'
Spiritual mercies best.
Spiritual mercies best.
Augustine - Exposition on the Psalms - v1
XXXV.
PSALM XXXVI.
Attend, dearly Beloved, a little to the text and the mys teries of this Psalm ; and let us run through since many places plain but when the necessity of its obscurity compels us to dwell upon ye will endure for the sake of the advantage of learning. (Ver. 1. ) The un godly hath said in himself that he will sin there is no fear
God before his eyes. Not of one man, but of race ungodly men he speaketh, who fight against their own selves, by not understanding, that so they may live well not be
cause they cannot, but because they will not. For
one thing, when one endeavours to understand some thing, and
through infirmity of the flesh cannot as saith the Scripture "Wisd. 9, in certain place, For the corruptible body presseth down the soul, and the earthly tabernacle weigheth down the mind
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Wilful ignorance is enmity against God. 403
that museth upon many things; but another when the Ver. human heart acts mischievously against itself, so that what --:-- it could understand, if it had but good will thereto, it under-
standeth not, not because it is difficult, but because the will is contrary. But so it is when men love their own sins, and hate God's Commandments. For the Word of God is thy
adversary, if thou be a friend to thy ungodliness ; but if thou art an adversary to thy ungodliness, the Word of God is thy friend, as well as the adversary of thy ungodliness. If then thou hatest thy ungodliness, thou joinest thyself to the Word of God, and ye will be two against thou, and the Word of God, to destroy it. For thou indeed by thyself,
of thy own strength, canst do nothing but He helpeth thee Who hath sent to thee His Word, and so ungodliness
overcome. If thou hatest
thou shalt be free but
to understand aught that
to ask how the Son can be equal to the Father: he hath believed he seeketh to understand as yet he cannot for great matter, and requireth greater powers that may be comprehended; and the beginning of faith,
which keepeth the soul until be strengthened. With milk Peter nourished, that may arrive at the fitness and firmness
for stronger meat; that maybe able to understand this,
In the beginning was the Word; and the Word was with John God; and the Word was God. Before can do this, nourished in faith and endeavours to understand, that
may understand as much as God shall grant. Doth with endeavours understand this also What thou wouldest not to Tobit he done to thee, do not thou to another. That because thou wouldest not suffer iniquity, thou shouldest not do iniquity because thou wouldest not suffer treachery and deceit, thou shouldest not contrive deceit against another No, but this when thou wouldest not understand, attributed to thy
will. Therefore, The ungodly hath said in himself, that he will sin he hath purposed to sin.
2. But doth he who purposeth to sin, say this in public, and not rather in himself? Why in himself? Because no man seeth him. What then, because man seeth not in the heart, wherein he saith to himself that he will sin, doth not
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God also hath remitted and thou love contrary to thee said against it. Suppose man
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404 Fear of God. Deceitful search for our faults.
\S xLvi ^"oc* see t^iere"1 ' God doth see therein. But what fol- loweth ? There is no fear of God before his eyes. There is fear of men before his eyes, for he dareth not in public to declare his iniquity, lest he be either reproved or con demned by men. But he departeth from the sight of men ; whither? To himself: he betaketh himself within, and no man seeth him ; where he meditateth treachery, and deceit, and sin, there no man seeth him. Even there he might not meditate with himself, if he thought that God seeth him : but since there is no fear of God before his eyes, when he hath departed from the sight of men to his own heart, whom should he fear there ? Is not God present there ? Yea, but there is no fear of God before his eyes.
3. Therefore he meditateth deceits, and then followeth,-- (Doth it haply escape him that God seeth there ? The very thing is declared which I was beginning to speak of: it doth escape him, but of his own will, because he wrought against himself, not willing to understand. ) (Ver. 2. ) For he hath wrought deceitfully in His sight. In whose sight ? In His, Whose fear was not before the eyes of him that did work
To find out his iniquity, and hate it. He wrought so as not to find it. For there are men who as it were endeavour to seek out their iniquity, and fear to find it ; because if they should find said to them, Depart from this thou didst before thou knewest thou didst iniquity being in ignorance God giveth pardon now thou hast discovered forsake that to thy ignorance pardon may easily be given and that with clear face thou mayest
Ps. 25,7. say to God, Remember not the sins of my youth, and of my ignorance. Thus he seeketh it, thus he feareth lest he find
for he seeketh deceitfully. When saith man, knew not that was sin When he hath seen that sin, and ceaseth to do the sin, which he did only because he was ignorant such an one in truth would know his sin, to find out, and hate it. But now many work deceitfully to find out their iniquity they work not from their heart to find out and hate it. But because in the very search after ini quity, there deceit, in the finding there will be defence of it. For when one hath found his iniquity, lo now manifest to him that iniquity. Do not, thou sayest.
deceitfully.
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Chamber of the heart to be closed against the world. 405
And he who wrought deceitfully to find it out, now he hath Ver. found, hateth it not ; for what saith he ? How many do ----" this! Who is there that doth it not? And will God destroy
them all ? Or at least he saith this: if God would not these things to be done, would men live who commit the same ? Seest thou that thou didst work deceitfully to find out thy iniquity ? For if not deceitfully but sincerely thou hadst wrought, thou wouldest now have found it out, and hated it;
now thou hast found it out, and thou defendest it ; therefore thou didst work deceitfully, when thou soughtest it.
4. Ver. 3. The words of his mouth are iniquity and deceit : he would not understand, that he might do good. Ye see that he attribuleth that to the will : for there are men who would understand and cannot, and there are men who would not understand, and therefore understand not. He would not understand, that he might do good.
5. Ver. 4. He hath meditated iniquity on his bed. What
said He, On his bed ? The ungodly hath said in himself, that
he will sin : what above he said, in himself, that here he
said, On his bed. Our bed is our heart : there we suffer
the tossing of an evil conscience ; and there we rest when
our conscience is good. Whoso loveth the bed of his heart,
let him do some good therein. There is our bed, where
the Lord Jesus Christ commands us to pray. Enter into mm. 6, thy chamber, and shut thy door. What is, Shut thy door ? Expect not from God such things as are without, but such
as are within ; and thy Father which seeth in secret, shall
reward thee openly. Who is he that shutteth not the door ?
He who asketh much from God such things, and in such
wise directeth all his prayers, that he may receive the goods
that are of this world. Thy door is open, the multitude seeth
when thou prayest. What is it to shut thy door ? To ask
that of God, which God alone knoweth how He giveth. What
is that for which thou prayest, when thou hast shut the door?
What eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, nor hath entered um, 4. into the heart of man. And haply it hath not entered into1 Cor. thy very bed, that is, into thy heart. But God knoweth '
what He will give: but when shall it be? When the Lord shall be revealed, when the Judge shall appear. For what is plainer than that which He shall say to them that are set
406 No rest on the bed of the heart for an evil conscience.
Psalm at His Right Hand ? Come, ye blessed of My Father, inherit MatT25 tne Kingdom prepared for youfrom the beginning qfthe world.
