But amidst those reproaches, amidst those scandals,
amidst those evils, amidst these seductions, ungodlinesses without and perversenesses within, when was looking for righteous men and seeking whom to imitate, and there were none, what did do?
amidst those evils, amidst these seductions, ungodlinesses without and perversenesses within, when was looking for righteous men and seeking whom to imitate, and there were none, what did do?
Augustine - Exposition on the Psalms - v1
Therefore that new born
anger be plucked out, and turn not into hatred, Scripture
thus teacheth us, saying, Let not the sun go down upon your Eph. 4, tcrath. Now thou dost sometimes meet with a brother26. cherishing hatred, and he reproves one who is angry : there
is hatred in him, and he blames anger in another ; he hath
* Ben. read ' male vivens,' but add that all Mm. hare ' male evadens,' and >o ours.
254 The eye disturbed by anger. The Church's eating.
Psalm a beam in his own eye, and reproveth a mote in his brother's Bkrm. eye. But that mote and shoot, if it be not quickly plucked *T. out, will become a beam. He doth not therefore say, Mine
eye hath been put out by anger, but disordered. For, if it
be put out, it is now hatred, not anger. And, see how that l John it is put out. Hence John saith, He that hateth his brother
2, 9'
eorum
is in darkness even until now. Before one then pass into darkness, the eye is disordered by anger ; but care must be taken that the anger turn not into hatred, and the eye be put out. Therefore he saith, Mine eye hath been disordered for anger, my soul and my belly, that is, my inward parts have been disturbed. He used belly for inward parts. For sometimes with the wicked, and perverse, with those who wander from the law, and live evilly, one may be angry, one may not cry out. When we are angry and may not cry out, our inward parts are disturbed. For so great sometimes is the perver sity that it cannot be corrected.
5. Ver. 10. For my life hath failed in pain, and my years 1 Thess. tre groanings. My life hath failed in pain, he saith. Now
we live, saith the Apostle, if ye standfast in the Lord. Whosoever are perfect through the Gospel and the grace of God, live not here but for others ; for their life in this world
dispell- is no more necessary for them. But, because their services
are necessary for others, there occurs in their case what the Phil. 1, same Apostle saith, Having a desire to depart, and be with Christ; for it is far best: nevertheless to abide in the flesh is needful for you. Now when a man sees that from his services, from his labours, from his preaching men make no
progress, his life is weakened by want. A truly miserable want and hunger, since those whom we gain to the Lord the
Church in a manner eateth. What is eateth ?
her body. For whatever we eat we pass into our body. This the Church doeth by the Saints. She hungereth after those she would gain, and those whom she has gained in any way she in a manner eateth. Peter represented this Church, when a vessel was let down to him from heaven,
Acts 10, full of all manner of four-footed beasts, creeping things, and fowls of the air: by which kinds all the Gentiles are denoted. The Lord shewed the Church in figure beforehand, that she should devour all the Gentiles, and change them into her own body : and He said to Peter, Kill and eat. O Church,
Passeth into
Her groaning. The vine-branch, cut off, can only be burnt. 255
(that is, O Peter, for upon this rock I will build my Church,) Ver. kill and eat. First kill, and so eat. Kill what they are,
and make them what thou art. When then the Gospel is is. preached, and he who preaches it sees that men make no progress, how can he not cry out, For my life hath failed in pain, and my years in groanings? My strength hath been weakened by want, and my bones have been disturbed.
These years of ours, which we pass here, are in groanings.
Why? Because iniquity hath abounded, the love of many Mat. 24,
waxeth cold. In groanings, not in plain speeches. When
the Church seeth many going wrong, she stifles her groans
in her own breast, so as to say to God, My groaning is no* Fs. 38,9. hid from Thee. So it is said in another Psalm, but it is suitable here ; My groaning, though hidden from men, hath
not been hidden from Thee. My strength hath been weak
ened by want, and my bones have been disturbed. Of this
want we have spoken above. By bones are meant the strong
ones of the Church, who, though they be not disturbed by
the persecutions of aliens, are nevertheless disturbed by the iniquities of brethren.
have been made a reproach above all mine
have been made a reproach above all mine enemies. Who are the Church's enemies ? Heathens ? Jews? Bad Christians live worse than all. Would ye see
acquaintance.
how bad Christians live worse than all? Of such the prophet Ezek. Ezekiel saith that they are like useless vine-branches. Grant that the heathen are wood of the trees of the forest without the Church, still something can be made of as of carpenter's woods made wood fit for the carpenter. And
be as yet knotty, and crooked, and covered with bark, still may be trimmed, chipped, planed, and can come to some work for man's use. But of vine branches cut off carpenters can make nothing; the fire only awaits them. Mark, Brethren; seeing that the branch which abideth in the vine every where preferred to the wood the trees the forest, because the branch yieldeth fruit, and that wood doth not; yet, the wood of the trees of the forest be compared with the branch cut off from the vine, the wood
understood to be better, because of the carpenter can
'
6. Ver. II. I
enemies, and to Imy neighbours too much, and fear to mine
is
if
it
if
of
is
it it
of
it,
is
256 Bad Christians worse than Heathens, and a reproach.
Psalm make something, while the other none seeketh but to supply
me hearth. Giving heed therefore to the multitude of evil
/
above all mine enemies. Bad men, saith he, live worse in
Serm. II.
2 Peter The latter end with them is worse than the beginning : for 2,20. 21. ^ were better for them not to know the way of righte ousness, than, knowing it, to turn aside from the holy com
mandment delivered unto them. When he saith, It were better for them not to know the way of righteousness, did he not judge that enemies stationed without are better than evil livers within, by whom the Church is oppressed and
livers in the Church, he saith,
have been made a reproach
my Sacraments, than they who have never approached them. Why should we not speak out plainly in Latin, even when we explain the Psalm ? Even if we do not dare to speak at other times, at least leIt the obligation of exposition have the
liberty of rebuking.
have been made, saith he, a reproach above all mine enemies. Of such the Apostle Peter saith,
It had been better, saith he,
to know the way of righteousness, titan, knowing it, to turn
I have been made a reproach to my neighbours too much, that is, to those who were already drawing near to me that they might believe; that is; My neighbours have been too much frightened by the bad life of bad and false Christians. For how many do you think, my Brethren, wish to be Christians, but are offended by the evil conversation of Christians? These are the neighbours who were
weighed down ?
for
them not
aside from the holy commandment delivered unto
them. Finally, see to how shocking a tiling he compared them. lb. 22. if hath happened to them according to the true proverb, The dog hath turned to his vomit again. Seeing then that the Church is full of such as these, do not the few say truly h/ere, yea rather the Church herself by the voice of the few, have been made a reproach above all mine enemies, and to my neighbours too much, and fear to mine acquaintance ?
already drawing near, and we have seemed too great a reproach
unto tIhem.
have been made a /
fear to mine acquaintance. What
7.
is so much to be feared ?
