But He Who pitieth, can He promise and not give, Who
could give though He promised not ?
could give though He promised not ?
Augustine - Exposition on the Psalms - v1
For neither if an old man
that is righteous walk abroad, is there any thing in his body
to be loved, and yet he is loved by all. Even there is he
loved where he is not seen : nay there is he loved where he
is seen, but with the heart. Let him then delight you, and
pray ye to the Lord, that He may delight you. For TliePs. 85, Lord shall give sweetness, and our land shall yield her increase: that through love ye may fulfil, what by fear it is
hard to fulfil. Why say I, it is hard? The mind is not yet
able : it would rather that there were not any commandment,
if to do, it is not led by love, but by fear constrained. Do
not steal ; fear hell1: he would rather that there were no'Geben- hell, into which he should be cast. When beginneth ana? ' man to love righteousness, but when he had rather that
there were no stealing, even though there were no hell into which thieves should be cast ? This it is, to love righteousness.
7. And what is righteousness herself like ? Who painteth
her? What beauty hath the Wisdom of God? Through
her are all things beautiful, that are pleasant to the eyes:
her to see, her to embrace, our hearts must be cleansed,
her lovers we profess ourselves; herself so dresseth3 us that8Co1"- we may not be displeasing to her. And when men reprove
us for those things, whereby we please her whom we love,
how is it that we so little regard our reprovers, how is it we
so despise them, and altogether care nothing for them ? Women's lovers, loose and worthy of condemnation, when
their mistresses dress them after their own fancy, if they
can but please them, care not for those whom they displease, thinking it sufficient for them that they please
their eyes, whom they court: and grave men they mostly
316 Please Him Who is worthy of love. New song for New Men.
Psai. m displease, nay, grave men they always displease, and by Exp. ii. better judgment are blamed. Thou art not well shorn, saith a grave man to a wanton youth, it becometh thee not to go
with such-like curls. He knoweth, however, that a certain person is pleased with those curls: he hateth thee that with true judgment blamest, and keepeth in himself that which pleaseth his perverse will. He thinketh thee his enemy,
1al. ' be. because thou wouldest take away3 his disgrace. He nieth loveth/thy eyes, and altogether careth not by what rule of righteous
ness he be blamed. If therefore these regard not their reprovers in truth, that they may be handsome in falsehood ; ought we, in those things whereby we please the Wisdom of God, ought we to regard unrighteous mockers, having no eyes wherewith they may see What we love ? These things considering, all ye upright in heart, Praise the Lord with harp; sing unto Him with a psaltery often strings.
8. Ver. 3. Sing unto Him a new song. Put off oldness : ye know the new song. A new man, a New Testament, a new song. A new song belongeth not to men that are old: none learn that but new men, renewed through Grace
from oldness, and belonging now to the New Testament, which is the kingdom of Heaven. For that sigheth all our love, and singeth a new song. A new song let it sing, not with the tongue, but with the life. Sing unto Him a new song: sing skilfully unto Him. Every man asketh how he should sing unto God. Sing unto Him, but sing not un
He would not that His Ears be offended. Sing skilfully, Brother. in the audience of any good musician, when said to thee, Sing, to please such an one, without some knowledge of the musical art, thou fearest to sing, lest thou shouldest displease master of the art, because, what an unskilful person nndeth not amiss in thee, master blameth who can undertake to sing skilfully before God, so judging of the singer, so examining every part, so exactly
hearing How canst thou shew so nice skill in singing, as in nothing to displease Ears so perfect Behold, he giveth as were the tune of thy song seek not words as thou couldesl explain whereby God is pleased. Sing with jubila tion for this to sing skilfully unto God, to sing with jubilation. What to sing with jubilation To be
skilfully.
is it
If,
is
:
it
? :
it is
?
if
a
;
?
a
a
Joy beyond words. Work of Faith. God, how Faithful. 317
unable to understand, to express in words, what is sung Ver. in the heart. For singers, either in the harvest, or in the '-- vineyard, or in any other busy work, after they have begun
in the words of their hymns to exult and rejoice, being
as it were filled with so great joy, that they cannot express
it in words, then turn from actual words, and proceed to sounds of jubilation. The jubilee is a sound signifying that
the heart laboureth with that which it cannot utter. And
whom beseemeth that jubilation, but the Ineffable God?
For He is Ineffable, Whom thou canst not speak; and if
thou canst not speak Him, and oughtest not to keep Him
silent, what remaineth to thee but jubilation ; that the heart may rejoice without words, and the boundless extent ofjoy may have no limits of syllables? Sing skilfully unto Him with jubilation.
9. Ver. 4. For the Word of the Lord is right, and all
His works are done in faith. In that even wherein He dis- pleaseth the not right, He is right. And all His works areTMSm. 1, done infaith. Let thy works be done in faith, for TIiejustU&b. 2, shall live by faith; and Faith worketh by love. Let thygal,5 works be done in faith, because by trusting in God thou art6- rendered faithful. How can the works of God be done in
faith, as though God also should live by faith ? We find
God also called faithful, and that not in our own words: hear
an Apostle ; God, saith He, is faithful, Who will not suffer i Cor.
you to be tempted above that ye are able, but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able
to bear it. Thus ye have heard God called faithful, hear it
also in another place. // we suffer, we shall also reign 2 Tim. with Him : ifwe deny Him, He also will deny us: If we ' ' believe not, yet He abideth Faithful : He cannot deny Him
We have then a Faithful God also: but let us well dis tinguish Faithful God from faithful man. Man is faithful
when he trusteth in God promising: God is Faithful because
He performeth what He promised to man. Let us hold Him
a Debtor most Faithful, since we hold Him a Promiser most Merciful. For neither have we lent unto Him any loan, that
we should hold Him a debtor ; since from Him we have whatever we offer unto Him, and from Him cometh whatever
good there is in us. All the good things, in which we rejoice, are from Him. For who hath known the Mind q/34-- 36.
self.
