Hear the Scripture
speaking
of Wisdom; She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her.
Augustine - Exposition on the Psalms - v1
He indeed for thy discipline keepeth the treasures of the deep, wherewith He may instruct thee unto the treasures of the Heavens.
Therefore return thou unto fear, who wast going but now into security.
Let the earth rejoice, but let it also fear.
Let it rejoice ; Wherefore?
Because the earth is full of the mercy of the Lord.
Let it fear; Wherefore?
Because He hath so gathered into a bottle the waters of the sea, as to lay up the deep in store houses.
In it then come these things to pass, both of which
Ps. 2,ii. elsewhere are briefly spoken of, Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling.
12. Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the iniui- bitanis of the world stand in awe of Him. Let them not fear another instead of Him. Of Him let all the inha bitants of the world stand in awe. Doth a wild beast rage ? Fear God. Doth a serpent lie in wait? Fear God. Doth
man hate thee ? Fear God. Doth the devil fight against thee? Fear God. For the whole creation is under Him Whom thou art commanded to fear. (Ver. 9. ) For He spake, and they were made: He commanded, and they were created. This followeth in the Psalm. For when he had said, Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him, lest man should betake himself to fearing any thing else, and being averse to the fear of God, should fear some creature instead of Him, and worship that which was made, leaving Him Who made he confirmed us in the fear of God, as were speaking to us, and addressing us. Why wilt Thou fear aught in Heaven, aught in earth, aught in the
sea? He spake, and they were made: commanded, and they were created. When He, Who spake, and they were made
together
;
it
it,
The enemy has no power to hurt but at God's will. 329
Who commanded, and they were created; when He bids, Ver.
--! ---- they move; when He bids, they rest. The malice of men 9 10
can have the desire of injuring for its own ; but the power,
if He giveth not, hath it not. For there is no power but o/Rom. 13,
God. It is the definitive sentence of an Apostle. He said ' not, There is no desire but of God; for there is an evil desire which is not of God: but because that evil desire hurteth none, if He permit not; There is no power, saith he, but of God. Wherefore God as Man standing before a man, said, Thou couldest hare no power at all against
Me,^? ^Dl9, except it were given thee from above. The one judged, the
other taught: when He was being judged, He taught; that
He might judge those whom He had taught. Thou couldest
have, said He, no power at all against Me, except it were
given thee from above. What is this ? Hath man only no power, except when he hath received it from above? What? Dared even the devil himself to take one sheep from holy
Job, without first saying, Put forth Thine Hand now; thatJobli11, is, Give me power? He was willing; but He suffered not:
when He permitted, he had the power. Therefore had not
he the power, but He who permitted him. Therefore Job himself also, being well instructed, said not, as I have already often observed unto you, The Lord gave, and the
devil hath taken away, but, The Lord gave, and the Z,o;rfJ? bl, hath taken away: whatsoever the Lord pleased, that did
He; not whatsoever the devil pleased. See then, my Bre thren, who with such labour eat wholesome and useful bread, see that ye fear not any one but the Lord. Beside
Him, that Thou fear no other, Scripture commandeth thee. Therefore let all the earth fear the Lord, who layeth up the depth in storehouses. Of Him let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe. For He spake, and they were made; He commanded, and they were created.
19. But now have evil kings ceased, they are made good : they too have believed ; the sign of Christ's Cross now bear they in their forehead, a sign more precious than any jewel of a diadem: they who raged, are destroyed. But who hath done this? Haply thou, that thou mayest extol thyself?
(Ver. 10. ) The Lord bringeth the counsel of the Hen Ihen to
330 The Church's Victory is of God. His Counsels, and man's.
Psalm nought; He maketh the devices of the people of none effect; Kip. II. iwrf reproveth the counsels of princes. While they said, Skem. Let us away with them from off the earth, the Christian name will no longer be, if we do this: thus be they slain,
thus tortured; be such and such things inflicted on them: these things were said, and amid these, did the Church grow. He maketh the devices of the people of none effect, and reproveth the counsels of princes.
14. Ver. II. The Counsel of the Lord standeth for ever; the Thoughts of His Heart to all generations. It is a repe tition of the same sentence. What before he called, The Counsel, that he calleth afterwards, The Thoughts of His Heart. And whereas above he saith, standeth for ever, so afterwards he saith, to all generations. Repetition is con firmation. But think not, Brethren, because he said, The Thoughts of His Heart, that God as it were sitteth down
and thinketh what He should do, and taketh counsel to do
any thing, or not to do any thing. To thee, O Man, belongs Ps. \47, such tardiness. His Word runneth very swiftly. When
lo-
can there be delay of thought, in that Word, Which is One, and embraceth all things? But the Thoughts of God are spoken of, that thou mayest understand ; that according to what is in thee, thou mayest dare to lift up thy heart even to words suited to thine infirmity : because the thing itself is too much for thee. The Thoughts of His Heart to all
What are the Thoughts of His Heart, and what is the counsel of the Lord which standeth for ever ? Ps. 2,1. Against which counsel, Why do the Heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? Since, The Lord maketh the devices of the people of none effect, and reproveth the counsels of princes. How then standeth for ever the Counsel of the
Lord, except it be concerning us whom He hath first fore
known and predestined? Who taketh away the Predestina-
Eph. l tionofGod? Before the creation of the world He saw us,
*?
He made us, He healed us, He sent unto us, He redeemed us: this His counsel standeth for ever, these His Thoughts to all generations. Then raged the Heathen openly swelling and roaring; now let them melt away as it were confined and gathered into a bottle: they had free boldness, let them
generations.
