the east, nor from the west, nor from the desert
mountains
; 7' for God is the Judge.
Augustine - Exposition on the Psalms - v6
Two things he hath mentioned to be distinguished the one from the other: the trap he said was set by persecutors ; the stumbling-blocks came from those
hoped,
spare
Only obstinate sinners fall into the devil's nets. 259
who have consented and apostatised : and from both he Ver. desires to be guarded. On the one side they threaten and 9" l0' rage, on the other consent and fall : I fear lest the one be
such, that I fear him ; the other such, that I imitate him.
' This I do to thee, if thou consent not. ' Keep me from the trap which they have laid for me. ' Behold, thy brother hath already consented. ' And from the stumbling-blocks of them which work iniquity.
24. Sinners shall fall into his nets. What then, brethren, ver. 10. is, sinners shall fall into his vets f Not all sinners : certain sinners, who are so great sinners, as to love this life to such
a degree as to prefer it to everlasting life, shall fall into his
trap. But what sayest thou? Shall they that are such, thinkest thou, fall into his nets ? what of Thy disciples, O Christ? Behold, when persecution was raging, when they
all left Thee alone, and went every one to his own: (this John 16, Thou didst foretell, because Thou didst foresee: for not32' because Thou didst announce it beforehand, didst Thou therefore do or in any way deny Thyself:) but, lo! they
who were closest to Thee, in Thy trial and persecution, when Thine enemies demanded Thee to be crucified, abandoned Thee. And that one bold one, who had promised Thee that he would go with Thee even unto death, heard from the Physician what was being done in him, the sick man. For being in fever, he had said he was whole but the Lord touched the vein of his heart. Then came the trial then came the test; then came the accusation; and now,
not some great power, but by humble slave, and that a woman, questioned by handmaid, he yielded he denied thrice When he had once denied and was reminded, he denied second time. When he had twice denied and was reminded, he denied a third time. This had the Lord foretold, not fore-ordered, not compelled. Or,
Peter be thought to have done rightly, because the Lord foretold it, Judas also did rightly, who betrayed Him, for this also the Lord had foretold. God forbid, my brethren. These are the words of those elect who defend their own sins also, rather than confess them. Let us rather consider Peter himself. If he sinned not, why wept he Let us ask
none concerning Peter, save the tears of Peter: more faith-
questioned
s 2
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a
;
if
a
a
a by
it,
;;
2H0 The Apostles not firm in their faith
Psalm ful witness concerning him we do not find. He wept -"-- Utterly, it saith. Not yet was he fitted to suffer. To him John 13, was said, Thou shall follow Me afterwards. Hereafter he
was to be firm, having been strengthened by the Lord's Resurrection.
25. Not yet then was it time that those bones should be scattered beside the pit. For see how many failed, even to those who first hung on His mouth ; even they failed.
Wherefore? / am alone, until I
pass over: for this fol- loweth in the Psalm. Above he hath said, Keep me, O Lord, from the trap which they have laid for me, and from the stumbling-blocks of them who work iniquity. From the
trap, and from the stumbling-blocks, from those who frighten, and from those who have fallen. But because, at His passion, even those first ones, who were destined to be leaders of the Church and pillars of the earth, failed; not yet was accomplished what He saith in another Psalm,
Ps. 76,3.
/ have strengthened the pillars
What saith He ? This is said in the person pass over. What is, alone?
/ am alone, until I pass over.
of the Head, / am alone, until
In Thy Passion Thou alone sufferest, Thou alone art slain
I
unto the Father. What then is, until Ipass
this world unto the Father? For then have I strengthened the pillars thereof, that is, the pillars of the world, when in My Resurrection they have clearly learnt that death is not
by Thine enemies. / am alone, until
pass over. What
John 13, is, until I pass
J hour was come that Jesus should pass over from this world
I
thereof.
over? The saith, When the Evangelist
an object of fear. Until then
when I have passed over, I shall be multiplied; many shall imitate Me, many shall suffer for My Name. One am I until I pass over; many shall be one in Me when I have
passed over. / am alone, until I
farther a mystery in this word. According to the Greek method of speech, Pascha seemeth to mean Passion; but, according to the Hebrew tongue, as they explain who know
Pascha meaneth Pass-over. For you ask true Greeks, they say that Pascha no Greek word. sounds like Tcaa"^etv, that is, to suffer but not wont to be derived in this way. For Passion in Greek **&<>(, not Pascha.
/
pass over, I am alone:
over, save,
from
pass over. Hear
it is
'
is ;'
if is
It
it,
until strengthened by the Lord's Remrrection. 26'1
Pascha then, as they say who know, and who have explained Ves, to us what to read, meaneth ' Pass-over. ' When then the -- Lord's Passion was about to come, the Evangelist, as though
he would use this very word, saith, When the hour was come
that Jesus should pass Iover to the Father. We hear then
of Pascha in this verse,
Pascha I shall no longer be alone, after passing-over I shall no longer be alone. Many shall imitate Me, many shall follow Me. And if afterward they shall follow, what shall be the case now ?
am alone, until I
pass over. After
/ am alone, until I over. What pass
is it that the Lord saith in this Psalm, / am alone, until I pass over ? What is it that we have expounded ? I f we have understood listen to His own words in the Gospel.
Verily, verily, say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall John 12, into the ground and die, abideth alone; but die, it24' beareth much fruit. This He saith in the same place
where He also saith, And be lifted up from the earth, lb. 32. will draw all men unto Me. Except a corn of wheat, He
saith, fall into the ground and die, abideth alone; but die, bringeth forth much fruit. To that Corn of wheat then, great crop was due but wait let It first die, for,
except a corn wheat fall into the ground and die, abideth alone.
26. Therefore He was alone before He was put to death. Therefore too Peter had not yet sufficient strength he was to receive strength to follow, he had not strength to go before. For for Christ's sake, that is, for confessing the Name of Christ, whereby we are Christians, no one died before Christ, lest perchance such thought should occur to you. For many died and are martyrs, many prophets suffered the same things, yet they were not put to death because they
foretold Christ, but because they told men of their sins, and freely resisted their iniquities, and so are accounted among martyrs. Rightly for, though not for confessing the Name of Christ, yet for the truth's sake were they slain. But so far was any from dying for the Name, that is, for confessing the Name of Christ, before that Corn of wheat fell into the ground, in whose person said, am alone, until pass over, that even John, who was slain just before Him, being given by wicked king to dancing woman, was not put
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26-2 John the Baptist did not suffer for Christ.