'
318 God owes by Promise. Times of Mercy and Judgment.
Psalm the Lord? or who hath been His counsellor? or who hath Y,xr. lijirst given to Him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again ? For of Him, and through Him, and to Him are all things. We then have given nothing to Him, and yet we hold Him a debtor. Wherefore a debtor ? Because He is
P*. 27,
a Promiser. We say not unto God, Lord, render what Thou hast received ; but, Render what Thou hast promised. For the Word of the Lord is right. What is, The Word of the Lord is right? He deceiveth thee not: do not thou deceive Him, rather do not thou deceive thyself; for who can deceive the Omniscient ? But iniquity hath lied unto itself. For the Word of the Lord is right, and all His works are done in
faith.
10. Ver. 5. He loveth Mercy and Judgment. Do thou
the same, because He doth. Observe ye both Mercy and Judgment. The time of Mercy is now, the time of Judg ment shall be hereafter. Whence is it now the time of Mercy ? He calleth those but now averted, He forgiveth sin to them converted : He is patient with sinners, until they be converted: when they are converted, He forgetteth things past, He promiseth things to come: He exhorteth the sloth ful, consoleth the afflicted, teacheth the studious, assisteth the fighting: He deserteth none labouring and crying unto Himself. He giveth that wherewith sacrifice may be done
unto Himself; He bestoweth that wherewith He may be recon ciled. Let not the great time of Mercy pass, Brethren, let it not pass away from us. There will come a judgment, and then also there will be repentance, but then without fruit, then
wisd. 5, they repenting and groaning for anguish of spirit, shall say within themselves, (is it not written in the book of Wisdom? ) What hath pride profited us ? or what good hath riches with our vaunting brought us ? All these things are passed away
like a shadow. Let us now say, All these things are passing away like a shadow. Let us now say to our profit, They are passing away ; lest then we say without avail, They are passed away. This then is the time of Mercy, there will
come also the time of Judgment.
11. But think not, Brethren, that these two can in any
wise be separated, the one from the other, in God. They do indeed seem somewhat contrary to each other ; as if one who is Merciful could not observe Judgment; and one who is
God keeps both. How man may do the like. 319 tenacious of Judgment, would forget Mercy. But God is Ver.
'. --
Omnipotent; neither in Mercy loseth He Judgment, nor in Judgment, Mercy. For He hath compassion, He considereth His Own Image, our frailty, our wandering, our blindness, and He calleth ; and to those converted unto Him He for- giveth sins, to the unconverted He forgiveth not. Is He Merciful to the unrighteous ? Has He therefore lost Judg ment, or ought He not to judge between the converted and the unconverted ? Seemeth it just to you, that the converted and the unconverted be treated equally; that the same regard be paid to one confessing and one lying, to the humble and the proud ? Therefore hath He Judgment, yea even in Mercy. Again, in The Judgment will He have Mercy, namely,
/ was an hungered, and Mat25, ye gave Me meat. For in a certain Apostolic Epistle it is
upon those unto whom He shall say,
said, For he shall have Judgment without Mercy, that hath James
shewed no Mercy. Blessed (saith He) are the merciful : mm. 5, for they shall obtain Mercy. Therefore in The Judgment7.
shall there be also Mercy, but not without Judgment. For
if not every one, but he shall have Mercy, who hath before shewn Mercy; even Mercy itself will be just, because it will
not be indiscriminate. Mercy it surely is, that sins should Lake 6, be forgiven, Mercy it that life eternal should be bestowed;
see then also Judgment, Forgive, and ye shall be forgiven
give, and shall be given unto you. Surely this, It shall be Matt. given unto you, and, ye shall be forgiven, Mercy but Judgment had departed therefrom, He would not say, Wi'/AMatt. what measure ye mete, shall be measured to you again.
12. Thou hast heard how God sheweth Mercy and Judg
ment, do thou also shew Mercy and Judgment. Do these
things perhaps belong unto God do they not belong unto
man If they belonged not unto man, the Lord would not
have said to the Pharisees, Ye have omitted the weightier Mat. 23,
'
matters of the Law, Judgment and Mercy. Therefore unto Thee belong Mercy and Judgment. Think not that Mercy belongeth unto thee, but Judgment belongeth not unto thee. It may be thou hearest cause between two, of whom one rich, and the other poor; and may happen that the poor man hath bad, the rich good cause. Now thou art not instructed in the Kingdom of God, thou seemest to thyself to do well, as pitying the poor man, thou hide and conceal
if,
a it
a a
it ;
is,
if
it
is
if
6,
;
?
7,
is
;
320 No mercy in favouring the poor against justice.
Psalm his iniquity, and strive to justify him, so that he may seem Exp. ll. to have a good cause; and if thou shouldest be blamed
Ex. 23,
against a poor man, who had not wherewithal to pay, or if he had, could not, after that he had paid, find wherewithal to live ? Thy God saith unto thee, Neither shall thou coun tenance a poor man in his cause. It is an easy thing that we should be warned not to accept the person of the rich ; this every man knoweth, and would that every man so did. That is where one is deceived ; where one would please God, by accepting the person of the poor in judgment, and saying unto God, I have shewn favour unto the poor. Nay, but thou shouldest hold fast both, even both Mercy and Judg ment. First, what sort of mercy hast thou shewed towards him, whose iniquity thou hast favoured ? Lo, his purse thou hast spared, his heart thou hast wounded : that poor man hath remained in his iniquity, and is so much the more in iniquity, as he hath seen thee, as if a righteous man, favour his iniquity. From thee hath he departed, unjustly succoured ; by God he remaineth justly to be condemned. What sort of mercy hast thou shewn to him, whom thou hast made un righteous? Lo, thou art found more cruel than merciful.
What then, sayest thou, should I do ? Thou shouldest judge first according to the cause. Thou shouldest con
vict the poor, prevail on the rich man. There is one time for judgment, another for supplication. When the rich man saw that thou hadst held justice, hadst not lifted up the head of the wicked because he was poor, but according to the merits of his sin hadst justly punished him ; would not he be prevailed on to mercy at thy supplication, who had been made glad by thy judgment ? My Brethren, though there remaineth indeed more of the Psalm, yet must we now
spare our strength, both of mind and body, by reason of the variety of hearers : for also when we are taking food from the same wheat, many new tastes as it were are made for us, so as to do away loathing: may this suffice you.