All seek blessedness, but some in things beneath them. 38 1
now have fierce and bitter thoughts. When can they Ver. destroy that which He hath thought of, and which standeth llj for ever ?
15. But what is this? Blessed is the nation. Who is there that hearing this, doth not rouse himself? For all love blessedness ; and therein are men perverse, that wicked they would be, miserable they would not: and though misery is the inseparable companion of wickedness, they perversely not only would be wicked, and would not be miserable, which is impossible ; but therefore would they be wicked lest they be miserable. What is this that I have said, Therefore would they be wicked, lest they be miserable? Observe this now in all men who do evil, they ever wish to be blessed. One stealeth: dost thou ask, Why? From hunger: from necessity. Therefore lest he should be miserable, he is wicked; and therefore is he the more mise rable, because he is wicked. For the sake then of driving away misery, and of acquiring blessedness, do all men whatever either of good or evil they do. Always then they wish to be blessed : whether living ill, or living well, they wish to be blessed, and that happeneth not to all, which all
wish to happen to them. For all would be blessed, but there shall not any be except they who will be righteous. And lo, some one, though he doth evil, would be blessed. Whereby? By money, by silver and gold, by estates, by lands, by houses, by slaves, by the pomp of the world, by honour fleeting and perishable. By having something would men be blessed : ask then what thou shouldest have, that thou mayest be blessed. For when thou shalt be blessed, thou wilt surely be better, than when thou wast miserable. But it cannot be that any thing worse than thyself should make thee better. Thou art a man; worse than thou is whatever thou covetest, whereby thou desirest
to be blessed. Gold, silver, any other bodies, which thou
gapest to acquire, to possess, to enjoy, are inferior to thee. Thou art better, thou art worthier: and surely thou wouldest be better than thou art, since thou wouldest be blessed, because thou art miserable. For it is surely better to be blessed than to be miserable. Thou wouldest be better than thyself; and thou seekest, thou searchest out,
332 Blessedness of Man's soul is in God, Who is above it.
Psalm wherewith thou mavcst become so, things worse than XXXIII. .
Exp. il Whatever thou hast desired on is
thyself. t earth, worse than
jjM. thou. This every man wisheth for his friend, thus he adjureth him, So mayest thou be better, So may we see thee better, So let us rejoice in thee being belter. What one wisheth for his friend, this he would also for himself. Accept then a faithful counsel. Thou wouldest be better than thyself; I know we all know it; we all wish it: seek then what better than thyself, that thereby thou mayest be rendered better than thyself.
16. Consider now the Heavens and the earth let not beautiful bodies so please thee, that by them thou wish to 'animo. be blessed. In the soul1 what thou seekest. For thou wouldest be blessed enquire thou what better than thy soul
itself. For since there are two things, that is, soul and body, because of these two that the better, which called the soul, therefore can thy body be made better by the better, because the body subject to the soul. Thy body then can be made better by thy soul, so that when thy soul shall be righteous, thy body also may hereafter be immortal. For through the illumination of the soul, the body merits incor- ruption, that through the better there may be a reparation of the worse. If then thy body's good be thy soul, because
better than thy body when thou seekest thine own good, seek that which better than thy soul. But what thy soul? Beware, lest haply, despising thy soul, and think ing that something vile and worthless, thou shouldest seek things more vile, wherewith thy soul may be made blessed. For thy soul the Image of God the mind of
caP! t man containetha it. It received and by inclining unto sin disfigured it. The Same came unto as the reformer, Who was before the former of it. For by the Word were all things made, and by the Word was this Image impressed. The Word Himself came, that we might hear from an
Rom. 12, Apostle, Be ye transformed the renewing of your mind.
Now then remaineth that thou seek what
better than thy soul. What shall that be, pray thee, but thy God
Thou findest no other better than thy soul; for when thy nature shall be perfected, will be equalled with the Angels. Now there nothing higher save the Creator. Lift up
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God the only satisfying possession. He is our God. 333
thyself unto Him, despair not, say not, It is too much for Ver. me. Rather it is too much for thee to have, it may be, --^-- gold, which thou seekest. Gold, though thou wouldest,
haply thou wilt not have; God, when thou wouldest,
thou shalt have : for even before thou wouldest, He came unto thee; and when thou wast in will averted, He called thee; and when thou wast converted, He frightened thee, and when frightened thou didst confess, He consoled thee. He, Who hath given thee all things, He, Who hath caused that thou shouldest be, Who to those also who are with thee, even the wicked, giveth the sun, giveth rain, giveth fruits, fountains, life, health, so many consolations; He keepeth for thee something which He giveth not save to thee. But what is that which He keepeth for thee, but Himself. Ask somewhat else, if thou hast found better. God keepeth Himself for thee. Thou covetous, why longest thou after Heaven and earth ? Better is He Who made Heaven and earth : Him shalt thou see : Him shalt thou have.
Why seekest thou, that such a villa should be thine, and passing by it sayest, Blessed is he whose is that possession ? How many say this, who pass by it; and yet when they have so said, and pass by though they can shake the head and sigh, can they also possess Every where soundeth
covetousness, soundeth iniquity, but Thou shalt not covet Exod.
any thing which thy neighbour's. Blessed whose thatt)e'ut. 5, villa, whose that house, whose that field! Restrain21- iniquity, hear the truth Blessed the nation whose --Whose
what? Thou knowest already what am about to say. Therefore desire that ye may have, then indeed shall ye be blessed. With this alone shall ye be blessed, by better
thing than yourselves ye shall be made better. It God that better than thou even He, say, Who made thee. Blessed the nation whose God is the Lord. This desire, this possess, this when thou wilt, thou shalt have: this thou shalt have for nothing.
