone then meaneth
he, brethren ? Let us seek in secret. But because
as Christians we are speaking in the Name of the Lord to Christians, now we find what bone of this kind.
sort of inward strength for strength and fortitude are understood to be in the bones. There then sort of inward strength of the soul, wherein not broken. What
ever tortures, whatever tribulations, whatever adversities
rage around, that which God hath made strong in secret
in us, cannot be broken, yieldeth not. For by God
made certain strength of patience, of which said in another Psalm, But my soul shall be subjected to God, Ps. 62, 5.
for of Him is my patience. Observe too the Apostle Paul,
how he hath within him this kind of strength. As sorrow- Cor.
ful, saith he, yet alway rejoicing. Whence, as sorrowful ? 10, From insults, reproaches, persecutions, scourgings, stripes, stonings, imprisonment, chains. Who would not think them wretched in all these Nay, their very persecutors would not so rage against them, did they not think that they were made wretched by their persecutions. For from their own weakness did they guess at them, not having them selves a bone hidden within but they who had, to men without indeed seemed sad, yet within rejoiced to God, from Whom their bone was not hidden, which He Himself had made in secret. And the same Apostle Paul discloseth to
us this bone made in secret by God, in these words, And Rom. not only so, but we even glory in tribulation. ' Is too ' small a thing that thou art not sad, but dost thou glory also
Let suffice thee not to be sad. Too small thing
saith he, to Christians such bone hath He made for me secret, that too small thing for me not to be crushed,
glory not also. Wherein dost thou glory In tribu- \b. 5. latious, knowing that tribulation worketh patience. See
how that strength fashioned within in his heart knowing
that tribulation worketh patience; and patience, experience
and experience, hope; and hope maketh not ashamed; because the love God shed abroad in our hearts by the
Holy Ghost Which given unto us. So fashioned and
VOL. VI.
of is
is is
is
is
is
;
;
is is a
:
is
if in I
it
? a
4,
it
a
pa;? a
it, it
it is, ?
it '
It
5,
6,
2
it is
is is
a
;
210 His compassion for their imperfections.
Psalm made strong that hidden bone, that it maketh us even to cxxxix. glory in tribulations. But to men we seem wretched, because
that which we have within is hidden from them. My bone is not hid from Thee, which Thou hast made in secret, and my substance is in the lower parts of the earth. Behold, in flesh is my substance, in the lower parts of the earth is my substance; yet have I a bone within, which Thou hast fashioned, such as to cause me never to yield to any
of this lower region, where still my substance is. For what great matter is an Angel be brave This great matter, flesh brave. And whence flesh brave, whence an earthen vessel brave, save because in
made a bone in secret? And my substance in the lower parts the earth.
21. What of them who are less strong? For, as have already brought to your notice, Christ that speaketh. But many things are spoken in the person of the Body, hear now somewhat in the person of the Head and that, not as though He maketh distinction, so as to introduce the person now of the Head, now of the Body. For he make distinction, he in a manner divideth, and so there will not be two in one flesh. But there be two in one flesh, wonder not there be two in one voice. When our Lord Jesus Christ suffered, His disciples had not yet that inward bone, not yet had their strength of patience been made strong; and they knew not themselves, knew not their own strength, and Peter dared to promise to share his Lord's Passion even unto death: the sick man knew not himself, but the Physician knew the sick man. What
Luke22, was the result will go with Thee, saith he, even unto
persecutions
~3'
death. Verily say unto thee, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny Me thrice. The answer of the Physician proved truer than the presumption of the sick man. Of those then he saith, My bone not hidden from Thee, which Thou hast made in secret,' in whom this bone made strong within especially the strength of endurance in our
Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, Who when He willed lay down, w hen He willed rose again when He willed, slept, when He willed, awoke; for, have power, saith He, to lay
John 10, My life down and have power to take again. Wrhat
, ; I of ?
is
if
I / if '
/
; is if
is
itis ;
if
I
is
is
it is
it, if
it is
is a
?
Yet they must strive to amend them. 2 1 1
of them in whom this strength was not fashioned and esta- Ver.
blished? what saith He of them? See what He saith to --
--- God His Father. Thine eyes did see My imperfect one.
My imperfect one, My Peter, promising and denying, pre suming and failing ; yet Thine eyes saw him. For because the Lord Himself turned and looked on him, as it is written in the Gospel, at length after the third denial he remembered what the Lord had foretold to him, and went out and wept bitterly; that weeping was at God's looking upon him, for, Mine imperfect one, saith He, Thine eyes did see. For he, imperfect, stumbling at his Lord's Passion, without doubt would have perished, but that Thine eyes saw him, and not him only, but all too who were imperfect, till they were strength ened by Christ's resurrection. For it was made plain to their eyes that that had not perished in their Lord which had died, and so that bone was made for them in secret, so that now they did not even fear to die themselves. Thine eyes did see Mine imperfect one, and in Thy book shall all be written, not only the perfect, but also the imperfect. Let not the imperfect fear, only let them advance. Nor yet, because I have said, ' let them not fear,' let them love their imperfection, and remain there, where they are found. Let them advance, as far as in them lieth. Daily let them add, daily let them approach ; yet let them not fall back from the Body of the Lord : that, compacted in one Body and among these members, they may be counted worthy to have that said of them, Thine eyes did see My imperfect one, and in Thy book shall all be written.