-- because thou hast judged ill, thou answerest as concerning Mercy, It is true, and I too know it; but he was poor, Mercy was due unto him. How hast thou kept Mercy, and lost Judgment? And how, sayest thou, if I should keep Judg ment should I not lose Mercy ? Should I pronounce
God isfaithful both in Mercy and in Justice. 321
DISCOURSE THE SECOND.
On the Second Part of the Psalm.
1. Both in preaching and hearing the Word of Truth is Ver. labour; and this labour, my Brethren, we bear with patience, JldL- if we remember the Lord's sentence, and our condition. For
from the very first beginning of our race hath man heard,
and that not from man that deceiveth, nor from the devil
that seduceth, but from Truth Itself out of the mouth of God,
In the sweat of thy Jace shall thou eat thy bread. There- Gen. 3, fore if our bread is the Word of God, let us sweat in hearing,19.
le6t we die in lasting. A few verses of the first part of this
Psalm, at the solemnity of the vigil lately past*, were handled:
let us hear what remaineth.
2. Now thus begins the part which remaineth, which but now we sang, (ver. 5. ) The earth is full of the Mercy of the Lord. (Ver. 6. ) By the Word of the Lord were the Heavens made firm. For it is the same thing, By the voice of the Lord were the Heavens established. He had said above, Sing skilfully unto Him with jubilation, that is, Sing inef fably : (ver. 4. ) For the Word of the Lord is right, and all His works are in faith. He promiseth nothing which He payeth not : He that is Faithful is made a debtor, be thou a covetous exacter. Then when he had said, All His works are done in faith ; he added wherefore : (ver. 5. ) He loveth Mercy and Judgment. He then, Who loveth Mercy, pitieth.
But He Who pitieth, can He promise and not give, Who
could give though He promised not ? Therefore because He loveth Mercy, it behoveth Him to afford that which He pro
miseth : and because He loveth Judgment, it behoveth Him
to exact what He gave. Wherefore said the Lord Himself
to a certain servant; Wherefore gaveIst thou not the money Lukel9, into the bank, that at My coming
might have required Mine own with usury? Which therefore we mention, that we may understand what we have but now heard. For the
same Lord saith in another place, in the Gospel, / judge no John 8,
>> In the Church of St. Cyprian. Ben. Seep. 311.
'
4S'
322 Mercy freely offerIed, man answerable for the offer.
have spoken, the same shall judge "E. xv. ll. him at the last day. Nor let him excuse himself, who will SEiBiTM' not hear lest haply there be ought which may be required of
Psalm man ; the Word that
> male,
him. For that very thing is required of him, that he would not receive, when it was given. For it is one thing not to be able to receive, another not to be willing; there is the excuse of necessity, here the guilt of wilfulness. Therefore all His works are done in faith : He loveth Mercy and Judgment. Receive ye Mercy, and fear Judg ment; lest He, when He cometh to require of you, so require as to send you empty away. For He requireth an account ; the account rendered, He giveth Eternity. Receive ye
therefore Mercy. Brethren; let us all receive it. Let none of us slumber in receiving, lest he be wakened untimely1 to give account. Receive ye Mercy ; so God crieth unto us, as in time of famine it would be said, Receive corn. Which when thou heardest in time of famine, truly by the very
spur of necessity goaded thou wouldest run, turning thee this way and that way ; thou wouldest ask whence thou couldest receive that of which it was said, Receive ye ; and when thou hadst found, how wouldest thou contain thyself? what delay wouldest thou interpose ? So even now it is said, Receive ye Mercy, for He loveth Mercy and Judgment. When thou hast received, use it well, that thou mayest give a good account, when His Judgment cometh, Who now
sheweth unto thee Mercy beforehand in this famine.
3. I would not then that thou shouldest say unto me,
? Whither go I
Whence receive I
hast sung, The earth is full of the Mercy of the Lord. Where is not the Gospel now preached? Where is the Word of the Lord silent ? Where doth Salvation not work ? It needs but that thou be willing to receive: the barns are full. This very fulness and abundance waited not for thee coming, but unto thee sleeping came of themselves. It was not said, Let the nations arise, and come into one place, but the same were preached unto the nations where they
were, that thenceforward the prophecy might be fulfilled
Zeph. 2 whid1 saith, And men shall worship Him, every one from his
1?
place.
4. The earth is full of the Mercy of the Lord. What of
? Remember what Thou
The Heavens madefirm by the Son ind by the Spirit. 323
the Heavens ? Hear what of the Heavens. For they want Ver. not Mercy, where is no misery. On earth aboundeth the ---- misery of man, more aboundeth the mercy of the Lord.
With the misery of man the earth is full, and with the Mercy
of the Lord the earth is full. The Heavens, then, in which is no misery, because they want not mercy, do they not want the Lord ? All things want the Lord, both the miserable, and the happy. Without Him is not the miserable man lifted up, without Him is not the happy governed. There fore, lest haply thou shouldest ask concerning the Heavens, when thou hast heard, The earth is full of the Mercy of the Lord, hear how the Heavens also want the Lord, (ver. 6. ) By the Word of the Lord were the Heavens made firm ; for neither of themselves were the Heavens a support unto them selves, nor did they of themselves bestow on themselves their own firmness. By the word of the Lord were the Heavens made firm, and all the strength* of them by the Breath of
His Mouth. It was not that They had somewhat from themselves, and received as it were a supplement from the Lord. For by the Breath of His Mouth, was made not a part, but all the strength of them.
