Yet afterwards
converted
the world in His Name.
Augustine - Exposition on the Psalms - v6
But adversity, and the bitterness of tribulations and lowness of station, these are, as it were, the darkness of this night.
In this night, in this mortal
condition of human life, men have darkness; their light prosperity, adversity their darkness. But when Christ our Lord has come, and has dwelt in the soul by faith, and promised other light, and inspired and given patience, and warned a man not to delight in prosperity or to be crushed by adversity, the man, being' faithful, begins to treat this world with indifference; not to be lifted up when
prosperity befalls him, nor crushed when adversity, but in all things to praise God, not only when he aboundeth, but also when he loseth ; not only when he is in health, but also when he is sick ; so that in his mouth that strain is true, / will bless the Lord at all times, His praise shall be ever in my mouth. If then ever, both when this night
is bright, and when it is dark; when prosperity smiles upon thee, and when adversity is sad ; if ever His praise be in thy mouth, then shall it also be to thee according to what is next said, As is His darkness, so is also His light. His darkness overwhelms me not, because His light lifts me not up.
17. Behold, thou hast its light in Job : he had abundance of every thing. First is described the light of his night, in his riches. In proportion to the greatness of the goods, and
Ps. 34,1.
2t)ti The example of Job.
Psalm the store he possessed in abundance, was the light of his HiEHL night. The enemy thought that such an one as he worshipped
God only because He had given him all these things, and asked that they might be taken from him. Then his night became darkness, which before had light. Still he knew that, whether it were darkness or light, it was night, wherein he was wandering in a far country, away from his God, and he had his God Himself as an inward Light, and that inner Light made him indifferent, whether it were darkness in this night, or light. And as in the light of this night, that is, in the midst of abundance, he worshipped God, when all was taken from him, when his night was made darkness,
J obi, 21. what said he? The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; as it hath pleased the Lord, so hath it happened; blessed be the Name of the Lord. I am, so to speak, in the night of this life : my Lord dwelleth in my heart, He enlightened that night for me with certain comforts, when He gave me abundance of temporal goods ; now He hath withdrawn that temporal light, and the night is, as it were, darkened. But since, as is His darkness, so is His light also; the Lord gave, the Lord hath taken away ; as it pleased the Lord, so hath it happened ; blessed be the Name of the
Lord. I am not sad in this night, for as is His darkness, so l Cor. 7, is also His light ; both pass away ; so that they which rejoice
3<1'
ver. 12.
are as though they rejoiced not, and they that weep as though they wept not ; for, as is His darkness, so is also His light.
18. For Thou, O Lord, hast possessed my reins. Not without reason, as is His darkness, so is also His light. The Possessor is within ; He occupieth not only the heart, but also the reins ; not only the thoughts, but also the delights : He then possesseth that whence I should feel delight at any light in this world : He occupieth my reins : I know not delight, save from the inward light of His Wisdom. What then ? Dost thou not delight that thy affairs are very prosperous, times fortunate to thee ? dost thou not delight in honour, in riches, in thy family ? ' I
do not,' saith he. Wherefore ? Because as is His darkness, so is also His light. Whence hast thou this indifference, that as is His darkness to thee, so is also His light ? Whence ?
W e are renewed by God's indwelling. 207
Because Thou hast possessed my reins, O Lord; Thou hast Vm. taken me up from my mother's womb. While 1 was in my -- mother's womb, I did not regard with indifference the dark
ness of that night and the light of that night. For my mother's womb is the custom of my city. What city is that?
That which first gave us birth in captivity. We know that Babylon, whereof we spoke yesterday, from whence all go forth who believe in and sigh for the true light, the heavenly Jerusalem. Therefore have 1 said, From my mother's womb was I taken up by the Lord, thence are the darkness and light of this night become indifferent to me. But he that is in the womb of that mother, Babylon, joys in the prosperity of this world, is crushed by the adversity of this world, knows not to rejoice, unless some
temporal prosperity befall him ; knows not to be saddened, unless some temporal
adversity befall him. Now come forth from the womb of Babylon, begin to sing a song to the Lord ; come forth and be born : God shall take thee up from thy mother's womb. What God? That God of the Apostle Paul, who said, Bui when it pleased God, Who separated me from my mother's womb, to reveal His Son in me. For who was his mother? The Synagogue. And what had he learnt there, save what the Jews themselves, the people itself, had and had learnt? The name of God's praise had remained in them, but there were not found in them deeds : there were in them
the words of God, as leaves on a tree: the fruit was no where. Such a fig-tree, as ye know, the Lord when HeMat. Sl, found, withered away with a curse, for He found thereon
leaves, but fruit He did not find. Some tree He was speak
ing of in a figure to us. For the time offigs was not yet: Mark
'
what all men knew, did the Maker of earth and sky not know ? He therefore, Who separated Paul from his mother's womb, hath also separated us from our mother's womb. And who is our mother? Babylon. Being then taken up from that womb, let us now begin to entertain other hopes. He hath promised, brethren, that wherein ye may rejoice: now bring forth fruit, being set in other hopes. Now know no ill, save to offend God, and so not to be brought to those things which He promiseth. What of the goods of this world, and the ills of this world ? Let us regard them with
208 And therefore should despise the world, yet be humble.
Psai. m indifference; for now, having been taken up from the womb -' of that our mother, we look on them with indifference, and say, As is His darkness, so is also His light. Neither doth
earthly prosperity make us happy, nor earthly adversity wretched. We must maintain righteousness, love faith, hope in God, love God, love our neighbours also. After these toils we shall have unfailing light, day without setting. Fleeting is all the light and darkness of this night. For Thou, Lord, hast possessed my reins: Thou hast taken me up from my mother's womb.
19. / trill confess to Thee, O Lord, for terribly hast Thou been made wonderful. Terribly hast Thou been made won
in the very fact that we wonder at Thee, Thou art terrible, we rejoice with trembling. For we fear lest, being puffed up with pride at Thy gifts, we be punished by the loss of what we have gained by humility. /will confess to
Thee, O Lord, for terribly hast Thou been made wonderful : wondrous are Thy works, and my soul knoueth it right well. Now my soul knoweth it right well, because Thou hast taken me up from my mother's womb; but aforetime Thy know ledge was Imade wonderful from me, it had waxed great,
20. My bone is not hid from Thee, which Thou hast made in secret. His bone, he saith. What the people call 'ossmn,' is in Latin called 'os. ' This is the word in the Greek". For we might think the word 'os' is here the one which makes in the plural ' ora,' not ' os' short, which makes ' ossa. ' He saith then, my bone is not hid from Tlwe, which Thou hast made in secret. I have a certain bone in secret (ossum). For this word let us prefer to use ; better is it that scholars find fault with us, than that the people understand us not. ' There is then,' saith he, 'a certain bone of mine, within, hidden ; Thou hast made within a bone for me in secret, yet is it not hidden from Thee. In secret hast Thou made it,
derful:
ver. 15.
1 Gr.
attainI unto it. From me then it had waxed attain unto it. Whence doth my soul
nor could
great, nor could
now know right well, save because the night is light in my delight ? save because Thy grace hath come unto me, and enlightened my darkness? save because Thou hast possessed my reins? save because Thou hast taken me up from my mother's womb ?
