No More Learning

when He had made all His works very good. For He was^32' not wearied, so as to need rest, nor hath He now left off- to work, for our Lord Christ saith openly, My Father worketh John hitherto. For He saith this unto the Jews, who thought1''' carnally of God, and understood not that God worketh in quiet, and always worketh, and always in quiet. We
also, then, whom God willed then to figure in Himself, shall
have rest after all good works. And indeed, our good works, brethren, which we do here in the world before our rest, arc
in a manner toilsome; and that rest in hope, not attained in its reality and unless was in hope, we should fail in our labour but our toilsome and good
works pass over. For what so good, as to give bread
unto the hungred and what we were listening to just
now, whilst the Gospel was reading, what so good, as
that which he advised generally, He that hath tuo coats, fe/i,uke3, him impart to him that hath none and he that hath meat,11'
let him do likewise? To clothe the naked, good work will this good work be evermore hath little toil in but hath a solace in the hope of future rest. Cut how
much toil hast thou in clothing the naked good work doth not toil much bad work hath toil. For he who clotheth the naked, he hath whence to do so, toileth not:
he hath not whence to do so, Glory to God in the highest, Luke 14.
if
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6, 1.
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it is
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;
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3:30 Earth 'founded' on the ' sixth day,' i. e. in Christ.
Psalm and on earth peace to men of aood trill. But who counteth ' how much he toilcth who chooseth to despoil one clothed? and yet these things too will pass away, when we shall have
reached that rest, where there is no one hungry to be fed, no one naked to be clothed. And because these good works are doomed to pass away, that sixth day also, when those very good works are perfected, hath an evening; but in the Sabbath we find no evening, because our rest shall have no end: for evening is put for end. As therefore God made man in His own image on the sixth day : thus we find that our Lord Jesus Christ came into the sixth age, that man might be formed anew after the image of God. For the first period, as the first day, was from Adam until Noah: the second, as the second day, from Noah unto Abraham : the third, as the third day, from Abraham unto David: the fourth, as the fourth day, from David unto the removal to Babylon : the fifth period, as the fifth day, from the removal to Babylon unto the preaching of John. The sixth day
from the preaching of John, and lasteth unto the end : and after the end of the sixth day, we reach our rest. The sixth day, therefore, is even now passing. And it is now the sixth day, see what the title hath ; On the day before the sabbath, when the earth was founded. Let us now listen to the Psalm itself : let us enquire of how the earth was made, whether perhaps the earth was then made: and we do not read so in Genesis. When, therefore, was the earth founded? when, unless when that which hath been but now read in the Apostle taketh place If, he
Cor. saith, ye are siedfast, immoveable. When all who believe 16, 68. throughout all the earth are stedfast in faith, the earth
founded: then man made in the image of God. That sixth day in Genesis signifieth this. But how did God make it? How was the earth founded? Christ came, that
Cor. He might found the earth; For other foundation can no man lay than laid, which Jesus Christ. Of Him therefore the Psalm singeth.
2. Ver. The Lord reigncth, He clothed with beauty the I^ord is clothed with strength, and girded. We see that He hath clothed Himself with two things: beauty and strength. But why? That He might found
beginneth
;
1.
is
is
lt 3,
is
is :
is
is
it,
What ' ivorld' it is that ' cannot be moved. ' 331
the earth. So it followeth, He hath made the round world Ver. so sure, that it cannot he moved. Whence hath He made it ----- so sure? Because He hath clothed Himself in beauty. He
would not make it so sure, if He put on beauty only, and
not strength also. Why therefore beauty, why strength ? For
He hath said both : The Lord reigneth, He is clothed with beauty; the Lord is clothed with strength, and is girded. Ye
know, brethren, that when our Lord had come in the flesh, of
those to whom He preached the Gospel, He pleased some,
and displeased others. For the tongues of the Jews were divided against one another: Some said, He is a good Man; John 7, others said, Nay, but He deceiveth the people. Some then 12' spoke well, others detracted from Him, tore Him, bit and insulted Him. Towards those therefore whom He pleased,
He put on beauty; towards those whom He displeased, He
put on strength. Imitate then thy Lord, that thou maycst become His garment : be with beauty towards those whom thy good works please : shew thy strength against de tractors. Hear the Apostle Paul imitating his Lord, how
he too had beauty, had strength. We are unto God, he2Cor. 2,
16'
saith, a sweet savour in Christ, in them that are saved, and^* in them that perish. For those whom goodness pleaseth, are saved : those who detract from what is good, perish. For his own part, he had a sweet savour : yea, was a sweet savour: but, woe to the wretched" who perish even in that sweet savour. For he saith not, To some we are a sweet savour : to others we are an ill savour :" but, we are a sweet savour in Christ, in every place, both in them that are saved, and in them that perish. He adileth instantly ; to the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other, the savour of life unto life. He had clothed himself with beauty to those to whom the savour was that of life unto life : to those with whom it was the savour of death unto death, he had put on strength. But if thou dost rejoice, when men praise thee, and thy good works please them : but when they revile thee, if thou failest in thy good works, and believest as it were that thou hast lost the fruit of thy good works, because thou findest revilers ; thou hast not been stedfast : thou dost not belong to the round world that cannot be moved.