5. See now, my Brethren, the works of the Son and of the Holy Spirit are the same. For it ought not to be negli gently passed over, by reason of certain unrighteous dis- cerners, and troublesome confounders. For out of both cometh evil. They confound, by ill discerning, the creature with the Creator ; and when the Spirit of God is the Creator, reckon Him among the creatures. Again they discern, and yet confound : may they be so confounded that they may be converted. Hear now how the work of the Son and of the Spirit is one. The Word is certainly the Son of God, and the Breath of His Mouth His Holy Spirit. By the Word of the Lord were the Heavens made firm. But what is to be made firm, but to have a sure and firm strength And all the strength of them the Breath of His Mouth. It
might have been said thus, " By the Breath of His Mouth were the Heavens made firm, and, By the Word of the Lord, all the strength of them. " For what all the strength of them,' that 'were made firm? ' This then doth the Son
Virtus, elsewhere power, and so host. y2
is, b
is'
by
?
it,
324 Spiritual Heavens, as the literal, God's work.
Is it without the Father ? Who then Ex? II. acteth by His Word, and His Spirit, but He Whose is the Serm. Word, and Whose is the Spirit. This Trinity then is One
-- God. Him worshippeth he who knoweth how to worship, Him hath he every where who hath converted himself. For He is not sought by them that are averted from Him; but averted, Himself calleth them, that converted He may fill
them.
6. Now, my Brethren, excepting those superior Heavens,
unknown to us on earth, labouring and seeking after them
Psalm ami the Holy Spirit.
then those Heavens, concerning which, how they be one above another,
as we may by human conjectures; excepting
and how many they be, or in what manner they be distin guished, with what inhabitants they be filled, with what order they be ruled, how therein one hymn unfailing chanted in concert by all glorifieth God, it is much for us to find out, yet do we toil to arrive thither. For there is our country, which perhaps through our long travel we have forgotten.
Ps. 120, For our voice is in that Psalm, Woe is me, that my travel is
Ps. 19, ~'
Concerning those Heavens then it is both for me difficult, if not impossible, to discourse, and for you to
Whoever in these things in understanding pre vented! me, let him enjoy that whither he hath first arrived, and pray for me that I may follow. Meanwhile, excepting those Heavens, I have whereon now to discourse, as best I may, those Heavens that are the nearest to us, the sacred Apostles of God, the preachers of the Word of Truth; by which Heavens we are watered, that so through the whole world the wheat of the Church may spring up ; although with the tares now drinking one common rain, but not to have one common garner.
7. When then it had been said, The earth is full of the Mercy of the Lord; as if thou hadst asked, Whence is the earth made full of the Mercy of the Lord ? First were the Heavens sent to scatter the Mercy of the Lord over the earth, ancFthat too over the whole earth. For see what is elsewhere said concerning the Heavens themselves, The Heavens declare the glory of God, and the Firmament sheweth His handy-work. What are the Heavens, that is the Firmament, Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge.
prolonged.
understand.
They, the Apostles, filted Earth with tidings of Mercy. 325 There is no cessation, no silence. But where have they Ver.
',--
pi. eached, and how far have they preached ? There is no speech
nor language, where their voice is not heard, but this relateth
to that, that they spake in the tongues of all men in one place. Acts 2, Speaking in the tongues of all men, they fulfilled that which
was said, There is no speech nor language where their voice
is not heard. But I ask, that same voice in the tongues of
all men, how far hath it reached ? what places hath it filled ?
Hear then what follows, Their sound is gone out through all
the earth, and their words to the end of the world. Of whom but of those Heavens that declare the glory of God ? If then their sound hath gone out into all the earth, and their words to the end of the world, what they have preached to us let Him declare Who sent them. He declareth plainly, faithfully He declareth : because even before they came to pass He predicted that they would be, He, all Whose works are in faith. For He rose again from the dead, and after handling of his limbs, being recognised of His disciples, He said, It behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise again the third day: and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name. Whence, and how far ? Among all nations, (saith He,) beginning at Jerusalem. But what Mercy do we all expect, my Brethren, more abundant from the Lord, than that our sins be forgiven ? Since then that is the great Mercy of the Lord, the remission of sins, this remission of sins also hath the Lord predicted should be preached among all nations. The earth is full of the Mercy of the Lord. Wherewith is the earth full ? With the Mercy of the Lord ? Wherefore ? Because every where God forgiveth
sins, because He hath sent the Heavens to water the earth. 8. And how dared those same Heavens to go with con
fidence, of weak men to be made Heavens, except that by the Word of the Lord were the Heavens made firm. Whence could sheep among wolves have such strength, except that by the Breath of His Mouth were all the strength of them.
r. uke24,
Behold, saith He, /
as sheep in the midst o/"Mat. lO, wolves. O Lord most merciful ! Surely Thou dost this, that 16.
the earth may be full of Thy Mercy. If then Thou art so Merciful, as to fill the earth with Thy Mercy; see whom Thou sendest, see whither Thou sendest. Whither, I say,
send you forth
326 Sheep in the midst of wolves victorious through Mercy.
Psalm Thou sendest, and whom Thou sendest. Sheep into the EJpIL midst of wolves. If one wolf be sent into the midst of innu- Serm. merable sheep, who resisteth him ? What doth he not over
throw, unless it happen that he is soon satisfied ? For he could devour all. Sendest Thou the weak among the savage ? I send them, saith He, because they are become Heavens to water the earth. Whence can weak men be Heavens. But all the strength of them by the Breath of His Mouth. Be hold the wolves shall take you, and deliver, and give you up to powers for My Name's sake. Now arm ye yourselves.
Mat 10, With your own strength ? Far be it. Take no thought how 19. 20. or wliai ye shall speak : for it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you. For all the
2 Tim.
strength of them by the Breath of His Mouth.
9. These things were done. The Apostles were sent;
they endured pressures. Do we now bear as great to hear this Word, as they to sow it? No. Will then, Brethren, our labour be unfruitful ? No. I see your thronging toge- ther, but ye also see my sweat. If we suffer, we shall also reign with Him. Behold those things are come to pass. From those sheep sent into the midst of wolves, we cele brate also the Martyrs' memories. This very place, when
'
'
1St. Cy-the body of a blessed 'Martyr was smitten, was then full of
priaD.