to mine acquaintance. What is so much to be feared, as when a man sees many living evilly, and those of whom
have been he, made, saith
afear
Duty of believing well ofotliers in spite of scandals. 257
Ver. --
good was hoped found in many evil practices ? He fears lest all, whom he thought good, be such, and almost all the good come into evil suspicion. What a man ! How has he fallen ? How has he been found in that disgraceful business, in that wickedness, in that evil deed ? Think you all are not the same ? This is a fear to mine acquaintance, that even with those to whom we are known we very often come into suspicion. And unless, if thou art any thing, what thou art thyself console thee, thou dost not believe there is any other like thee. A good conscience, whatever it be, consoleth a man, so as that a man whose life is good may say to himself, " O thou, who art fearing now lest all be such, art thou such ? " Conscience makes answer, " I am not. " Then, if thou art not such, art thou alone ? Beware lest this pride be worse than that wickedness. Say not that thou art alone. For so Elias once for weariness of the multitude
of the ungodly said, They havIe killed Thy prophets, and^om. lit
digged down Thy altars ,? and
my life. But what saith the answer of God unto him ? /j*' 10.
have reserved to Myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee before Baal. Therefore, Brethren, amid these offences, there is one remedy -- that thou think not badly of thy brother. Be thou in humility, what thou wouldest have him be, and thou wilt not think him to be what thou art not. But still he is made a fear even to his
acquaintance, even to those who have had proof of him.
8. They that did see me, fled without from me. It were pardonable, if they that did not see me, had fled without from me ; for even they that did see me, fled without from me.
But if they that did not see me, have fled without from me ; (and it must not be said, they fled without, for they were never within ; for if they had been within, they would have seen me ; that is, they would have recognised the Body of Christ, they would have recognised the members of Christ, they would have recognised the unity of Christ. ) This is more to be lamented, this is altogether unbearable, that many who saw me, fled without from me; that is, many, who had knowledge of what the Church was, went out, and made heresies and schisms against the Church. To-day, for instance, you find a man born in Donatus' party, he knows s
am alone, and they seek \ Kings left
258 Those who leave the Church sin against clear Prophecies.
Psalm not what the Church he holds to what he was born in; Exp. ii. you cannot tear him away from the usage which he has
Serm. sucked in with his nurse's milk. Give me man who '-- daily conversant with Scripture, who reads who preaches
Ps. 2,8. it. Is possible, ask, that he does not see there, Desire ofMe, and shall give thee the heathen for thine inherit ance, and the limits of the earth for thy possession Does
Ps. 22, he not see there, All the ends of the world shall remember
27
themselves and be turned unto the Lord and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before Him If thou seest there the unity of the whole world, why dost thou without, so as not only thyself to suffer blindness, but also to create blindness for others They that did see me, that
who knew what the Church was, who saw in the Scriptures, fled without from me. For think ye, my Brethren, that all they who have made heresies in divers parts and places, have not known in the Scriptures of God that the Church hath not been foretold but as diffused throughout the whole globe say the truth, dearly beloved we are all at least Christians, or are all called Christians, and all sign ourselves
with the sign of Christ the prophets have spoken more ob scurely of Christ, than of the Church suppose because they saw in the spirit that men would make parties against the Church, and would not have so much strife concerning Christ, concerning the Church would stir up great con tentions. And hence that out of which greater contentions
were to arise was more plainly predicted and openly pro phesied of, that may avail for the conviction of those who have seen and fled without.
9. For example will mention one instance Abraham was our father not by reason of carnal propagation, but of the imitation of faith. Righteous and well-pleasing to God, by faith he begat son, Isaac, who had been promised to
him, of Sarah his wife being barren, in his old age this same son he was commanded to offer up to God, he doubted
not, nor disputed, nor argued about God's
thought that evil which The Best could enjoin. He led his son to be offered up, placed upon him the wood for the sacrifice, came to the spot, raised his right hand to strike him, lowered at His prohibition at Whose command he
command, nor
it
:
?
?
a
I
it
:
a
: I
;
;
is,
? II
it
it
?
is, fly
is
;
it,
1
Those of the Church are plain, those of Christ figurative. 259
had lifted it up ; he who had obeyed to strike the blow, Ver.
'
obeyed to spare ; every where obedient, never fearful ; but
that the sacrifice might be completed and they might not go
away without blood, a ram was found caught in a thicket by Gen. 22, his horns ; it was offered up, the sacrifice was accomplished. 13, Search what this means : it is a figure of Christ wrapped up
in a mystery '. Now that it may be seen, it is examined : that ' sacra- it may be seen, it is thoroughly discussed that what isme wrapped up may be unrolled. Isaac as the only beloved
son, having the type of the Son of God, carrying the wood
for himself, as Christ carried the cross. Finally, that very
ram signified Christ. For what is it to be caught by the
horns, but in a manner to be crucified ? This is a figure of Christ. Forthwith the Church was to be preached ; the
Head having been fore-announced, the Body was to be fore- announced too. The Spirit of God began, God began to
wish to preach the Church to Abraham, and took away all
figure. He was preaching Christ in figure, He preached the Church openly; for He saith to Abraham, Because thou hastGeo. Ti, obeyed My voice, and hast not spared thy beloved son, for
My sake, in blessing will bless thee, and in multiplying
will multiply thy seed as the stars of heaven and as the sand
of the sea, and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth
be blessed. And almost every where Christ preached by
the prophets in some cover of mystery, the Church openly that they even might see her who were to rise against her, and this wickedness might be fulfilled in them which the Psalm foretold, They that did see me, fled without from me.
They went out from us, but they were not of us: this the1 John Apostle John said of them.
10. Ver. 12. have been forgotten, as one dead from the heart. have been forgotten, have fallen into oblivion, they that saw me have forgotten me; they have forgotten me, and so forgotten me as were dead from their hearts.
have been forgotten, as one dead from the heart. have become as a lost vessel. What this, have become as a lost vessel He was toiling, and profiting none he saw that he was vessel, and profited none, and he saith that he as it were lost vessel.
11. Ver. 13. For have heard the rebuking of many s2
/
I aai
I
I I
I
/ :
is
I is
I i8[
is
if IIa
;
260 Indiscriminate censure.
Psalm dwelling by in a circle. Exp. II. blame me daily. How
Hope not to be placed in any man.
Many dwell by in my circle, and
many evil words do they speak Serm. against wicked Christians --evil words which reach to all Christians. For does he,"who speaks evil of, or blames,
Christians, does he say, See what bad Christians do? " No, but, " See what Christians do. " He makes no separa tion, does not discriminate. Yet they say this, who dwell by in a circle ; that is, who go round about and do not enter. Why go they round about and do not enter ? Because they love the wheel of time. They do not enter into truth, because they do not love eternity : devoted to things temporal, as it were fast bound to a wheel ; of whom it is
Ps. 83, said elsewhere, Make their princes as a wheel ; and again, Ps 12 8 The ungodly walk in a circle. Whilst they were assembling
themselves together against me, they conspired that they
What they have conspired that they That might consent to their wicked
might take my soul.
might take my soul
nesses. For
do not enter in, that they do not enter in they would more-
little matter for those that speak evil and
'al. 'caatover cast men out hence by their rebuking. If they have cast thee out of the Church, they have taken thy soul that have obtained thy consent, and thou wilt be in a circle,
man- not in rest'.