The hidden strength of Christ's members. 209
but hast Thou therefore hidden it from Thyself? This my Ver. bone made by Thee in secret men see not, men know not : -- Thou knowest, Who hast made. What bone then meaneth
he, brethren ? Let us seek in secret. But because
as Christians we are speaking in the Name of the Lord to Christians, now we find what bone of this kind.
sort of inward strength for strength and fortitude are understood to be in the bones. There then sort of inward strength of the soul, wherein not broken. What
ever tortures, whatever tribulations, whatever adversities
rage around, that which God hath made strong in secret
in us, cannot be broken, yieldeth not. For by God
made certain strength of patience, of which said in another Psalm, But my soul shall be subjected to God, Ps. 62, 5.
for of Him is my patience. Observe too the Apostle Paul,
how he hath within him this kind of strength. As sorrow- Cor.
ful, saith he, yet alway rejoicing. Whence, as sorrowful ? 10, From insults, reproaches, persecutions, scourgings, stripes, stonings, imprisonment, chains. Who would not think them wretched in all these Nay, their very persecutors would not so rage against them, did they not think that they were made wretched by their persecutions. For from their own weakness did they guess at them, not having them selves a bone hidden within but they who had, to men without indeed seemed sad, yet within rejoiced to God, from Whom their bone was not hidden, which He Himself had made in secret. And the same Apostle Paul discloseth to
us this bone made in secret by God, in these words, And Rom. not only so, but we even glory in tribulation. ' Is too ' small a thing that thou art not sad, but dost thou glory also
Let suffice thee not to be sad. Too small thing
saith he, to Christians such bone hath He made for me secret, that too small thing for me not to be crushed,
glory not also. Wherein dost thou glory In tribu- \b. 5. latious, knowing that tribulation worketh patience. See
how that strength fashioned within in his heart knowing
that tribulation worketh patience; and patience, experience
and experience, hope; and hope maketh not ashamed; because the love God shed abroad in our hearts by the
Holy Ghost Which given unto us. So fashioned and
VOL. VI.
of is
is is
is
is
is
;
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is is a
:
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4,
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pa;? a
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it is, ?
it '
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5,
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2
it is
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210 His compassion for their imperfections.
Psalm made strong that hidden bone, that it maketh us even to cxxxix. glory in tribulations. But to men we seem wretched, because
that which we have within is hidden from them. My bone is not hid from Thee, which Thou hast made in secret, and my substance is in the lower parts of the earth. Behold, in flesh is my substance, in the lower parts of the earth is my substance; yet have I a bone within, which Thou hast fashioned, such as to cause me never to yield to any
of this lower region, where still my substance is. For what great matter is an Angel be brave This great matter, flesh brave. And whence flesh brave, whence an earthen vessel brave, save because in
made a bone in secret? And my substance in the lower parts the earth.
21. What of them who are less strong? For, as have already brought to your notice, Christ that speaketh. But many things are spoken in the person of the Body, hear now somewhat in the person of the Head and that, not as though He maketh distinction, so as to introduce the person now of the Head, now of the Body. For he make distinction, he in a manner divideth, and so there will not be two in one flesh. But there be two in one flesh, wonder not there be two in one voice. When our Lord Jesus Christ suffered, His disciples had not yet that inward bone, not yet had their strength of patience been made strong; and they knew not themselves, knew not their own strength, and Peter dared to promise to share his Lord's Passion even unto death: the sick man knew not himself, but the Physician knew the sick man. What
Luke22, was the result will go with Thee, saith he, even unto
persecutions
~3'
death. Verily say unto thee, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny Me thrice. The answer of the Physician proved truer than the presumption of the sick man. Of those then he saith, My bone not hidden from Thee, which Thou hast made in secret,' in whom this bone made strong within especially the strength of endurance in our
Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, Who when He willed lay down, w hen He willed rose again when He willed, slept, when He willed, awoke; for, have power, saith He, to lay
John 10, My life down and have power to take again. Wrhat
, ; I of ?
is
if
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/
; is if
is
itis ;
if
I
is
is
it is
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it is
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?
Yet they must strive to amend them. 2 1 1
of them in whom this strength was not fashioned and esta- Ver.
blished? what saith He of them? See what He saith to --
--- God His Father. Thine eyes did see My imperfect one.
My imperfect one, My Peter, promising and denying, pre suming and failing ; yet Thine eyes saw him. For because the Lord Himself turned and looked on him, as it is written in the Gospel, at length after the third denial he remembered what the Lord had foretold to him, and went out and wept bitterly; that weeping was at God's looking upon him, for, Mine imperfect one, saith He, Thine eyes did see. For he, imperfect, stumbling at his Lord's Passion, without doubt would have perished, but that Thine eyes saw him, and not him only, but all too who were imperfect, till they were strength ened by Christ's resurrection. For it was made plain to their eyes that that had not perished in their Lord which had died, and so that bone was made for them in secret, so that now they did not even fear to die themselves. Thine eyes did see Mine imperfect one, and in Thy book shall all be written, not only the perfect, but also the imperfect. Let not the imperfect fear, only let them advance. Nor yet, because I have said, ' let them not fear,' let them love their imperfection, and remain there, where they are found. Let them advance, as far as in them lieth. Daily let them add, daily let them approach ; yet let them not fall back from the Body of the Lord : that, compacted in one Body and among these members, they may be counted worthy to have that said of them, Thine eyes did see My imperfect one, and in Thy book shall all be written.
22. By day shall they wander, and none among them. Tlie ver. 16. Day was yet on earth, even our Lord Jesus Christ. Whence
He said, Walk while ye have the Day. But by day shall John 12, His imperfect ones wander. They too thought that our35- Lord Jesus Christ was only man, that He had not within
Him the hidden Godhead, that He was not secretly God,
but that He was that only which was seen: this they too thought. For even Peter himself, (for of him especially we
speak, in whom is set forth to us also a pattern that we despair not of our weakness,) even Peter had said to the
Lord, when He asked whom men said that He was, Thou Mat. ifi, art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And the Lord 16 17
had said to him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona, for p2
22. See.
sllan mt oe ullt0 fhee^ And the Lord, Who had called him blessed in those former words, now saith, Get thee behind me, Satan, for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men. Before, because he had said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God, it was said to him, Flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but My Father Which is in heaven : therefore art thou a stone, therefore blessed. But now, because not from the Father's revelation, but from the flesh's weakness he had an swered, he is called Satan. Thou savourest not, He says, the things that be of God, but those that be of men. And this was Christ, my brethren ; He had walked among them,
He had commanded the winds, He had walked on the waters before their eyes, before their eyes He had raised one who had been four days dead, before their eyes He had done all those great miracles, and yet they were amazed at His Passion, as though they had lost Him, on Whom they had in vain trusted. But by day shall they wander, and none among' them. No one whatever; not even he who had said, / will go with Thee even unto death. For He had
212 The Apostles knew not our Lord while on earth.
and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but My cxxxix. Fa^ner ,rhicft is in heaven. Wherefore ? Because he has called Him the Son of God. Then, but a little after, in the same place, in the same conversation, the Lord began to
speak of His coming Passion. Then did that same Peter, who already had confessed Him to be the Son of God, fear lest He should die like a son of man. He was the Son of God, He was also the Son of man; Son of God, in the Form of God, equal to the Father; Sou of man, in the form of a servant, wherein He is inferior to the Father. Doubtless
He was destined to come to His Passion in the form of a servant; why did Peter fear that in the form of a servant the Form of God would perish, and not rather presume that through the Form of God the form of a servant would live
Mat. 16, again ? He saith to Him, That be far from Thee, Lord;
PsAlM^es/t
John 16, said unto them, The hour cometh, that ye shall leave Me
32
alone, and go every one his own way; and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me. The Father was with Him, and He with the Father; the Father in Him, and He
* St. Augustine seems to have understood this very elliptically : none was among them, i. e. who did not do so.
Yet afterwards converted the world in His Name. 213
in the Father; He and the Father were one ; yet feared they Ver. when He died. Wherefore, save because in the day they 1 ' wandered, and there was no one in them. In the day
they shall wander, and none among them.