Trea. tises.
wolves. So many wolves were overcome by one sheep cap- Pref. tured, and the place was filled with sheep by one sheep slain.
Then raged the sea with great waves of persecutors. Into a dry larKl and thirsty went the Heaven of God. But now, through those things which they suffered, who broke the enemy's line, is the Name of Christ glorified. Walking over the heads of swelling waters, it hath occupied even powers themselves. And because those things are come to pass, they also who now see, not yet believing, our conventicles, our celebrations, our solemnities, the praises now openly, now publicly offered to our God; think ye that they grieve not, think ye that they do not rave ? But now is fulfilled
Ps. U2, that which is written of them, The wicked shall see it, and shall be enraged. What then, though he be enraged. Fear not the wolf, O sheep. Fear not now their threats and raving. He is enraged, but what followeth ? He shall
gnash with his teeth, and melt away.
Bitterness of wicked confined. The Righteous still tried. 327
10. Because then the salt sea-water, which hath remained, Vrr. dares not now to rage against Christians, but grinds1 to U-- itself a secret murmur, and within the mortal skin roars the al. rug'it. confined saltness; see what follows, (ver. 7. ) He gathereth
the waters of the sea together as into a bottle. Since then before, the sea having its waves free raged, but now being confined within mortal breasts is bitter, He, who in those
Saints was victorious, who then set bounds to the sea, He
hath caused that its waves returning into themselves should
be abated. He hath gathered as into a bottle the waters of
the sea: the mortal skin covereth bitter thought. For fear
ing for their own skin, men keep within, that which they
dare not to utter. For their bitterness is the same : they
hate as much, they detest as much. But what then raged openly, now rageth secretly. What else can I say, than that which is spoken, He shall gnash with his teeth and melt away? Let the Church then go on, let it walk for ward. The way is made, our highway is paved for us by the Emperor. Let us be fervent in our journeys of good work, for this it is for us to walk on. And if ever arise pressures of temptations, whence we expected them not, the waters of the sea being now gathered together as into a bottle, let us understand that the Lord doth this for discipline, that He may shake out of us too confident a security in temporal
things, and direct us to His kingdom with composed desire. Which desire by tribulations buffeting on this side and on that is lengthened out, so that we become tuneful to the
Ears of the Lord like ductile trumpets. For this also is
said in the Psalms, that we should praise God on ductile Ps.
that is righteous walk abroad, is there any thing in his body
to be loved, and yet he is loved by all. Even there is he
loved where he is not seen : nay there is he loved where he
is seen, but with the heart. Let him then delight you, and
pray ye to the Lord, that He may delight you. For TliePs. 85, Lord shall give sweetness, and our land shall yield her increase: that through love ye may fulfil, what by fear it is
hard to fulfil. Why say I, it is hard? The mind is not yet
able : it would rather that there were not any commandment,
if to do, it is not led by love, but by fear constrained. Do
not steal ; fear hell1: he would rather that there were no'Geben- hell, into which he should be cast. When beginneth ana? ' man to love righteousness, but when he had rather that
there were no stealing, even though there were no hell into which thieves should be cast ? This it is, to love righteousness.
7. And what is righteousness herself like ? Who painteth
her? What beauty hath the Wisdom of God? Through
her are all things beautiful, that are pleasant to the eyes:
her to see, her to embrace, our hearts must be cleansed,
her lovers we profess ourselves; herself so dresseth3 us that8Co1"- we may not be displeasing to her. And when men reprove
us for those things, whereby we please her whom we love,
how is it that we so little regard our reprovers, how is it we
so despise them, and altogether care nothing for them ? Women's lovers, loose and worthy of condemnation, when
their mistresses dress them after their own fancy, if they
can but please them, care not for those whom they displease, thinking it sufficient for them that they please
their eyes, whom they court: and grave men they mostly
316 Please Him Who is worthy of love. New song for New Men.
Psai. m displease, nay, grave men they always displease, and by Exp. ii. better judgment are blamed. Thou art not well shorn, saith a grave man to a wanton youth, it becometh thee not to go
with such-like curls. He knoweth, however, that a certain person is pleased with those curls: he hateth thee that with true judgment blamest, and keepeth in himself that which pleaseth his perverse will. He thinketh thee his enemy,
1al. ' be. because thou wouldest take away3 his disgrace. He nieth loveth/thy eyes, and altogether careth not by what rule of righteous
ness he be blamed. If therefore these regard not their reprovers in truth, that they may be handsome in falsehood ; ought we, in those things whereby we please the Wisdom of God, ought we to regard unrighteous mockers, having no eyes wherewith they may see What we love ? These things considering, all ye upright in heart, Praise the Lord with harp; sing unto Him with a psaltery often strings.
8. Ver. 3. Sing unto Him a new song. Put off oldness : ye know the new song. A new man, a New Testament, a new song. A new song belongeth not to men that are old: none learn that but new men, renewed through Grace
from oldness, and belonging now to the New Testament, which is the kingdom of Heaven. For that sigheth all our love, and singeth a new song. A new song let it sing, not with the tongue, but with the life. Sing unto Him a new song: sing skilfully unto Him. Every man asketh how he should sing unto God. Sing unto Him, but sing not un
He would not that His Ears be offended. Sing skilfully, Brother. in the audience of any good musician, when said to thee, Sing, to please such an one, without some knowledge of the musical art, thou fearest to sing, lest thou shouldest displease master of the art, because, what an unskilful person nndeth not amiss in thee, master blameth who can undertake to sing skilfully before God, so judging of the singer, so examining every part, so exactly
hearing How canst thou shew so nice skill in singing, as in nothing to displease Ears so perfect Behold, he giveth as were the tune of thy song seek not words as thou couldesl explain whereby God is pleased. Sing with jubila tion for this to sing skilfully unto God, to sing with jubilation. What to sing with jubilation To be
skilfully.
is it
If,
is
:
it
? :
it is
?
if
a
;
?
a
a
Joy beyond words. Work of Faith. God, how Faithful. 317
unable to understand, to express in words, what is sung Ver. in the heart. For singers, either in the harvest, or in the '-- vineyard, or in any other busy work, after they have begun
in the words of their hymns to exult and rejoice, being
as it were filled with so great joy, that they cannot express
it in words, then turn from actual words, and proceed to sounds of jubilation. The jubilee is a sound signifying that
the heart laboureth with that which it cannot utter. And
whom beseemeth that jubilation, but the Ineffable God?