12.
But amidst those reproaches, amidst those scandals,
amidst those evils, amidst these seductions, ungodlinesses without and perversenesses within, when was looking for righteous men and seeking whom to imitate, and there were none, what did do? what counsel did find? (Ver. 14. ) But have hoped in Thee, Lord. Nothing more healthful, nothing more secure. Thou wast wishing to imitate some one, thou didst find him not good. Away with this imitation. Thou didst seek another something or other displeased thee thou didst seek third, and he too did not please what, because this one and that one did not please, shalt thou
Jer. 17, too be lost Take away thy hope from man, for cursed be every
5'
one who putteth his hope in man. If thou look still to man, and seekest to imitate him and depend on him, thou dost wish still to be fed with milk, and thou wilt become breast-
>>mam- breda, as those children are called who suck longer than
threptusthey
ought. For to use milk, to wish food to be passed into
a
;I ?
is,
a
;
O
;
1I
;
I,
1
I is a
;
it
?
I
is,
Error ofresting on one man. The lotofyrace in God's hand. 26 1
one as it were through the flesh, --this is to live by man. Vek.
--
Get strength for the table, thence take nourishment from whence he took it or perchance did not take it. Perhaps thou hast to thy profit fallen in with a bad one whom thou thoughtest good, that so thou mightest find bitterness as it were in thy mother's milk, and so by that distaste be repelled, and attracted to stronger food. For nurses act thus to the breast-bred, place something bitter on the nipples of their breasts; by which infants being disgusted, refuse the breast, and crave after the table. Therefore let him say, But I
have have said, Thou art my God. Thou art my God. Let Donatus retire, Cajcilianus retire ;
hoped in Thee, O Lord ;
I
neither the one or the other is my God. I do not walk after man's name, 1 hold to the Name of Christ. Hear Paul him self saying, Was Paul crucified for you ? or were ye baptized
l Cor. 1.
I should be lost, if I were of Paul's party: how shall I not be lost, if I shall be of Donatus' party ? Yes, let them retire altogether, men's nameIs, men's
in the name of Paul Y
Icharges ; men's fictions. In Jhee, O Lord, have
hoped;
have said, Thou art my God. Not man, but Tfiou art any
my God. One man faileth, another advanceth; my God neither faileth, nor advanceth; nor hath the Perfect One any whither to advance, nor the Eternal any whither to fail. I said to the Lord, Tliou art my God.
18. Ver. 15. In Thy Hands are my lots. Not in hands of
men, but in Thy Hands. What are these lots ? How lots ? When we hear the word lots, we must not look out for lot- sorti- diviners. For the lot is no evil thing, but it is an event, in egos' human doubt, indicating the Divine will. For so the Apostles cast lots, when Judas perished after betraying his
Lord, and, as it was written of him, He went to his own Acts 1,
place; then began search to be made, who should be ordained in his place, two were chosen by man's judgment,
and of the two, one was chosen by Divine judgment. God
was consulted concerning the two, which of them it would
be, and the lot fell upon Matthias. What then is, In 7% lb. 26. Hands are my lots ? By lots, to the best of my opinion, he expressed the grace whereby we are saved. Why does he
call the grace of God by the name of lot ? Because in a lot there is no choice, but the will of God. For when it is said,
262 Grace a lot, because given without our desert.
Psalm this man does so, that man does not, there is an estimate of XXXI
Exp. 1I. deserts ; and when deserts are estimated, there is choice, not Serm. iot_ 13ut since God hath found no deserts of ours, He hath saved us by the lot of His own will, because He willed, not because we were worthy. This is a lot. With much signi-
merito
Johnio, ficance upon that vesture of the Lord woven from the top,
which signifies the eternity of love, when it could not be divided by the persecutors was the lot cast. By them to whom it came it signified those who seem to attain to the
Eph. 2, lot of the Saints. By grace ye are saved through faith, saith the Apostle. By grace ye are saved through faith, and this not of yourselves. (Recognise the lot. ) And this not of yourselves, but it is the gift of God; not of works, (as if ye did any good, and so were worthy of attaining thereunto ;) not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Jesus Christ unto good works.
Acts 8,
This so to say hidden lot is the will of God; it is a lot among mankind, a lot coming from the hidden will of God, with Whom there is no unrighteousness. For He accepteth no man's person, but His hidden justice is to thee a lot.
14. Mark therefore, dearly Beloved, see, how this very thing is confirmed by the Apostle Peter. When that Simon, the sorcerer, having been baptized by Philip, continued with him, believing the Divine miracles which were performed in his sight ; the Apostles came to Samaria, where this sorcerer also had himself believed, and where he had been baptized; the Apostles laid their hands on the baptized, and they received the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with tongues; Simon wondered, and was astounded at so great a Divine miracle, that at the laying on of men's hands the Holy
Ghost came and filled men; and he longed for this, not grace, but power; not whereby he might be set free, but whereby he might be puffed up. But when he longed for this, and pride and devilish ungodliness, and exaltation which deserved a fall, had filled his heart, he said to the Apostles, How much money would you take of me, that men may receive the Holy Ghost at the laying on of my hands too? He who was seeking after things of this world, who
was dwelling by in a circle, thought that for money he could buy the gift of God. He who thought that he could
Simon's error, in thinking to buy God's Gift. 263
by money procure the Holy Ghost, judged the Apostles also Ver.
'. -- Forthwith Peter said, Thy money go into perdition with thee, lb. 20,
to be covetous, as he was himself ungodly and proud.
because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money. Thou hast neither part nor lot in this faith ; that thou dost not belong to this grace, which we all receive freely, because thou dost think to buy that which given freely. Now from this, that given freely,
'
called a lot. Thou hast neither part nor lot in this have said thus much, that we might not be alarmed at what he saith, In Thy Hands are my lots. For what are lots The Church's inheritance. To what
faith.
extent the Church's inheritance? Within what bounds?
Even unto all bounds. will give thee the heathen for Pg. 2,8. thine inheritance, and the boundaries the earth for thy
possession. Let not man promise me some small portion or other my God, in Thy Hands are my lots. Let this suffice you, dearly Beloved, for the present; the remainder in the Lord's Name and with His help we will make good to-morrow.
SERMON III.