23. But what is, In the day they shall wander ? Shall they perish ? Where then is, Thine eyes did see My im
perfect one, and in Thy book shall all he written ? When
then did they wander in the day ? When they understood
not the Lord set upon earth. And what followeth? Butter. ir. to me Thy friends are made very honourable, O God ; those
very ones, who wandered in the day, and none was in them, became Thy friends, and were made very honourable to me.
That bone was made in them in secret after the resurrection
of the Lord, and they suffered for His Name, at whose death
they had been amazed. To me Thy friends are made very honourable, O God, mightily strengthened were their chief tainships. They became Apostles, they became leaders of
the Church, they became rams leading their flocks, mightily strengthened were their chieftainships.
/ will number them, and they shall be multiplied ver. 18.
24.
above the sand. By means of them, who wandered in the day, and there was none in them, lo ! there has been born all this great multitude, which now is like the sand innum erable, save by God. For He said, they shall be multiplied
/ will number them. The very same who are numbered, shall be multiplied above
above the sand, and yet He had said,
the sand. For by Him is the sand numbered, by Whom the Mat. io,
I will number them,30, and theIy shall be multiplied above the sand.
very hairs of our head are numbered.
have risen, and yet am 1 with Thee. What hare risen, and yet am with Thee? Already have
suffered, saith He, already have been buried lo have risen, and not yet do they understand that am with them. Yet am with Tliee, that is, not yet with them, for not yet do they recognise Me. For thus do we read in the Gospel, that after the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, when He appeared to them, they did not at once know Him. There another meaning also have risen, and yet am with Thee, as though He would signify this present time,
wherein he as yet hidden at the right hand of the Father,
25.
I/
is is
I
:/
I I
1
;
! 1
I is,
214 The sin of Schism.
Psalm before He is revealed in the brightness, wherein He shall cxxxlx" come to judge the quick and the dead.
26. And then He telleth what meanwhile, during this whole time when He already has risen, and remaineth still with the Father, He suffereth by ihe intermixture of sinners in His Body, the Church, and by the separation of heretics.
v. 19. 20. If Thou, 0 God, shall slay the sinners, since Thou shall say in Thy thought, Depart from Me, ye men of blood, they shall receive in vanity their cities. The words seem to be connected in this order; If Thou, O God, shall slay the sinners, they shall receive in vanity their cities. For in this way doth He mean them to be understood to be slain,
when by pride, whereby they are puffed up, they lose the Wisd. l, grace whereby they live. For the holy spirit of discipline
will flee deceit, and remove from thoughts that are without Eph. 4, understanding. Thus are sinners slain, because, having
their understandings darkened, they are alienated from the life of God. For on account of elation they lose confession, and so they are slain, and in them is fulfilled what Scripture
'is not. And so they receive in vanity their cities, that is, their vain peoples, who follow their vanity ; when, puffed up by the name of righteousness, they persuade men to burst the bond of unity, and blindly and ignorantly follow them, as bein# more righteous. And because it is hence for the most part that tbey find an occasion for separating from the unity of Christ, namely, by accusing evil men, with whom they pretend that they are unwilling to hold communion;
and because it is possible that they not only disparage the guiltless, whom they pretend to flee from as wicked, but also say truth of some wicked men, like unto themselves,
Mat. l3,among whom the wheat of Christ, preserving the bond of unity, groaneth ; therefore He hath inserted, Because Thou
shall say in Thy thought, Depart from Me, ye men of blood, they shall receive in vanity their cities: that therefore they shall draw away to their own schism their peoples, to corrupt them with their vanity, because Thou in Thy thought shall say, Depart from Me, ye men of blood in order, that is, that sinners, slain in the spirit as the due reward of their pride, may therefore receive their cities, that
5-
Eeclus. saith, Confession perisheth from the dead, as from one that
'
: is,
The Church not partaker of the guilt of wicked members. 215
is, their peoples, into vanity, that may draw them away Ver. separation into the vanity of error and offended, as
were, by the intermixture of the chaff, may break unity, and abandon the wheat; because He warneth the wheat, that is,
good and faithful men, that before the winnowing, which
to be at the end, separate not itself openly from the bad,
lest abandon the good that are still mingled with them
but by good conversation, and contrariety of life, in manner, say silently to them, Depart from Me, ye men of blood. For this he sailh to them by the Voice of God, which Voice in thought, as God speaketh in the thought
of His holy people. For who are men of blood, save they
who hate their brethren As John saith, He who hateth
his brother, is a murderer. The slain sinners then not understanding this, how God saith to the wicked in the thought of the good, Depart from Me, ye men blood,
find fault with them for holding communion with wicked
men, and, separating themselves on the ground of these false charges, receive in vanity their cities. This saying, which
now in the thought of the good said to the wicked, will be openly said in that day when shall be said to them by our Head Himself, never knew you: depart from Me, all ye Matt. workers of iniquity.
27. But now the Body of Christ, the Church, saith, Why do the proud speak falsely against me, as though were stained other men's sins, and so, by separating themselves,
receive in vanity their cities? Have not hated those ver. 81.
J? l,n
who hated Thee, Lord? Why do those who are worse
themselves require of me to separate myself in body as well as spirit from the wicked, so as to root up the wheat, together with the tares, before the time of harvest, that before the time of winnowing lose my power of enduring the chaff; that before all the different sorts of fishes are brought to the end of the world, as to the shore, to be separated, tear the nets of peace and unity Are the sacraments which receive, those of evil men Do by consent, communicate
their life and deeds Hare not hated those who hated Thee, Lord, and at Thine enemies wasled away When the zeal of Thine house eat me, did not see the senseless ones, and waste away? Did not horror take
Pe. 69,8. Pa. 119,
in
by
by
1
is, ;
I
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II
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7,
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21 tJ Christians to love sinners, but hate their sin.
Psalm hold of me, because of the wicked that forsake Thy law ? -- For who are Thine enemies, save they who by their life declare how they hate Thy law ? These then when I hated, why do they who receive in vanity their cities, falsely
accuse me, as though their sins could be laid to my charge,
whom I hated, and at whom I wasted away with zeal for the Matt. 5, Lord's house? But where is, Love your enemies? Is it
4i'
hate yon. He saith not, who hate God. ' So he followeth
because He said yours, not ' God's ? ' Do good to them that
'I the pattern, and saith, Have not
hated those who haled Thee, Lord ? He saith not, ' Who have hated me. ' And
waste
at Thine enemies did I away. Tliine, he said, not
' mine. ' But those who hate us and are enemies unto us, only because we serve Him, what else do they but hate Him, and are His enemies. Ought we then to love such enemies as these ? Or do not they suffer persecution for God's sake, to whom it is said, Pray for them that persecute you ? Observe then what followeth.
ver. 22.
hate them. What is,
28. With a perfe ct hatred did I
with a perfect hatred? 1 hated in them their iniquities,
I loved Thy creation.
hatred, that neither on account of the vices thou hate the men, nor on account of the men love the vices. For see
This it is to hate with a perfect
what he addeth, They became mine enemies. Not only as God's enemies, but as his own too doth he now describe them. How then will he fulfil in them both his own saying, Have not 1 haled those that haled Thee, Lord, and the Lord's command, Love your enemies? How will he fulfil this, save with that perfect hatred, that he hate in them that they are wicked, and love that they are men ? For in the time even of the Old Testament, when the carnal people was restrained by visible punishments, how did Moses, the servant of God, who
by understanding belonged to the New Testament, how did he hate sinners when he prayed for them, or how did he not hate them when he slew them, save
that he haled them with a perfect hatred? For with such perfection did he hate the iniquity which he punished, as to love the manhood for which he prayed.