Psalm XCIII
The Lord is clothed with strength ; and is girded. The .
332 ' Beauty' and ' strength,' toward divers characters.
LApostle Paul hath another passage on this very beauty and strength : By the armour of righteousness, on the right hand and on the left. See where he speaketh of beauty and strength : By honour and dishonour. In honour He is beautiful : in dishonour, strong. Among some he was pro claimed of to his honour: among others he was despised to his dishonour. He displayed beauty to those whom he pleased, strength against those whom he displeased. And thus he enumerateth all things unto the end, where he saith,
2 Cor. 6, As having nothing, and yet possessing all things ; when he hath all things, he is beautiful: when he hath nothing, he is strong. It is therefore no wonder, if it followeth, For He hath made the round world so sure, that it cannot be moved. For how cannot the round world be moved ? When all the faithful believe in Christ, and are prepared either to rejoice with those who praise, or to be strong toward those who revile Him : not to be softened by the tongues of those who
praise Him, nor to be broken (lown by the tongues of those who revile Him.
3. Perhaps we should enquire respecting this word also, why he said, He is girded. Girding signifieth work : for every man then girdeth himself, when he is about to work. But wherefore did he use the word prmcinctus, instead of
Ps. 46,3. ductus? For he saith in another Psalm, Gird Thee with Thy sword upon Thy thigh, 0 Thou most mighty: the
people shall fall under Thee: using the word accingere, not cingere, nor prceeingcre : this word being applied to the act of attaching any thing to the side by girding it. The swoid of the Lord, wherewith He conquered the round world by killing iniquity, is the Spirit of God in the truth of the word of God. Wherefore is He said to bind
His sword around His thigh ? In another place, on another Psalm we have spoken in another manner of girding : but nevertheless, since it hath been mentioned, it ought not to be passed over. What is the girding on of the sword around the thigh ? He meaneth the flesh by the thigh. For the Lord would not otherwise conquer the round world, unless the sword of truth came into the flesh. Why therefore is He here said to be girded in front (pr<B
Girding of humility a means of strength. 333
ductus) ? He who girdeth himself before, placeth something ver. before himself, wherewith he is girded ; whence it is said,
He girded Himself before with a towel, and began to wash
the disciples' feet. Because He was humble when He girded Himself with a towel. He washed the feet of
His own disciples. ''But all strength is in humility: because
all pride is fragile: therefore when He was speaking of strength, he added, He is girded: that thou mayest remem
ber how thy God was girded in humility, when He washed Johni3, His disciples' feet. Peter was shocked at his Lord, his4-16' Master, (why should I say his Master, when I said his Lord ? ) bending down before his own feet, and washing his feet: he
was frightened, and said, Lord, dost Thou wash my feet? Jesus answered, What Idn, thou knowest not now; but thou shall know hereafter. Peter saith unto Him, Thou shall never wash my feet: Jesus answered him, If I trash thee not, thou hast no part with Me. Peter, who had at first been shocked at the Lord washing his feet, was more shocked at the words, Jhou hast no part with Me, and he believed that there was some mystery in the thing, and that it was not without a meaning that our Lord spoke so: there fore he answered, T. ord, not my feet only, hut also my hands and my head ; but Jesus said unto him, He that is washed, needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all. His washing their feet, therefore, did not refer to any mystery of cleanliness, but was intended as a pattern of humility : for He had said,
do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know Let us see if they knew afterwards, let us see if He opened to them what He was doing, that we may see the Lord girded with strength ; because the whole of strength is in humility. After He had washed their feet, again He sat down; He said unto theIm, Ye callIme Lord and Master:
vanish. We ought therefore to ascribe our Lord's being
What I
hereafter.
am.
and ye say well ; for so If
then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; how ought ye also to do to one another'sfeet ? If therefore strength is in humility, fear not the proud. The humble are like a rock : the rock seems to lie downwards : but nevertheless it is firm. What are the proud ? Like smoke : although they are lofty, they
334 True strength under provocation is in patience.
Psalm girded to His humility, according to the mention of the ' Gospel, that He was girded, that He might wash His disciples'
feet.