Psalm to death because he confessed Christ. Of course he might have c,w"- boen put to death for this, and that by many. If for another reason he was put to death by one man, how much more
might he have been put to death by those very men, who put Christ to death ? For John gave testimony to Christ. They who heard Christ, wished to slay Him ; the man who gave testimony to Him they slew not. For had John been attacked for Christ's sake, he would not have denied Him ; for he had great strength, wherefore he was called,
John 3, fne frienol vf tJle Bridegroom. Great grace was there in Mat. 11, him, great excellence; among them that are born of women.
ll*
hath not arisen a greater than John the Baptist. He therefore was attacked, who had not so great strength : Peter was attacked, not John. For Peter received the strength afterwards, but then he was weak. For Christ's Name he is questioned, who had not strength : he who had strength, suffers not persecution for Christ, lest for the Name of Christ he should precede Christ. He is not slain by the Jews who gave free testimony to Christ, Whom the Jews slew ; he is slain by Herod, because he said to
Mat. 14, l)iirl, 1i ig not lawful for thee to have thy brother's wife. For his brother had not died without issue. For the law of truth, for equity, for righteousness' sake, he did die : therefore is he a saint, therefore a martyr; but yet he died not for that Name whereby we are Christians, wherefore, save that the saying might be fulfilled, / am alone, until Ipass over.
Lat. CxEI"
PSALM CXLII. Sermon to the People.
This festival of the martyrs, as it claimeth from you the devotion of a crowded attendance, so doth it also claim a dis course from me, your servant. But ye ought to remember, beloved, how much was said yesterday. For we ought not, because, through the eagerness of your inward appetite, ye were present throughout the whole discourse as though ye had
just arrived, therefore to forget our common weakness, first because we ought also to treat with honour excellent words, as it is written, 'Excellent are the words of the wisdom of the Lord God. ' By us, as by earthen vessels, they are
We should meditate on and digest what we hear. 263
ministered to you : but, if the vessels be earthen, yet is the Vkr.
bread from heaven. The Apostle saith, We have treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the 7.
'
so to speak, in the stomach of your memory, that by again revolving and meditating ye in a manner ruminate. For
this is, A treasure to be desired resteth in the mouth of the
wise, but a foolish man swalloweth it up. What he said is
in brief, A wise man ruminateth, a fool doth not ruminate.
And what is this in plain and downright language ? The wise thinketh on that which he heareth, but the fool committeth
what he hath heard to oblivion. For neither was it for any
other reason that in the Law those animals are called clean Lev. 11, which ruminate, those which do not ruminate unclean : for3- every creature of God is clean. To God the Creator the
swine is as clean as the lamb. For He created all things Gen. 1,
very good; and every creature of God is good, saith thei'^im Apostle; and, to the pure all things are pure. Since then 4, 4. by nature both are clean, but in signification the lamb
power may be of God. But that which is the treasure, the
same is also the bread : for, were not the treasure and the
bread the same, it would not elsewhere be said of this very treasure, A treasure to be desired resteth in the mouth ofProv. the wise, but the foolish man swalloweth it up. Wherefore 21,20' we exhort you, beloved, that what by hearing, ye store,
clean, the swine something unclean, the lamb signifieth the innocence of wisdom that ruminateth,
the swine signifieth the uncleanness of folly that forgetteth.
A brief Psalm hath been said for the festival, let us see
whether can also be briefly handled.
2. With my voice have cried unto the Lord. It werever. 1.
enough to say, with voice not for nothing perhaps has my been added. For many cry unto the Lord, not with their own voice, but with the voice of their body. Let the inner Eph. man then, in whom Christ hath begun to dwell by faith, cry unto the Lord, not with the din of his lips, but with the affection of his heart. God heareth not, where man heareth: unless thou criest with the voice of lungs and side and
signifieth something
man heareth thee not: thy thought thy cry to
tongue,
the Lord.
with my voice have prayed unto the Lord. What he
With my voice have cried unto the Lord:
this^^' -
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is
3,
15'' '
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2t54 Prayer ' before God' is prayer in the" soul.
Psalm meant by, / have cried, he explained when he said, / have C,l"'prayed. For they too who blaspheme, cry unto the Lord. In the former part he set down his crying, in the latter he explained what it was. As though it were demanded, With
what cry hast thou cried unto the Lord ? Unto the Lord, saith he, I have prayed. My cry is my prayer, not reviling, not murmuring, not blaspheming.
Matt.
Eph.
2.
Him my prayer. What is, before Him? In His sight. What in His sight? Where He seeth. But where doth He not see For so do we say, where He seeth, as though somewhere He seeth not. But in this assemblage of bodily substances men too see, animals too see He seeth where man seeth not. For thy
thoughts no man seeth, but God seeth. There then pour out thy prayer, where He alone seeth, Who rewardeth. For the Lord Jesus Christ bade thee pray in secret: but thou knowest what thy closet is, and cleansest there thou pray est to God. When ye pray, saith He, be not as the
who stand praying in the roads and streets, that they may be seen of men. But thou, uhen thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and shut the door, and pray to thy Father in secret, and He Who seeth in secret shall reward thee. If men are to reward thee, pour out thy prayer before men God to reward thee, pour out thy prayer before Him and close the door, lest the tempter enter. For the tempter ceaseth not to knock, that he may break in; he find shut, he passeth on. Therefore the Apostle, because in our power to shut the door, the door of our hearts, not of our walls, for in our closet, --because
in our power to shut this door, saith, neither give place to the devil. For he have entered and taken possession, observe that thou hast either negligently closed, or neglected to close it.
3.
before
hypocrites,
J uill pour out
4. But what to shut the door This door hath as were two leaves, desire and fear. Either thou desireth something earthy, and he enter by this or thou fearest something earthly, and he enters by that. Close then the door of fear and desire against the devil, open to Christ. How dost thou open these folding doors to Christ?
kingdom of heaven, by fearing the fire of hell. By desire of
By desiring the
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6,
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if
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is it :
if
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We are to love and fear Christ, not the devil. 265
this world the devil entereth, by desire of eternal life Christ Ver.
2--
entereth; by fear of temporal punishment the devil entereth,
by fear of everlasting fire Christ entereth. Behold, the martyrs closed the door against the devil, opened it to Christ.
Many things this world promised them : they laughed ; they closed the leaf of desire against the devil. The world threatened them with wild beasts, with fire, with the cross ;
they feared not; they closed the leaf of fear against the devil.
Let us see whether they opened them to Christ. He that Mat. 10,
con/esseth Me, saith He, before men, him will Iconfess
afso32 before My Father Which is in heaven. They loved then the kingdom of heaven, where Christ will confess them. How
shall He confess them? Come, ye blessed of My Father, Mat. 25, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of3*'
the world. He will confess them when they are set on the
right hand. Let us see whether they opened also to Christ
the leaf of fear, which they closed to the devil. In one and
the same place doth the Lord bid us both close it to the
devil and open it to Him. Fear not, saith He, them /Aa/Mat. 10,
kill the body, but cannot kill the soul. He bade the door of fear be closed in the face of the devil. Is there nothing to be feared ? Is not the approach of fear opened to Christ, which is shut to the devil ? He added at once, as though He would say, Thou hast shut out him, open to me; fear Him,
Who hath power to kill both soul and body in hell fire. Now
then, if thou hast believed and opened to Christ, and closed it against the devil, Christ is within ; there He dwelleth :
pour out before Him thy prayer ; seek not that He hear thee
from afar. For not far off is the wisdom of God, which reacheth from one end to the other, and mightily and sweetly 'Wisd. 8, ordereth all things. Within then, in thyself, before Him1.
pour out thy prayer : there are His ears. For neither fromVa. 15,6.
the east, nor from the west, nor from the desert mountains ; 7' for God is the Judge. But, if He be the Judge, take heed
5.
in the two preceding sentences, and in these which follow : the sentiments are two, but both twice expressed. One is, with my voice have Icried unto the Lord; with my voice have
what cause thou bearest in thine heart.