For He is Ineffable, Whom thou canst not speak; and if
thou canst not speak Him, and oughtest not to keep Him
silent, what remaineth to thee but jubilation ; that the heart may rejoice without words, and the boundless extent ofjoy may have no limits of syllables? Sing skilfully unto Him with jubilation.
9. Ver. 4. For the Word of the Lord is right, and all
His works are done in faith. In that even wherein He dis- pleaseth the not right, He is right. And all His works areTMSm. 1, done infaith. Let thy works be done in faith, for TIiejustU&b. 2, shall live by faith; and Faith worketh by love. Let thygal,5 works be done in faith, because by trusting in God thou art6- rendered faithful. How can the works of God be done in
faith, as though God also should live by faith ? We find
God also called faithful, and that not in our own words: hear
an Apostle ; God, saith He, is faithful, Who will not suffer i Cor.
you to be tempted above that ye are able, but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able
to bear it. Thus ye have heard God called faithful, hear it
also in another place. // we suffer, we shall also reign 2 Tim. with Him : ifwe deny Him, He also will deny us: If we ' ' believe not, yet He abideth Faithful : He cannot deny Him
We have then a Faithful God also: but let us well dis tinguish Faithful God from faithful man. Man is faithful
when he trusteth in God promising: God is Faithful because
He performeth what He promised to man. Let us hold Him
a Debtor most Faithful, since we hold Him a Promiser most Merciful. For neither have we lent unto Him any loan, that
we should hold Him a debtor ; since from Him we have whatever we offer unto Him, and from Him cometh whatever
good there is in us. All the good things, in which we rejoice, are from Him. For who hath known the Mind q/34-- 36.
self.
'
318 God owes by Promise. Times of Mercy and Judgment.
Psalm the Lord? or who hath been His counsellor? or who hath Y,xr. lijirst given to Him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again ? For of Him, and through Him, and to Him are all things. We then have given nothing to Him, and yet we hold Him a debtor. Wherefore a debtor ? Because He is
P*. 27,
a Promiser. We say not unto God, Lord, render what Thou hast received ; but, Render what Thou hast promised. For the Word of the Lord is right. What is, The Word of the Lord is right? He deceiveth thee not: do not thou deceive Him, rather do not thou deceive thyself; for who can deceive the Omniscient ? But iniquity hath lied unto itself. For the Word of the Lord is right, and all His works are done in
faith.
10. Ver. 5. He loveth Mercy and Judgment. Do thou
the same, because He doth. Observe ye both Mercy and Judgment. The time of Mercy is now, the time of Judg ment shall be hereafter. Whence is it now the time of Mercy ? He calleth those but now averted, He forgiveth sin to them converted : He is patient with sinners, until they be converted: when they are converted, He forgetteth things past, He promiseth things to come: He exhorteth the sloth ful, consoleth the afflicted, teacheth the studious, assisteth the fighting: He deserteth none labouring and crying unto Himself. He giveth that wherewith sacrifice may be done
unto Himself; He bestoweth that wherewith He may be recon ciled. Let not the great time of Mercy pass, Brethren, let it not pass away from us. There will come a judgment, and then also there will be repentance, but then without fruit, then
wisd. 5, they repenting and groaning for anguish of spirit, shall say within themselves, (is it not written in the book of Wisdom? ) What hath pride profited us ? or what good hath riches with our vaunting brought us ? All these things are passed away
like a shadow. Let us now say, All these things are passing away like a shadow. Let us now say to our profit, They are passing away ; lest then we say without avail, They are passed away. This then is the time of Mercy, there will
come also the time of Judgment.
11. But think not, Brethren, that these two can in any
wise be separated, the one from the other, in God. They do indeed seem somewhat contrary to each other ; as if one who is Merciful could not observe Judgment; and one who is
God keeps both. How man may do the like. 319 tenacious of Judgment, would forget Mercy. But God is Ver.
'. --
Omnipotent; neither in Mercy loseth He Judgment, nor in Judgment, Mercy. For He hath compassion, He considereth His Own Image, our frailty, our wandering, our blindness, and He calleth ; and to those converted unto Him He for- giveth sins, to the unconverted He forgiveth not. Is He Merciful to the unrighteous ? Has He therefore lost Judg ment, or ought He not to judge between the converted and the unconverted ? Seemeth it just to you, that the converted and the unconverted be treated equally; that the same regard be paid to one confessing and one lying, to the humble and the proud ? Therefore hath He Judgment, yea even in Mercy. Again, in The Judgment will He have Mercy, namely,
/ was an hungered, and Mat25, ye gave Me meat. For in a certain Apostolic Epistle it is
upon those unto whom He shall say,
said, For he shall have Judgment without Mercy, that hath James
shewed no Mercy. Blessed (saith He) are the merciful : mm. 5, for they shall obtain Mercy. Therefore in The Judgment7.
shall there be also Mercy, but not without Judgment. For
if not every one, but he shall have Mercy, who hath before shewn Mercy; even Mercy itself will be just, because it will
not be indiscriminate. Mercy it surely is, that sins should Lake 6, be forgiven, Mercy it that life eternal should be bestowed;
see then also Judgment, Forgive, and ye shall be forgiven
give, and shall be given unto you. Surely this, It shall be Matt. given unto you, and, ye shall be forgiven, Mercy but Judgment had departed therefrom, He would not say, Wi'/AMatt. what measure ye mete, shall be measured to you again.