4. There is another thing which we may understand in this
word. We have said that he who girdcth himself in frout, placeth before him what he attacheth to himself, that he may gird himself. Since then those who revile us sometimes do so when we are absent, as if behind our backs: sometimes before our face, as they did to the Lord when He was hanging on the Cross, If Thou he the Son of God, come down from the Cross: thou hast not need of strength, when any one revileth thee in thy absence, because thou dost uot hear, nor dost thou perceive: but if he speakelh to thy face, thou must needs be strong. What does, ' Be thou strong,' mean ? That thou mayest bear it: lest perhaps thou think thyself strong, as thou hearest, because thou strikes! with thjr fist when overcome with reviling. That is not strength, if thou strike when reviled, since thou art overcome by auger : and it is very foolish, to call a conquered man strong, when the Scripture
saith, He that ruleth his spirit is better than he that tnketh a city. He calleth the conqueror of his anger better than the conqueror of a city. Thou hast therefore a great ad versary in thyself. When on hearing a reproach thy anger hath begun to rise, so that thou mayest return evil for evil,
I Pet. 3, remember the Apostle's words, not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing. Remembering these words, thou breakest down thy anger, thou preservest thy strength; and since he
failed against thee in thy presence, not behind thy back, thou art ' girt in front' with it.
5. Let us now hear the rest; the Psalm is short. For He hath made the round world sure, which cannot be moved. Ye see, brethren, many believe in Christ, there is a great multitude of them : and yet in this great crowd, ye have just heard while the Gospel was in reading, our Lord will come
Matt. 3, with His fan in His hand, and will purge His floor: He will
Prov.
12-
gather His wheat into the gamer, but the chaff He will burn with, unquenchable fire. There are therefore through out the whole earth both good aud bad : the good are the wheat, the bad are the chaff. The threshing machine cometh into the floor : it bruiseth the chaff, and purgeth the wheat.
God's people unmoved amidst, the unrighteous. 33. 5
What then is the round world, which cannot he moved. This Vm, He would not mention specially, if there were not also a round ----- world that can be moved. There is a round world that shall not
be moved. There is a round world that shall be moved. For
the good who are stedfast in the faith are the round world: that
no man may say they are only in part of it; while the wicked 1 as the who abide not in faith, when they have felt any tribulation,^"*' are throughout the whole world. There is therefore a round
world moveable : there is a world immoveable : of which
the Apostle speaketh. Behold, the round world moveable.
I ask thee, of whom speaketh the Apostle in these words,
Of whom is Hymenwus and Philetus; who concerning the 9 Tim. truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already: 2' 1 ''19, and overthrow the faith rf some? Did these belong to the
round world, that shall not be moved? But they were chaff:
and as he sailh, they overthrow the faith of some. He said not, Of all, and if he had said all, we must have under stood all who belong to the city of Babylon, which must be condemned together with the devil ; yet he said, the faith of some. And as if he were asked, And who can resist them ? he addeth immediately, Nevertheless, the foundation of God standeth sure. (Behold thou hast the round world that
seal, -- what seal hath it as its sure foundation ? -- The Lord knoweth them that are His. This is the round world that shall not be moved; The Lord
knoweth them that are His. And what seal hath it? And let every one that nameih the name of Chrisl depart from unrighteousness. Let him depart from unrighteousness: for he cannot depart from the unrighteous, for the chaff is mixed with the wheat until it is fanned. What say we, brethren ? Even in the floor itself, it is a wonderful thing concerning the wheat : it parts from the chaff. when it is stripped, and yet does not leave the floor, when it is threshed. But when will it be altogether separated ? When the winnower hath
come. As yet therefore the floor is in the round world : it must be that, if thou dost profit thyself, thou live among the unrighteous. From the unrighteous thou canst not depart : from unrighteousness depart. Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from unrighteousness, and he will be in the round world that shall not be moved.
shall not be moved,) having this
Psalm -
33<< God's dwelling is in the humble soul.