/ will pour out
I will proclaim in His sight. There is a repetition, both
before
Him my prayer ; my tribulation
'
Trusting, not in our own strength, but His.
Psalm I prayed unto the Lord ; the other is, / will pour out before CxlI1- Him my prayer ; my tribulation will I proclaim in His sight. For, in His sight, is the same as before Him; Iwill / will pour out my prayer. When doest thou this ? Being set in the midst >>er. 3. of persecution, he saith, while my spirit failed from me. Wherefore hath thy spirit failed, 0 martyr, set in tribulation? That I may not claim my strength as mine own, that I may know that Another worketh in me the goodness I have. Mat 10, But when they shall deliver you up to judges, (so warned the Lord those whom He wished to make martyrs,) take no thought what ye shall speak ; for it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father that speaketh in you. Let then thy spirit fail, let the Spirit of God speak. Rightly willed
Mutt. 5, He to make them poor in spirit: Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed then are they that are poor in their own spirit, rich in the Spirit of God. For every man who followeth his own spirit is proud. Let him subdue his own spirit, that he may receive the Spirit of God. He clomb to the top, let him settle down in the valley. If he climb to the top, the water flows down from him : if he settle down in the valley, he shall be filled with it,
John 7, and become that belly whereof is said, Out of his belly shall flow rivers of living waters. Therefore, while my spirit failed from me, in Thy sight did 1 proclaim my tribu lation, being humbled, confessing to Thee with mine own spirit failing, while I am full of Thy Spirit.
6. And men perhaps have heard that my spirit hath failed within me, and have despaired of me, and have said, ' we have taken him captive, we have overpowered him ;' and
Thou hast known my paths. They thought me cast down, Thou didst see me standing upright. They who persecuted
Ps. 20, me and had seized me, thought my feet entangled, but their feet were entangled, and they fell, but we are risen, and stand Ps. 25, upright. For mine eyes are ever unto the Lord,for He shall
pluck my feet out of the net. I have persevered in walking, Mat. 10, for he that shall persevere unto the end, the same shall be saved.
They thought me overpowered, but I continued walking. Where did I walk ? In paths which they saw not, who thought me prisoner, in the paths of Thy righteousness, in
proclaim my tribulation, is the same as,
The paths of God's Will manifold, yet one. 267
the paths of Thy commandments. For, Thou knewest my Vrr. paths; the persecutor knew them not; else would he not --
envy me in them, but would walk with me in them. What
are those paths, but the ways of which in auother place is
said, Ihsi Lord knoweth the way of the righteous, but the wayPs. l,e. of the ungodly shall perish? He said not, ' He knoweth
not the way of the ungodly,' but ' the way of the ungodly
shall perish. ' For what He knoweth not, perisheth. In
many passages of Scripture we find that God's knowing
is preservation, that God's knowing is protection, His not
knowing, damnation. For how will He, Who knoweth all things, say in the end, / know you not? Would they not Matt. 7, rejoice at that, and say, 'We shall not be punished, for the23' Judge knoweth us not? ' Therein are they punished, if the
Judge know them not. What then are called the ways which
the Lord knoweth, the same are here called paths, when He
saith, Thou knoweth my paths. For every path is a way,
but not every way is a path. Why then are those ways called
paths, save because they are narrow ? Broad is the way of
the wicked, narrow the way of the righteous.
7. That which is ' the way' is also ' the ways,' just as 'the
Church' is also ' the Churches,' the ' heaven' also the
' heavens:' they are spoken of in the plural, they are spoken
of also in the singular. On account of the unity of the Church it is one Church; My dove is one, she is the only Cant. 6, one of her mother. On account of the congregation of8' brethren in various places there are many Churches. The Churches of Judcea which are in Christ rejoiced, saith Paul, Gal. l, because he that persecuted us now preacheth the faith which 22' 23- once he destroyed; and they glorified God in me. Thus he
spake of Churches ; and of one Church he thus speaketh,
Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles,
nor to the Church of God. Thus then are both ' ways' and
' way,' both ' paths' and ' path. ' Wherefore ' paths,' and wherefore ' path ? ' As we have given a reason why we have
both ' Church' and ' Churches,' we ought also to give a
reason for this. The phrase, ' paths of God,' is used, because
His commandments are many; and because those many commandments are reduced to one, for Love is the fulfilling Rom. :3,
of the law ; therefore those ways in many commandments 10,
268 God knows our motives, man cannot.
Psalm are gathered into one, and it is' called one, because our way CxlU" is Love. Let us see whether it be Love. Let us hear the
I
What more excellent way speakest thou of, O Apostle?
iCor. 12, Apostle ; and yet shew U
ing brass or a tinkling cymbal: and though
way.
unto you a more excellent
I
and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sound
iCor. lS, Hear what I say : Though '" <k? '
speak
with the men tongues of
I
of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all know
ledge ; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove
mountains, and have not charity, I
am nothing : and though
I
way. Great is that way, brethren, great is the marvel it containeth. This way certainly, because it is more excellent, is also more lofty ; for that surpasseth others which is lofty. Nought is more lofty than the way of love, and none walk in that save the lowly. By these paths then he meaneth the commandments of love. Thou, saith he, knewest my paths: Thou knowest that I suffer for Thee, suffer for Love.
Thou knowest that Love in me beareth all things; Thou knowest that if / give my body to be burned, I have that without which it profiteth man nought.
8. But who knoweth those ways of a man, brethren, save truly He to Whom. it is said, Thou knowest my paths? For in the eyes of men all acts of men are uncertain, in what spirit they are done. And how many wicked men, measur ing themselves by themselves, say of us in the Church, that we seek three things, honours, praise, temporal advantages?
How many say that I address you in order that ye may applaud and praise me, and that this is my end and aim when 1 address you ? And how do I shew to them that I speak not with such aim ? It remains for me to say, Thou knowest my paths. How do they know, what ye yourselves even know not? How do they know, what I myself scarce know? For
l Cor. 4,/ judge not mine own self, but He that judgeth me is the Lord. Peter in ignorance presumed I know not what of him
self: different was what the Physician saw in his strength. Therefore in reverence and purity let us cry unto the Lord, for truly do we cry Tliou knowest my paths. But wishest
I
my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. Therefore called he charity, a more excellent
bestow all my goods to
feed
the poor, and though
give
have the gift
it,
' Traps in the way,' objections to Christ. 269
thou that He lead thee by these paths ? Be meek, be ver.
3'
geutle ; be not fierce ; be not proud ; be not of an up-tossed
and uplifted neck, like unto horse and mule, which have no Ps. 32, understanding. For when thou art gentle, the Lord will sit 10" upon thee, and guide thee in His ways. For them that are Ps 25,s. . meek, shall He guide in judgment ; and such as are gentle,
them shall He teach His ways.