This shall they hear who are on the left hand, and shall W'ud. 5, groan with fruitless repentance, because so living they would not repent with fruit. Why shall they groan ? Because there is for them no place of recovery. But they also shall Mat. 25, hear somewhat themselves: Depart from Me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.
That is an evil hearing. For the righteous at their good P*. 112, hearing shall rejoice ; for so it is written, The righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance ; he shall not be afraid from
any evil hearing. From what evil hearing ? That which
they shall hear : Depart, ye cursed, into everlasting fire. Eph. 3, God therefore, Who is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, searcheth out our secret groaning, that in His sight we may be pleasing, and not as it were of our own righteousness boast ourselves before men. For whoso by his own righteousness would please men, not to that end that they who see him may praise God, but with this intention that he may himself be praised, he shutteth not his door against noise ; for the door is open to that noise, and God heareth not as He would hear. Our bed, then, our heart, let us strive to cleanse, that it may be well with us there. Ye know, my Beloved, how many things
many suffer in public, in the forum, in strifes, in contentions, in troublesome business: how a man, wearied with business abroad, runneth to his house that he may rest there, and striveth quickly to finish his business abroad, aud to betake himself, for rest, to his own house. For therefore hath every one a home of his own, that he may rest therein. But if there also he suffer trouble, where can he rest? What then? It is good to have rest in his own house. But if abroad he suffer enemies, within perhaps a bad wife, he goeth forth into public : when he would rest from those troubles which are abroad, he entereth into his house : but when he neither resleth here, nor resteth abroad, where shall there be rest? At least in the closet of the heart, when thou betakest thyself to thine inmost conscience. If there thou hast haply found a wife that causeth thee no bitterness, even the Wisdom of God; with her join thyself; rest within in thy chamber;
34.
Sin, while it is in us, must be hated. 407
let not the smoke of an evil conscience drive thee thence. Ver.
',--
What is, he hath set himself? He hath sinned perseveringly. Whence also of a certain pious and good man it is said, He Ps. t, I. hath not stood in the way of sinners. As this hath not stood,
so that hath set himself. But wickedness hath he not hated.
There is the end, there the fruit : if a man can not but have
wickedness, let him at least hate it. For when thou hatest it scarcely occurs to thee to do any wickedness. For sin
Let not Rom. in thel2,
Cor.
as well as thou. Now being joined in mind unto the Law
of God, in mind thou servest the Law of God. And in
the flesh thou therefore servest * the law of sin, because there Rom. are in thee certain carnal delightings, then will there be25. none when thou shalt no longer fight. It one thing, not
to fight, and to be in true and lasting peace; another to fight
and overcome; another to fight and to be overcome; another not to fight at all, but to be carried away. For there are men who do not fight at all, such as he of whom He speaketh, when he saith, Wickedness hath he not hated; for how fighteth he against that which he hath not hated He
carried off by wickedness, and doth not fight. But there are who begin to fight, but because they presume on their own strength, (that God may shew them that He that
i. e. 'art subject to it,' not obeyest wilful sin, but of motions toward sin it. ' He not here speaking of actual to which the man does not consent.
But it was to meditate deceits, that he, of whom the Scrip tnre speaketh these things, betook himself thither where men see not ; and such things did he there meditate to himself, that not even in his heart could he rest. He'hath meditated
iniquity on his bed.
6. He hath set himself in every way that is not good.
in our mortal body, but what saith the Apostle sin reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey lusts thereof. When beginneth not to be therein
When that shall be fulfilled in us which he saith, When this cor- ruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall
have put on immortality. Before this come to pass, there delighting in sin in the body, but greater the delighting and the pleasure in the Word of Wisdom, in the Commandment of God. Overcome sin and the lust thereof. Sin and iniquity do thou hate, that thou mayest join thyself to God, Who hateth
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408 Victory of grace. Temporal blessings are from God. Psalm overcometh, if man joineth himself "to God,) both when they
' fight they are overcome, and when they begin after a sort to lay hold on righteousness, they become proud, and are con founded. These fight, but are overcome. But who is he
--
Rom. 7, that fighteth, and is not overcome ? He who saith, /
23
ib. 24. ? 5'
see
another law in my members, warring the law y. my against of
mind". See he fighteth, but not on his own strength pre- sumeth he, therefore he shall be conqueror. For what followeth, O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me
from the body of this death ? The grace of God, through Jesus Christ our Lord. He presumeth on Him who com manded him to fight; and overcometh his enemy, assisted by Him that commanded. But as for this man, wickedness hath he not hated.
7. Ver. 5. Thy mercy, O Lord, is in the heavens, and Thy truth reacheth even unto the clouds. I know not what Mercy of Him he meaneth, which is in the heavens. For the Mercy of the Lord is also in the earth. Thou hast it Ps. 33,5. written, The earth is full of the Mercy of the Lord. Of
what Mercy then speaketh He, when He saith, Thy Mercy,
0 Lord, is in the heavens? The gifts of God are partly
temporal and earthly, partly eternal and heavenly. Whoso for this worshippeth God, that he may receive those temporal and earthly goods, which are open to all, is still as it were like the brutes : he enjoyeth indeed the Mercy of God, but not that which is excepted, which shall not be given, save only to the righteous, to the holy, to the good. What are
Matt, the gifts which abound to all ? He maketh His sun to rise
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on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. Who hath not this Mercy of God, first that he hath being, that he is distinguished from the brutes, that he is a rational animal, so as to understand God; secondly, that he enjoys this light, this air, rain, fruits, diver sity of seasons, and all the earthly comforts, health of body, the affection of friends, the safety of his family ? All these are good, and they are God's gifts. Think not, Brethren, that any can give these, but God alone. Whoever then expecteth not these things but from the Lord, is very dif ferent from those who expect them even from devils, or from h Oxf. M,. <<. add, ' See him fighting against the law of his mind, see &c.
'
Spiritual mercies best. Mercy through ' clouds? 409 diviners, or from astrologers. For these are in two ways VKr.
miserable, both because they desire only earthly goods, and because they ask not from Him Who giveth all goods. But they who desire these goods, and in these goods would be happy, and seek them only from God, in this indeed are better, that they seek them from God, but yet they are
endangered. Saith one, How are they endangered? Be cause sometimes they consider human affairs, and see that all these earthly goods, which they desire, the ungodly and unrighteous have abundantly ; and think that they have lost the reward of worshipping God, because the same which the wicked have they also have, though they worship God, Whom the others worship not; or because sometimes
they who worship have not at all, and they have who blaspheme:
therefore they are still in danger.