6. Ver. 2. Thy throne is established from thence, O Lord. ' What is, from thence'i From that time. As if he said, What is the throne of God ? Where doth God sit ? In His
Saints. Dost thou wish to be the throne of God ? Prepare a place in thy heart where He may sit. What is the throne of God, except where God dwelleth ? Where doth God dwell, except in His temple ? What is His temple ? Is it surrounded with walls? Far from it. Perhaps this world is His temple, because it is very great, and a thing worthy to contain God. It contains not Him by Whom it was made. And wherein is He contained? In the quiet soul, in the righteous soul : that is it that containeth Him. A great
L thing, my brethren ! surely God is great ; on the strong He is heavy : on the weak, light. Whom do I call strong ? The proud, who presume in their owu strength ; for that weak ness that is in humility Iis a greater strengtIh. Hear the
Apostle saying, for when
am weak, then am
strong.
This
2 Cor.
,2' I0' is what I have set forth to you, that the Lord was girt with
strength, when He was teaching humility. J This therefore is the throne of God, which in another passage is openly spoken of in the prophet, Upon whom shall My Spirit rest ? That is, where shall the Spirit of God rest, but on the throne or abode of God ? Hear how he describes this seat. Per haps you thought to hear of a marble house, large and spacious halls, resplendent and lofty ceilings. Hear what
l>. 66. 2.
God purposes for Himself: Upon whom shall My Spirit rest ? Upon the humble and the quiet, who trembleth at My words. Behold, thou art humble and tranquil, and God dwelleth in thee. God is exalted, He dwelleth not in thee, if thou shalt choose to be exalted thyself. Surely thou dost wish to be exalted, that Ho may dwell in thee ; be humble, and tremble at His words ; and therein He dwelleth. He feareth not a
trembling house, sincfe He Himself strengtheneth it. Thy throne is established rom thence, 0 Lord. ' From thence,' that is, 1 from theu. ' This expression signifieth some par ticular time. From then. From when ? Perhaps from the day before the Sabbath : From thence, because the title of
the Psalm certifies us from whence ; for on the sixth day, that is, in the sixth period of this world, the Lord came in the flesh. Plainly llien, it must mean from the time when
The Son of God begotten be/ore all time. 337
He came according to His humility, from the time He came Ver. from the womb. For what saith another Psalm ? In the p L-- shining of Saints from the womb; that is, that the saints 3. Lxx! may be enlightened, that they may see God in the flesh ;
and that the heart may be cleansed, that He may be seen in the Divine Nature. In the shining of Saints from the womb. But what here followeth ? That thou mightest not imagine that Christ had His origin in the womb: Before the morning star Ihave begotten thee. He subjoined this, after
In the shining of saints from the womb, lest thou shouldest think that Christ began with the time of His birth,
as Adam, aIs Abraham, as David began. Before the morning
star have
lightened. For by the morning star, he either signifieth all
the stars ; and by the stars, the times ; because God made
the stars for signs of the seasons, that thou mayest see that Gen. 1, Christ was born before all seasons : and He who is born 14' before seasons, cannot appear to be born in a season ; since
the seasons loo are God's creation: and indeed, if all things John 1, were made by Him, the seasons also were made by Him. 3'
Or sIurely, when he saith of Wisdom, Before the morning
star
which is enlightened. Listen, beloved. Since he had said,
from the womb, as if with due precaution for our faith, that we might not think that Christ began from the time when He was born from a Virgin'Is womb : he instantly subjoined,
only before Abraham, but before heaven and earth ; He
Who said, Before Abraham was, I am : not before Abraham John 8, only, but before Adam: not only before Adam, but before all68'
the angels, before heaven and earth ; since all things were
made through Him: he added, lest thou, attending to the
day of our Lord's nativity, mightest think He commenced
from that time, Thy throne is established, O God. But what
God ? Thou art from everlasting : for which he uses am
oilwvo;, in the Greek version ; that word being sometimes
VOL. IV. Z
saying,
begotten thee; before that is en every thing
have begotten thee ; he meaneth, before
every spirit
Before the morning . star
have begotten thee : thus here also, when he had said, from thence, that is, from the day before the Sabbath, from that sixth age of the world, when our Lord Christ came, and was born in the flesh, because He deigned to become a man for us, He Who was God, not
338 Spiritual "Floods" lift up their voice in the Gospel.
Psalm used for an age, sometimes for everlasting. Therefore, '-O Thou Who seemest to be born from thence, Thou art from everlasting! But let not human birth be thought of, but Divine eternity. He began then from the time of His
Luke 2, birth ; He grew : ye have heard the Gospel. He chose 40. 52. (liscipieS, lje replenished them, His disciples began to preach. Perhaps this is w hat he speaketh of in the following
verse.