12. Thou hast heard how God sheweth Mercy and Judg
ment, do thou also shew Mercy and Judgment. Do these
things perhaps belong unto God do they not belong unto
man If they belonged not unto man, the Lord would not
have said to the Pharisees, Ye have omitted the weightier Mat. 23,
'
matters of the Law, Judgment and Mercy. Therefore unto Thee belong Mercy and Judgment. Think not that Mercy belongeth unto thee, but Judgment belongeth not unto thee. It may be thou hearest cause between two, of whom one rich, and the other poor; and may happen that the poor man hath bad, the rich good cause. Now thou art not instructed in the Kingdom of God, thou seemest to thyself to do well, as pitying the poor man, thou hide and conceal
if,
a it
a a
it ;
is,
if
it
is
if
6,
;
?
7,
is
;
320 No mercy in favouring the poor against justice.
Psalm his iniquity, and strive to justify him, so that he may seem Exp. ll. to have a good cause; and if thou shouldest be blamed
Ex. 23,
against a poor man, who had not wherewithal to pay, or if he had, could not, after that he had paid, find wherewithal to live ? Thy God saith unto thee, Neither shall thou coun tenance a poor man in his cause. It is an easy thing that we should be warned not to accept the person of the rich ; this every man knoweth, and would that every man so did. That is where one is deceived ; where one would please God, by accepting the person of the poor in judgment, and saying unto God, I have shewn favour unto the poor. Nay, but thou shouldest hold fast both, even both Mercy and Judg ment. First, what sort of mercy hast thou shewed towards him, whose iniquity thou hast favoured ? Lo, his purse thou hast spared, his heart thou hast wounded : that poor man hath remained in his iniquity, and is so much the more in iniquity, as he hath seen thee, as if a righteous man, favour his iniquity. From thee hath he departed, unjustly succoured ; by God he remaineth justly to be condemned. What sort of mercy hast thou shewn to him, whom thou hast made un righteous? Lo, thou art found more cruel than merciful.
What then, sayest thou, should I do ? Thou shouldest judge first according to the cause. Thou shouldest con
vict the poor, prevail on the rich man. There is one time for judgment, another for supplication. When the rich man saw that thou hadst held justice, hadst not lifted up the head of the wicked because he was poor, but according to the merits of his sin hadst justly punished him ; would not he be prevailed on to mercy at thy supplication, who had been made glad by thy judgment ? My Brethren, though there remaineth indeed more of the Psalm, yet must we now
spare our strength, both of mind and body, by reason of the variety of hearers : for also when we are taking food from the same wheat, many new tastes as it were are made for us, so as to do away loathing: may this suffice you.
-- because thou hast judged ill, thou answerest as concerning Mercy, It is true, and I too know it; but he was poor, Mercy was due unto him. How hast thou kept Mercy, and lost Judgment? And how, sayest thou, if I should keep Judg ment should I not lose Mercy ? Should I pronounce
God isfaithful both in Mercy and in Justice. 321
DISCOURSE THE SECOND.
On the Second Part of the Psalm.
1. Both in preaching and hearing the Word of Truth is Ver. labour; and this labour, my Brethren, we bear with patience, JldL- if we remember the Lord's sentence, and our condition. For
from the very first beginning of our race hath man heard,
and that not from man that deceiveth, nor from the devil
that seduceth, but from Truth Itself out of the mouth of God,
In the sweat of thy Jace shall thou eat thy bread. There- Gen. 3, fore if our bread is the Word of God, let us sweat in hearing,19.
le6t we die in lasting. A few verses of the first part of this
Psalm, at the solemnity of the vigil lately past*, were handled:
let us hear what remaineth.
2. Now thus begins the part which remaineth, which but now we sang, (ver. 5. ) The earth is full of the Mercy of the Lord. (Ver. 6. ) By the Word of the Lord were the Heavens made firm. For it is the same thing, By the voice of the Lord were the Heavens established. He had said above, Sing skilfully unto Him with jubilation, that is, Sing inef fably : (ver. 4. ) For the Word of the Lord is right, and all His works are in faith. He promiseth nothing which He payeth not : He that is Faithful is made a debtor, be thou a covetous exacter. Then when he had said, All His works are done in faith ; he added wherefore : (ver. 5. ) He loveth Mercy and Judgment. He then, Who loveth Mercy, pitieth.
But He Who pitieth, can He promise and not give, Who
could give though He promised not ? Therefore because He loveth Mercy, it behoveth Him to afford that which He pro
miseth : and because He loveth Judgment, it behoveth Him
to exact what He gave. Wherefore said the Lord Himself
to a certain servant; Wherefore gaveIst thou not the money Lukel9, into the bank, that at My coming
might have required Mine own with usury? Which therefore we mention, that we may understand what we have but now heard. For the
same Lord saith in another place, in the Gospel, / judge no John 8,
>> In the Church of St. Cyprian. Ben. Seep. 311.
'
4S'
322 Mercy freely offerIed, man answerable for the offer.
have spoken, the same shall judge "E. xv. ll. him at the last day. Nor let him excuse himself, who will SEiBiTM' not hear lest haply there be ought which may be required of
Psalm man ; the Word that
> male,
him. For that very thing is required of him, that he would not receive, when it was given. For it is one thing not to be able to receive, another not to be willing; there is the excuse of necessity, here the guilt of wilfulness. Therefore all His works are done in faith : He loveth Mercy and Judgment. Receive ye Mercy, and fear Judg ment; lest He, when He cometh to require of you, so require as to send you empty away. For He requireth an account ; the account rendered, He giveth Eternity. Receive ye
therefore Mercy. Brethren; let us all receive it. Let none of us slumber in receiving, lest he be wakened untimely1 to give account. Receive ye Mercy ; so God crieth unto us, as in time of famine it would be said, Receive corn. Which when thou heardest in time of famine, truly by the very
spur of necessity goaded thou wouldest run, turning thee this way and that way ; thou wouldest ask whence thou couldest receive that of which it was said, Receive ye ; and when thou hadst found, how wouldest thou contain thyself? what delay wouldest thou interpose ? So even now it is said, Receive ye Mercy, for He loveth Mercy and Judgment. When thou hast received, use it well, that thou mayest give a good account, when His Judgment cometh, Who now
sheweth unto thee Mercy beforehand in this famine.