9. In this way, wherein Iwas walking, they hid a trap
for me. This way wherein
have they laid a trap for me, who persecute me in Christ, for
Christ's Name's sake. There then have they hid for me a trap. What in me do they hate, what in me do they persecute? That I am a Christian. If this they persecute that I am a Christian, in the way wherein I
was walking have they hid a trap for me. So far as in them lay, in the way wherein I was walking they have hid a trap for me :
was walking, is Christ ; there
as regards their desire, as regards their endeavour, as regards
their wish, in that way they desired that I should find a trap wherein I might be taken. But, the Lord knoweth the way Ps. 1,6. of the righteous; and, Thou hast known my paths. This indeed they desired, but Thou allowest them not to make a stumbling-block in Thee, for Thou art my way. For the heretics too wish to hide a stumbling-block for us in the
Name of Christ, and are themselves deceived. What they
think that they put in the way, they put outside the way, for
they themselves are outside the way. They cannot set a
trap where themselves are not. But this is said in regard of
their desire, in regard of their wish and their thought ; for it
is expressly said elsewhere, Near the paths they laid stumbling- p<<. ]4o, blocks for me. The expression here, in the way, is said in5. regard of their desire and wish : the expression there, near
the way, that is, near the paths, is said in regard of the truth.
For in truth they set them not in the path, they set them not
in the way ; for the way is Christ ; so in truth they set them
near the way. Christ suffereth them not to set them in the
way, lest we have not where to go ; He does suffer them to set
them near the way, that we may not turn aside from it.
The Pagan thinketh to put a stumbling-block in the way, when he saith to me, 'Thou worshippest a crucified God. ' He findeth fault with the Cross of Christ, which he under-
T. uke 21i'
Eeclus. J3'
Which is in heaven, set, so to speak, that very ignominy which the Pagans mock at, in the seat of our shame. Thou hearest a man assail shameless man, and say, He hath no forehead. ' What is, He hath no forehead He hath no shame. Let me not have bare forehead, let the Cross of my Lord cover it. So in the way wherein was walking have they hid a trap for me, so far as in them lay they laid near the way but shall be safe, depart not from the way. Remember that thou goest in the midst snares, saith Scripture. What is, in the midst of snares In the way of Christ, and snares on this side and on that: snares on the right hand, and snares on the left snares on the right hand, worldly prosperity snares on the left hand, worldly adversity snares on the right hand, promises snares on the left hand, alarms. Do thou walk in the midst of the snares depart not from the way let neither pro mise ensnare thee, nor alarm drive thee off it. In this way, wherein was walking, have they hidden a trap for me.
10. considered upon the right hand, and saw. He considered upon the right hand, and saw whoso considereth upon the left hand, blinded. What to consider on the right hand Where they will be to whom shall be said,
ver. 4.
270 Christians, bearing the Cross on theirforeheads, must
Psai m standeth not. He thinketh that he setteth in Christ, what he setteth near the way. 1 will not depart from Christ, so shall I not fall from the way into the trap. Let him mock at Christ crucified, let me see the Cross of Christ on the fore heads of kings. What he laugheth at, therein am I saved. Nought is prouder than a sick man, who laugheth at his own medicine. If he laughed not at he would take it, and be healed. The Cross the sign of humility, but he through excess of pride acknowledgeth not that whereby may be healed the swelling of his soul. But acknow ledge, am walking in the way. So far am from blushing at the Cross, that in no secret place do keep the Cross of Christ, but bear on my forehead. Many sacraments we receive, one in one way another in another some as ye know we receive with the mouth, some we receive over the whole body. But because the forehead the seat of the blush of shame, He Who said, Whosoever shall be ashamed of Me before men, of him will be ashamed before My Father
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openly confess Christ : looking to His Reward. 27 1
Come, ye blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom. For Ver.
there will be certain on the left to whom shall be said,' Go u ' _- Mat. 25,
ye into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his3i. 4i. angels. While then the whole world raged, and threatened
in persecutions, when on all sides the attacks and terrors
of men increased, he, despising the present, looked to the future, gave heed to the right hand, where he is to be :
there he meditated to be, to that he gave heed, and saw, and therefore bore all ; but they who persecuted him, saw not. Therefore when he said, / considered upon the right hand, and saw, he goeth on to say, and there was none that knew me. For when thou fearest all things, who knoweth what thou regardest, whether thou directest thine eyes to the right hand or to the left? If, in bearing, thou seekest the praise of men, thou hast regarded the left: in bearing, thou seekest the promises of God, thou hast regarded the right hand. Hast thou regarded the right hand, thou shalt see: hast thou regarded the left hand, thou shalt be blinded. But even when thou seest on the right hand, there will be none to know thee. For who comforteth thee save the Lord, to Whom thou sayest, And Thou hast known my
paths And there was no man that knew me.
11. Flight hath perished from me. He speaketh as though he were hemmed in. Flight hath perished from me.
Let the persecutors rejoice over him he overpowered, he taken, he hemmed in, he conquered flight hath perished from him. Flight hath perished from him who fleeth not. But he who fleeth not, sufferelh whatever he can for Christ: that is, he fleeth not in soul. For in body
lawful to flee allowed, permitted for the
Lord saith, When they persecute you in one city, flee to Mat 10, another. He then who fleeth not in soul, from him flight23' hath perished. But maketh a difference why he fleeth
not; whether because he hemmed in, because he
caught, or because he brave. For both from him that
caught flight hath perished, and from him that brave flight hath perished. What flight then to be avoided what flight shall we allow to perish from us That whereof
the Lord speaketh in the Gospel, The good shepherd layeth johnio,
&? ,
down his life for the sheep. But he that is an hireling,
1
is
? is
is ?
is ;
is
it is
is
; it it is
is
it is
is
;
;
is
?
is
if,
272 God, our Hope here, our Portion hereafter.
Psalm and not the shepherd, when he seeth the wolf coming, flceth. cxti^ Wl^n he seeth the ravager, why fleeth he ? Because he careth not for the sheep. Such flight had perished from him, whether we understand this saying in the name of the Head Himself, Christ our Lord, Who suffered for us; or whether of Mis members, our martyrs, who themselves too have suffered for their brethren. Hear what John saith, 1John3, For as He laid down His life for us, we ought also to lay "' down our lives for the brethren. But when they lay them
down, Christ layeth down : for, when they suffer persecution,
He crieth out, Why persecutest thou Me? Flight hath perished from me ; and there is none to seek my life. Is there then none to seek his life? He sees men desirous to rage against him even to death, desirous to shed his blood ; how is there none to seek his life ? This also may be taken in two ways. Just as flight perishing may be taken in two ways, because both from him that is caught, and from him that is brave, flight perisheth; so in two ways a man's life is sought, either by his persecutors or by his lovers. So then there is none to seek my life, he said of them; verily they persecute my life, and they seek not my life. But if they seek my life, they will find it clinging to Thee: and if they know to seek they know also to imitate it. For that ye may know that man's life sought by
Pa.
hoped,
spare
Only obstinate sinners fall into the devil's nets. 259
who have consented and apostatised : and from both he Ver. desires to be guarded. On the one side they threaten and 9" l0' rage, on the other consent and fall : I fear lest the one be
such, that I fear him ; the other such, that I imitate him.