7. Ver. 3. The floods lift up their voices. What are
these floods, which have lift up their voices ? We heard them not : neither when our Lord was bom, did we hear rivers speak, nor when He was baptized, nor when He suffered; we heard not that rivers did speak. Read the Gospel, ye find not that rivers spoke. It is not enough that they spoke: They have lift up their voice: they have not only spoken, but bravely, mightily, in a lofty voice. What are those rivers which have spoken ? We have said, that we do not read of them in the Gospel : nevertheless, let us seek for them therein. For if we find them not there,
I could invent them for you. if I chose : but I should at once be not a faithfid steward,
but an impertinent fabulist. Let us seek in the Gospel : at the same time, let us ask what are the rivers which have lift up their voices. Jesus stood and cried, it is said in the Gospel. What did He cry ? Behold now the head of those rivers crieth out: the very source of life, whence the rivers are to flow, first lifted up His own voice. And what did
John 7, Jesus stand up and cry ? He that believeth on Me, as the 3/--39. Scripture llath said, out of his belli/ shall flow rivers of living water. The Evangelist subjoineth, But this spake
He of the Spirit, which they that believe on Him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given, because that Jesus was not yet glorified. But when Jesus was glorified in His resurrection, and ascension into heaven, as ye know, brethren ; after ten days had been fulfilled, on account of
Acts 2, some mystery, He sent His Holy Spirit, He filled His
*?
disciples. The Spirit itself was a mighty river, whence
many rivers were filled. Of that river the Psalmist saith in
where shall we find them ?
Ps. 46,4. another passage, The rivers of the flood thereof shall make glad the city of God. Rivers then were made to flow from
Raging of the ' waters of the world against Christ. ' 339
the belly of the disciples, when they received the Holy Ver.
:-- Holy Spirit. Whence did those rivers lift their voices? wherefore did they lift them up ? Because at first they
Spirit : themselves were rivers, when they had received that
feared. Peter was not yet a river, when aIt the question of
the maidservant he thrice denied Christ:
man. Here he lieth through fear: he lifteth not his voice 69~74, as yet: he is not yet the river. But when they were filled
with the Holy Spirit, the Jews sent for them, and enjoined
them not to preach at all, nor to teach in the name of Jesus.
But Peter and John said unto them, Whether it he right in Acts 4, the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, 18-- 24'
judge ye. For we cannot but speak the things which we
have seen and heard. The floods, then, have lift up their
voice, from the voices of many waters. What is here written, pertaineth to that very lifting up of the voice ; Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, a<<dActs2, said unto them, Ye men of Judea ; and the rest of his I4, speech, in which he preacheth Jesus without fear wilh great confidence. For the floods have lift up their voice, from
the voice of many waters. For when the Apostles had
been dismissed from the council of the Jews, they came
to their own friends, and told them what the priests and
elders said unto them : but they on hearing lifted up their
voices with one accord unto the Lord, and said, Lord, it Acts 4, is Thou Who hast made heaven and earth, and the sea, and2*' all that in them is ; and the rest which floods lifting up their voices might say, (ver. 4. ) Wonderful are the hangings of the
sea. For when the disciples had lifted up their voices unto Him, many believed, and many received the Holy Spirit, and many rivers instead of few began to lift up their voice. Hence there followeth, from the voices of many waters, wonderful are the hangings of the sea ; that the waves of the world. When Christ had begun to be preached by so powerful voices, the sea became euraged, persecutions began to thicken. When therefore the rivers had lift up their voice, from the voices of many waters, wonderful were the hangings of the sea. To be hung aloft to be lifted up when the sea rages, the waves are hung as from above. Let the waves hang over as they choose let the sea roar as
do not know the Mat. 26,
z 2
;
it ;
is
is,
340 The Lord above the waves. His Testimony.
Psai,m chooseth ; the hangings of the sea indeed are mighty, mighty ^i1-' are the threatenings, mighty the persecutions ; but see what
followeth: but yet the Lord, Who dwelleth on high, is mightier. Let therefore the sea restrain itself, and sometime become calmed ; let peace be granted unto Christians. The sea was disturbed, the vessel was tossed ; the vessel is the Church : the sea, the world. The Lord came, He walked over the sea, and calmed the waves. How did the Lord walk over the sea ? Above the heads of those mighty foaming waves. Principalities and kings believed ; they were subdued unto Christ. Let us not therefore be frightened ; because
the hangings of the sea are mighty : for yet the Lord, Who dwelleth on high, is mightier.