29. Since then the Body of Christ is in the end to be severed in body also from the unholy and wicked, but now
To appeal to God, and bear with 217
with the wicked, and separating themselves more and more
from the good and innocent, on the ground of these wicked
ones, so receive in vanity their cities, that many wicked
still remain who follow them not in their separation, but continue intermingled as before, for the good to endure
unto the end, what amongst them doeth the Body of Christ, bringing forth fruit with patience, an hundred, or sixty, or **at"13, thirty-fold ? What doeth the love of Christ among the Cant. 2, daughters, as the lily among thorns? What are her words? 2'
*what her conscience ? what is the appearance of the p>>. king's daughter within? Lo, hear what she saith. Prove ver. 23. me, O God, and know my heart. Do Thou, O God, Thou
prove me, Thou know ; not man, not an heretic, who neither knoweth how to prove, nor can know my heart, whereas
Thou provest, and knowest that I consent not to the deeds
of the wicked, while they think that I can be defiled by the
sins of others; so that, while I in my long wandering do what
I mourn in another Psalm, that is, while I labour for peace among them that hate peace, until I come to that Vision of peace, which is called Jerusalem, which is the mother of us
all, the city eternal in the heavens ; they, contending, and falsely accusing and separating themselves, may receive, not, evidently, in eternity, but in vanity, their cities. Prove
me, then, my God, and know my heart ; search me, and
learn my paths. Why this ? Observe what followeth.
30. And see, saith he, if there be any way of wickednessTM. 24.
in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. Search, he saith, my paths, that is, my counsels and thoughts; and see if there be any way of wickedness in me, either by act or consent; and lead me in the way everlasting. What else saith he, but 'lead me in Christ? ' For who is the way
meanwhile groaneth among them, and since those slain Veu.
-- sinners falsely accusing the good for holding communion --:
'
save He that Iis the Life everlasting? For ever
everlasting,
lasting is He Who said,
the Life. If then thou findest any thing in my way which displeaseth Thine eyes, since my way is mortal, do Thou
lead me in the way everlasting, wherein is no iniquity ; for
even if any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, 1 John Jesus Christ the righteous; and He is the propitiation for2'1.
am the Way, and the Truth, and JohnH,
Pa. 12? .
218 the presence of wicked men in the Church.
Psalm our sins; He is the Way everlasting without sin ; He is the CxI" Life everlasting without punishment.
31. These are great mysteries, brethren. How doth the Spirit of God speak with us ? how doth it make us delights in this night? What is this, we ask you, brethren, whence are they sweeter, the darker they are ? He mixeth us our potion after His love, in certain wondrous ways. He maketh His own sayings wondrous, so that while we were speaking what ye already knew, yet forasmuch as it was dug
out of passages which seemed obscure, the knowledge itself seemed to be made new. Did ye not know, brethren, that the wicked are to be tolerated in the Church, and schisms not to be made ? Did ye not already know, that within those nets which hold both good and bad fishes, we must abide even to the shore, nor must the nets be burst, because on the shore the good shall be separated into vessels, and the bad thrown away ? Ye know this already ; but these verses of this Psalm ye did not understand : that which ye did not understand is explained; that which ye knew has been renewed.
Lat. cxxxix.
l Thess. doth not profit, for all have not faith. But faith in the soul
3' a'
is like a good root, which turneth the rain to fruit ; false faith, and devilish error, and evil desire, are the root of all evil, like the root of thorns, turning even the sweet rain into
prickles.
2. What this Psalm containeth, I believe that ye per
ceived when it was being chanted; for therein the Church of Christ, set in the midst of the wicked, complaincth and groaneth, and poureth out prayer to God. For her voice is in every such prophecy the voice of one in need and want,
PSALM CXL.
Sermon to the people, in the pretence of an attembly of Bishops.
1. Our Lords have bidden me, brethren, and in them the Lord of all, to bring this Psalm to your understanding, so far as God giveth me to. May He help your prayers, that I may say those things which I ought to say, ye to hear, that to all of us the Word of God may be profitable. For all it
Christ the Head, the Church His Body. 219
not yet satisfied, hungering and thirsting after righteousness, Psalm for whom a certain fulness in the end hath been promised, and ^--"j
''
is reserved. Meanwhile, here let it hunger and thirst, groan 6. and knock and seek. Let it not delight in the allurements
of its wandering, let it not think the world its country, from whence Christ came to set it free, for Christ willeth to be our Head, the Head that is of a certain Body. For we cannot speak of a head where there is no body for it to be head to. Accordingly if Christ be a Head, He is also Head of some Body. The Body of that Head is the holy Church, among whose members we are, if we love our Head. Let us hear
then the words of Christ's Body, our own words, that
we be in Christ's Body for whoever not there,
will be among those for whom that Body groaneth. Ac cordingly, either thou wilt be in that Body which groaneth among the wicked or else thou wilt not be in that Body, but wilt be among those wicked ones among whom the Body groaneth, which groaneth amongst the wicked either thou wilt be member of Christ, or an enemy of the Body of Christ. Nor meant that they are all enemies, and ad versaries of the Body of Christ after one manner, neither do they all act after one manner. Chameleon-like he who reigneth in them, and useth them as his vessels. But many are freed from him, and pass over into the Body of Christ, and who they are, and how many there shall hereafter be, He knoweth, Who hath redeemed them, when they knew
not, with His own Blood. But some there are, destined to persevere in their wickedness, belonging not to the Body of Christ, and they assuredly are known to Him, to Whom nothing unknown. Meanwhile, they who are already compacted with His members, not having as yet their resur rection which to come, wherein all groaning endeth, and
praise succeedeth, all tribulation shall die, and there shall be endless exultation not yet having this in possession, yet grasping in hope, they groan with sort of longing, and pray to be freed from wicked men, among whom the good too must live. For to separate them now not safe for every one. Separation will belong to Him, Who knoweth
not to err. What is, 'Who knoweth not to err? ' That He neither transfer the good to the right hand, nor the bad to
a is
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220 Christ in His Human Nature called David in the Psalms. Psalm the left. But we in this life find it difficult to know our-
Cxl'
selves ; how much less ought we to pass a hasty sentence on any one. For if to-day we know him to be evil, what he will be to-morrow we know not ; and perhaps he whom we violently hate is our brother, and we know it not. Safe then is it for us to hate in the wicked their wickedness, and to love the work of God's Hand, so that, what God made in him, we love, what man has made in himself, we hale. For God made man himself, man made sin. Love what God made, hate what man hath made : for so shalt thou perse
cute what man hath made, that what God hath made be set free.
3. To the end, a Psalm to David himself. No other end
mayest thou look to, than is laid down for thee by the Apostle
Rom. 1o, himself. For Christ is the end of the law to every one
4'
that believeth. Wherefore when thou hearest the Psalm say, To the end, let hearts be turned to Christ. For the title of the Psalm is, as it were, the herald of the Psalm, seeming to say, ' Lo, He is coming, of Him am I about to speak, of Christ am I about to sing. ' For the words, to
Rom. 1, David himself, I understand not, save of Him, Who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh. Meanwhile on account of the birth the name suiteth. His birth after the flesh was from David, His spiritual parentage above David. And not only before David, but before Abraham ; not only before Abraham, but before Adam too; not only before Adam, but before earth and sky, before all the Angels,
before all powers and virtues, before all things visible and invisible. Because then He was of the seed of David, not after His Godhead, whereby He is the Creator of David, but after the flesh ; therefore He deigned to be called David in prophecy : look to this end, for the Psalm is chanted to David Himself; hear the voice of His Body ; be in His Body. Let the voice which thou hast heard be thine, and pray, and say what followeth.