22. By day shall they wander, and none among them. Tlie ver. 16. Day was yet on earth, even our Lord Jesus Christ. Whence
He said, Walk while ye have the Day. But by day shall John 12, His imperfect ones wander. They too thought that our35- Lord Jesus Christ was only man, that He had not within
Him the hidden Godhead, that He was not secretly God,
but that He was that only which was seen: this they too thought. For even Peter himself, (for of him especially we
speak, in whom is set forth to us also a pattern that we despair not of our weakness,) even Peter had said to the
Lord, when He asked whom men said that He was, Thou Mat. ifi, art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And the Lord 16 17
had said to him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona, for p2
22. See.
sllan mt oe ullt0 fhee^ And the Lord, Who had called him blessed in those former words, now saith, Get thee behind me, Satan, for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men. Before, because he had said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God, it was said to him, Flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but My Father Which is in heaven : therefore art thou a stone, therefore blessed. But now, because not from the Father's revelation, but from the flesh's weakness he had an swered, he is called Satan. Thou savourest not, He says, the things that be of God, but those that be of men. And this was Christ, my brethren ; He had walked among them,
He had commanded the winds, He had walked on the waters before their eyes, before their eyes He had raised one who had been four days dead, before their eyes He had done all those great miracles, and yet they were amazed at His Passion, as though they had lost Him, on Whom they had in vain trusted. But by day shall they wander, and none among' them. No one whatever; not even he who had said, / will go with Thee even unto death. For He had
212 The Apostles knew not our Lord while on earth.
and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but My cxxxix. Fa^ner ,rhicft is in heaven. Wherefore ? Because he has called Him the Son of God. Then, but a little after, in the same place, in the same conversation, the Lord began to
speak of His coming Passion. Then did that same Peter, who already had confessed Him to be the Son of God, fear lest He should die like a son of man. He was the Son of God, He was also the Son of man; Son of God, in the Form of God, equal to the Father; Sou of man, in the form of a servant, wherein He is inferior to the Father. Doubtless
He was destined to come to His Passion in the form of a servant; why did Peter fear that in the form of a servant the Form of God would perish, and not rather presume that through the Form of God the form of a servant would live
Mat. 16, again ? He saith to Him, That be far from Thee, Lord;
PsAlM^es/t
John 16, said unto them, The hour cometh, that ye shall leave Me
32
alone, and go every one his own way; and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me. The Father was with Him, and He with the Father; the Father in Him, and He
* St. Augustine seems to have understood this very elliptically : none was among them, i. e. who did not do so.
Yet afterwards converted the world in His Name. 213
in the Father; He and the Father were one ; yet feared they Ver. when He died. Wherefore, save because in the day they 1 ' wandered, and there was no one in them. In the day
they shall wander, and none among them.
23. But what is, In the day they shall wander ? Shall they perish ? Where then is, Thine eyes did see My im
perfect one, and in Thy book shall all he written ? When
then did they wander in the day ? When they understood
not the Lord set upon earth. And what followeth? Butter. ir. to me Thy friends are made very honourable, O God ; those
very ones, who wandered in the day, and none was in them, became Thy friends, and were made very honourable to me.
That bone was made in them in secret after the resurrection
of the Lord, and they suffered for His Name, at whose death
they had been amazed. To me Thy friends are made very honourable, O God, mightily strengthened were their chief tainships. They became Apostles, they became leaders of
the Church, they became rams leading their flocks, mightily strengthened were their chieftainships.
/ will number them, and they shall be multiplied ver. 18.
24.
above the sand. By means of them, who wandered in the day, and there was none in them, lo ! there has been born all this great multitude, which now is like the sand innum erable, save by God. For He said, they shall be multiplied
/ will number them. The very same who are numbered, shall be multiplied above
above the sand, and yet He had said,
the sand. For by Him is the sand numbered, by Whom the Mat. io,
I will number them,30, and theIy shall be multiplied above the sand.
very hairs of our head are numbered.
have risen, and yet am 1 with Thee. What hare risen, and yet am with Thee? Already have
suffered, saith He, already have been buried lo have risen, and not yet do they understand that am with them. Yet am with Tliee, that is, not yet with them, for not yet do they recognise Me. For thus do we read in the Gospel, that after the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, when He appeared to them, they did not at once know Him. There another meaning also have risen, and yet am with Thee, as though He would signify this present time,
wherein he as yet hidden at the right hand of the Father,
25.
I/
is is
I
:/
I I
1
;
! 1
I is,
214 The sin of Schism.
Psalm before He is revealed in the brightness, wherein He shall cxxxlx" come to judge the quick and the dead.