8. But this man rightly understood what mercy he should
pray for from God. 77iy Mercy, O Lord, is in the Heavens; and Thy Truth reacheth eren to the clouds. That is, the Mercy which Thou givest to Thy Saints, is Heavenly, not earthly ; is Eternal, not temporal. And how couldest Thou declare it
5.
unto men i Because, Thy Truth reacheth even unto the clouds. For who could know the Heavenly Mercy of God, unless God should declare it unto men ? How did He declare it? By sending His truth even unto the clouds.
What are the clouds ? The Preachers of the Word of God.
By whom in a certain place God was wroth with a certain vineyard. For I suppose, My Beloved, ye have understood,
as well as heard the Prophet Isaiah, where He saith of a certain Vineyard, / looked that it should bring forth grapes, i>> 5 2 and it brought forth wild grapes. And lest any should
think that He spake of a visible vineyard, he so concluded.
The Vineyard of the Lord of Hosts is the House of Israel, ib ",
and the men of Judah His pleasant plant. Therefore He reproved the Vineyard, which He looked should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes. And what said He?
/ will command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it. ib_ 6_ And verily it came to pass. For the Apostles were sent to be Preachers. We find in the Acts of the Apostles that the Apostle
Paul wished to preach to the Jews, and he found in them no grapes but wild grapes. For they began for his good to render
410 Preachers clouds, Apostles mountains. All help from God. Psalm evil, and to persecute him, and he, fulfilling what is written,
Iwill command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it, Acts 13, said, Unto you were we sent, but since ye reject the Word of God, lo, we turn to the Gentiles. Therefore was this
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fulfilled, / will command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it. Truth reached even to the clouds : therefore unto us could be declared the Mercy of God, which is in Heaven and not in earth. And truly, Brethren, the clouds are the Preachers of the Word of Truth. When God threateneth through His Preachers, He thunders through the clouds. When God worketh miracles through His Preachers, He lightneth through the clouds, He terrifieth through the clouds, and watereth by the rain. Those Preachers then, by whom is preached the Gospel of God, are the clouds of God. Let us then hope for Mercy, but for that which is in the Heavens.
9. Ver. 6. Thy Righteousness is like the mountains God: Thy Judgments are a great deep. Who are the mountains of God. Those who are called clouds, the same are also the mountains of God. The great Preachers are the mountains of God. And as when the sun riseth, he first
clothes the mountains with light, and thence the light descends to the lowest parts of the earth : so our Lord Jesus Christ, when He came, first irradiated the height of the Apostles, first enlightened the mountains, and so His Light descended to the valley of the world. And therefore sailh
Pa. 121, He in a certain Psalm, / lifted
mountains, from whence cometh my help. But think not that the mountains themselves will give thee help : for they receive what they may give, give not of their own. And if thou remain in the mountains, thy hope will not be strong : but in Him, Who enlighteneth the mountains, ought to be thy hope and presumption. Thy help indeed will come to thee through the mountains, because the Scriptures are administered to thee through the mountains, through the great Preachers of the Truth : but fix not thy hope in them. Hear what He saith next following :
unto the mountains, from whence cometh my help. What then? Do the mountains give thee help? No; hear what
ib. 2.
/
follows, My help cometh from the Lord, Which made
up mine eyes unto the
lifted up
mine
eyes
of
Trust in men misleads, saints declare it. 411
Heaven and earth. Through the mountains cometh help, Ver. but not from the mountains. From whom then i From the ----- Lord, Which made Heaven and earth . There have been other mountains, by whom whosoever would guide his ship has made shipwreck. For there have risen up leaders of heresies, who
have been mountains. Arius was a mountain, Donatus was a mountain, Maximianus1 even now was like a mountain. 1 see on
Many looking to those mountains and desiring land, when they would be freed from the waves, were driven on the rocks, and made shipwreck on the land. By such mountains was not
he seduced, who said, In the Lord put I
ye to my soul, Flee as a bird to your mountain. I would
not my hope should be in Arius, I would not in Donalus.
My help cometh from the Lord, Which made Heaven and earth. Learn ye how far ye may presume upon God, and
how much ye may attribute to men, for Cursed is the man Jer. n, that trusteth in man. Most meekly and humbly, the holy Apostle Paul, being truly jealous of the Church, but for the
BridegIroom, not for himsIelf, and fearing those who would
am Paul, and
say, of of Apollos,
my trust. How Ps. 11,1. say
am chose rather hislCor. 3, own person to tread upon and despise, that he might glorify
Christ. Was Paul crucified for you, or were ye baptized in 1 Cor. 1, the name of Paul ? He repels them from himself; but that
he may send them to Christ. Even the friend of the Bride
groom would not to be loved by the Bride for the Bride
groom. For the Apostles are the friends of the Bridegroom. For the same Bridegroom, the humble John also, whoIwas
am John I,
thought the Christ, was jealous. Wherefore he saidI
, IOne mightier than
not the Christ : but there cometh
me, the latchet rf Whose shoes
down and unloose. And so humbling himself, he truly shewed that he was not the Bridegroom, but the Bridegroom's
friend ; and therefore he said, He that hath the Bride John s, is the Bridegroom : but the friend of the Bridegroom, which standelh and heareth Him, rejoiceth greatly because ofthe
Bridegroom's voice. And if the friend of the Bridegroom is
a mountain, yet hath not the mountain light from itself: but
he heareth and rejoiceth greatly because of the Bridegroom's
voice. rr'e,saith ho, have all received of Hisfulness. Ofwhose John 1, fulness? Of His, Who was the True Light Which Ugh tenet h ' ' every man that cometh into the world. For Him then the
am not worthy to stoop7.
yfm? after j
412 Some sinners justly left to their own ways.
Psalm Apostle also was jealous of the Church, saying, Let a man 1 Cor. 4 so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards
! ?
of the mysteries of God. That is, / lifted up mine eyes unto the mountains, from whence cometh my help. Let a man so account of us as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards ofthe mysteries of God. But lest thy hope Ibe again fixed
lCor. 3,on the mountains and not on God, hear this, have planted, Apollos watered; and God gave the increase ; and this, So then, neither is he that planteth any thing, nor he that watereth, hut God that giveth the increase. Now then thou hast said, /lifted up mine eyes unto the mountains, from whence cometh my help : but because neither is he that
planteth any thing, nor he that watereth ; say, My help cometh from the Lord, Which made Heaven and earth ; and, Thy Righteousness is like the mountains of God: that is, the mountains are filled with Thy Righteousness.