The remainder of this Psalm, on which we have already delivered two discourses, somewhat more than
third part of and we see that to-day our task must be fulfilled. Wherefore beg of you, dearly Beloved, to be content that we do not dwell on the plainer words of
that those parts may occupy us which necessary to explain. For there are many things which occur spon taneously to the minds of the faithful, many which need
brief hint, while there are some, though more infrequent,
on which much labour must be bestowed that they may be understood. That the time then may suffice both for your strength and mine, see how evident these parts are, and recognise them without further delay1 together with us, and1 potius praise God in them with us and the Psalm pray, do ye
pray; and rejoice; and For all that
lament, do ye lament; and joy, do ye hope, do ye hope; and fear, do ye fear.
here written, mirror for us.
is if if it it
it, I
is ; a
I
is
if it of
if
it
if is it
it is
a it, a
1.
it is
;
O is Iis
?
is,
264 Satan the enemy we pray against, the ruler of darkness. Psalm 2. Ver. 1 5. Deliver me from the hands of mine enemies
XXXI from them that persecute me. Let us Exp. lf. anc^ say
this, yea let Serm. each one, for his own enemies, say this. For good it is, and -- we ought to pray that God would deliver us from the hands of our enemies. Rut we must understand for what enemies we are to pray, and what to pray against. Men, who are our
enemies, whatsoever they be, must not be held in hatred, lest, when a bad man hates a bad man, from whom he is suffering, there be two bad men. Let the good man love even the bad man from whom he suffers ; that there be at all events but one bad man. Those are the enemies against whom we must pray, the devil and his angels ; they envy us the kingdom of heaven, they would not that we should ascend up whence they have been cast down ; from these let us pray that our soul be delivered. For even when men are stirred up against us, they are made the instruments of these. Wherefore the Apostle Paul, warning us how guarded we ought to be against our enemies, saith to the servants of God who were suffering tribulations, and that questionless
Eph. 6, by the dissensions, unfairnesses, enmities of men, We do not wrestle against flesh and blood, that is, not against men, but against princes and powers and the rulers of the world. What world ? The heavens and the earth ? God forbid. There is no ruler of this world but the Creator. But what world doth he mean ? The lovers of the world. In fine, he goes on in continuation and explains, when I say of the world, I mean of this darkness. What darkness for sooth, but unbelievers and ungodly ? For when from ungodly and unbelievers they have been made godly and believers,
Eph. 5, the same Apostle addressed them thus, For ye were some-
Eph. 6 timet darkness, but now light in the Lord. Against
12.
spiritual wickednesses in heavenly places, saith he, against the devil and his angels ye fight : your enemies ye see not and ye conquer. Deliver me from the hands of mine enemies, and from them that persecute Me.
3. Ver. 16. Make Thy Face to shine upon Thy servant; save me in Thy mercy. We were saying before, if such of you as were present, dearly beloved, remember yesterday's discourse, that those are the greatest persecutors of the Church who being Christians will not live good lives.
For
The Godly long to be severed from ungodly livers. 265
through these the Church incurs obloquy, and from them Ver. sustains enmity : when they are reproved, when they are not ---- permitted to live evilly, when they are dealt with even by a
word, they meditate evil in their hearts, and seek an oppor
tunity of breaking out. Among them is the Psalmist mourn
ing, and so are we if we will ; for they are the more numerous,
and amidst their great numbers the good are scarcely seen
as grains of wheat in the floor, by which nevertheless when
they are cleansed the Lord's garners are to be filled. Therefore in the midst of these the Psalmist mourning, saith,
Make Thy face to shine upon Thy servant. For a sort of confusion is supposed, when all are called Christians: and
good livers and evil livers all are marked with the same
mark, all draw near to one altar, all are washed in one baptism, all utter the same Lord's prayer, all are present at
the celebration of the same mysteries. When are they that mourn distinguished, and they for whom they mourn, except
He make His face to shine upon His servants? What then
is, Make Thy face to shine upon Thy servant? Let it appear
that I belong to Thee ; and let not the ungodly Christian
say so too, that he belongs to Thee, lest I shall have said to
Thee in vain in another Psalm, Judge me, O God, andPs. 43,\.
divide my cause from the ungodly people. What he said there, Divide my cause, he expresses here, Make Thy face to shine upon Thy servant. And nevertheless that he too be not proud, and seem as it were to justify himself, he goes on to say, Save me in Thy mercy. That is, not in mine own righteousness, not in my merits, but in Thy mercy; not because 1 am worthy, but because Thou art merciful. Hear me, not according to judicial severity, but according to most merciful goodness. Save me in Thy mercy. I
4. Ver. 17. O Lord, let me not be confounded, for
have called upon Tliee. He hath pleaded a weighty cause, Let
I have called upon Thee. Wouldest Thou that he should be confounded who hath called upon Thee ? Wouldest Thou it should be said, Where is He in Whom he trusted ? But who even of the very ungodly doth not call upon God ? Unless then in some special way he said, / have called upon Thee, which cannot be common with the many, he would by no means venture to claim so
me not be confounded,for
266 He calls not truly upon God who does not desire Him.
Psalm great a reward from this calling upon God. For God might Exp. II. answer him after a sort in thought, . and say," Why dost Serm. thou ask of Me that thou mayest not be confounded ?
-- Wherefore ? Because thou hast called upon Me ? Do not men daily call upon Me, that they may fulfil it may be the adulteries which they lust after ? Do not men daily call upon Me, that those may die from whom they are expecting an inheritance ? Do not men daily call upon Me, who are devising some fraud, that they may execute it with a pros perous issue ? How then dost thou claim so great a reward as to say, Let me not be confounded, for I have called upon
Thee ? All those men it is true call, but do not call upon Thee. Thou dost call upon God, when thou dost call God unto thyself. For this is to call upon ' Him, to call Him unto thyself, to invite Him, so to say, into the home of thine heart. Now thou wouldest not dare to invite any householder merely, unless thou first knewest how to prepare an habitation for him. For what if God say to thee, " Lo, thou hast called upon Me, I come to Thee. Where shall I enter in ? Shall
I bear this great filth of thy conscience ?
invite My servant into thine house, wouldest thou not first take care to cleanse it ? Thou dost call Me into thine heart, and it is full of rapine. The place into which God is called a 's U|N of blasphemies, is full of adulteries, is full of frauds, is full of evil lusts ; and dost thou call upon Me ? " Of such
Ps. 14,4; men in short what saith the Psalm in another place? They
have not called upon the Lord. And in very truth they have called, and yet they have not called upon Him. I say briefly, since the question has arisen how a man can claim so gIreat a reward, by alleging one only merit, in saying,
for
called upon by so many bad men ; the question has arisen, and we must not pass from it: I say briefly then to the covetous man, Dost thou call upon God. Why dost thou call upon God? That He may give thee gain? Thou dost call then upon gain, not upon God. Because thou canst not have this gain, which thou covetest, by thy servant,
because thou canst not have it by thy tenant, by thy client, by thy friend, by thy satellite, thou dost call upon God, thou makest God the minister of thy gain. God is held
1 Invo- care
a al. ' I
e&a* God. '
If thou wast to
'
hare called Tliee, when
upon we see that God is
Christ despised by those who love what He cared not to have. 267
cheap by thee. Wouldest thou call upon God ? Call upon Ver. Him for His own sake1. Thou covetous one! is it a little. 18'. -
gratis
thing to thee if God Himself fill thee ?
anger be plucked out, and turn not into hatred, Scripture
thus teacheth us, saying, Let not the sun go down upon your Eph. 4, tcrath. Now thou dost sometimes meet with a brother26. cherishing hatred, and he reproves one who is angry : there
is hatred in him, and he blames anger in another ; he hath
* Ben. read ' male vivens,' but add that all Mm. hare ' male evadens,' and >o ours.