8. Ver. 5. Thy testimonies, O Lord, are very surely believed. The Lord, Who dwelleth on high, is mightier than the mighty overhangings of the sea. Thy testimonies are very surely believed. Thy testimonies, because He had
John 16, said beforehand, These things "'
I
in Me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have
tribulation. Because the world will give you tribulation, 1 tell you this. They began to suffer, and verified in them selves our Lord's predictions, and they became stronger. For w hen they saw that the sufferings were fulfilled in them, they hoped that the crowns would be fulfilled in them also ; and hence, mighty are the overhangings of the sea : but yet the Lord, Who dwelleth on high, is mightier. That in Me, He saith, ye may have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation. What then are we doing ? The sea rageth, the waves arise, and roar in fury ; we suffer tribula tion ; do we not, possibly, fail ? Never ! The Lord, Who dwelleth on high, is mightier. Thus when He was saying.
That in Me ye might have peace ; but in the world ye shall have tribulation ; as if they asked, Dost Thou think the world will not overpower and Iextinguish us ? at once He added, but be of good cheer,
have overcome the world. If then He saith, / have overcome the world, cling unto Him
Who overcame the world, Who overcame the sea.
in Him, because the Lord, Who dwelleth on
mightier, and, Thy testimonies are very surely believed. And what is the end of all these ? Holiness becometh Thine
have spoken unto you, that
Rejoice high, is
Some impatient at the success of the wicked. 341
house, O Lord! Thine house, the whole of Thine house, not Ver. here and there : but the whole of Thine house, throughout -- the whole world. Why throughout the whole of the round world ? Because He hath set aright the round world, which Ps. 9t,, cannot be moved. The Lord's house will be strong: it will prevail throughout the whole world : many shall fall : but
that house standeth; many shall be disturbed, but that house shall not be moved. Holiness becometh Thine house, O Lord! For a short time only ? No. Unto length of days.
PSALM XCIV.
Delivered in another's Diocese, at the request of an assembly of Bishops, as appears from the conclusion.
As we listened with much attention, while the Psalm was in reading, so let us listen attentively, while the Lord revealeth the mysteries which He hath deigned to obscure in this passage. For some mysteries in the Scriptures are shut up for this reason, not that they may be denied, but that they may be opened unto those who knock. If there fore ye knock with affection of piety, and sincere heartfelt love, He, Who seeth from what motives ye knock, will open unto you. It is known unto all of us, (and I wish we may not be among their number,) that many murmur against God's long-suffering, and grieve either that impious and wicked men live in this world, or that, they have great power ; and what is more, that the bad generally have great power against the good, and that the bad often oppress the good; that the wicked exult, while the good suffer; the
evil are. proud, while the good are humbled. Observing such things in the human race, (for they abound,) impatient and weak minds are perverted, as if they were good in vain ; since God averteth, or seemeth to avert, His eyes from the good works of the pious and faithful, and to promote the wicked in those pleasures which they love. Weak men, therefore, imagining that they live well in vain, are induced either to imitate the wickedness of those whom they see flourishing : or if either through bodily or mental weakness
LAT. XCIII.
Matt. 7, 7'
3J2 God does not really favour the wicked.