4. Deliver me, O Lord, from the wicked man.
condition of human life, men have darkness; their light prosperity, adversity their darkness. But when Christ our Lord has come, and has dwelt in the soul by faith, and promised other light, and inspired and given patience, and warned a man not to delight in prosperity or to be crushed by adversity, the man, being' faithful, begins to treat this world with indifference; not to be lifted up when
prosperity befalls him, nor crushed when adversity, but in all things to praise God, not only when he aboundeth, but also when he loseth ; not only when he is in health, but also when he is sick ; so that in his mouth that strain is true, / will bless the Lord at all times, His praise shall be ever in my mouth. If then ever, both when this night
is bright, and when it is dark; when prosperity smiles upon thee, and when adversity is sad ; if ever His praise be in thy mouth, then shall it also be to thee according to what is next said, As is His darkness, so is also His light. His darkness overwhelms me not, because His light lifts me not up.
17. Behold, thou hast its light in Job : he had abundance of every thing. First is described the light of his night, in his riches. In proportion to the greatness of the goods, and
Ps. 34,1.
2t)ti The example of Job.
Psalm the store he possessed in abundance, was the light of his HiEHL night. The enemy thought that such an one as he worshipped
God only because He had given him all these things, and asked that they might be taken from him. Then his night became darkness, which before had light. Still he knew that, whether it were darkness or light, it was night, wherein he was wandering in a far country, away from his God, and he had his God Himself as an inward Light, and that inner Light made him indifferent, whether it were darkness in this night, or light. And as in the light of this night, that is, in the midst of abundance, he worshipped God, when all was taken from him, when his night was made darkness,
J obi, 21. what said he? The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; as it hath pleased the Lord, so hath it happened; blessed be the Name of the Lord. I am, so to speak, in the night of this life : my Lord dwelleth in my heart, He enlightened that night for me with certain comforts, when He gave me abundance of temporal goods ; now He hath withdrawn that temporal light, and the night is, as it were, darkened. But since, as is His darkness, so is His light also; the Lord gave, the Lord hath taken away ; as it pleased the Lord, so hath it happened ; blessed be the Name of the
Lord. I am not sad in this night, for as is His darkness, so l Cor. 7, is also His light ; both pass away ; so that they which rejoice
3<1'
ver. 12.
are as though they rejoiced not, and they that weep as though they wept not ; for, as is His darkness, so is also His light.
18. For Thou, O Lord, hast possessed my reins. Not without reason, as is His darkness, so is also His light. The Possessor is within ; He occupieth not only the heart, but also the reins ; not only the thoughts, but also the delights : He then possesseth that whence I should feel delight at any light in this world : He occupieth my reins : I know not delight, save from the inward light of His Wisdom. What then ? Dost thou not delight that thy affairs are very prosperous, times fortunate to thee ? dost thou not delight in honour, in riches, in thy family ? ' I
do not,' saith he. Wherefore ? Because as is His darkness, so is also His light. Whence hast thou this indifference, that as is His darkness to thee, so is also His light ? Whence ?
W e are renewed by God's indwelling. 207
Because Thou hast possessed my reins, O Lord; Thou hast Vm. taken me up from my mother's womb. While 1 was in my -- mother's womb, I did not regard with indifference the dark
ness of that night and the light of that night. For my mother's womb is the custom of my city. What city is that?
That which first gave us birth in captivity. We know that Babylon, whereof we spoke yesterday, from whence all go forth who believe in and sigh for the true light, the heavenly Jerusalem. Therefore have 1 said, From my mother's womb was I taken up by the Lord, thence are the darkness and light of this night become indifferent to me. But he that is in the womb of that mother, Babylon, joys in the prosperity of this world, is crushed by the adversity of this world, knows not to rejoice, unless some
temporal prosperity befall him ; knows not to be saddened, unless some temporal
adversity befall him. Now come forth from the womb of Babylon, begin to sing a song to the Lord ; come forth and be born : God shall take thee up from thy mother's womb. What God? That God of the Apostle Paul, who said, Bui when it pleased God, Who separated me from my mother's womb, to reveal His Son in me. For who was his mother? The Synagogue. And what had he learnt there, save what the Jews themselves, the people itself, had and had learnt? The name of God's praise had remained in them, but there were not found in them deeds : there were in them
the words of God, as leaves on a tree: the fruit was no where. Such a fig-tree, as ye know, the Lord when HeMat. Sl, found, withered away with a curse, for He found thereon
leaves, but fruit He did not find. Some tree He was speak
ing of in a figure to us. For the time offigs was not yet: Mark
'
what all men knew, did the Maker of earth and sky not know ? He therefore, Who separated Paul from his mother's womb, hath also separated us from our mother's womb. And who is our mother? Babylon. Being then taken up from that womb, let us now begin to entertain other hopes. He hath promised, brethren, that wherein ye may rejoice: now bring forth fruit, being set in other hopes. Now know no ill, save to offend God, and so not to be brought to those things which He promiseth. What of the goods of this world, and the ills of this world ? Let us regard them with
208 And therefore should despise the world, yet be humble.
Psai. m indifference; for now, having been taken up from the womb -' of that our mother, we look on them with indifference, and say, As is His darkness, so is also His light. Neither doth
earthly prosperity make us happy, nor earthly adversity wretched. We must maintain righteousness, love faith, hope in God, love God, love our neighbours also. After these toils we shall have unfailing light, day without setting. Fleeting is all the light and darkness of this night. For Thou, Lord, hast possessed my reins: Thou hast taken me up from my mother's womb.
19. / trill confess to Thee, O Lord, for terribly hast Thou been made wonderful. Terribly hast Thou been made won
in the very fact that we wonder at Thee, Thou art terrible, we rejoice with trembling. For we fear lest, being puffed up with pride at Thy gifts, we be punished by the loss of what we have gained by humility. /will confess to
Thee, O Lord, for terribly hast Thou been made wonderful : wondrous are Thy works, and my soul knoueth it right well. Now my soul knoweth it right well, because Thou hast taken me up from my mother's womb; but aforetime Thy know ledge was Imade wonderful from me, it had waxed great,
20. My bone is not hid from Thee, which Thou hast made in secret. His bone, he saith. What the people call 'ossmn,' is in Latin called 'os. ' This is the word in the Greek". For we might think the word 'os' is here the one which makes in the plural ' ora,' not ' os' short, which makes ' ossa. ' He saith then, my bone is not hid from Tlwe, which Thou hast made in secret. I have a certain bone in secret (ossum). For this word let us prefer to use ; better is it that scholars find fault with us, than that the people understand us not. ' There is then,' saith he, 'a certain bone of mine, within, hidden ; Thou hast made within a bone for me in secret, yet is it not hidden from Thee. In secret hast Thou made it,
derful:
ver. 15.
1 Gr.
attainI unto it. From me then it had waxed attain unto it. Whence doth my soul
nor could
great, nor could
now know right well, save because the night is light in my delight ? save because Thy grace hath come unto me, and enlightened my darkness? save because Thou hast possessed my reins? save because Thou hast taken me up from my mother's womb ?