254 The eye disturbed by anger. The Church's eating.
Psalm a beam in his own eye, and reproveth a mote in his brother's Bkrm. eye. But that mote and shoot, if it be not quickly plucked *T. out, will become a beam. He doth not therefore say, Mine
eye hath been put out by anger, but disordered. For, if it
be put out, it is now hatred, not anger. And, see how that l John it is put out. Hence John saith, He that hateth his brother
2, 9'
eorum
is in darkness even until now. Before one then pass into darkness, the eye is disordered by anger ; but care must be taken that the anger turn not into hatred, and the eye be put out. Therefore he saith, Mine eye hath been disordered for anger, my soul and my belly, that is, my inward parts have been disturbed. He used belly for inward parts. For sometimes with the wicked, and perverse, with those who wander from the law, and live evilly, one may be angry, one may not cry out. When we are angry and may not cry out, our inward parts are disturbed. For so great sometimes is the perver sity that it cannot be corrected.
5. Ver. 10. For my life hath failed in pain, and my years 1 Thess. tre groanings. My life hath failed in pain, he saith. Now
we live, saith the Apostle, if ye standfast in the Lord. Whosoever are perfect through the Gospel and the grace of God, live not here but for others ; for their life in this world
dispell- is no more necessary for them. But, because their services
are necessary for others, there occurs in their case what the Phil. 1, same Apostle saith, Having a desire to depart, and be with Christ; for it is far best: nevertheless to abide in the flesh is needful for you. Now when a man sees that from his services, from his labours, from his preaching men make no
progress, his life is weakened by want. A truly miserable want and hunger, since those whom we gain to the Lord the
Church in a manner eateth. What is eateth ?
her body. For whatever we eat we pass into our body. This the Church doeth by the Saints. She hungereth after those she would gain, and those whom she has gained in any way she in a manner eateth. Peter represented this Church, when a vessel was let down to him from heaven,
Acts 10, full of all manner of four-footed beasts, creeping things, and fowls of the air: by which kinds all the Gentiles are denoted. The Lord shewed the Church in figure beforehand, that she should devour all the Gentiles, and change them into her own body : and He said to Peter, Kill and eat. O Church,
Passeth into
Her groaning. The vine-branch, cut off, can only be burnt. 255
(that is, O Peter, for upon this rock I will build my Church,) Ver. kill and eat. First kill, and so eat. Kill what they are,
and make them what thou art. When then the Gospel is is. preached, and he who preaches it sees that men make no progress, how can he not cry out, For my life hath failed in pain, and my years in groanings? My strength hath been weakened by want, and my bones have been disturbed.
These years of ours, which we pass here, are in groanings.
Why? Because iniquity hath abounded, the love of many Mat. 24,
waxeth cold. In groanings, not in plain speeches. When
the Church seeth many going wrong, she stifles her groans
in her own breast, so as to say to God, My groaning is no* Fs. 38,9. hid from Thee. So it is said in another Psalm, but it is suitable here ; My groaning, though hidden from men, hath
not been hidden from Thee. My strength hath been weak
ened by want, and my bones have been disturbed. Of this
want we have spoken above. By bones are meant the strong
ones of the Church, who, though they be not disturbed by
the persecutions of aliens, are nevertheless disturbed by the iniquities of brethren.
have been made a reproach above all mine
have been made a reproach above all mine enemies. Who are the Church's enemies ? Heathens ? Jews? Bad Christians live worse than all. Would ye see
acquaintance.
how bad Christians live worse than all? Of such the prophet Ezek. Ezekiel saith that they are like useless vine-branches. Grant that the heathen are wood of the trees of the forest without the Church, still something can be made of as of carpenter's woods made wood fit for the carpenter. And
be as yet knotty, and crooked, and covered with bark, still may be trimmed, chipped, planed, and can come to some work for man's use. But of vine branches cut off carpenters can make nothing; the fire only awaits them. Mark, Brethren; seeing that the branch which abideth in the vine every where preferred to the wood the trees the forest, because the branch yieldeth fruit, and that wood doth not; yet, the wood of the trees of the forest be compared with the branch cut off from the vine, the wood
understood to be better, because of the carpenter can
'
6. Ver. II. I
enemies, and to Imy neighbours too much, and fear to mine
is
if
it
if
of
is
it it
of
it,
is
256 Bad Christians worse than Heathens, and a reproach.
Psalm make something, while the other none seeketh but to supply
me hearth. Giving heed therefore to the multitude of evil
/
above all mine enemies. Bad men, saith he, live worse in
Serm. II.
2 Peter The latter end with them is worse than the beginning : for 2,20. 21. ^ were better for them not to know the way of righte ousness, than, knowing it, to turn aside from the holy com
mandment delivered unto them. When he saith, It were better for them not to know the way of righteousness, did he not judge that enemies stationed without are better than evil livers within, by whom the Church is oppressed and
livers in the Church, he saith,
have been made a reproach
my Sacraments, than they who have never approached them. Why should we not speak out plainly in Latin, even when we explain the Psalm ? Even if we do not dare to speak at other times, at least leIt the obligation of exposition have the
liberty of rebuking.
have been made, saith he, a reproach above all mine enemies. Of such the Apostle Peter saith,
It had been better, saith he,
to know the way of righteousness, titan, knowing it, to turn
I have been made a reproach to my neighbours too much, that is, to those who were already drawing near to me that they might believe; that is; My neighbours have been too much frightened by the bad life of bad and false Christians. For how many do you think, my Brethren, wish to be Christians, but are offended by the evil conversation of Christians? These are the neighbours who were
weighed down ?
for
them not
aside from the holy commandment delivered unto
them. Finally, see to how shocking a tiling he compared them. lb. 22. if hath happened to them according to the true proverb, The dog hath turned to his vomit again. Seeing then that the Church is full of such as these, do not the few say truly h/ere, yea rather the Church herself by the voice of the few, have been made a reproach above all mine enemies, and to my neighbours too much, and fear to mine acquaintance ?
already drawing near, and we have seemed too great a reproach
unto tIhem.
have been made a /
fear to mine acquaintance. What
7.
is so much to be feared ?