26. And then He telleth what meanwhile, during this whole time when He already has risen, and remaineth still with the Father, He suffereth by ihe intermixture of sinners in His Body, the Church, and by the separation of heretics.
v. 19. 20. If Thou, 0 God, shall slay the sinners, since Thou shall say in Thy thought, Depart from Me, ye men of blood, they shall receive in vanity their cities. The words seem to be connected in this order; If Thou, O God, shall slay the sinners, they shall receive in vanity their cities. For in this way doth He mean them to be understood to be slain,
when by pride, whereby they are puffed up, they lose the Wisd. l, grace whereby they live. For the holy spirit of discipline
will flee deceit, and remove from thoughts that are without Eph. 4, understanding. Thus are sinners slain, because, having
their understandings darkened, they are alienated from the life of God. For on account of elation they lose confession, and so they are slain, and in them is fulfilled what Scripture
'is not. And so they receive in vanity their cities, that is, their vain peoples, who follow their vanity ; when, puffed up by the name of righteousness, they persuade men to burst the bond of unity, and blindly and ignorantly follow them, as bein# more righteous. And because it is hence for the most part that tbey find an occasion for separating from the unity of Christ, namely, by accusing evil men, with whom they pretend that they are unwilling to hold communion;
and because it is possible that they not only disparage the guiltless, whom they pretend to flee from as wicked, but also say truth of some wicked men, like unto themselves,
Mat. l3,among whom the wheat of Christ, preserving the bond of unity, groaneth ; therefore He hath inserted, Because Thou
shall say in Thy thought, Depart from Me, ye men of blood, they shall receive in vanity their cities: that therefore they shall draw away to their own schism their peoples, to corrupt them with their vanity, because Thou in Thy thought shall say, Depart from Me, ye men of blood in order, that is, that sinners, slain in the spirit as the due reward of their pride, may therefore receive their cities, that
5-
Eeclus. saith, Confession perisheth from the dead, as from one that
'
: is,
The Church not partaker of the guilt of wicked members. 215
is, their peoples, into vanity, that may draw them away Ver. separation into the vanity of error and offended, as
were, by the intermixture of the chaff, may break unity, and abandon the wheat; because He warneth the wheat, that is,
good and faithful men, that before the winnowing, which
to be at the end, separate not itself openly from the bad,
lest abandon the good that are still mingled with them
but by good conversation, and contrariety of life, in manner, say silently to them, Depart from Me, ye men of blood. For this he sailh to them by the Voice of God, which Voice in thought, as God speaketh in the thought
of His holy people. For who are men of blood, save they
who hate their brethren As John saith, He who hateth
his brother, is a murderer. The slain sinners then not understanding this, how God saith to the wicked in the thought of the good, Depart from Me, ye men blood,
find fault with them for holding communion with wicked
men, and, separating themselves on the ground of these false charges, receive in vanity their cities. This saying, which
now in the thought of the good said to the wicked, will be openly said in that day when shall be said to them by our Head Himself, never knew you: depart from Me, all ye Matt. workers of iniquity.
27. But now the Body of Christ, the Church, saith, Why do the proud speak falsely against me, as though were stained other men's sins, and so, by separating themselves,
receive in vanity their cities? Have not hated those ver. 81.
J? l,n
who hated Thee, Lord? Why do those who are worse
themselves require of me to separate myself in body as well as spirit from the wicked, so as to root up the wheat, together with the tares, before the time of harvest, that before the time of winnowing lose my power of enduring the chaff; that before all the different sorts of fishes are brought to the end of the world, as to the shore, to be separated, tear the nets of peace and unity Are the sacraments which receive, those of evil men Do by consent, communicate
their life and deeds Hare not hated those who hated Thee, Lord, and at Thine enemies wasled away When the zeal of Thine house eat me, did not see the senseless ones, and waste away? Did not horror take
Pe. 69,8. Pa. 119,
in
by
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it
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? ? ? ?
7,
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21 tJ Christians to love sinners, but hate their sin.
Psalm hold of me, because of the wicked that forsake Thy law ? -- For who are Thine enemies, save they who by their life declare how they hate Thy law ? These then when I hated, why do they who receive in vanity their cities, falsely
accuse me, as though their sins could be laid to my charge,
whom I hated, and at whom I wasted away with zeal for the Matt. 5, Lord's house? But where is, Love your enemies? Is it
4i'
hate yon. He saith not, who hate God. ' So he followeth
because He said yours, not ' God's ? ' Do good to them that
'I the pattern, and saith, Have not
hated those who haled Thee, Lord ? He saith not, ' Who have hated me. ' And
waste
at Thine enemies did I away. Tliine, he said, not
' mine. ' But those who hate us and are enemies unto us, only because we serve Him, what else do they but hate Him, and are His enemies. Ought we then to love such enemies as these ? Or do not they suffer persecution for God's sake, to whom it is said, Pray for them that persecute you ? Observe then what followeth.
ver.