The hidden strength of Christ's members. 209
but hast Thou therefore hidden it from Thyself? This my Ver. bone made by Thee in secret men see not, men know not : -- Thou knowest, Who hast made. What bone then meaneth
he, brethren ? Let us seek in secret. But because
as Christians we are speaking in the Name of the Lord to Christians, now we find what bone of this kind.
sort of inward strength for strength and fortitude are understood to be in the bones. There then sort of inward strength of the soul, wherein not broken. What
ever tortures, whatever tribulations, whatever adversities
rage around, that which God hath made strong in secret
in us, cannot be broken, yieldeth not. For by God
made certain strength of patience, of which said in another Psalm, But my soul shall be subjected to God, Ps. 62, 5.
for of Him is my patience. Observe too the Apostle Paul,
how he hath within him this kind of strength. As sorrow- Cor.
ful, saith he, yet alway rejoicing. Whence, as sorrowful ? 10, From insults, reproaches, persecutions, scourgings, stripes, stonings, imprisonment, chains. Who would not think them wretched in all these Nay, their very persecutors would not so rage against them, did they not think that they were made wretched by their persecutions. For from their own weakness did they guess at them, not having them selves a bone hidden within but they who had, to men without indeed seemed sad, yet within rejoiced to God, from Whom their bone was not hidden, which He Himself had made in secret. And the same Apostle Paul discloseth to
us this bone made in secret by God, in these words, And Rom. not only so, but we even glory in tribulation. ' Is too ' small a thing that thou art not sad, but dost thou glory also
Let suffice thee not to be sad. Too small thing
saith he, to Christians such bone hath He made for me secret, that too small thing for me not to be crushed,
glory not also. Wherein dost thou glory In tribu- \b. 5. latious, knowing that tribulation worketh patience. See
how that strength fashioned within in his heart knowing
that tribulation worketh patience; and patience, experience
and experience, hope; and hope maketh not ashamed; because the love God shed abroad in our hearts by the
Holy Ghost Which given unto us. So fashioned and
VOL. VI.
of is
is is
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210 His compassion for their imperfections.
Psalm made strong that hidden bone, that it maketh us even to cxxxix. glory in tribulations. But to men we seem wretched, because
that which we have within is hidden from them. My bone is not hid from Thee, which Thou hast made in secret, and my substance is in the lower parts of the earth. Behold, in flesh is my substance, in the lower parts of the earth is my substance; yet have I a bone within, which Thou hast fashioned, such as to cause me never to yield to any
of this lower region, where still my substance is. For what great matter is an Angel be brave This great matter, flesh brave. And whence flesh brave, whence an earthen vessel brave, save because in
made a bone in secret? And my substance in the lower parts the earth.
21. What of them who are less strong? For, as have already brought to your notice, Christ that speaketh. But many things are spoken in the person of the Body, hear now somewhat in the person of the Head and that, not as though He maketh distinction, so as to introduce the person now of the Head, now of the Body. For he make distinction, he in a manner divideth, and so there will not be two in one flesh. But there be two in one flesh, wonder not there be two in one voice. When our Lord Jesus Christ suffered, His disciples had not yet that inward bone, not yet had their strength of patience been made strong; and they knew not themselves, knew not their own strength, and Peter dared to promise to share his Lord's Passion even unto death: the sick man knew not himself, but the Physician knew the sick man. What
Luke22, was the result will go with Thee, saith he, even unto
persecutions
~3'
death. Verily say unto thee, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny Me thrice. The answer of the Physician proved truer than the presumption of the sick man. Of those then he saith, My bone not hidden from Thee, which Thou hast made in secret,' in whom this bone made strong within especially the strength of endurance in our
Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, Who when He willed lay down, w hen He willed rose again when He willed, slept, when He willed, awoke; for, have power, saith He, to lay
John 10, My life down and have power to take again. Wrhat
, ; I of ?
is
if
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/
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itis ;
if
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is
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it, if
it is
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Yet they must strive to amend them. 2 1 1
of them in whom this strength was not fashioned and esta- Ver.
blished? what saith He of them? See what He saith to --
--- God His Father. Thine eyes did see My imperfect one.
My imperfect one, My Peter, promising and denying, pre suming and failing ; yet Thine eyes saw him. For because the Lord Himself turned and looked on him, as it is written in the Gospel, at length after the third denial he remembered what the Lord had foretold to him, and went out and wept bitterly; that weeping was at God's looking upon him, for, Mine imperfect one, saith He, Thine eyes did see. For he, imperfect, stumbling at his Lord's Passion, without doubt would have perished, but that Thine eyes saw him, and not him only, but all too who were imperfect, till they were strength ened by Christ's resurrection. For it was made plain to their eyes that that had not perished in their Lord which had died, and so that bone was made for them in secret, so that now they did not even fear to die themselves. Thine eyes did see Mine imperfect one, and in Thy book shall all be written, not only the perfect, but also the imperfect. Let not the imperfect fear, only let them advance. Nor yet, because I have said, ' let them not fear,' let them love their imperfection, and remain there, where they are found. Let them advance, as far as in them lieth. Daily let them add, daily let them approach ; yet let them not fall back from the Body of the Lord : that, compacted in one Body and among these members, they may be counted worthy to have that said of them, Thine eyes did see My imperfect one, and in Thy book shall all be written.
22. By day shall they wander, and none among them. Tlie ver. 16. Day was yet on earth, even our Lord Jesus Christ. Whence
He said, Walk while ye have the Day. But by day shall John 12, His imperfect ones wander. They too thought that our35- Lord Jesus Christ was only man, that He had not within
Him the hidden Godhead, that He was not secretly God,
but that He was that only which was seen: this they too thought. For even Peter himself, (for of him especially we
speak, in whom is set forth to us also a pattern that we despair not of our weakness,) even Peter had said to the
Lord, when He asked whom men said that He was, Thou Mat. ifi, art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And the Lord 16 17
had said to him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona, for p2
22. See.
sllan mt oe ullt0 fhee^ And the Lord, Who had called him blessed in those former words, now saith, Get thee behind me, Satan, for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men. Before, because he had said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God, it was said to him, Flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but My Father Which is in heaven : therefore art thou a stone, therefore blessed. But now, because not from the Father's revelation, but from the flesh's weakness he had an swered, he is called Satan. Thou savourest not, He says, the things that be of God, but those that be of men. And this was Christ, my brethren ; He had walked among them,
He had commanded the winds, He had walked on the waters before their eyes, before their eyes He had raised one who had been four days dead, before their eyes He had done all those great miracles, and yet they were amazed at His Passion, as though they had lost Him, on Whom they had in vain trusted. But by day shall they wander, and none among' them. No one whatever; not even he who had said, / will go with Thee even unto death. For He had
212 The Apostles knew not our Lord while on earth.
and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but My cxxxix. Fa^ner ,rhicft is in heaven. Wherefore ? Because he has called Him the Son of God. Then, but a little after, in the same place, in the same conversation, the Lord began to
speak of His coming Passion. Then did that same Peter, who already had confessed Him to be the Son of God, fear lest He should die like a son of man. He was the Son of God, He was also the Son of man; Son of God, in the Form of God, equal to the Father; Sou of man, in the form of a servant, wherein He is inferior to the Father. Doubtless
He was destined to come to His Passion in the form of a servant; why did Peter fear that in the form of a servant the Form of God would perish, and not rather presume that through the Form of God the form of a servant would live
Mat. 16, again ? He saith to Him, That be far from Thee, Lord;
PsAlM^es/t
John 16, said unto them, The hour cometh, that ye shall leave Me
32
alone, and go every one his own way; and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me. The Father was with Him, and He with the Father; the Father in Him, and He
* St. Augustine seems to have understood this very elliptically : none was among them, i. e. who did not do so.
Yet afterwards converted the world in His Name. 213
in the Father; He and the Father were one ; yet feared they Ver. when He died. Wherefore, save because in the day they 1 ' wandered, and there was no one in them. In the day
they shall wander, and none among them.