10. Thy Judgments are like the great abyss. The abyss he calleth the depth of sin, whither every one cometh by Rom. 1, despising God; as in a certain place it is said, God gave
them over to their own hearts' lusts, to do the things which are not convenient. Attend, my Beloved. This is a great matter ; a great matter is before us. What meaneth this,
God gave them over to their own hearts' lusts, to do the things that are not convenient i If then God has given them over to their own hearts' lusts, to do those things which are not convenient, is it therefore they do such wickednesses? Suppose one should propose this question ; if God maketh them to do the things which are not convenient, what have they done ? The secret is that which thou heardest, God gave them over to their own hearts' lusts. Therefore it was lust which they would not overcome, to which they were delivered by the Judgment of God. But that they should be held worthy to be delivered, see what of them he said
ib. 21. before, Because that when they knew God, they glorified Him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
ib. 22. Whereby ? By their pride ; for, Professing themselves wise, they became fools. And thereupon followeth, God gave them over to their own hearts' lusts. Because then they were proud and ungrateful, they were held worthy to be delivered up to the lusts of their own hearts, and became a great
Mountains by grace, Depths left in Judgment. 413
abyss, so that they not only sinned, but also worked craftily, Ver. lest they should understand their iniquity, and hate it. That ----- is the depth of wickedness, to be unwilling to find it out and
to hate it. But how one cometh to that depth, see ; Thy Judgments are the great abyss. As the mountains are by
the Righteousness of God', who through His Grace become great: so also through His Judgments come they unto the depth, who sink lowest. By this then let the mountains delight thee, by this turn away from the abyss, and turn thyself unto that, of which iIt is said, My help cometh from
the Lord. But whereby?
the mountains. What meaneth this ?
In the Church of God thou findest an abyss, thou findest also mountains; thou findest there but few good, because the mountains are few, the abyss broad ; that is, thou findest many living ill after the wrath of God, because they have so worked that they are delivered up to the lusts of their own heart; so now they defend their sins and confess them not; but say, Why? What have I done? Such an one did this, and such an one did that. Now will they even defend what the Divine Word reproves. This is the abyss. There fore in a certain place saith the Scripture, (hear this abyss,)
have up mine eyes unto lifted
I will
speak
plainly '?
'
Latine"
The sinner when he cometh unto the depth of sin despiseth. Proy.
See, Thy Judgments are like the great abyss. But yet not art thou a mountain ; not yet art thou in the abyss ; fly from the abyss, tend towards the mountains ; but yet remain not on the mountains. For thy help cometh from the Lord,
Which made Heaven and earth.
11. O Lord, Thou shalt save man and beast, (ver. 7. )
as Thy Mercy is multiplied, O God. Because he said, Thy Mercy is in the Heavens, that it may be known to be also on earth, he said, O Lord, Thou savest man and beast, as Thy Mercy is multiplied, O God. Great is Thy Mercy, and manifold is Thy Mercy, O God; and that shewest Thou both to man and beast. For from whom is the saving of men ? From God. Is not the saving of beasts also from God ? For He Who made man, made also beasts; He Who made both, saveth both ; but the saving of beasts is temporal. But there are who as a great thing ask this of God, which ? al. ' The Righteousness of God is like the mountains. '
'
414 ' Sons of >><e<<,' in good tense, opposed to ' men. '
Psalm He hath given to beasts. Thy Mercy, O God, is multiplied, "so that not only unto men, but unto beasts also is given the same saving which is given to men, a carnal and temporal saving.
Paai. 8,
12. Have not men then somewhat reserved with God, which beasts deserve not, and whereunto beasts arrive not? They have evidently. And where is that which they have.
The children of men put their trust under the shadow of Thy wings. Attend, my Beloved, to this most pleasant
sentence: Thou savesl man and beast. First, he spake of man and beast, then of the children of men; as though men were one, the children ofmen other. Sometimes in Scripture children of men is said generally of all men, sometimes in some proper manner, with some proper signification, so that not all men are understood ; chiefly when there is a dis tinction. For not without reason is it here put; O Lord,
Thou savest man and beast: but the children of men; as
though setting aside the first, he keepeth separate the children of men. Separate from whom ? Not only from beasts, but also from men, who seek from God the saving of beasts, and desire this as a great thing. Who then are the children of men ? Those who put their trust under the shadow of His wings. For those men together with beasts rejoice in possession, but the children of men rejoice in hope : those follow after present goods with beasts, these hope for future goods with Angels. Why then are those with a distinction called men, and these called the children of men ? For in a certain place also saith the Scripture, What is man, thai
Thou art mindful of him ? and the Son of Man, that Thou visitest him ? What is man, that Thou art mindful of him? Thou art mindful of him, as of one absent ; but the Son of Man Thou visitest as present. What is, Thou art mindful of man ? O Lord, Thou savest man and beast. For even to the evil Thou givest saving, and to them who desire not the kingdom of Heaven. For He regardeth them, and deserteth them not after their manner, as they their cattle : He deserteth them not, but as of the absent, is mindful of them. But He Whom he visiteth is the Son of Man; and of Him it is said, The children of men put their trust under the shadow of Thy wings. And if ye would discern these two kinds of men, first consider the two men, Adam and Christ. Hear
' Men' seek temporal good, ' sous of men,' eternal. 415
the Apostle, For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall Ver. all be made alive. We are born of Adam, that we may die : ------ we rise again through Christ, that we may live for ever, i5, 22.
When we bear the image of the earthly man, we are men :
when we bear the image of the Heavenly Man, we are children
of men ; for Christ was called the Son of Man. For AdamMatt 8,
was a man, but not a son of man : therefore to Adam belong 20. those who desire carnal goods and that temporal saving. We exhort them to become the children of men, to put their trust under the shadow of His wings, and to desire that Mercy which is in the Heavens, and which was declared by the clouds. But if as yet they cannot, in the mean while
even temporal goods let them not desire, but from God alone. So even let them serve after the Old Testament, that
at the New they may arrive.
13. For that people also desired earthly goods; the king
dom of Jerusalem, the subjection of their enemies, abundance of fruits, their own health, their childrens' health. Such things they desired, and such things they received ; under the Law were they kept. They desired from God goods
which He gives even to beasts, because not yet had the Son of Man come to them, that they might be the children of men: yet they had already ' clouds' declaring the Son of Man. Unto them came Prophets, and declared Christ ; and there were of them some who understood, and had hope of the future, to receive the Mercy which is in the Heavens. There were also of them some who desired but carnal things, and earthly and temporal felicity. The same men's feet slipped away to make and to worship idols. For when He warned them, and scourged them in those things in which they delighted, and took them away, they suffered famine, wars, pestilences, diseases, and so they turned themselves to idols. Those goods which as a great thing they ought to have desired of God, they desired from idols, and abandoned
God. For they observed that those goods, which they
abounded to the ungodly and wicked, and they thought that they worshipped God in vain, because He gave them not their hire on earth.