17. Ver. 12. Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord. The Lord our God! For of whom He not God? Not surely of all in the same manner. Ours He more ours, who live by Him as by our bread. Let Him be our inherit
ance, our possession.
Do we haply speak rashly in making
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334 We possess God, and He us, for our goods.
Psalm God our possession, when He is the Lord, when He is the Exp. ll. Creator ? This is not rashness : it is the affection of desire, Serh. it is tne SWeetness of hope. Let the soul say, all-secure
P7. 3(f3;let it say, Thou art my God, Who sayest to my soul, / am thy salvation. Let it so say, secure let it say, it will do no wrong when so it saith ; nay it will do wrong if it say not. Wouldest thou have trees, whereby thou mightest be
ProT. 3, blessed ?
Hear the Scripture speaking of Wisdom; She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her. See, he hath said that Wisdom is our possession. But lest thou shouldest think that Wisdom, because Scripture hath called it thy possession, to be something inferior to thee, it goes on and adds, And to them that lean upon her, as on the Lord, she is
See thy Lord is made unto thee as a staff: securely man leaneth, because He faileth not. Say then securely, This is thy possession ; to them that lay hold upon her. Scripture hath said, hath filled up thy doubts with con fidence : speak securely, love securely, hope securely. Thine
Ps. 16,5. also De those words in the Psalm, The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance.
18. Therefore by this shall we be blessed, by possessing God. What then ? Shall we possess Him, and will not He Is. 26, possess us ? Whence then Esaias, Lord, possess us? There- LXX. fore He possesseth us, and is possessed, and all for our sakes. For not as He, that we may be blessed in Him, is possessed by us; not so doth He also, that He may be
safe'.
blessed, possess us. He both possesseth and is possessed, for nothing else than that we may be blessed. We possess Him, and He possesseth us ; because we attend on * Him, and He attendeth on us. We attend on Him as our Lord God ; He attendeth on us as His own possession. That we attend on Him, none doubteth; that He attendeth on us,
Johni5, who proveth to us ? He Who saith, /am the Vine: ye are
the branches : My Father is the Husbandman.
Psalm also both are declared to us, both are proved to us. He hath already said that we possess Him : Blessed is the nation, whose God is the Lord. Whose is this farm ? His. Whose is that? His. Whose is this?
' English Version, And happy is e ' colimus,' which has the double every one that retaineth her. meaning of ' worship,' <ind ' ciiltirate. '
See in this
Let us so speak of
Blessedness ofpossessing Him. His looking in mercy on man. 335
God ; let us say whose He is. And as answer is wont to be Vrr. made to us when we enquire concerning certain farms and 13. 14. estates that are fine and very pleasant; He is a senator, and
he is called so and so, whose is that property ; and we say, Blessed is that man. So if we should ask, Whose is this
God ? There is a blessed nation whose He is. For the Lord is their God. And not as that senator possesseth his farm, but is not possessed by his farm, so also the God of this nation. Wherefore, we ought to labour, that we may be His : but either of them possesseth the other. Ye have heard that a nation possesseth Him, Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord: hear how He also possesseth it: and the people whom He hath chosen for His own inherit ance. Nation blessed in its possession ; inheritance blessed in its possessor: And the people whom He hath chosen for His own inheritance.
19. Ver. 13. The Lord looketh from heaven, He beholdeth
all the sons of men. All in this place so receive as to understand all of that nation who possess that inheritance,
or who are that inheritance. For they themselves are God's inheritance. Even all of them hath the Lord looked upon
from Heaven : and He haIth seen them Who said, When thou John l,
saw thee. He saw him because
wast under the fig-tree,
Ho had mercy on him. Wherefore oftentimes praying
mercy we say to a man, Look upon me. And of him that despiseth thee, what sayest thou ? He seeth me not. There
is then a seeing of him that hath mercy, a not seeing of him
that punisheth. That looking upon sins is the punishment
of sins ; which sins he would not to be seen, who saith,
Hide Thy Facefrom my sins. What he would to be over- Ps. 5l,9. looked, that he would not to be looked upon. Hide, saith
he, Thy Face from my sins. When then He hath hidden
His Face from thy sins, will He not see thee ? And where
fore saith he in another place, Hide not Thy Face from me? Ps. 27,9. Let Him then hide from thy sins, let Him not hide from
thee : let Him see thee, let Him have mercy on thee, let
Him succour thee. The Lord looked from Heaven, He regarded all the sons of men : all that belong unto the Son
of Man.
20. Ver. 14. From His prepared habitation: from that
336 God looks on men by His Saints. He forms each one.
Psalm which He hath prepared for Himself. He looked upon us
Exp. II.
XXXIII. from the Apostles, He looketh upon us from the preachers of
Se,im' the Truth, He looked upon us from the Angels, whom He sent unto us. All these are His house, all these are His habitation, for all these are the Heavens which declare the Glory of God. He beheld all the sons of men : from His
prepared habitation He looked upon all the inhabitants of the earth. These are the same; they are His; it is that blessed nation, whose God is the Lord ; it is that people whom He hath chosen for His own inheritance : for it is throughout all lands, and not only in one part. He looked upon all the inhabitants of the earth.