23. But what is, In the day they shall wander ? Shall they perish ? Where then is, Thine eyes did see My im
perfect one, and in Thy book shall all he written ? When
then did they wander in the day ? When they understood
not the Lord set upon earth. And what followeth? Butter. ir. to me Thy friends are made very honourable, O God ; those
very ones, who wandered in the day, and none was in them, became Thy friends, and were made very honourable to me.
That bone was made in them in secret after the resurrection
of the Lord, and they suffered for His Name, at whose death
they had been amazed. To me Thy friends are made very honourable, O God, mightily strengthened were their chief tainships. They became Apostles, they became leaders of
the Church, they became rams leading their flocks, mightily strengthened were their chieftainships.
/ will number them, and they shall be multiplied ver. 18.
24.
above the sand. By means of them, who wandered in the day, and there was none in them, lo ! there has been born all this great multitude, which now is like the sand innum erable, save by God. For He said, they shall be multiplied
/ will number them. The very same who are numbered, shall be multiplied above
above the sand, and yet He had said,
the sand. For by Him is the sand numbered, by Whom the Mat. io,
I will number them,30, and theIy shall be multiplied above the sand.
very hairs of our head are numbered.
have risen, and yet am 1 with Thee. What hare risen, and yet am with Thee? Already have
suffered, saith He, already have been buried lo have risen, and not yet do they understand that am with them. Yet am with Tliee, that is, not yet with them, for not yet do they recognise Me. For thus do we read in the Gospel, that after the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, when He appeared to them, they did not at once know Him. There another meaning also have risen, and yet am with Thee, as though He would signify this present time,
wherein he as yet hidden at the right hand of the Father,
25.
I/
is is
I
:/
I I
1
;
! 1
I is,
214 The sin of Schism.
Psalm before He is revealed in the brightness, wherein He shall cxxxlx" come to judge the quick and the dead.
26. And then He telleth what meanwhile, during this whole time when He already has risen, and remaineth still with the Father, He suffereth by ihe intermixture of sinners in His Body, the Church, and by the separation of heretics.
v. 19. 20. If Thou, 0 God, shall slay the sinners, since Thou shall say in Thy thought, Depart from Me, ye men of blood, they shall receive in vanity their cities. The words seem to be connected in this order; If Thou, O God, shall slay the sinners, they shall receive in vanity their cities. For in this way doth He mean them to be understood to be slain,
when by pride, whereby they are puffed up, they lose the Wisd. l, grace whereby they live. For the holy spirit of discipline
will flee deceit, and remove from thoughts that are without Eph. 4, understanding. Thus are sinners slain, because, having
their understandings darkened, they are alienated from the life of God. For on account of elation they lose confession, and so they are slain, and in them is fulfilled what Scripture
'is not. And so they receive in vanity their cities, that is, their vain peoples, who follow their vanity ; when, puffed up by the name of righteousness, they persuade men to burst the bond of unity, and blindly and ignorantly follow them, as bein# more righteous. And because it is hence for the most part that tbey find an occasion for separating from the unity of Christ, namely, by accusing evil men, with whom they pretend that they are unwilling to hold communion;
and because it is possible that they not only disparage the guiltless, whom they pretend to flee from as wicked, but also say truth of some wicked men, like unto themselves,
Mat. l3,among whom the wheat of Christ, preserving the bond of unity, groaneth ; therefore He hath inserted, Because Thou
shall say in Thy thought, Depart from Me, ye men of blood, they shall receive in vanity their cities: that therefore they shall draw away to their own schism their peoples, to corrupt them with their vanity, because Thou in Thy thought shall say, Depart from Me, ye men of blood in order, that is, that sinners, slain in the spirit as the due reward of their pride, may therefore receive their cities, that
5-
Eeclus. saith, Confession perisheth from the dead, as from one that
'
: is,
The Church not partaker of the guilt of wicked members. 215
is, their peoples, into vanity, that may draw them away Ver. separation into the vanity of error and offended, as
were, by the intermixture of the chaff, may break unity, and abandon the wheat; because He warneth the wheat, that is,
good and faithful men, that before the winnowing, which
to be at the end, separate not itself openly from the bad,
lest abandon the good that are still mingled with them
but by good conversation, and contrariety of life, in manner, say silently to them, Depart from Me, ye men of blood. For this he sailh to them by the Voice of God, which Voice in thought, as God speaketh in the thought
of His holy people. For who are men of blood, save they
who hate their brethren As John saith, He who hateth
his brother, is a murderer. The slain sinners then not understanding this, how God saith to the wicked in the thought of the good, Depart from Me, ye men blood,
find fault with them for holding communion with wicked
men, and, separating themselves on the ground of these false charges, receive in vanity their cities. This saying, which
now in the thought of the good said to the wicked, will be openly said in that day when shall be said to them by our Head Himself, never knew you: depart from Me, all ye Matt. workers of iniquity.
27. But now the Body of Christ, the Church, saith, Why do the proud speak falsely against me, as though were stained other men's sins, and so, by separating themselves,
receive in vanity their cities? Have not hated those ver. 81.
J? l,n
who hated Thee, Lord? Why do those who are worse
themselves require of me to separate myself in body as well as spirit from the wicked, so as to root up the wheat, together with the tares, before the time of harvest, that before the time of winnowing lose my power of enduring the chaff; that before all the different sorts of fishes are brought to the end of the world, as to the shore, to be separated, tear the nets of peace and unity Are the sacraments which receive, those of evil men Do by consent, communicate
their life and deeds Hare not hated those who hated Thee, Lord, and at Thine enemies wasled away When the zeal of Thine house eat me, did not see the senseless ones, and waste away? Did not horror take
Pe. 69,8. Pa. 119,
in
by
by
1
is, ;
I
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it
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of
'
it,
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I,
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7,
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21 tJ Christians to love sinners, but hate their sin.
Psalm hold of me, because of the wicked that forsake Thy law ? -- For who are Thine enemies, save they who by their life declare how they hate Thy law ? These then when I hated, why do they who receive in vanity their cities, falsely
accuse me, as though their sins could be laid to my charge,
whom I hated, and at whom I wasted away with zeal for the Matt. 5, Lord's house? But where is, Love your enemies? Is it
4i'
hate yon. He saith not, who hate God. ' So he followeth
because He said yours, not ' God's ? ' Do good to them that
'I the pattern, and saith, Have not
hated those who haled Thee, Lord ? He saith not, ' Who have hated me. ' And
waste
at Thine enemies did I away. Tliine, he said, not
' mine. ' But those who hate us and are enemies unto us, only because we serve Him, what else do they but hate Him, and are His enemies. Ought we then to love such enemies as these ? Or do not they suffer persecution for God's sake, to whom it is said, Pray for them that persecute you ? Observe then what followeth.
ver. 22.
hate them. What is,
28. With a perfe ct hatred did I
with a perfect hatred? 1 hated in them their iniquities,
I loved Thy creation.
hatred, that neither on account of the vices thou hate the men, nor on account of the men love the vices. For see
This it is to hate with a perfect
what he addeth, They became mine enemies. Not only as God's enemies, but as his own too doth he now describe them. How then will he fulfil in them both his own saying, Have not 1 haled those that haled Thee, Lord, and the Lord's command, Love your enemies? How will he fulfil this, save with that perfect hatred, that he hate in them that they are wicked, and love that they are men ? For in the time even of the Old Testament, when the carnal people was restrained by visible punishments, how did Moses, the servant of God, who
by understanding belonged to the New Testament, how did he hate sinners when he prayed for them, or how did he not hate them when he slew them, save
that he haled them with a perfect hatred? For with such perfection did he hate the iniquity which he punished, as to love the manhood for which he prayed.