PSALM XXXVI.
Attend, dearly Beloved, a little to the text and the mys teries of this Psalm ; and let us run through since many places plain but when the necessity of its obscurity compels us to dwell upon ye will endure for the sake of the advantage of learning. (Ver. 1. ) The un godly hath said in himself that he will sin there is no fear
God before his eyes. Not of one man, but of race ungodly men he speaketh, who fight against their own selves, by not understanding, that so they may live well not be
cause they cannot, but because they will not. For
one thing, when one endeavours to understand some thing, and
through infirmity of the flesh cannot as saith the Scripture "Wisd. 9, in certain place, For the corruptible body presseth down the soul, and the earthly tabernacle weigheth down the mind
a
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Wilful ignorance is enmity against God. 403
that museth upon many things; but another when the Ver. human heart acts mischievously against itself, so that what --:-- it could understand, if it had but good will thereto, it under-
standeth not, not because it is difficult, but because the will is contrary. But so it is when men love their own sins, and hate God's Commandments. For the Word of God is thy
adversary, if thou be a friend to thy ungodliness ; but if thou art an adversary to thy ungodliness, the Word of God is thy friend, as well as the adversary of thy ungodliness. If then thou hatest thy ungodliness, thou joinest thyself to the Word of God, and ye will be two against thou, and the Word of God, to destroy it. For thou indeed by thyself,
of thy own strength, canst do nothing but He helpeth thee Who hath sent to thee His Word, and so ungodliness
overcome. If thou hatest
thou shalt be free but
to understand aught that
to ask how the Son can be equal to the Father: he hath believed he seeketh to understand as yet he cannot for great matter, and requireth greater powers that may be comprehended; and the beginning of faith,
which keepeth the soul until be strengthened. With milk Peter nourished, that may arrive at the fitness and firmness
for stronger meat; that maybe able to understand this,
In the beginning was the Word; and the Word was with John God; and the Word was God. Before can do this, nourished in faith and endeavours to understand, that
may understand as much as God shall grant. Doth with endeavours understand this also What thou wouldest not to Tobit he done to thee, do not thou to another. That because thou wouldest not suffer iniquity, thou shouldest not do iniquity because thou wouldest not suffer treachery and deceit, thou shouldest not contrive deceit against another No, but this when thou wouldest not understand, attributed to thy
will. Therefore, The ungodly hath said in himself, that he will sin he hath purposed to sin.
2. But doth he who purposeth to sin, say this in public, and not rather in himself? Why in himself? Because no man seeth him. What then, because man seeth not in the heart, wherein he saith to himself that he will sin, doth not
nda
God also hath remitted and thou love contrary to thee said against it. Suppose man
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404 Fear of God. Deceitful search for our faults.
\S xLvi ^"oc* see t^iere"1 ' God doth see therein. But what fol- loweth ? There is no fear of God before his eyes. There is fear of men before his eyes, for he dareth not in public to declare his iniquity, lest he be either reproved or con demned by men. But he departeth from the sight of men ; whither? To himself: he betaketh himself within, and no man seeth him ; where he meditateth treachery, and deceit, and sin, there no man seeth him. Even there he might not meditate with himself, if he thought that God seeth him : but since there is no fear of God before his eyes, when he hath departed from the sight of men to his own heart, whom should he fear there ? Is not God present there ? Yea, but there is no fear of God before his eyes.
3. Therefore he meditateth deceits, and then followeth,-- (Doth it haply escape him that God seeth there ? The very thing is declared which I was beginning to speak of: it doth escape him, but of his own will, because he wrought against himself, not willing to understand. ) (Ver. 2. ) For he hath wrought deceitfully in His sight. In whose sight ? In His, Whose fear was not before the eyes of him that did work
To find out his iniquity, and hate it. He wrought so as not to find it. For there are men who as it were endeavour to seek out their iniquity, and fear to find it ; because if they should find said to them, Depart from this thou didst before thou knewest thou didst iniquity being in ignorance God giveth pardon now thou hast discovered forsake that to thy ignorance pardon may easily be given and that with clear face thou mayest
Ps. 25,7. say to God, Remember not the sins of my youth, and of my ignorance. Thus he seeketh it, thus he feareth lest he find
for he seeketh deceitfully. When saith man, knew not that was sin When he hath seen that sin, and ceaseth to do the sin, which he did only because he was ignorant such an one in truth would know his sin, to find out, and hate it. But now many work deceitfully to find out their iniquity they work not from their heart to find out and hate it. But because in the very search after ini quity, there deceit, in the finding there will be defence of it. For when one hath found his iniquity, lo now manifest to him that iniquity. Do not, thou sayest.
deceitfully.
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I is it it
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it a is
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Chamber of the heart to be closed against the world. 405
And he who wrought deceitfully to find it out, now he hath Ver. found, hateth it not ; for what saith he ? How many do ----" this! Who is there that doth it not? And will God destroy
them all ? Or at least he saith this: if God would not these things to be done, would men live who commit the same ? Seest thou that thou didst work deceitfully to find out thy iniquity ? For if not deceitfully but sincerely thou hadst wrought, thou wouldest now have found it out, and hated it;
now thou hast found it out, and thou defendest it ; therefore thou didst work deceitfully, when thou soughtest it.
4. Ver. 3. The words of his mouth are iniquity and deceit : he would not understand, that he might do good. Ye see that he attribuleth that to the will : for there are men who would understand and cannot, and there are men who would not understand, and therefore understand not. He would not understand, that he might do good.
5. Ver. 4. He hath meditated iniquity on his bed. What
said He, On his bed ? The ungodly hath said in himself, that
he will sin : what above he said, in himself, that here he
said, On his bed. Our bed is our heart : there we suffer
the tossing of an evil conscience ; and there we rest when
our conscience is good. Whoso loveth the bed of his heart,
let him do some good therein. There is our bed, where
the Lord Jesus Christ commands us to pray. Enter into mm. 6, thy chamber, and shut thy door. What is, Shut thy door ? Expect not from God such things as are without, but such
as are within ; and thy Father which seeth in secret, shall
reward thee openly. Who is he that shutteth not the door ?
He who asketh much from God such things, and in such
wise directeth all his prayers, that he may receive the goods
that are of this world. Thy door is open, the multitude seeth
when thou prayest. What is it to shut thy door ? To ask
that of God, which God alone knoweth how He giveth. What
is that for which thou prayest, when thou hast shut the door?
What eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, nor hath entered um, 4. into the heart of man. And haply it hath not entered into1 Cor. thy very bed, that is, into thy heart. But God knoweth '
what He will give: but when shall it be? When the Lord shall be revealed, when the Judge shall appear. For what is plainer than that which He shall say to them that are set
406 No rest on the bed of the heart for an evil conscience.
Psalm at His Right Hand ? Come, ye blessed of My Father, inherit MatT25 tne Kingdom prepared for youfrom the beginning qfthe world.