' This I do to thee, if thou consent not. ' Keep me from the trap which they have laid for me. ' Behold, thy brother hath already consented. ' And from the stumbling-blocks of them which work iniquity.
24. Sinners shall fall into his nets. What then, brethren, ver. 10. is, sinners shall fall into his vets f Not all sinners : certain sinners, who are so great sinners, as to love this life to such
a degree as to prefer it to everlasting life, shall fall into his
trap. But what sayest thou? Shall they that are such, thinkest thou, fall into his nets ? what of Thy disciples, O Christ? Behold, when persecution was raging, when they
all left Thee alone, and went every one to his own: (this John 16, Thou didst foretell, because Thou didst foresee: for not32' because Thou didst announce it beforehand, didst Thou therefore do or in any way deny Thyself:) but, lo! they
who were closest to Thee, in Thy trial and persecution, when Thine enemies demanded Thee to be crucified, abandoned Thee. And that one bold one, who had promised Thee that he would go with Thee even unto death, heard from the Physician what was being done in him, the sick man. For being in fever, he had said he was whole but the Lord touched the vein of his heart. Then came the trial then came the test; then came the accusation; and now,
not some great power, but by humble slave, and that a woman, questioned by handmaid, he yielded he denied thrice When he had once denied and was reminded, he denied second time. When he had twice denied and was reminded, he denied a third time. This had the Lord foretold, not fore-ordered, not compelled. Or,
Peter be thought to have done rightly, because the Lord foretold it, Judas also did rightly, who betrayed Him, for this also the Lord had foretold. God forbid, my brethren. These are the words of those elect who defend their own sins also, rather than confess them. Let us rather consider Peter himself. If he sinned not, why wept he Let us ask
none concerning Peter, save the tears of Peter: more faith-
questioned
s 2
?
a
;
if
a
a
a by
it,
;;
2H0 The Apostles not firm in their faith
Psalm ful witness concerning him we do not find. He wept -"-- Utterly, it saith. Not yet was he fitted to suffer. To him John 13, was said, Thou shall follow Me afterwards. Hereafter he
was to be firm, having been strengthened by the Lord's Resurrection.
25. Not yet then was it time that those bones should be scattered beside the pit. For see how many failed, even to those who first hung on His mouth ; even they failed.
Wherefore? / am alone, until I
pass over: for this fol- loweth in the Psalm. Above he hath said, Keep me, O Lord, from the trap which they have laid for me, and from the stumbling-blocks of them who work iniquity. From the
trap, and from the stumbling-blocks, from those who frighten, and from those who have fallen. But because, at His passion, even those first ones, who were destined to be leaders of the Church and pillars of the earth, failed; not yet was accomplished what He saith in another Psalm,
Ps. 76,3.
/ have strengthened the pillars
What saith He ? This is said in the person pass over. What is, alone?
/ am alone, until I pass over.
of the Head, / am alone, until
In Thy Passion Thou alone sufferest, Thou alone art slain
I
unto the Father. What then is, until Ipass
this world unto the Father? For then have I strengthened the pillars thereof, that is, the pillars of the world, when in My Resurrection they have clearly learnt that death is not
by Thine enemies. / am alone, until
pass over. What
John 13, is, until I pass
J hour was come that Jesus should pass over from this world
I
thereof.
over? The saith, When the Evangelist
an object of fear. Until then
when I have passed over, I shall be multiplied; many shall imitate Me, many shall suffer for My Name. One am I until I pass over; many shall be one in Me when I have
passed over. / am alone, until I
farther a mystery in this word. According to the Greek method of speech, Pascha seemeth to mean Passion; but, according to the Hebrew tongue, as they explain who know
Pascha meaneth Pass-over. For you ask true Greeks, they say that Pascha no Greek word. sounds like Tcaa"^etv, that is, to suffer but not wont to be derived in this way. For Passion in Greek **&<>(, not Pascha.
/
pass over, I am alone:
over, save,
from
pass over. Hear
it is
'
is ;'
if is
It
it,
until strengthened by the Lord's Remrrection. 26'1
Pascha then, as they say who know, and who have explained Ves, to us what to read, meaneth ' Pass-over. ' When then the -- Lord's Passion was about to come, the Evangelist, as though
he would use this very word, saith, When the hour was come
that Jesus should pass Iover to the Father. We hear then
of Pascha in this verse,
Pascha I shall no longer be alone, after passing-over I shall no longer be alone. Many shall imitate Me, many shall follow Me. And if afterward they shall follow, what shall be the case now ?
am alone, until I
pass over. After
/ am alone, until I over. What pass
is it that the Lord saith in this Psalm, / am alone, until I pass over ? What is it that we have expounded ? I f we have understood listen to His own words in the Gospel.
Verily, verily, say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall John 12, into the ground and die, abideth alone; but die, it24' beareth much fruit. This He saith in the same place
where He also saith, And be lifted up from the earth, lb. 32. will draw all men unto Me. Except a corn of wheat, He
saith, fall into the ground and die, abideth alone; but die, bringeth forth much fruit. To that Corn of wheat then, great crop was due but wait let It first die, for,
except a corn wheat fall into the ground and die, abideth alone.
26. Therefore He was alone before He was put to death. Therefore too Peter had not yet sufficient strength he was to receive strength to follow, he had not strength to go before. For for Christ's sake, that is, for confessing the Name of Christ, whereby we are Christians, no one died before Christ, lest perchance such thought should occur to you. For many died and are martyrs, many prophets suffered the same things, yet they were not put to death because they
foretold Christ, but because they told men of their sins, and freely resisted their iniquities, and so are accounted among martyrs. Rightly for, though not for confessing the Name of Christ, yet for the truth's sake were they slain. But so far was any from dying for the Name, that is, for confessing the Name of Christ, before that Corn of wheat fell into the ground, in whose person said, am alone, until pass over, that even John, who was slain just before Him, being given by wicked king to dancing woman, was not put
a
a is
; I,it
;
of
I
it,
/ it ;
iIf
I
:
if it
it
if
it a it
26-2 John the Baptist did not suffer for Christ.