E. V,
21. Ver. 15. He hath fashioned their hearts singly. By the hand of His grace; by the hand of His mercy, He hath fashioned hearts, He formed our hearts, He fashioned them singly, giving to us as it were single hearts, which yet destroy not unity. As all our members are formed singly, have their operations singly, and yet live in the unity of the body ; the hand doth what the eye doth not, the ear hath a power which neither the eye nor the hand hath ; yet all work together in unity ; and the hand, and the eye, and the ear do different things, and yet are not opposed to one another; so also in the Body of Christ, single men, like single members,
each their own gifts, because He Who hath chosen the people for His own inheritance, hath fashioned their hearts
Are all Apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? and Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues?
do all interpret? To one given the Spirit the word
wisdom to another the word of knowledge to another faith the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing.
Wherefore Because He fashioned their hearts
But as in our members there are diverse operations, but one health so in all the members of Christ are diverse gifts, but one grace. He fashioneth their hearts singly.
22. He understandeth all their works. What under- standeth Seeth in secret and inwardly thou hast in a Ps. 5,2. certain Psalm, Understand my crying. For there no such
need as of words, that any thing may come to the Ears of God. Seeing in secret called understanding. He spoke more expressly than He should say, He seeth all their
29
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No safety in the strength of man or horse. 337
works : lest thou shouldest think that those works are then Vrr. seen, when thou seest the work of a man. A man seeth the 1G" act of a man by motion of the body, but God seeth in the heart. Because then He seeth within, it is said, He under standeth all their works. Two men give to the poor, one seeketh his reward in Heaven, the other the praise of men.
Thou in two seest one thing, God understaudeth two. For He understandeth what is within, and knoweth what is with in; their ends He seeth, their base intentions He seeth. He
understandeth all their works.
23. Yrer. 16. A king shall not be saved by much strength.
Unto the Lord must we all, in God are we all. Be God thy one Ms. hope, be God thy strength, be God thy firmness; thytheLord
let Him be, thy praise let Him be, thy end in Jf all, in which thou rest, let Him be; thy succour when thou all thy labourest, let Him be. Hear the truth, A king shall not be^ff' sated by much strength: neither shall a giant be saved by
much strength. A giant is any proud man, lifting up him
self against God, as though he were something in himself
and by himself. Such an one is not saved by much strength.
24. But he hath a horse, large, spirited, strong, swift: can
he if any evil threaten, deliver him quickly out of danger?
Let him not be deceived, let him hear what followeth.
(Ver. 17. ) A horse is a deceitful thing fur safety. Under
stood ye what was said, A horse is a deceitful thing for safety ? Let not thy horse promise thee safety; if he promise
thee, he will lie. For if God will, thou wilt be freed; if
God will not, thy horse falling, thou wilt fall from a greater height. Therefore think it not said, A horse is a deceitful menda* thing for safety, as though a just man were deceitful for2T<<z*<<.
safety, because just men as it were tell lies for safety. For it'"". is not written asquus, which word is derived from equity ; but equus, a quadruped. This the G reek version sheweth. And evil beasts, men who seek to themselves occasions of lying,
are refuted, when the Scripture saith, The mouth that Ueth,VfM. \, slayeth the soul, and. Thou shall destroy all them that speak p,'. 5)a. leasing. What then is this, A horse is a deceitful thingfor safely? A horse lieth to thee when it promiseth safety.
Doth a horse speak to any one and promise safety? But when thou seest a horse well made, of great strength, and
z
supplication
838 Labour needful now that we may behold God.
Psalm possessed of great speed, all these things, as it were, promise Ex* II. thee safety from it : but they deceive, if God guard thee not ; Serm. a fang is a deceitful thing for safety. A horse also take -- figuratively, for any greatness of this world, any honour unto which thou ascendest proudly: the higher thou goest, not only so much the more lofty, but so much the more safe
thou thinkest thyself, but falsely ; for thou knowest not how he may cast thee down, dashed the more heavily, the
more loftily thou wast carried. A horse is a deceitful thing for safety: in the abundance of his strength shall he not be saved. And whereby shall he be saved ? Not by might, not by strength, not by power, not by glory, not by a horse. Whereby then ? Whither shall I go ? Where shall I find whence I may be saved. Seek not long, seek not far?
(Ver. 18. ) Behold, the Eyes of the Lord are upon them that fear Him. Ye see that these are the same whom He beholds from His habitation. Behold, the Eyes of the Lord
are upon them that fear Him, upon them that hope in His Mercy : not in their own merits, not in strength, not in forti tude, not in a horse, but in His Mercy.
25. Ver. 19. To deliver their souls from death. He promiseth eternal life. What in this our travel? doth He desert us? See what follows: And to keep them alive in
The time of famine is now, the time of plenty shall be hereafter. He who in the famine of this corruption deserteth us not, when made immortal, how shall He not satisfy us ! But while it is the time of famine, we must bear, we must endure, we must persevere even to the end. Now
? enrren-must all be run1, because both the way is plain, and we must
da sunt
consicler what we carry. The spectators in the amphitheatre are haply still in their madness, and sit in the sun : and we, even if we stand, are yet in the shade ; more useful and more beautiful is what we behold. Let us behold The Beautiful, and be beheld by The Beautiful. Let us behold in mind those things which are declared in the sense of the Divine Scriptures, and let us rejoice in such a spectacle. But who is our spectator? Behold, the Eyes of the Lord are upon them that fear Him ; upon them that hope in His Mercy. To deliver their souls from death, and to keep them alive in
famine.
famine.
Tlie weary encouraged. Present labour ofhearing. 389
26. But for endurance of travel, while there is famine, Ver. and while we wait by the way to be refreshed, lest we faint;. 0"--. what is imposed upon us ? or what ought we to profess ?