This shall they hear who are on the left hand, and shall W'ud. 5, groan with fruitless repentance, because so living they would not repent with fruit. Why shall they groan ? Because there is for them no place of recovery. But they also shall Mat. 25, hear somewhat themselves: Depart from Me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.
That is an evil hearing. For the righteous at their good P*. 112, hearing shall rejoice ; for so it is written, The righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance ; he shall not be afraid from
any evil hearing. From what evil hearing ? That which
they shall hear : Depart, ye cursed, into everlasting fire. Eph. 3, God therefore, Who is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, searcheth out our secret groaning, that in His sight we may be pleasing, and not as it were of our own righteousness boast ourselves before men. For whoso by his own righteousness would please men, not to that end that they who see him may praise God, but with this intention that he may himself be praised, he shutteth not his door against noise ; for the door is open to that noise, and God heareth not as He would hear. Our bed, then, our heart, let us strive to cleanse, that it may be well with us there. Ye know, my Beloved, how many things
many suffer in public, in the forum, in strifes, in contentions, in troublesome business: how a man, wearied with business abroad, runneth to his house that he may rest there, and striveth quickly to finish his business abroad, aud to betake himself, for rest, to his own house. For therefore hath every one a home of his own, that he may rest therein. But if there also he suffer trouble, where can he rest? What then? It is good to have rest in his own house. But if abroad he suffer enemies, within perhaps a bad wife, he goeth forth into public : when he would rest from those troubles which are abroad, he entereth into his house : but when he neither resleth here, nor resteth abroad, where shall there be rest? At least in the closet of the heart, when thou betakest thyself to thine inmost conscience. If there thou hast haply found a wife that causeth thee no bitterness, even the Wisdom of God; with her join thyself; rest within in thy chamber;
34.
Sin, while it is in us, must be hated. 407
let not the smoke of an evil conscience drive thee thence. Ver.
',--
What is, he hath set himself? He hath sinned perseveringly. Whence also of a certain pious and good man it is said, He Ps. t, I. hath not stood in the way of sinners. As this hath not stood,
so that hath set himself. But wickedness hath he not hated.
There is the end, there the fruit : if a man can not but have
wickedness, let him at least hate it. For when thou hatest it scarcely occurs to thee to do any wickedness. For sin
Let not Rom. in thel2,
Cor.
as well as thou. Now being joined in mind unto the Law
of God, in mind thou servest the Law of God. And in
the flesh thou therefore servest * the law of sin, because there Rom. are in thee certain carnal delightings, then will there be25. none when thou shalt no longer fight. It one thing, not
to fight, and to be in true and lasting peace; another to fight
and overcome; another to fight and to be overcome; another not to fight at all, but to be carried away. For there are men who do not fight at all, such as he of whom He speaketh, when he saith, Wickedness hath he not hated; for how fighteth he against that which he hath not hated He
carried off by wickedness, and doth not fight. But there are who begin to fight, but because they presume on their own strength, (that God may shew them that He that
i. e. 'art subject to it,' not obeyest wilful sin, but of motions toward sin it. ' He not here speaking of actual to which the man does not consent.
But it was to meditate deceits, that he, of whom the Scrip tnre speaketh these things, betook himself thither where men see not ; and such things did he there meditate to himself, that not even in his heart could he rest. He'hath meditated
iniquity on his bed.
6. He hath set himself in every way that is not good.
in our mortal body, but what saith the Apostle sin reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey lusts thereof. When beginneth not to be therein
When that shall be fulfilled in us which he saith, When this cor- ruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall
have put on immortality. Before this come to pass, there delighting in sin in the body, but greater the delighting and the pleasure in the Word of Wisdom, in the Commandment of God. Overcome sin and the lust thereof. Sin and iniquity do thou hate, that thou mayest join thyself to God, Who hateth
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408 Victory of grace. Temporal blessings are from God. Psalm overcometh, if man joineth himself "to God,) both when they
' fight they are overcome, and when they begin after a sort to lay hold on righteousness, they become proud, and are con founded. These fight, but are overcome. But who is he
--
Rom. 7, that fighteth, and is not overcome ? He who saith, /
23
ib. 24. ? 5'
see
another law in my members, warring the law y. my against of
mind". See he fighteth, but not on his own strength pre- sumeth he, therefore he shall be conqueror. For what followeth, O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me
from the body of this death ? The grace of God, through Jesus Christ our Lord. He presumeth on Him who com manded him to fight; and overcometh his enemy, assisted by Him that commanded. But as for this man, wickedness hath he not hated.
7. Ver. 5. Thy mercy, O Lord, is in the heavens, and Thy truth reacheth even unto the clouds. I know not what Mercy of Him he meaneth, which is in the heavens. For the Mercy of the Lord is also in the earth. Thou hast it Ps. 33,5. written, The earth is full of the Mercy of the Lord. Of
what Mercy then speaketh He, when He saith, Thy Mercy,
0 Lord, is in the heavens? The gifts of God are partly
temporal and earthly, partly eternal and heavenly. Whoso for this worshippeth God, that he may receive those temporal and earthly goods, which are open to all, is still as it were like the brutes : he enjoyeth indeed the Mercy of God, but not that which is excepted, which shall not be given, save only to the righteous, to the holy, to the good. What are
Matt, the gifts which abound to all ? He maketh His sun to rise
'4"
on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. Who hath not this Mercy of God, first that he hath being, that he is distinguished from the brutes, that he is a rational animal, so as to understand God; secondly, that he enjoys this light, this air, rain, fruits, diver sity of seasons, and all the earthly comforts, health of body, the affection of friends, the safety of his family ? All these are good, and they are God's gifts. Think not, Brethren, that any can give these, but God alone. Whoever then expecteth not these things but from the Lord, is very dif ferent from those who expect them even from devils, or from h Oxf. M,. <<. add, ' See him fighting against the law of his mind, see &c.
'
Spiritual mercies best. Mercy through ' clouds? 409 diviners, or from astrologers. For these are in two ways VKr.
miserable, both because they desire only earthly goods, and because they ask not from Him Who giveth all goods. But they who desire these goods, and in these goods would be happy, and seek them only from God, in this indeed are better, that they seek them from God, but yet they are
endangered. Saith one, How are they endangered? Be cause sometimes they consider human affairs, and see that all these earthly goods, which they desire, the ungodly and unrighteous have abundantly ; and think that they have lost the reward of worshipping God, because the same which the wicked have they also have, though they worship God, Whom the others worship not; or because sometimes
they who worship have not at all, and they have who blaspheme:
therefore they are still in danger.