Psalm they are deterred from doing wrong by a fear of the penal XCIV' laws of the world; not because they love justice, but, to speak more openly, fearing the condemnation of men among men, they refrain indeed from wicked deeds, but
'refrain not from wicked thoughts. And among their wicked thoughts, the chief is the wickedness which leadeth them impiously to imagine that God is neglectful, and regard less of human affairs : and that He either holdeth in equal estimation the good and the wicked : or even, and this is a still more pernicious notion, that He persecuteth the good, and favoureth the wicked. He who thinketh thus, although he doth no harm to any man, doth the greatest to himself, and is impious against himself, and by his wickedness hurteth not God, but slayeth himself. Nor do they hurt men, because they who think thus, are cowards; but nevertheless, God seeth their murders, their adulteries, their deceits and robberies, and punisheth them in their thoughts. For He observeth their real desires, for His eye is not repelled by flesh, that it may not discern the will. Such men, if they find opportunities, do not become evil, but are shewn to be so : so that thou perceivest not the manifestation of a recent growth within them, but dost understand what was lying hid within their hearts. Within these few years, and almost yesterday, men saw this: and even men of slow apprehension acknowledged it. For there was a house here very powerful for a season, of which God had made a scourge for the human race, and the human race was thence chastened ; if it would recognise the scourge of
the Father, and fear the sentence of the Judge. Now while this house was great, many groaned beneath mur mured, censured, cursed, blasphemed. How do men narrow themselves, and how many are given up by that Divine
Bom. Judgment to the lusts of their own hearts! Those who murmured against that house suddenly became members of and from them men suffered such inflictions as they themselves before had complained of from men like unto themselves. Righteous therefore he, who, even when he
Ecclus. can do evil, doth not: of whom written, Who 31,10. 9. might offend, and hath not offended? or done evil, and hath
not done it? Who he? and we will call him blessed;
is
it
it is
is
it :
l,
it,
Some men's sins hidden now, not therefore unpunished. 343
harm as the lion : they do harm in different ways, but they wish to do harm alike. For the lion not only despiseth, but putteth to flight the dog when he barks: and cometh to the fold, and the dogs being struck dumb, he carrieth off what he can : the wolf dareth not to go among the barking of dogs. Did he therefore return more innocent, because he could not, through his fear of the dogs, carry off his prey ? God, therefore, teacheth innocence : that every man many be innocent, not from fear of punishment, but from love of justice; for then is he freely innocent, and truly innocent. But he who is innocent from fear, is not inno cent, even though he harm not him whom he wisheth to harm ; for he doth not hurt another by an evil deed, but himself much, through evil lusts. Hear the Scripture, as to
how he hurteth himself: He who loveth iniquity, hateth hisPs. n,5. own soul. And indeed men greatly err, when they imagine LXX- their own wickedness hurteth others, and not themselves. Suppose a man's iniquity reacheth others, so as to hurt the
body, to injure property, to get possession of a house, to steal a slave, to take away gold or silver, or any thing else that he has. So far, this wickedness doth affect an other. Does, therefore, thy iniquity injure another's body,
and not injure thy own soul ?
2. Against this simple and true doctrine, by which good
men are taught to love justice itself, and by so acting to wish to please God; and to understand, that their soul is by Him enlightened by a certain rational light, so that they may do what is just, and prefer that light of wisdom to all those things which are loved in the world : against this
doctrine men murmur as follows; and if they do not murmur aloud, yet they are gnawed in heart. What do they say then ? Am I really likely to please God by righteousness ? or do those righteous persons please Him, under Whose
for wonderful
things hath he done in his life. The Title. Scripture was speaking of those who have power to do
evil, but are innocent. For the wolf wishes to do as much
the wicked flourish ? They commit so much evil: and no harm happeneth unto them. Or if any evil happeneth to them ; what do they say unto thee, when thou beginnest to say to them, Behold how great sins hath he
government
344 A remedy for discontented thoughts.
Psalm done, what a punishment hath he received? what was the end XCIV' with him? They begin to think of the righteous, to whom
evils have happened, and oppose them to us, saying, If some evil happeneth to that man because he was wicked, why did it happen to this man, who lived so righteously? He who hath done so great works of charity, who hath (lone so many good deeds in the Church, why hath he experienced such a lot? why had he a fate, like that of the man who
j'hath done many evil deeds? They speak thus to shew that they do not evil, because they are not able, or because they dare not. For the tongue witnesseth, what the heart doth will : and, indeed, although the tongue were silent, itself overpowered by fear, God would see within what man was thinking of, even though it should escape another man. This Psalm therefore attempts to heal these silent thoughts, and even those which burst forth into words and acts, if they are disposed to be healed. Let them therefore listen, that they may be healed. And I wish that in the whole of the multitude which is now within these walls, and through us, heareth the word of God, there may be no such wounds that need a cure : I wish there may be none. Yet we are doing nothing superfluous in speaking of them, even if there are no wounds there.