(Ver. 20. ) Our soul shall be patient for the Lord. Securely
shall it wait for Him mercifully promising, mercifully and
truly performing: and until He perform, what must we do ?
Our soul shall be patient for the Lord. But what if in that patience, we shall not endure?
Ps. 2,ii. elsewhere are briefly spoken of, Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling.
12. Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the iniui- bitanis of the world stand in awe of Him. Let them not fear another instead of Him. Of Him let all the inha bitants of the world stand in awe. Doth a wild beast rage ? Fear God. Doth a serpent lie in wait? Fear God. Doth
man hate thee ? Fear God. Doth the devil fight against thee? Fear God. For the whole creation is under Him Whom thou art commanded to fear. (Ver. 9. ) For He spake, and they were made: He commanded, and they were created. This followeth in the Psalm. For when he had said, Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him, lest man should betake himself to fearing any thing else, and being averse to the fear of God, should fear some creature instead of Him, and worship that which was made, leaving Him Who made he confirmed us in the fear of God, as were speaking to us, and addressing us. Why wilt Thou fear aught in Heaven, aught in earth, aught in the
sea? He spake, and they were made: commanded, and they were created. When He, Who spake, and they were made
together
;
it
it,
The enemy has no power to hurt but at God's will. 329
Who commanded, and they were created; when He bids, Ver.
--! ---- they move; when He bids, they rest. The malice of men 9 10
can have the desire of injuring for its own ; but the power,
if He giveth not, hath it not. For there is no power but o/Rom. 13,
God. It is the definitive sentence of an Apostle. He said ' not, There is no desire but of God; for there is an evil desire which is not of God: but because that evil desire hurteth none, if He permit not; There is no power, saith he, but of God. Wherefore God as Man standing before a man, said, Thou couldest hare no power at all against
Me,^? ^Dl9, except it were given thee from above. The one judged, the
other taught: when He was being judged, He taught; that
He might judge those whom He had taught. Thou couldest
have, said He, no power at all against Me, except it were
given thee from above. What is this ? Hath man only no power, except when he hath received it from above? What? Dared even the devil himself to take one sheep from holy
Job, without first saying, Put forth Thine Hand now; thatJobli11, is, Give me power? He was willing; but He suffered not:
when He permitted, he had the power. Therefore had not
he the power, but He who permitted him. Therefore Job himself also, being well instructed, said not, as I have already often observed unto you, The Lord gave, and the
devil hath taken away, but, The Lord gave, and the Z,o;rfJ? bl, hath taken away: whatsoever the Lord pleased, that did
He; not whatsoever the devil pleased. See then, my Bre thren, who with such labour eat wholesome and useful bread, see that ye fear not any one but the Lord. Beside
Him, that Thou fear no other, Scripture commandeth thee. Therefore let all the earth fear the Lord, who layeth up the depth in storehouses. Of Him let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe. For He spake, and they were made; He commanded, and they were created.
19. But now have evil kings ceased, they are made good : they too have believed ; the sign of Christ's Cross now bear they in their forehead, a sign more precious than any jewel of a diadem: they who raged, are destroyed. But who hath done this? Haply thou, that thou mayest extol thyself?
(Ver. 10. ) The Lord bringeth the counsel of the Hen Ihen to
330 The Church's Victory is of God. His Counsels, and man's.
Psalm nought; He maketh the devices of the people of none effect; Kip. II. iwrf reproveth the counsels of princes. While they said, Skem. Let us away with them from off the earth, the Christian name will no longer be, if we do this: thus be they slain,
thus tortured; be such and such things inflicted on them: these things were said, and amid these, did the Church grow. He maketh the devices of the people of none effect, and reproveth the counsels of princes.
14. Ver. II. The Counsel of the Lord standeth for ever; the Thoughts of His Heart to all generations. It is a repe tition of the same sentence. What before he called, The Counsel, that he calleth afterwards, The Thoughts of His Heart. And whereas above he saith, standeth for ever, so afterwards he saith, to all generations. Repetition is con firmation. But think not, Brethren, because he said, The Thoughts of His Heart, that God as it were sitteth down
and thinketh what He should do, and taketh counsel to do
any thing, or not to do any thing. To thee, O Man, belongs Ps. \47, such tardiness. His Word runneth very swiftly. When
lo-
can there be delay of thought, in that Word, Which is One, and embraceth all things? But the Thoughts of God are spoken of, that thou mayest understand ; that according to what is in thee, thou mayest dare to lift up thy heart even to words suited to thine infirmity : because the thing itself is too much for thee. The Thoughts of His Heart to all
What are the Thoughts of His Heart, and what is the counsel of the Lord which standeth for ever ? Ps. 2,1. Against which counsel, Why do the Heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? Since, The Lord maketh the devices of the people of none effect, and reproveth the counsels of princes. How then standeth for ever the Counsel of the
Lord, except it be concerning us whom He hath first fore
known and predestined? Who taketh away the Predestina-
Eph. l tionofGod? Before the creation of the world He saw us,
*?
He made us, He healed us, He sent unto us, He redeemed us: this His counsel standeth for ever, these His Thoughts to all generations. Then raged the Heathen openly swelling and roaring; now let them melt away as it were confined and gathered into a bottle: they had free boldness, let them
generations.
All seek blessedness, but some in things beneath them. 38 1
now have fierce and bitter thoughts. When can they Ver. destroy that which He hath thought of, and which standeth llj for ever ?