8. But this man rightly understood what mercy he should
pray for from God. 77iy Mercy, O Lord, is in the Heavens; and Thy Truth reacheth eren to the clouds. That is, the Mercy which Thou givest to Thy Saints, is Heavenly, not earthly ; is Eternal, not temporal. And how couldest Thou declare it
5.
unto men i Because, Thy Truth reacheth even unto the clouds. For who could know the Heavenly Mercy of God, unless God should declare it unto men ? How did He declare it? By sending His truth even unto the clouds.
What are the clouds ? The Preachers of the Word of God.
By whom in a certain place God was wroth with a certain vineyard. For I suppose, My Beloved, ye have understood,
as well as heard the Prophet Isaiah, where He saith of a certain Vineyard, / looked that it should bring forth grapes, i>> 5 2 and it brought forth wild grapes. And lest any should
think that He spake of a visible vineyard, he so concluded.
The Vineyard of the Lord of Hosts is the House of Israel, ib ",
and the men of Judah His pleasant plant. Therefore He reproved the Vineyard, which He looked should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes. And what said He?
/ will command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it. ib_ 6_ And verily it came to pass. For the Apostles were sent to be Preachers. We find in the Acts of the Apostles that the Apostle
Paul wished to preach to the Jews, and he found in them no grapes but wild grapes. For they began for his good to render
410 Preachers clouds, Apostles mountains. All help from God. Psalm evil, and to persecute him, and he, fulfilling what is written,
Iwill command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it, Acts 13, said, Unto you were we sent, but since ye reject the Word of God, lo, we turn to the Gentiles. Therefore was this
'
fulfilled, / will command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it. Truth reached even to the clouds : therefore unto us could be declared the Mercy of God, which is in Heaven and not in earth. And truly, Brethren, the clouds are the Preachers of the Word of Truth. When God threateneth through His Preachers, He thunders through the clouds. When God worketh miracles through His Preachers, He lightneth through the clouds, He terrifieth through the clouds, and watereth by the rain. Those Preachers then, by whom is preached the Gospel of God, are the clouds of God. Let us then hope for Mercy, but for that which is in the Heavens.
9. Ver. 6. Thy Righteousness is like the mountains God: Thy Judgments are a great deep. Who are the mountains of God. Those who are called clouds, the same are also the mountains of God. The great Preachers are the mountains of God. And as when the sun riseth, he first
clothes the mountains with light, and thence the light descends to the lowest parts of the earth : so our Lord Jesus Christ, when He came, first irradiated the height of the Apostles, first enlightened the mountains, and so His Light descended to the valley of the world. And therefore sailh
Pa. 121, He in a certain Psalm, / lifted
mountains, from whence cometh my help. But think not that the mountains themselves will give thee help : for they receive what they may give, give not of their own. And if thou remain in the mountains, thy hope will not be strong : but in Him, Who enlighteneth the mountains, ought to be thy hope and presumption. Thy help indeed will come to thee through the mountains, because the Scriptures are administered to thee through the mountains, through the great Preachers of the Truth : but fix not thy hope in them. Hear what He saith next following :
unto the mountains, from whence cometh my help. What then? Do the mountains give thee help? No; hear what
ib. 2.
/
follows, My help cometh from the Lord, Which made
up mine eyes unto the
lifted up
mine
eyes
of
Trust in men misleads, saints declare it. 411
Heaven and earth. Through the mountains cometh help, Ver. but not from the mountains. From whom then i From the ----- Lord, Which made Heaven and earth . There have been other mountains, by whom whosoever would guide his ship has made shipwreck. For there have risen up leaders of heresies, who
have been mountains. Arius was a mountain, Donatus was a mountain, Maximianus1 even now was like a mountain. 1 see on
Many looking to those mountains and desiring land, when they would be freed from the waves, were driven on the rocks, and made shipwreck on the land. By such mountains was not
he seduced, who said, In the Lord put I
ye to my soul, Flee as a bird to your mountain. I would
not my hope should be in Arius, I would not in Donalus.
My help cometh from the Lord, Which made Heaven and earth. Learn ye how far ye may presume upon God, and
how much ye may attribute to men, for Cursed is the man Jer. n, that trusteth in man. Most meekly and humbly, the holy Apostle Paul, being truly jealous of the Church, but for the
BridegIroom, not for himsIelf, and fearing those who would
am Paul, and
say, of of Apollos,
my trust. How Ps. 11,1. say
am chose rather hislCor. 3, own person to tread upon and despise, that he might glorify
Christ. Was Paul crucified for you, or were ye baptized in 1 Cor. 1, the name of Paul ? He repels them from himself; but that
he may send them to Christ. Even the friend of the Bride
groom would not to be loved by the Bride for the Bride
groom. For the Apostles are the friends of the Bridegroom. For the same Bridegroom, the humble John also, whoIwas
am John I,
thought the Christ, was jealous. Wherefore he saidI
, IOne mightier than
not the Christ : but there cometh
me, the latchet rf Whose shoes
down and unloose. And so humbling himself, he truly shewed that he was not the Bridegroom, but the Bridegroom's
friend ; and therefore he said, He that hath the Bride John s, is the Bridegroom : but the friend of the Bridegroom, which standelh and heareth Him, rejoiceth greatly because ofthe
Bridegroom's voice. And if the friend of the Bridegroom is
a mountain, yet hath not the mountain light from itself: but
he heareth and rejoiceth greatly because of the Bridegroom's
voice. rr'e,saith ho, have all received of Hisfulness. Ofwhose John 1, fulness? Of His, Who was the True Light Which Ugh tenet h ' ' every man that cometh into the world. For Him then the
am not worthy to stoop7.
yfm? after j
412 Some sinners justly left to their own ways.
Psalm Apostle also was jealous of the Church, saying, Let a man 1 Cor. 4 so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards
! ?
of the mysteries of God. That is, / lifted up mine eyes unto the mountains, from whence cometh my help. Let a man so account of us as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards ofthe mysteries of God. But lest thy hope Ibe again fixed
lCor. 3,on the mountains and not on God, hear this, have planted, Apollos watered; and God gave the increase ; and this, So then, neither is he that planteth any thing, nor he that watereth, hut God that giveth the increase. Now then thou hast said, /lifted up mine eyes unto the mountains, from whence cometh my help : but because neither is he that
planteth any thing, nor he that watereth ; say, My help cometh from the Lord, Which made Heaven and earth ; and, Thy Righteousness is like the mountains of God: that is, the mountains are filled with Thy Righteousness.