to mine acquaintance. What is so much to be feared, as when a man sees many living evilly, and those of whom
have been he, made, saith
afear
Duty of believing well ofotliers in spite of scandals. 257
Ver. --
good was hoped found in many evil practices ? He fears lest all, whom he thought good, be such, and almost all the good come into evil suspicion. What a man ! How has he fallen ? How has he been found in that disgraceful business, in that wickedness, in that evil deed ? Think you all are not the same ? This is a fear to mine acquaintance, that even with those to whom we are known we very often come into suspicion. And unless, if thou art any thing, what thou art thyself console thee, thou dost not believe there is any other like thee. A good conscience, whatever it be, consoleth a man, so as that a man whose life is good may say to himself, " O thou, who art fearing now lest all be such, art thou such ? " Conscience makes answer, " I am not. " Then, if thou art not such, art thou alone ? Beware lest this pride be worse than that wickedness. Say not that thou art alone. For so Elias once for weariness of the multitude
of the ungodly said, They havIe killed Thy prophets, and^om. lit
digged down Thy altars ,? and
my life. But what saith the answer of God unto him ? /j*' 10.
have reserved to Myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee before Baal. Therefore, Brethren, amid these offences, there is one remedy -- that thou think not badly of thy brother. Be thou in humility, what thou wouldest have him be, and thou wilt not think him to be what thou art not. But still he is made a fear even to his
acquaintance, even to those who have had proof of him.
8. They that did see me, fled without from me. It were pardonable, if they that did not see me, had fled without from me ; for even they that did see me, fled without from me.
But if they that did not see me, have fled without from me ; (and it must not be said, they fled without, for they were never within ; for if they had been within, they would have seen me ; that is, they would have recognised the Body of Christ, they would have recognised the members of Christ, they would have recognised the unity of Christ. ) This is more to be lamented, this is altogether unbearable, that many who saw me, fled without from me; that is, many, who had knowledge of what the Church was, went out, and made heresies and schisms against the Church. To-day, for instance, you find a man born in Donatus' party, he knows s
am alone, and they seek \ Kings left
258 Those who leave the Church sin against clear Prophecies.
Psalm not what the Church he holds to what he was born in; Exp. ii. you cannot tear him away from the usage which he has
Serm. sucked in with his nurse's milk. Give me man who '-- daily conversant with Scripture, who reads who preaches
Ps. 2,8. it. Is possible, ask, that he does not see there, Desire ofMe, and shall give thee the heathen for thine inherit ance, and the limits of the earth for thy possession Does
Ps. 22, he not see there, All the ends of the world shall remember
27
themselves and be turned unto the Lord and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before Him If thou seest there the unity of the whole world, why dost thou without, so as not only thyself to suffer blindness, but also to create blindness for others They that did see me, that
who knew what the Church was, who saw in the Scriptures, fled without from me. For think ye, my Brethren, that all they who have made heresies in divers parts and places, have not known in the Scriptures of God that the Church hath not been foretold but as diffused throughout the whole globe say the truth, dearly beloved we are all at least Christians, or are all called Christians, and all sign ourselves
with the sign of Christ the prophets have spoken more ob scurely of Christ, than of the Church suppose because they saw in the spirit that men would make parties against the Church, and would not have so much strife concerning Christ, concerning the Church would stir up great con tentions. And hence that out of which greater contentions
were to arise was more plainly predicted and openly pro phesied of, that may avail for the conviction of those who have seen and fled without.
9. For example will mention one instance Abraham was our father not by reason of carnal propagation, but of the imitation of faith. Righteous and well-pleasing to God, by faith he begat son, Isaac, who had been promised to
him, of Sarah his wife being barren, in his old age this same son he was commanded to offer up to God, he doubted
not, nor disputed, nor argued about God's
thought that evil which The Best could enjoin. He led his son to be offered up, placed upon him the wood for the sacrifice, came to the spot, raised his right hand to strike him, lowered at His prohibition at Whose command he
command, nor
it
:
?
?
a
I
it
:
a
: I
;
;
is,
? II
it
it
?
is, fly
is
;
it,
1
Those of the Church are plain, those of Christ figurative. 259
had lifted it up ; he who had obeyed to strike the blow, Ver.
'
obeyed to spare ; every where obedient, never fearful ; but
that the sacrifice might be completed and they might not go
away without blood, a ram was found caught in a thicket by Gen. 22, his horns ; it was offered up, the sacrifice was accomplished. 13, Search what this means : it is a figure of Christ wrapped up
in a mystery '. Now that it may be seen, it is examined : that ' sacra- it may be seen, it is thoroughly discussed that what isme wrapped up may be unrolled. Isaac as the only beloved
son, having the type of the Son of God, carrying the wood
for himself, as Christ carried the cross. Finally, that very
ram signified Christ. For what is it to be caught by the
horns, but in a manner to be crucified ? This is a figure of Christ. Forthwith the Church was to be preached ; the
Head having been fore-announced, the Body was to be fore- announced too. The Spirit of God began, God began to
wish to preach the Church to Abraham, and took away all
figure. He was preaching Christ in figure, He preached the Church openly; for He saith to Abraham, Because thou hastGeo. Ti, obeyed My voice, and hast not spared thy beloved son, for
My sake, in blessing will bless thee, and in multiplying
will multiply thy seed as the stars of heaven and as the sand
of the sea, and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth
be blessed. And almost every where Christ preached by
the prophets in some cover of mystery, the Church openly that they even might see her who were to rise against her, and this wickedness might be fulfilled in them which the Psalm foretold, They that did see me, fled without from me.
They went out from us, but they were not of us: this the1 John Apostle John said of them.
10. Ver. 12. have been forgotten, as one dead from the heart. have been forgotten, have fallen into oblivion, they that saw me have forgotten me; they have forgotten me, and so forgotten me as were dead from their hearts.
have been forgotten, as one dead from the heart. have become as a lost vessel. What this, have become as a lost vessel He was toiling, and profiting none he saw that he was vessel, and profited none, and he saith that he as it were lost vessel.
11. Ver. 13. For have heard the rebuking of many s2
/
I aai
I
I I
I
/ :
is
I is
I i8[
is
if IIa
;
260 Indiscriminate censure.
Psalm dwelling by in a circle. Exp. II. blame me daily. How
Hope not to be placed in any man.
Many dwell by in my circle, and
many evil words do they speak Serm. against wicked Christians --evil words which reach to all Christians. For does he,"who speaks evil of, or blames,
Christians, does he say, See what bad Christians do? " No, but, " See what Christians do. " He makes no separa tion, does not discriminate. Yet they say this, who dwell by in a circle ; that is, who go round about and do not enter. Why go they round about and do not enter ? Because they love the wheel of time. They do not enter into truth, because they do not love eternity : devoted to things temporal, as it were fast bound to a wheel ; of whom it is
Ps. 83, said elsewhere, Make their princes as a wheel ; and again, Ps 12 8 The ungodly walk in a circle. Whilst they were assembling
themselves together against me, they conspired that they
What they have conspired that they That might consent to their wicked
might take my soul.
might take my soul
nesses. For
do not enter in, that they do not enter in they would more-
little matter for those that speak evil and
'al. 'caatover cast men out hence by their rebuking. If they have cast thee out of the Church, they have taken thy soul that have obtained thy consent, and thou wilt be in a circle,
man- not in rest'.