15. But what is this? Blessed is the nation. Who is there that hearing this, doth not rouse himself? For all love blessedness ; and therein are men perverse, that wicked they would be, miserable they would not: and though misery is the inseparable companion of wickedness, they perversely not only would be wicked, and would not be miserable, which is impossible ; but therefore would they be wicked lest they be miserable. What is this that I have said, Therefore would they be wicked, lest they be miserable? Observe this now in all men who do evil, they ever wish to be blessed. One stealeth: dost thou ask, Why? From hunger: from necessity. Therefore lest he should be miserable, he is wicked; and therefore is he the more mise rable, because he is wicked. For the sake then of driving away misery, and of acquiring blessedness, do all men whatever either of good or evil they do. Always then they wish to be blessed : whether living ill, or living well, they wish to be blessed, and that happeneth not to all, which all
wish to happen to them. For all would be blessed, but there shall not any be except they who will be righteous. And lo, some one, though he doth evil, would be blessed. Whereby? By money, by silver and gold, by estates, by lands, by houses, by slaves, by the pomp of the world, by honour fleeting and perishable. By having something would men be blessed : ask then what thou shouldest have, that thou mayest be blessed. For when thou shalt be blessed, thou wilt surely be better, than when thou wast miserable. But it cannot be that any thing worse than thyself should make thee better. Thou art a man; worse than thou is whatever thou covetest, whereby thou desirest
to be blessed. Gold, silver, any other bodies, which thou
gapest to acquire, to possess, to enjoy, are inferior to thee. Thou art better, thou art worthier: and surely thou wouldest be better than thou art, since thou wouldest be blessed, because thou art miserable. For it is surely better to be blessed than to be miserable. Thou wouldest be better than thyself; and thou seekest, thou searchest out,
332 Blessedness of Man's soul is in God, Who is above it.
Psalm wherewith thou mavcst become so, things worse than XXXIII. .
Exp. il Whatever thou hast desired on is
thyself. t earth, worse than
jjM. thou. This every man wisheth for his friend, thus he adjureth him, So mayest thou be better, So may we see thee better, So let us rejoice in thee being belter. What one wisheth for his friend, this he would also for himself. Accept then a faithful counsel. Thou wouldest be better than thyself; I know we all know it; we all wish it: seek then what better than thyself, that thereby thou mayest be rendered better than thyself.
16. Consider now the Heavens and the earth let not beautiful bodies so please thee, that by them thou wish to 'animo. be blessed. In the soul1 what thou seekest. For thou wouldest be blessed enquire thou what better than thy soul
itself. For since there are two things, that is, soul and body, because of these two that the better, which called the soul, therefore can thy body be made better by the better, because the body subject to the soul. Thy body then can be made better by thy soul, so that when thy soul shall be righteous, thy body also may hereafter be immortal. For through the illumination of the soul, the body merits incor- ruption, that through the better there may be a reparation of the worse. If then thy body's good be thy soul, because
better than thy body when thou seekest thine own good, seek that which better than thy soul. But what thy soul? Beware, lest haply, despising thy soul, and think ing that something vile and worthless, thou shouldest seek things more vile, wherewith thy soul may be made blessed. For thy soul the Image of God the mind of
caP! t man containetha it. It received and by inclining unto sin disfigured it. The Same came unto as the reformer, Who was before the former of it. For by the Word were all things made, and by the Word was this Image impressed. The Word Himself came, that we might hear from an
Rom. 12, Apostle, Be ye transformed the renewing of your mind.
Now then remaineth that thou seek what
better than thy soul. What shall that be, pray thee, but thy God
Thou findest no other better than thy soul; for when thy nature shall be perfected, will be equalled with the Angels. Now there nothing higher save the Creator. Lift up
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God the only satisfying possession. He is our God. 333
thyself unto Him, despair not, say not, It is too much for Ver. me. Rather it is too much for thee to have, it may be, --^-- gold, which thou seekest. Gold, though thou wouldest,
haply thou wilt not have; God, when thou wouldest,
thou shalt have : for even before thou wouldest, He came unto thee; and when thou wast in will averted, He called thee; and when thou wast converted, He frightened thee, and when frightened thou didst confess, He consoled thee. He, Who hath given thee all things, He, Who hath caused that thou shouldest be, Who to those also who are with thee, even the wicked, giveth the sun, giveth rain, giveth fruits, fountains, life, health, so many consolations; He keepeth for thee something which He giveth not save to thee. But what is that which He keepeth for thee, but Himself. Ask somewhat else, if thou hast found better. God keepeth Himself for thee. Thou covetous, why longest thou after Heaven and earth ? Better is He Who made Heaven and earth : Him shalt thou see : Him shalt thou have.
Why seekest thou, that such a villa should be thine, and passing by it sayest, Blessed is he whose is that possession ? How many say this, who pass by it; and yet when they have so said, and pass by though they can shake the head and sigh, can they also possess Every where soundeth
covetousness, soundeth iniquity, but Thou shalt not covet Exod.
any thing which thy neighbour's. Blessed whose thatt)e'ut. 5, villa, whose that house, whose that field! Restrain21- iniquity, hear the truth Blessed the nation whose --Whose
what? Thou knowest already what am about to say. Therefore desire that ye may have, then indeed shall ye be blessed. With this alone shall ye be blessed, by better
thing than yourselves ye shall be made better. It God that better than thou even He, say, Who made thee. Blessed the nation whose God is the Lord. This desire, this possess, this when thou wilt, thou shalt have: this thou shalt have for nothing.
17. Ver. 12. Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord. The Lord our God! For of whom He not God? Not surely of all in the same manner. Ours He more ours, who live by Him as by our bread. Let Him be our inherit
ance, our possession.