Psalm to death because he confessed Christ. Of course he might have c,w"- boen put to death for this, and that by many. If for another reason he was put to death by one man, how much more
might he have been put to death by those very men, who put Christ to death ? For John gave testimony to Christ. They who heard Christ, wished to slay Him ; the man who gave testimony to Him they slew not. For had John been attacked for Christ's sake, he would not have denied Him ; for he had great strength, wherefore he was called,
John 3, fne frienol vf tJle Bridegroom. Great grace was there in Mat. 11, him, great excellence; among them that are born of women.
ll*
hath not arisen a greater than John the Baptist. He therefore was attacked, who had not so great strength : Peter was attacked, not John. For Peter received the strength afterwards, but then he was weak. For Christ's Name he is questioned, who had not strength : he who had strength, suffers not persecution for Christ, lest for the Name of Christ he should precede Christ. He is not slain by the Jews who gave free testimony to Christ, Whom the Jews slew ; he is slain by Herod, because he said to
Mat. 14, l)iirl, 1i ig not lawful for thee to have thy brother's wife. For his brother had not died without issue. For the law of truth, for equity, for righteousness' sake, he did die : therefore is he a saint, therefore a martyr; but yet he died not for that Name whereby we are Christians, wherefore, save that the saying might be fulfilled, / am alone, until Ipass over.
Lat. CxEI"
PSALM CXLII. Sermon to the People.
This festival of the martyrs, as it claimeth from you the devotion of a crowded attendance, so doth it also claim a dis course from me, your servant. But ye ought to remember, beloved, how much was said yesterday. For we ought not, because, through the eagerness of your inward appetite, ye were present throughout the whole discourse as though ye had
just arrived, therefore to forget our common weakness, first because we ought also to treat with honour excellent words, as it is written, 'Excellent are the words of the wisdom of the Lord God. ' By us, as by earthen vessels, they are
We should meditate on and digest what we hear. 263
ministered to you : but, if the vessels be earthen, yet is the Vkr.
bread from heaven. The Apostle saith, We have treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the 7.
'
so to speak, in the stomach of your memory, that by again revolving and meditating ye in a manner ruminate. For
this is, A treasure to be desired resteth in the mouth of the
wise, but a foolish man swalloweth it up. What he said is
in brief, A wise man ruminateth, a fool doth not ruminate.
And what is this in plain and downright language ? The wise thinketh on that which he heareth, but the fool committeth
what he hath heard to oblivion. For neither was it for any
other reason that in the Law those animals are called clean Lev. 11, which ruminate, those which do not ruminate unclean : for3- every creature of God is clean. To God the Creator the
swine is as clean as the lamb. For He created all things Gen. 1,
very good; and every creature of God is good, saith thei'^im Apostle; and, to the pure all things are pure. Since then 4, 4. by nature both are clean, but in signification the lamb
power may be of God. But that which is the treasure, the
same is also the bread : for, were not the treasure and the
bread the same, it would not elsewhere be said of this very treasure, A treasure to be desired resteth in the mouth ofProv. the wise, but the foolish man swalloweth it up. Wherefore 21,20' we exhort you, beloved, that what by hearing, ye store,
clean, the swine something unclean, the lamb signifieth the innocence of wisdom that ruminateth,
the swine signifieth the uncleanness of folly that forgetteth.
A brief Psalm hath been said for the festival, let us see
whether can also be briefly handled.
2. With my voice have cried unto the Lord. It werever. 1.
enough to say, with voice not for nothing perhaps has my been added. For many cry unto the Lord, not with their own voice, but with the voice of their body. Let the inner Eph. man then, in whom Christ hath begun to dwell by faith, cry unto the Lord, not with the din of his lips, but with the affection of his heart. God heareth not, where man heareth: unless thou criest with the voice of lungs and side and
signifieth something
man heareth thee not: thy thought thy cry to
tongue,
the Lord.
with my voice have prayed unto the Lord. What he
With my voice have cried unto the Lord:
this^^' -
I
I
I
is
3,
15'' '
:
it
2t54 Prayer ' before God' is prayer in the" soul.
Psalm meant by, / have cried, he explained when he said, / have C,l"'prayed. For they too who blaspheme, cry unto the Lord. In the former part he set down his crying, in the latter he explained what it was. As though it were demanded, With
what cry hast thou cried unto the Lord ? Unto the Lord, saith he, I have prayed. My cry is my prayer, not reviling, not murmuring, not blaspheming.
Matt.
Eph.
2.
Him my prayer. What is, before Him? In His sight. What in His sight? Where He seeth. But where doth He not see For so do we say, where He seeth, as though somewhere He seeth not. But in this assemblage of bodily substances men too see, animals too see He seeth where man seeth not. For thy
thoughts no man seeth, but God seeth. There then pour out thy prayer, where He alone seeth, Who rewardeth. For the Lord Jesus Christ bade thee pray in secret: but thou knowest what thy closet is, and cleansest there thou pray est to God. When ye pray, saith He, be not as the
who stand praying in the roads and streets, that they may be seen of men. But thou, uhen thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and shut the door, and pray to thy Father in secret, and He Who seeth in secret shall reward thee. If men are to reward thee, pour out thy prayer before men God to reward thee, pour out thy prayer before Him and close the door, lest the tempter enter. For the tempter ceaseth not to knock, that he may break in; he find shut, he passeth on. Therefore the Apostle, because in our power to shut the door, the door of our hearts, not of our walls, for in our closet, --because
in our power to shut this door, saith, neither give place to the devil. For he have entered and taken possession, observe that thou hast either negligently closed, or neglected to close it.
3.
before
hypocrites,
J uill pour out
4. But what to shut the door This door hath as were two leaves, desire and fear. Either thou desireth something earthy, and he enter by this or thou fearest something earthly, and he enters by that. Close then the door of fear and desire against the devil, open to Christ. How dost thou open these folding doors to Christ?
kingdom of heaven, by fearing the fire of hell. By desire of
By desiring the
it
is, r
;
?
it is
it
4,
6,
it is
if
it
if
is ; :if
is it :
if
is
it,
We are to love and fear Christ, not the devil. 265
this world the devil entereth, by desire of eternal life Christ Ver.
2--
entereth; by fear of temporal punishment the devil entereth,
by fear of everlasting fire Christ entereth. Behold, the martyrs closed the door against the devil, opened it to Christ.
Many things this world promised them : they laughed ; they closed the leaf of desire against the devil. The world threatened them with wild beasts, with fire, with the cross ;
they feared not; they closed the leaf of fear against the devil.
Let us see whether they opened them to Christ. He that Mat. 10,
con/esseth Me, saith He, before men, him will Iconfess
afso32 before My Father Which is in heaven. They loved then the kingdom of heaven, where Christ will confess them. How
shall He confess them? Come, ye blessed of My Father, Mat. 25, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of3*'
the world. He will confess them when they are set on the
right hand. Let us see whether they opened also to Christ
the leaf of fear, which they closed to the devil. In one and
the same place doth the Lord bid us both close it to the
devil and open it to Him. Fear not, saith He, them /Aa/Mat. 10,
kill the body, but cannot kill the soul. He bade the door of fear be closed in the face of the devil. Is there nothing to be feared ? Is not the approach of fear opened to Christ, which is shut to the devil ? He added at once, as though He would say, Thou hast shut out him, open to me; fear Him,
Who hath power to kill both soul and body in hell fire. Now
then, if thou hast believed and opened to Christ, and closed it against the devil, Christ is within ; there He dwelleth :
pour out before Him thy prayer ; seek not that He hear thee
from afar. For not far off is the wisdom of God, which reacheth from one end to the other, and mightily and sweetly 'Wisd. 8, ordereth all things. Within then, in thyself, before Him1.
pour out thy prayer : there are His ears. For neither fromVa. 15,6.
the east, nor from the west, nor from the desert mountains ; 7' for God is the Judge. But, if He be the Judge, take heed
5.
in the two preceding sentences, and in these which follow : the sentiments are two, but both twice expressed. One is, with my voice have Icried unto the Lord; with my voice have
what cause thou bearest in thine heart.