12.
But amidst those reproaches, amidst those scandals,
amidst those evils, amidst these seductions, ungodlinesses without and perversenesses within, when was looking for righteous men and seeking whom to imitate, and there were none, what did do? what counsel did find? (Ver. 14. ) But have hoped in Thee, Lord. Nothing more healthful, nothing more secure. Thou wast wishing to imitate some one, thou didst find him not good. Away with this imitation. Thou didst seek another something or other displeased thee thou didst seek third, and he too did not please what, because this one and that one did not please, shalt thou
Jer. 17, too be lost Take away thy hope from man, for cursed be every
5'
one who putteth his hope in man. If thou look still to man, and seekest to imitate him and depend on him, thou dost wish still to be fed with milk, and thou wilt become breast-
>>mam- breda, as those children are called who suck longer than
threptusthey
ought. For to use milk, to wish food to be passed into
a
;I ?
is,
a
;
O
;
1I
;
I,
1
I is a
;
it
?
I
is,
Error ofresting on one man. The lotofyrace in God's hand. 26 1
one as it were through the flesh, --this is to live by man. Vek.
--
Get strength for the table, thence take nourishment from whence he took it or perchance did not take it. Perhaps thou hast to thy profit fallen in with a bad one whom thou thoughtest good, that so thou mightest find bitterness as it were in thy mother's milk, and so by that distaste be repelled, and attracted to stronger food. For nurses act thus to the breast-bred, place something bitter on the nipples of their breasts; by which infants being disgusted, refuse the breast, and crave after the table. Therefore let him say, But I
have have said, Thou art my God. Thou art my God. Let Donatus retire, Cajcilianus retire ;
hoped in Thee, O Lord ;
I
neither the one or the other is my God. I do not walk after man's name, 1 hold to the Name of Christ. Hear Paul him self saying, Was Paul crucified for you ? or were ye baptized
l Cor. 1.
I should be lost, if I were of Paul's party: how shall I not be lost, if I shall be of Donatus' party ? Yes, let them retire altogether, men's nameIs, men's
in the name of Paul Y
Icharges ; men's fictions. In Jhee, O Lord, have
hoped;
have said, Thou art my God. Not man, but Tfiou art any
my God. One man faileth, another advanceth; my God neither faileth, nor advanceth; nor hath the Perfect One any whither to advance, nor the Eternal any whither to fail. I said to the Lord, Tliou art my God.
18. Ver. 15. In Thy Hands are my lots. Not in hands of
men, but in Thy Hands. What are these lots ? How lots ? When we hear the word lots, we must not look out for lot- sorti- diviners. For the lot is no evil thing, but it is an event, in egos' human doubt, indicating the Divine will. For so the Apostles cast lots, when Judas perished after betraying his
Lord, and, as it was written of him, He went to his own Acts 1,
place; then began search to be made, who should be ordained in his place, two were chosen by man's judgment,
and of the two, one was chosen by Divine judgment. God
was consulted concerning the two, which of them it would
be, and the lot fell upon Matthias. What then is, In 7% lb. 26. Hands are my lots ? By lots, to the best of my opinion, he expressed the grace whereby we are saved. Why does he
call the grace of God by the name of lot ? Because in a lot there is no choice, but the will of God. For when it is said,
262 Grace a lot, because given without our desert.
Psalm this man does so, that man does not, there is an estimate of XXXI
Exp. 1I. deserts ; and when deserts are estimated, there is choice, not Serm. iot_ 13ut since God hath found no deserts of ours, He hath saved us by the lot of His own will, because He willed, not because we were worthy. This is a lot. With much signi-
merito
Johnio, ficance upon that vesture of the Lord woven from the top,
which signifies the eternity of love, when it could not be divided by the persecutors was the lot cast. By them to whom it came it signified those who seem to attain to the
Eph. 2, lot of the Saints. By grace ye are saved through faith, saith the Apostle. By grace ye are saved through faith, and this not of yourselves. (Recognise the lot. ) And this not of yourselves, but it is the gift of God; not of works, (as if ye did any good, and so were worthy of attaining thereunto ;) not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Jesus Christ unto good works.
Acts 8,
This so to say hidden lot is the will of God; it is a lot among mankind, a lot coming from the hidden will of God, with Whom there is no unrighteousness. For He accepteth no man's person, but His hidden justice is to thee a lot.
14. Mark therefore, dearly Beloved, see, how this very thing is confirmed by the Apostle Peter. When that Simon, the sorcerer, having been baptized by Philip, continued with him, believing the Divine miracles which were performed in his sight ; the Apostles came to Samaria, where this sorcerer also had himself believed, and where he had been baptized; the Apostles laid their hands on the baptized, and they received the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with tongues; Simon wondered, and was astounded at so great a Divine miracle, that at the laying on of men's hands the Holy
Ghost came and filled men; and he longed for this, not grace, but power; not whereby he might be set free, but whereby he might be puffed up. But when he longed for this, and pride and devilish ungodliness, and exaltation which deserved a fall, had filled his heart, he said to the Apostles, How much money would you take of me, that men may receive the Holy Ghost at the laying on of my hands too? He who was seeking after things of this world, who
was dwelling by in a circle, thought that for money he could buy the gift of God. He who thought that he could
Simon's error, in thinking to buy God's Gift. 263
by money procure the Holy Ghost, judged the Apostles also Ver.
'. -- Forthwith Peter said, Thy money go into perdition with thee, lb. 20,
to be covetous, as he was himself ungodly and proud.
because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money. Thou hast neither part nor lot in this faith ; that thou dost not belong to this grace, which we all receive freely, because thou dost think to buy that which given freely. Now from this, that given freely,
'
called a lot. Thou hast neither part nor lot in this have said thus much, that we might not be alarmed at what he saith, In Thy Hands are my lots. For what are lots The Church's inheritance. To what
faith.
extent the Church's inheritance? Within what bounds?
Even unto all bounds. will give thee the heathen for Pg. 2,8. thine inheritance, and the boundaries the earth for thy
possession. Let not man promise me some small portion or other my God, in Thy Hands are my lots. Let this suffice you, dearly Beloved, for the present; the remainder in the Lord's Name and with His help we will make good to-morrow.
SERMON III.