29. Since then the Body of Christ is in the end to be severed in body also from the unholy and wicked, but now
To appeal to God, and bear with 217
with the wicked, and separating themselves more and more
from the good and innocent, on the ground of these wicked
ones, so receive in vanity their cities, that many wicked
still remain who follow them not in their separation, but continue intermingled as before, for the good to endure
unto the end, what amongst them doeth the Body of Christ, bringing forth fruit with patience, an hundred, or sixty, or **at"13, thirty-fold ? What doeth the love of Christ among the Cant. 2, daughters, as the lily among thorns? What are her words? 2'
*what her conscience ? what is the appearance of the p>>. king's daughter within? Lo, hear what she saith. Prove ver. 23. me, O God, and know my heart. Do Thou, O God, Thou
prove me, Thou know ; not man, not an heretic, who neither knoweth how to prove, nor can know my heart, whereas
Thou provest, and knowest that I consent not to the deeds
of the wicked, while they think that I can be defiled by the
sins of others; so that, while I in my long wandering do what
I mourn in another Psalm, that is, while I labour for peace among them that hate peace, until I come to that Vision of peace, which is called Jerusalem, which is the mother of us
all, the city eternal in the heavens ; they, contending, and falsely accusing and separating themselves, may receive, not, evidently, in eternity, but in vanity, their cities. Prove
me, then, my God, and know my heart ; search me, and
learn my paths. Why this ? Observe what followeth.
30. And see, saith he, if there be any way of wickednessTM. 24.
in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. Search, he saith, my paths, that is, my counsels and thoughts; and see if there be any way of wickedness in me, either by act or consent; and lead me in the way everlasting. What else saith he, but 'lead me in Christ? ' For who is the way
meanwhile groaneth among them, and since those slain Veu.
-- sinners falsely accusing the good for holding communion --:
'
save He that Iis the Life everlasting? For ever
everlasting,
lasting is He Who said,
the Life. If then thou findest any thing in my way which displeaseth Thine eyes, since my way is mortal, do Thou
lead me in the way everlasting, wherein is no iniquity ; for
even if any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, 1 John Jesus Christ the righteous; and He is the propitiation for2'1.
am the Way, and the Truth, and JohnH,
Pa. 12? .
218 the presence of wicked men in the Church.
Psalm our sins; He is the Way everlasting without sin ; He is the CxI" Life everlasting without punishment.
31. These are great mysteries, brethren. How doth the Spirit of God speak with us ? how doth it make us delights in this night? What is this, we ask you, brethren, whence are they sweeter, the darker they are ? He mixeth us our potion after His love, in certain wondrous ways. He maketh His own sayings wondrous, so that while we were speaking what ye already knew, yet forasmuch as it was dug
out of passages which seemed obscure, the knowledge itself seemed to be made new. Did ye not know, brethren, that the wicked are to be tolerated in the Church, and schisms not to be made ? Did ye not already know, that within those nets which hold both good and bad fishes, we must abide even to the shore, nor must the nets be burst, because on the shore the good shall be separated into vessels, and the bad thrown away ? Ye know this already ; but these verses of this Psalm ye did not understand : that which ye did not understand is explained; that which ye knew has been renewed.
Lat. cxxxix.
l Thess. doth not profit, for all have not faith. But faith in the soul
3' a'
is like a good root, which turneth the rain to fruit ; false faith, and devilish error, and evil desire, are the root of all evil, like the root of thorns, turning even the sweet rain into
prickles.
2. What this Psalm containeth, I believe that ye per
ceived when it was being chanted; for therein the Church of Christ, set in the midst of the wicked, complaincth and groaneth, and poureth out prayer to God. For her voice is in every such prophecy the voice of one in need and want,
PSALM CXL.
Sermon to the people, in the pretence of an attembly of Bishops.
1. Our Lords have bidden me, brethren, and in them the Lord of all, to bring this Psalm to your understanding, so far as God giveth me to. May He help your prayers, that I may say those things which I ought to say, ye to hear, that to all of us the Word of God may be profitable. For all it
Christ the Head, the Church His Body. 219
not yet satisfied, hungering and thirsting after righteousness, Psalm for whom a certain fulness in the end hath been promised, and ^--"j
''
is reserved. Meanwhile, here let it hunger and thirst, groan 6. and knock and seek. Let it not delight in the allurements
of its wandering, let it not think the world its country, from whence Christ came to set it free, for Christ willeth to be our Head, the Head that is of a certain Body. For we cannot speak of a head where there is no body for it to be head to. Accordingly if Christ be a Head, He is also Head of some Body. The Body of that Head is the holy Church, among whose members we are, if we love our Head. Let us hear
then the words of Christ's Body, our own words, that
we be in Christ's Body for whoever not there,
will be among those for whom that Body groaneth. Ac cordingly, either thou wilt be in that Body which groaneth among the wicked or else thou wilt not be in that Body, but wilt be among those wicked ones among whom the Body groaneth, which groaneth amongst the wicked either thou wilt be member of Christ, or an enemy of the Body of Christ. Nor meant that they are all enemies, and ad versaries of the Body of Christ after one manner, neither do they all act after one manner. Chameleon-like he who reigneth in them, and useth them as his vessels. But many are freed from him, and pass over into the Body of Christ, and who they are, and how many there shall hereafter be, He knoweth, Who hath redeemed them, when they knew
not, with His own Blood. But some there are, destined to persevere in their wickedness, belonging not to the Body of Christ, and they assuredly are known to Him, to Whom nothing unknown. Meanwhile, they who are already compacted with His members, not having as yet their resur rection which to come, wherein all groaning endeth, and
praise succeedeth, all tribulation shall die, and there shall be endless exultation not yet having this in possession, yet grasping in hope, they groan with sort of longing, and pray to be freed from wicked men, among whom the good too must live. For to separate them now not safe for every one. Separation will belong to Him, Who knoweth
not to err. What is, 'Who knoweth not to err? ' That He neither transfer the good to the right hand, nor the bad to
a is
;
is
it
;
is
is is
a
it
if
is
it
;
;
is,
220 Christ in His Human Nature called David in the Psalms. Psalm the left. But we in this life find it difficult to know our-
Cxl'
selves ; how much less ought we to pass a hasty sentence on any one. For if to-day we know him to be evil, what he will be to-morrow we know not ; and perhaps he whom we violently hate is our brother, and we know it not. Safe then is it for us to hate in the wicked their wickedness, and to love the work of God's Hand, so that, what God made in him, we love, what man has made in himself, we hale. For God made man himself, man made sin. Love what God made, hate what man hath made : for so shalt thou perse
cute what man hath made, that what God hath made be set free.
3. To the end, a Psalm to David himself. No other end
mayest thou look to, than is laid down for thee by the Apostle
Rom. 1o, himself. For Christ is the end of the law to every one
4'
that believeth. Wherefore when thou hearest the Psalm say, To the end, let hearts be turned to Christ. For the title of the Psalm is, as it were, the herald of the Psalm, seeming to say, ' Lo, He is coming, of Him am I about to speak, of Christ am I about to sing. ' For the words, to
Rom. 1, David himself, I understand not, save of Him, Who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh. Meanwhile on account of the birth the name suiteth. His birth after the flesh was from David, His spiritual parentage above David. And not only before David, but before Abraham ; not only before Abraham, but before Adam too; not only before Adam, but before earth and sky, before all the Angels,
before all powers and virtues, before all things visible and invisible. Because then He was of the seed of David, not after His Godhead, whereby He is the Creator of David, but after the flesh ; therefore He deigned to be called David in prophecy : look to this end, for the Psalm is chanted to David Himself; hear the voice of His Body ; be in His Body. Let the voice which thou hast heard be thine, and pray, and say what followeth.
4. Deliver me, O Lord, from the wicked man.