/ will pour out
I will proclaim in His sight. There is a repetition, both
before
Him my prayer ; my tribulation
'
Trusting, not in our own strength, but His.
Psalm I prayed unto the Lord ; the other is, / will pour out before CxlI1- Him my prayer ; my tribulation will I proclaim in His sight. For, in His sight, is the same as before Him; Iwill / will pour out my prayer. When doest thou this ? Being set in the midst >>er. 3. of persecution, he saith, while my spirit failed from me. Wherefore hath thy spirit failed, 0 martyr, set in tribulation? That I may not claim my strength as mine own, that I may know that Another worketh in me the goodness I have. Mat 10, But when they shall deliver you up to judges, (so warned the Lord those whom He wished to make martyrs,) take no thought what ye shall speak ; for it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father that speaketh in you. Let then thy spirit fail, let the Spirit of God speak. Rightly willed
Mutt. 5, He to make them poor in spirit: Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed then are they that are poor in their own spirit, rich in the Spirit of God. For every man who followeth his own spirit is proud. Let him subdue his own spirit, that he may receive the Spirit of God. He clomb to the top, let him settle down in the valley. If he climb to the top, the water flows down from him : if he settle down in the valley, he shall be filled with it,
John 7, and become that belly whereof is said, Out of his belly shall flow rivers of living waters. Therefore, while my spirit failed from me, in Thy sight did 1 proclaim my tribu lation, being humbled, confessing to Thee with mine own spirit failing, while I am full of Thy Spirit.
6. And men perhaps have heard that my spirit hath failed within me, and have despaired of me, and have said, ' we have taken him captive, we have overpowered him ;' and
Thou hast known my paths. They thought me cast down, Thou didst see me standing upright. They who persecuted
Ps. 20, me and had seized me, thought my feet entangled, but their feet were entangled, and they fell, but we are risen, and stand Ps. 25, upright. For mine eyes are ever unto the Lord,for He shall
pluck my feet out of the net. I have persevered in walking, Mat. 10, for he that shall persevere unto the end, the same shall be saved.
They thought me overpowered, but I continued walking. Where did I walk ? In paths which they saw not, who thought me prisoner, in the paths of Thy righteousness, in
proclaim my tribulation, is the same as,
The paths of God's Will manifold, yet one. 267
the paths of Thy commandments. For, Thou knewest my Vrr. paths; the persecutor knew them not; else would he not --
envy me in them, but would walk with me in them. What
are those paths, but the ways of which in auother place is
said, Ihsi Lord knoweth the way of the righteous, but the wayPs. l,e. of the ungodly shall perish? He said not, ' He knoweth
not the way of the ungodly,' but ' the way of the ungodly
shall perish. ' For what He knoweth not, perisheth. In
many passages of Scripture we find that God's knowing
is preservation, that God's knowing is protection, His not
knowing, damnation. For how will He, Who knoweth all things, say in the end, / know you not? Would they not Matt. 7, rejoice at that, and say, 'We shall not be punished, for the23' Judge knoweth us not? ' Therein are they punished, if the
Judge know them not. What then are called the ways which
the Lord knoweth, the same are here called paths, when He
saith, Thou knoweth my paths. For every path is a way,
but not every way is a path. Why then are those ways called
paths, save because they are narrow ? Broad is the way of
the wicked, narrow the way of the righteous.
7. That which is ' the way' is also ' the ways,' just as 'the
Church' is also ' the Churches,' the ' heaven' also the
' heavens:' they are spoken of in the plural, they are spoken
of also in the singular. On account of the unity of the Church it is one Church; My dove is one, she is the only Cant. 6, one of her mother. On account of the congregation of8' brethren in various places there are many Churches. The Churches of Judcea which are in Christ rejoiced, saith Paul, Gal. l, because he that persecuted us now preacheth the faith which 22' 23- once he destroyed; and they glorified God in me. Thus he
spake of Churches ; and of one Church he thus speaketh,
Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles,
nor to the Church of God. Thus then are both ' ways' and
' way,' both ' paths' and ' path. ' Wherefore ' paths,' and wherefore ' path ? ' As we have given a reason why we have
both ' Church' and ' Churches,' we ought also to give a
reason for this. The phrase, ' paths of God,' is used, because
His commandments are many; and because those many commandments are reduced to one, for Love is the fulfilling Rom. :3,
of the law ; therefore those ways in many commandments 10,
268 God knows our motives, man cannot.
Psalm are gathered into one, and it is' called one, because our way CxlU" is Love. Let us see whether it be Love. Let us hear the
I
What more excellent way speakest thou of, O Apostle?
iCor. 12, Apostle ; and yet shew U
ing brass or a tinkling cymbal: and though
way.
unto you a more excellent
I
and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sound
iCor. lS, Hear what I say : Though '" <k? '
speak
with the men tongues of
I
of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all know
ledge ; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove
mountains, and have not charity, I
am nothing : and though
I
way. Great is that way, brethren, great is the marvel it containeth. This way certainly, because it is more excellent, is also more lofty ; for that surpasseth others which is lofty. Nought is more lofty than the way of love, and none walk in that save the lowly. By these paths then he meaneth the commandments of love. Thou, saith he, knewest my paths: Thou knowest that I suffer for Thee, suffer for Love.
Thou knowest that Love in me beareth all things; Thou knowest that if / give my body to be burned, I have that without which it profiteth man nought.
8. But who knoweth those ways of a man, brethren, save truly He to Whom. it is said, Thou knowest my paths? For in the eyes of men all acts of men are uncertain, in what spirit they are done. And how many wicked men, measur ing themselves by themselves, say of us in the Church, that we seek three things, honours, praise, temporal advantages?
How many say that I address you in order that ye may applaud and praise me, and that this is my end and aim when 1 address you ? And how do I shew to them that I speak not with such aim ? It remains for me to say, Thou knowest my paths. How do they know, what ye yourselves even know not? How do they know, what I myself scarce know? For
l Cor. 4,/ judge not mine own self, but He that judgeth me is the Lord. Peter in ignorance presumed I know not what of him
self: different was what the Physician saw in his strength. Therefore in reverence and purity let us cry unto the Lord, for truly do we cry Tliou knowest my paths. But wishest
I
my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. Therefore called he charity, a more excellent
bestow all my goods to
feed
the poor, and though
give
have the gift
it,
' Traps in the way,' objections to Christ. 269
thou that He lead thee by these paths ? Be meek, be ver.