Do we haply speak rashly in making
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334 We possess God, and He us, for our goods.
Psalm God our possession, when He is the Lord, when He is the Exp. ll. Creator ? This is not rashness : it is the affection of desire, Serh. it is tne SWeetness of hope. Let the soul say, all-secure
P7. 3(f3;let it say, Thou art my God, Who sayest to my soul, / am thy salvation. Let it so say, secure let it say, it will do no wrong when so it saith ; nay it will do wrong if it say not. Wouldest thou have trees, whereby thou mightest be
ProT. 3, blessed ?
Hear the Scripture speaking of Wisdom; She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her. See, he hath said that Wisdom is our possession. But lest thou shouldest think that Wisdom, because Scripture hath called it thy possession, to be something inferior to thee, it goes on and adds, And to them that lean upon her, as on the Lord, she is
See thy Lord is made unto thee as a staff: securely man leaneth, because He faileth not. Say then securely, This is thy possession ; to them that lay hold upon her. Scripture hath said, hath filled up thy doubts with con fidence : speak securely, love securely, hope securely. Thine
Ps. 16,5. also De those words in the Psalm, The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance.
18. Therefore by this shall we be blessed, by possessing God. What then ? Shall we possess Him, and will not He Is. 26, possess us ? Whence then Esaias, Lord, possess us? There- LXX. fore He possesseth us, and is possessed, and all for our sakes. For not as He, that we may be blessed in Him, is possessed by us; not so doth He also, that He may be
safe'.
blessed, possess us. He both possesseth and is possessed, for nothing else than that we may be blessed. We possess Him, and He possesseth us ; because we attend on * Him, and He attendeth on us. We attend on Him as our Lord God ; He attendeth on us as His own possession. That we attend on Him, none doubteth; that He attendeth on us,
Johni5, who proveth to us ? He Who saith, /am the Vine: ye are
the branches : My Father is the Husbandman.
Psalm also both are declared to us, both are proved to us. He hath already said that we possess Him : Blessed is the nation, whose God is the Lord. Whose is this farm ? His. Whose is that? His. Whose is this?
' English Version, And happy is e ' colimus,' which has the double every one that retaineth her. meaning of ' worship,' <ind ' ciiltirate. '
See in this
Let us so speak of
Blessedness ofpossessing Him. His looking in mercy on man. 335
God ; let us say whose He is. And as answer is wont to be Vrr. made to us when we enquire concerning certain farms and 13. 14. estates that are fine and very pleasant; He is a senator, and
he is called so and so, whose is that property ; and we say, Blessed is that man. So if we should ask, Whose is this
God ? There is a blessed nation whose He is. For the Lord is their God. And not as that senator possesseth his farm, but is not possessed by his farm, so also the God of this nation. Wherefore, we ought to labour, that we may be His : but either of them possesseth the other. Ye have heard that a nation possesseth Him, Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord: hear how He also possesseth it: and the people whom He hath chosen for His own inherit ance. Nation blessed in its possession ; inheritance blessed in its possessor: And the people whom He hath chosen for His own inheritance.
19. Ver. 13. The Lord looketh from heaven, He beholdeth
all the sons of men. All in this place so receive as to understand all of that nation who possess that inheritance,
or who are that inheritance. For they themselves are God's inheritance. Even all of them hath the Lord looked upon
from Heaven : and He haIth seen them Who said, When thou John l,
saw thee. He saw him because
wast under the fig-tree,
Ho had mercy on him. Wherefore oftentimes praying
mercy we say to a man, Look upon me. And of him that despiseth thee, what sayest thou ? He seeth me not. There
is then a seeing of him that hath mercy, a not seeing of him
that punisheth. That looking upon sins is the punishment
of sins ; which sins he would not to be seen, who saith,
Hide Thy Facefrom my sins. What he would to be over- Ps. 5l,9. looked, that he would not to be looked upon. Hide, saith
he, Thy Face from my sins. When then He hath hidden
His Face from thy sins, will He not see thee ? And where
fore saith he in another place, Hide not Thy Face from me? Ps. 27,9. Let Him then hide from thy sins, let Him not hide from
thee : let Him see thee, let Him have mercy on thee, let
Him succour thee. The Lord looked from Heaven, He regarded all the sons of men : all that belong unto the Son
of Man.
20. Ver. 14. From His prepared habitation: from that
336 God looks on men by His Saints. He forms each one.
Psalm which He hath prepared for Himself. He looked upon us
Exp. II.
XXXIII. from the Apostles, He looketh upon us from the preachers of
Se,im' the Truth, He looked upon us from the Angels, whom He sent unto us. All these are His house, all these are His habitation, for all these are the Heavens which declare the Glory of God. He beheld all the sons of men : from His
prepared habitation He looked upon all the inhabitants of the earth. These are the same; they are His; it is that blessed nation, whose God is the Lord ; it is that people whom He hath chosen for His own inheritance : for it is throughout all lands, and not only in one part. He looked upon all the inhabitants of the earth.
E. V,
21. Ver. 15. He hath fashioned their hearts singly. By the hand of His grace; by the hand of His mercy, He hath fashioned hearts, He formed our hearts, He fashioned them singly, giving to us as it were single hearts, which yet destroy not unity. As all our members are formed singly, have their operations singly, and yet live in the unity of the body ; the hand doth what the eye doth not, the ear hath a power which neither the eye nor the hand hath ; yet all work together in unity ; and the hand, and the eye, and the ear do different things, and yet are not opposed to one another; so also in the Body of Christ, single men, like single members,
each their own gifts, because He Who hath chosen the people for His own inheritance, hath fashioned their hearts
Are all Apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? and Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues?
do all interpret? To one given the Spirit the word
wisdom to another the word of knowledge to another faith the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing.