10. Thy Judgments are like the great abyss. The abyss he calleth the depth of sin, whither every one cometh by Rom. 1, despising God; as in a certain place it is said, God gave
them over to their own hearts' lusts, to do the things which are not convenient. Attend, my Beloved. This is a great matter ; a great matter is before us. What meaneth this,
God gave them over to their own hearts' lusts, to do the things that are not convenient i If then God has given them over to their own hearts' lusts, to do those things which are not convenient, is it therefore they do such wickednesses? Suppose one should propose this question ; if God maketh them to do the things which are not convenient, what have they done ? The secret is that which thou heardest, God gave them over to their own hearts' lusts. Therefore it was lust which they would not overcome, to which they were delivered by the Judgment of God. But that they should be held worthy to be delivered, see what of them he said
ib. 21. before, Because that when they knew God, they glorified Him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
ib. 22. Whereby ? By their pride ; for, Professing themselves wise, they became fools. And thereupon followeth, God gave them over to their own hearts' lusts. Because then they were proud and ungrateful, they were held worthy to be delivered up to the lusts of their own hearts, and became a great
Mountains by grace, Depths left in Judgment. 413
abyss, so that they not only sinned, but also worked craftily, Ver. lest they should understand their iniquity, and hate it. That ----- is the depth of wickedness, to be unwilling to find it out and
to hate it. But how one cometh to that depth, see ; Thy Judgments are the great abyss. As the mountains are by
the Righteousness of God', who through His Grace become great: so also through His Judgments come they unto the depth, who sink lowest. By this then let the mountains delight thee, by this turn away from the abyss, and turn thyself unto that, of which iIt is said, My help cometh from
the Lord. But whereby?
the mountains. What meaneth this ?
In the Church of God thou findest an abyss, thou findest also mountains; thou findest there but few good, because the mountains are few, the abyss broad ; that is, thou findest many living ill after the wrath of God, because they have so worked that they are delivered up to the lusts of their own heart; so now they defend their sins and confess them not; but say, Why? What have I done? Such an one did this, and such an one did that. Now will they even defend what the Divine Word reproves. This is the abyss. There fore in a certain place saith the Scripture, (hear this abyss,)
have up mine eyes unto lifted
I will
speak
plainly '?
'
Latine"
The sinner when he cometh unto the depth of sin despiseth. Proy.
See, Thy Judgments are like the great abyss. But yet not art thou a mountain ; not yet art thou in the abyss ; fly from the abyss, tend towards the mountains ; but yet remain not on the mountains. For thy help cometh from the Lord,
Which made Heaven and earth.
11. O Lord, Thou shalt save man and beast, (ver. 7. )
as Thy Mercy is multiplied, O God. Because he said, Thy Mercy is in the Heavens, that it may be known to be also on earth, he said, O Lord, Thou savest man and beast, as Thy Mercy is multiplied, O God. Great is Thy Mercy, and manifold is Thy Mercy, O God; and that shewest Thou both to man and beast. For from whom is the saving of men ? From God. Is not the saving of beasts also from God ? For He Who made man, made also beasts; He Who made both, saveth both ; but the saving of beasts is temporal. But there are who as a great thing ask this of God, which ? al. ' The Righteousness of God is like the mountains. '
'
414 ' Sons of >><e<<,' in good tense, opposed to ' men. '
Psalm He hath given to beasts. Thy Mercy, O God, is multiplied, "so that not only unto men, but unto beasts also is given the same saving which is given to men, a carnal and temporal saving.
Paai. 8,
12. Have not men then somewhat reserved with God, which beasts deserve not, and whereunto beasts arrive not? They have evidently. And where is that which they have.
The children of men put their trust under the shadow of Thy wings. Attend, my Beloved, to this most pleasant
sentence: Thou savesl man and beast. First, he spake of man and beast, then of the children of men; as though men were one, the children ofmen other. Sometimes in Scripture children of men is said generally of all men, sometimes in some proper manner, with some proper signification, so that not all men are understood ; chiefly when there is a dis tinction. For not without reason is it here put; O Lord,
Thou savest man and beast: but the children of men; as
though setting aside the first, he keepeth separate the children of men. Separate from whom ? Not only from beasts, but also from men, who seek from God the saving of beasts, and desire this as a great thing. Who then are the children of men ? Those who put their trust under the shadow of His wings. For those men together with beasts rejoice in possession, but the children of men rejoice in hope : those follow after present goods with beasts, these hope for future goods with Angels. Why then are those with a distinction called men, and these called the children of men ? For in a certain place also saith the Scripture, What is man, thai
Thou art mindful of him ? and the Son of Man, that Thou visitest him ? What is man, that Thou art mindful of him? Thou art mindful of him, as of one absent ; but the Son of Man Thou visitest as present. What is, Thou art mindful of man ? O Lord, Thou savest man and beast. For even to the evil Thou givest saving, and to them who desire not the kingdom of Heaven. For He regardeth them, and deserteth them not after their manner, as they their cattle : He deserteth them not, but as of the absent, is mindful of them. But He Whom he visiteth is the Son of Man; and of Him it is said, The children of men put their trust under the shadow of Thy wings. And if ye would discern these two kinds of men, first consider the two men, Adam and Christ. Hear
' Men' seek temporal good, ' sous of men,' eternal. 415
the Apostle, For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall Ver. all be made alive. We are born of Adam, that we may die : ------ we rise again through Christ, that we may live for ever, i5, 22.
When we bear the image of the earthly man, we are men :
when we bear the image of the Heavenly Man, we are children
of men ; for Christ was called the Son of Man. For AdamMatt 8,
was a man, but not a son of man : therefore to Adam belong 20. those who desire carnal goods and that temporal saving. We exhort them to become the children of men, to put their trust under the shadow of His wings, and to desire that Mercy which is in the Heavens, and which was declared by the clouds. But if as yet they cannot, in the mean while
even temporal goods let them not desire, but from God alone. So even let them serve after the Old Testament, that
at the New they may arrive.
13. For that people also desired earthly goods; the king
dom of Jerusalem, the subjection of their enemies, abundance of fruits, their own health, their childrens' health. Such things they desired, and such things they received ; under the Law were they kept. They desired from God goods
which He gives even to beasts, because not yet had the Son of Man come to them, that they might be the children of men: yet they had already ' clouds' declaring the Son of Man. Unto them came Prophets, and declared Christ ; and there were of them some who understood, and had hope of the future, to receive the Mercy which is in the Heavens. There were also of them some who desired but carnal things, and earthly and temporal felicity. The same men's feet slipped away to make and to worship idols. For when He warned them, and scourged them in those things in which they delighted, and took them away, they suffered famine, wars, pestilences, diseases, and so they turned themselves to idols. Those goods which as a great thing they ought to have desired of God, they desired from idols, and abandoned
God. For they observed that those goods, which they
abounded to the ungodly and wicked, and they thought that they worshipped God in vain, because He gave them not their hire on earth.