3'
geutle ; be not fierce ; be not proud ; be not of an up-tossed
and uplifted neck, like unto horse and mule, which have no Ps. 32, understanding. For when thou art gentle, the Lord will sit 10" upon thee, and guide thee in His ways. For them that are Ps 25,s. . meek, shall He guide in judgment ; and such as are gentle,
them shall He teach His ways.
9. In this way, wherein Iwas walking, they hid a trap
for me. This way wherein
have they laid a trap for me, who persecute me in Christ, for
Christ's Name's sake. There then have they hid for me a trap. What in me do they hate, what in me do they persecute? That I am a Christian. If this they persecute that I am a Christian, in the way wherein I
was walking have they hid a trap for me. So far as in them lay, in the way wherein I was walking they have hid a trap for me :
was walking, is Christ ; there
as regards their desire, as regards their endeavour, as regards
their wish, in that way they desired that I should find a trap wherein I might be taken. But, the Lord knoweth the way Ps. 1,6. of the righteous; and, Thou hast known my paths. This indeed they desired, but Thou allowest them not to make a stumbling-block in Thee, for Thou art my way. For the heretics too wish to hide a stumbling-block for us in the
Name of Christ, and are themselves deceived. What they
think that they put in the way, they put outside the way, for
they themselves are outside the way. They cannot set a
trap where themselves are not. But this is said in regard of
their desire, in regard of their wish and their thought ; for it
is expressly said elsewhere, Near the paths they laid stumbling- p<<. ]4o, blocks for me. The expression here, in the way, is said in5. regard of their desire and wish : the expression there, near
the way, that is, near the paths, is said in regard of the truth.
For in truth they set them not in the path, they set them not
in the way ; for the way is Christ ; so in truth they set them
near the way. Christ suffereth them not to set them in the
way, lest we have not where to go ; He does suffer them to set
them near the way, that we may not turn aside from it.
The Pagan thinketh to put a stumbling-block in the way, when he saith to me, 'Thou worshippest a crucified God. ' He findeth fault with the Cross of Christ, which he under-
T. uke 21i'
Eeclus. J3'
Which is in heaven, set, so to speak, that very ignominy which the Pagans mock at, in the seat of our shame. Thou hearest a man assail shameless man, and say, He hath no forehead. ' What is, He hath no forehead He hath no shame. Let me not have bare forehead, let the Cross of my Lord cover it. So in the way wherein was walking have they hid a trap for me, so far as in them lay they laid near the way but shall be safe, depart not from the way. Remember that thou goest in the midst snares, saith Scripture. What is, in the midst of snares In the way of Christ, and snares on this side and on that: snares on the right hand, and snares on the left snares on the right hand, worldly prosperity snares on the left hand, worldly adversity snares on the right hand, promises snares on the left hand, alarms. Do thou walk in the midst of the snares depart not from the way let neither pro mise ensnare thee, nor alarm drive thee off it. In this way, wherein was walking, have they hidden a trap for me.
10. considered upon the right hand, and saw. He considered upon the right hand, and saw whoso considereth upon the left hand, blinded. What to consider on the right hand Where they will be to whom shall be said,
ver. 4.
270 Christians, bearing the Cross on theirforeheads, must
Psai m standeth not. He thinketh that he setteth in Christ, what he setteth near the way. 1 will not depart from Christ, so shall I not fall from the way into the trap. Let him mock at Christ crucified, let me see the Cross of Christ on the fore heads of kings. What he laugheth at, therein am I saved. Nought is prouder than a sick man, who laugheth at his own medicine. If he laughed not at he would take it, and be healed. The Cross the sign of humility, but he through excess of pride acknowledgeth not that whereby may be healed the swelling of his soul. But acknow ledge, am walking in the way. So far am from blushing at the Cross, that in no secret place do keep the Cross of Christ, but bear on my forehead. Many sacraments we receive, one in one way another in another some as ye know we receive with the mouth, some we receive over the whole body. But because the forehead the seat of the blush of shame, He Who said, Whosoever shall be ashamed of Me before men, of him will be ashamed before My Father
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openly confess Christ : looking to His Reward. 27 1
Come, ye blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom. For Ver.
there will be certain on the left to whom shall be said,' Go u ' _- Mat. 25,
ye into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his3i. 4i. angels. While then the whole world raged, and threatened
in persecutions, when on all sides the attacks and terrors
of men increased, he, despising the present, looked to the future, gave heed to the right hand, where he is to be :
there he meditated to be, to that he gave heed, and saw, and therefore bore all ; but they who persecuted him, saw not. Therefore when he said, / considered upon the right hand, and saw, he goeth on to say, and there was none that knew me. For when thou fearest all things, who knoweth what thou regardest, whether thou directest thine eyes to the right hand or to the left? If, in bearing, thou seekest the praise of men, thou hast regarded the left: in bearing, thou seekest the promises of God, thou hast regarded the right hand. Hast thou regarded the right hand, thou shalt see: hast thou regarded the left hand, thou shalt be blinded. But even when thou seest on the right hand, there will be none to know thee. For who comforteth thee save the Lord, to Whom thou sayest, And Thou hast known my
paths And there was no man that knew me.
11. Flight hath perished from me. He speaketh as though he were hemmed in. Flight hath perished from me.
Let the persecutors rejoice over him he overpowered, he taken, he hemmed in, he conquered flight hath perished from him. Flight hath perished from him who fleeth not. But he who fleeth not, sufferelh whatever he can for Christ: that is, he fleeth not in soul. For in body
lawful to flee allowed, permitted for the
Lord saith, When they persecute you in one city, flee to Mat 10, another. He then who fleeth not in soul, from him flight23' hath perished. But maketh a difference why he fleeth
not; whether because he hemmed in, because he
caught, or because he brave. For both from him that
caught flight hath perished, and from him that brave flight hath perished. What flight then to be avoided what flight shall we allow to perish from us That whereof
the Lord speaketh in the Gospel, The good shepherd layeth johnio,
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down his life for the sheep. But he that is an hireling,
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272 God, our Hope here, our Portion hereafter.
Psalm and not the shepherd, when he seeth the wolf coming, flceth. cxti^ Wl^n he seeth the ravager, why fleeth he ? Because he careth not for the sheep. Such flight had perished from him, whether we understand this saying in the name of the Head Himself, Christ our Lord, Who suffered for us; or whether of Mis members, our martyrs, who themselves too have suffered for their brethren. Hear what John saith, 1John3, For as He laid down His life for us, we ought also to lay "' down our lives for the brethren. But when they lay them
down, Christ layeth down : for, when they suffer persecution,
He crieth out, Why persecutest thou Me? Flight hath perished from me ; and there is none to seek my life. Is there then none to seek his life? He sees men desirous to rage against him even to death, desirous to shed his blood ; how is there none to seek his life ? This also may be taken in two ways. Just as flight perishing may be taken in two ways, because both from him that is caught, and from him that is brave, flight perisheth; so in two ways a man's life is sought, either by his persecutors or by his lovers. So then there is none to seek my life, he said of them; verily they persecute my life, and they seek not my life. But if they seek my life, they will find it clinging to Thee: and if they know to seek they know also to imitate it. For that ye may know that man's life sought by
Pa.