Wherefore Because He fashioned their hearts
But as in our members there are diverse operations, but one health so in all the members of Christ are diverse gifts, but one grace. He fashioneth their hearts singly.
22. He understandeth all their works. What under- standeth Seeth in secret and inwardly thou hast in a Ps. 5,2. certain Psalm, Understand my crying. For there no such
need as of words, that any thing may come to the Ears of God. Seeing in secret called understanding. He spoke more expressly than He should say, He seeth all their
29
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No safety in the strength of man or horse. 337
works : lest thou shouldest think that those works are then Vrr. seen, when thou seest the work of a man. A man seeth the 1G" act of a man by motion of the body, but God seeth in the heart. Because then He seeth within, it is said, He under standeth all their works. Two men give to the poor, one seeketh his reward in Heaven, the other the praise of men.
Thou in two seest one thing, God understaudeth two. For He understandeth what is within, and knoweth what is with in; their ends He seeth, their base intentions He seeth. He
understandeth all their works.
23. Yrer. 16. A king shall not be saved by much strength.
Unto the Lord must we all, in God are we all. Be God thy one Ms. hope, be God thy strength, be God thy firmness; thytheLord
let Him be, thy praise let Him be, thy end in Jf all, in which thou rest, let Him be; thy succour when thou all thy labourest, let Him be. Hear the truth, A king shall not be^ff' sated by much strength: neither shall a giant be saved by
much strength. A giant is any proud man, lifting up him
self against God, as though he were something in himself
and by himself. Such an one is not saved by much strength.
24. But he hath a horse, large, spirited, strong, swift: can
he if any evil threaten, deliver him quickly out of danger?
Let him not be deceived, let him hear what followeth.
(Ver. 17. ) A horse is a deceitful thing fur safety. Under
stood ye what was said, A horse is a deceitful thing for safety ? Let not thy horse promise thee safety; if he promise
thee, he will lie. For if God will, thou wilt be freed; if
God will not, thy horse falling, thou wilt fall from a greater height. Therefore think it not said, A horse is a deceitful menda* thing for safety, as though a just man were deceitful for2T<<z*<<.
safety, because just men as it were tell lies for safety. For it'"". is not written asquus, which word is derived from equity ; but equus, a quadruped. This the G reek version sheweth. And evil beasts, men who seek to themselves occasions of lying,
are refuted, when the Scripture saith, The mouth that Ueth,VfM. \, slayeth the soul, and. Thou shall destroy all them that speak p,'. 5)a. leasing. What then is this, A horse is a deceitful thingfor safely? A horse lieth to thee when it promiseth safety.
Doth a horse speak to any one and promise safety? But when thou seest a horse well made, of great strength, and
z
supplication
838 Labour needful now that we may behold God.
Psalm possessed of great speed, all these things, as it were, promise Ex* II. thee safety from it : but they deceive, if God guard thee not ; Serm. a fang is a deceitful thing for safety. A horse also take -- figuratively, for any greatness of this world, any honour unto which thou ascendest proudly: the higher thou goest, not only so much the more lofty, but so much the more safe
thou thinkest thyself, but falsely ; for thou knowest not how he may cast thee down, dashed the more heavily, the
more loftily thou wast carried. A horse is a deceitful thing for safety: in the abundance of his strength shall he not be saved. And whereby shall he be saved ? Not by might, not by strength, not by power, not by glory, not by a horse. Whereby then ? Whither shall I go ? Where shall I find whence I may be saved. Seek not long, seek not far?
(Ver. 18. ) Behold, the Eyes of the Lord are upon them that fear Him. Ye see that these are the same whom He beholds from His habitation. Behold, the Eyes of the Lord
are upon them that fear Him, upon them that hope in His Mercy : not in their own merits, not in strength, not in forti tude, not in a horse, but in His Mercy.
25. Ver. 19. To deliver their souls from death. He promiseth eternal life. What in this our travel? doth He desert us? See what follows: And to keep them alive in
The time of famine is now, the time of plenty shall be hereafter. He who in the famine of this corruption deserteth us not, when made immortal, how shall He not satisfy us ! But while it is the time of famine, we must bear, we must endure, we must persevere even to the end. Now
? enrren-must all be run1, because both the way is plain, and we must
da sunt
consicler what we carry. The spectators in the amphitheatre are haply still in their madness, and sit in the sun : and we, even if we stand, are yet in the shade ; more useful and more beautiful is what we behold. Let us behold The Beautiful, and be beheld by The Beautiful. Let us behold in mind those things which are declared in the sense of the Divine Scriptures, and let us rejoice in such a spectacle. But who is our spectator? Behold, the Eyes of the Lord are upon them that fear Him ; upon them that hope in His Mercy. To deliver their souls from death, and to keep them alive in
famine.
famine.
Tlie weary encouraged. Present labour ofhearing. 389
26. But for endurance of travel, while there is famine, Ver. and while we wait by the way to be refreshed, lest we faint;. 0"--. what is imposed upon us ? or what ought we to profess ?
(Ver. 20. ) Our soul shall be patient for the Lord. Securely
shall it wait for Him mercifully promising, mercifully and
truly performing: and until He perform, what must we do ?
Our soul shall be patient for the Lord. But what if in that patience, we shall not endure?