The remainder of this Psalm, on which we have already delivered two discourses, somewhat more than
third part of and we see that to-day our task must be fulfilled. Wherefore beg of you, dearly Beloved, to be content that we do not dwell on the plainer words of
that those parts may occupy us which necessary to explain. For there are many things which occur spon taneously to the minds of the faithful, many which need
brief hint, while there are some, though more infrequent,
on which much labour must be bestowed that they may be understood. That the time then may suffice both for your strength and mine, see how evident these parts are, and recognise them without further delay1 together with us, and1 potius praise God in them with us and the Psalm pray, do ye
pray; and rejoice; and For all that
lament, do ye lament; and joy, do ye hope, do ye hope; and fear, do ye fear.
here written, mirror for us.
is if if it it
it, I
is ; a
I
is
if it of
if
it
if is it
it is
a it, a
1.
it is
;
O is Iis
?
is,
264 Satan the enemy we pray against, the ruler of darkness. Psalm 2. Ver. 1 5. Deliver me from the hands of mine enemies
XXXI from them that persecute me. Let us Exp. lf. anc^ say
this, yea let Serm. each one, for his own enemies, say this. For good it is, and -- we ought to pray that God would deliver us from the hands of our enemies. Rut we must understand for what enemies we are to pray, and what to pray against. Men, who are our
enemies, whatsoever they be, must not be held in hatred, lest, when a bad man hates a bad man, from whom he is suffering, there be two bad men. Let the good man love even the bad man from whom he suffers ; that there be at all events but one bad man. Those are the enemies against whom we must pray, the devil and his angels ; they envy us the kingdom of heaven, they would not that we should ascend up whence they have been cast down ; from these let us pray that our soul be delivered. For even when men are stirred up against us, they are made the instruments of these. Wherefore the Apostle Paul, warning us how guarded we ought to be against our enemies, saith to the servants of God who were suffering tribulations, and that questionless
Eph. 6, by the dissensions, unfairnesses, enmities of men, We do not wrestle against flesh and blood, that is, not against men, but against princes and powers and the rulers of the world. What world ? The heavens and the earth ? God forbid. There is no ruler of this world but the Creator. But what world doth he mean ? The lovers of the world. In fine, he goes on in continuation and explains, when I say of the world, I mean of this darkness. What darkness for sooth, but unbelievers and ungodly ? For when from ungodly and unbelievers they have been made godly and believers,
Eph. 5, the same Apostle addressed them thus, For ye were some-
Eph. 6 timet darkness, but now light in the Lord. Against
12.
spiritual wickednesses in heavenly places, saith he, against the devil and his angels ye fight : your enemies ye see not and ye conquer. Deliver me from the hands of mine enemies, and from them that persecute Me.
3. Ver. 16. Make Thy Face to shine upon Thy servant; save me in Thy mercy. We were saying before, if such of you as were present, dearly beloved, remember yesterday's discourse, that those are the greatest persecutors of the Church who being Christians will not live good lives.
For
The Godly long to be severed from ungodly livers. 265
through these the Church incurs obloquy, and from them Ver. sustains enmity : when they are reproved, when they are not ---- permitted to live evilly, when they are dealt with even by a
word, they meditate evil in their hearts, and seek an oppor
tunity of breaking out. Among them is the Psalmist mourn
ing, and so are we if we will ; for they are the more numerous,
and amidst their great numbers the good are scarcely seen
as grains of wheat in the floor, by which nevertheless when
they are cleansed the Lord's garners are to be filled. Therefore in the midst of these the Psalmist mourning, saith,
Make Thy face to shine upon Thy servant. For a sort of confusion is supposed, when all are called Christians: and
good livers and evil livers all are marked with the same
mark, all draw near to one altar, all are washed in one baptism, all utter the same Lord's prayer, all are present at
the celebration of the same mysteries. When are they that mourn distinguished, and they for whom they mourn, except
He make His face to shine upon His servants? What then
is, Make Thy face to shine upon Thy servant? Let it appear
that I belong to Thee ; and let not the ungodly Christian
say so too, that he belongs to Thee, lest I shall have said to
Thee in vain in another Psalm, Judge me, O God, andPs. 43,\.
divide my cause from the ungodly people. What he said there, Divide my cause, he expresses here, Make Thy face to shine upon Thy servant. And nevertheless that he too be not proud, and seem as it were to justify himself, he goes on to say, Save me in Thy mercy. That is, not in mine own righteousness, not in my merits, but in Thy mercy; not because 1 am worthy, but because Thou art merciful. Hear me, not according to judicial severity, but according to most merciful goodness. Save me in Thy mercy. I
4. Ver. 17. O Lord, let me not be confounded, for
have called upon Tliee. He hath pleaded a weighty cause, Let
I have called upon Thee. Wouldest Thou that he should be confounded who hath called upon Thee ? Wouldest Thou it should be said, Where is He in Whom he trusted ? But who even of the very ungodly doth not call upon God ? Unless then in some special way he said, / have called upon Thee, which cannot be common with the many, he would by no means venture to claim so
me not be confounded,for
266 He calls not truly upon God who does not desire Him.
Psalm great a reward from this calling upon God. For God might Exp. II. answer him after a sort in thought, . and say," Why dost Serm. thou ask of Me that thou mayest not be confounded ?
-- Wherefore ? Because thou hast called upon Me ? Do not men daily call upon Me, that they may fulfil it may be the adulteries which they lust after ? Do not men daily call upon Me, that those may die from whom they are expecting an inheritance ? Do not men daily call upon Me, who are devising some fraud, that they may execute it with a pros perous issue ? How then dost thou claim so great a reward as to say, Let me not be confounded, for I have called upon
Thee ? All those men it is true call, but do not call upon Thee. Thou dost call upon God, when thou dost call God unto thyself. For this is to call upon ' Him, to call Him unto thyself, to invite Him, so to say, into the home of thine heart. Now thou wouldest not dare to invite any householder merely, unless thou first knewest how to prepare an habitation for him. For what if God say to thee, " Lo, thou hast called upon Me, I come to Thee. Where shall I enter in ? Shall
I bear this great filth of thy conscience ?
invite My servant into thine house, wouldest thou not first take care to cleanse it ? Thou dost call Me into thine heart, and it is full of rapine. The place into which God is called a 's U|N of blasphemies, is full of adulteries, is full of frauds, is full of evil lusts ; and dost thou call upon Me ? " Of such
Ps. 14,4; men in short what saith the Psalm in another place? They
have not called upon the Lord. And in very truth they have called, and yet they have not called upon Him. I say briefly, since the question has arisen how a man can claim so gIreat a reward, by alleging one only merit, in saying,
for
called upon by so many bad men ; the question has arisen, and we must not pass from it: I say briefly then to the covetous man, Dost thou call upon God. Why dost thou call upon God? That He may give thee gain? Thou dost call then upon gain, not upon God. Because thou canst not have this gain, which thou covetest, by thy servant,
because thou canst not have it by thy tenant, by thy client, by thy friend, by thy satellite, thou dost call upon God, thou makest God the minister of thy gain. God is held
1 Invo- care
a al. ' I
e&a* God. '
If thou wast to
'
hare called Tliee, when
upon we see that God is
Christ despised by those who love what He cared not to have. 267
cheap by thee. Wouldest thou call upon God ? Call upon Ver. Him for His own sake1. Thou covetous one! is it a little. 18'. -
gratis
thing to thee if God Himself fill thee ?