3. I would not then that thou shouldest say unto me,
? Whither go I
Whence receive I
hast sung, The earth is full of the Mercy of the Lord. Where is not the Gospel now preached? Where is the Word of the Lord silent ? Where doth Salvation not work ? It needs but that thou be willing to receive: the barns are full. This very fulness and abundance waited not for thee coming, but unto thee sleeping came of themselves. It was not said, Let the nations arise, and come into one place, but the same were preached unto the nations where they
were, that thenceforward the prophecy might be fulfilled
Zeph. 2 whid1 saith, And men shall worship Him, every one from his
1?
place.
4. The earth is full of the Mercy of the Lord. What of
? Remember what Thou
The Heavens madefirm by the Son ind by the Spirit. 323
the Heavens ? Hear what of the Heavens. For they want Ver. not Mercy, where is no misery. On earth aboundeth the ---- misery of man, more aboundeth the mercy of the Lord.
With the misery of man the earth is full, and with the Mercy
of the Lord the earth is full. The Heavens, then, in which is no misery, because they want not mercy, do they not want the Lord ? All things want the Lord, both the miserable, and the happy. Without Him is not the miserable man lifted up, without Him is not the happy governed. There fore, lest haply thou shouldest ask concerning the Heavens, when thou hast heard, The earth is full of the Mercy of the Lord, hear how the Heavens also want the Lord, (ver. 6. ) By the Word of the Lord were the Heavens made firm ; for neither of themselves were the Heavens a support unto them selves, nor did they of themselves bestow on themselves their own firmness. By the word of the Lord were the Heavens made firm, and all the strength* of them by the Breath of
His Mouth. It was not that They had somewhat from themselves, and received as it were a supplement from the Lord. For by the Breath of His Mouth, was made not a part, but all the strength of them.
5. See now, my Brethren, the works of the Son and of the Holy Spirit are the same. For it ought not to be negli gently passed over, by reason of certain unrighteous dis- cerners, and troublesome confounders. For out of both cometh evil. They confound, by ill discerning, the creature with the Creator ; and when the Spirit of God is the Creator, reckon Him among the creatures. Again they discern, and yet confound : may they be so confounded that they may be converted. Hear now how the work of the Son and of the Spirit is one. The Word is certainly the Son of God, and the Breath of His Mouth His Holy Spirit. By the Word of the Lord were the Heavens made firm. But what is to be made firm, but to have a sure and firm strength And all the strength of them the Breath of His Mouth. It
might have been said thus, " By the Breath of His Mouth were the Heavens made firm, and, By the Word of the Lord, all the strength of them. " For what all the strength of them,' that 'were made firm? ' This then doth the Son
Virtus, elsewhere power, and so host. y2
is, b
is'
by
?
it,
324 Spiritual Heavens, as the literal, God's work.
Is it without the Father ? Who then Ex? II. acteth by His Word, and His Spirit, but He Whose is the Serm. Word, and Whose is the Spirit. This Trinity then is One
-- God. Him worshippeth he who knoweth how to worship, Him hath he every where who hath converted himself. For He is not sought by them that are averted from Him; but averted, Himself calleth them, that converted He may fill
them.
6. Now, my Brethren, excepting those superior Heavens,
unknown to us on earth, labouring and seeking after them
Psalm ami the Holy Spirit.
then those Heavens, concerning which, how they be one above another,
as we may by human conjectures; excepting
and how many they be, or in what manner they be distin guished, with what inhabitants they be filled, with what order they be ruled, how therein one hymn unfailing chanted in concert by all glorifieth God, it is much for us to find out, yet do we toil to arrive thither. For there is our country, which perhaps through our long travel we have forgotten.
Ps. 120, For our voice is in that Psalm, Woe is me, that my travel is
Ps. 19, ~'
Concerning those Heavens then it is both for me difficult, if not impossible, to discourse, and for you to
Whoever in these things in understanding pre vented! me, let him enjoy that whither he hath first arrived, and pray for me that I may follow. Meanwhile, excepting those Heavens, I have whereon now to discourse, as best I may, those Heavens that are the nearest to us, the sacred Apostles of God, the preachers of the Word of Truth; by which Heavens we are watered, that so through the whole world the wheat of the Church may spring up ; although with the tares now drinking one common rain, but not to have one common garner.
7. When then it had been said, The earth is full of the Mercy of the Lord; as if thou hadst asked, Whence is the earth made full of the Mercy of the Lord ? First were the Heavens sent to scatter the Mercy of the Lord over the earth, ancFthat too over the whole earth. For see what is elsewhere said concerning the Heavens themselves, The Heavens declare the glory of God, and the Firmament sheweth His handy-work. What are the Heavens, that is the Firmament, Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge.
prolonged.
understand.
They, the Apostles, filted Earth with tidings of Mercy. 325 There is no cessation, no silence. But where have they Ver.
',--
pi. eached, and how far have they preached ? There is no speech
nor language, where their voice is not heard, but this relateth
to that, that they spake in the tongues of all men in one place. Acts 2, Speaking in the tongues of all men, they fulfilled that which
was said, There is no speech nor language where their voice
is not heard. But I ask, that same voice in the tongues of
all men, how far hath it reached ? what places hath it filled ?
Hear then what follows, Their sound is gone out through all
the earth, and their words to the end of the world. Of whom but of those Heavens that declare the glory of God ? If then their sound hath gone out into all the earth, and their words to the end of the world, what they have preached to us let Him declare Who sent them. He declareth plainly, faithfully He declareth : because even before they came to pass He predicted that they would be, He, all Whose works are in faith. For He rose again from the dead, and after handling of his limbs, being recognised of His disciples, He said, It behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise again the third day: and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name. Whence, and how far ? Among all nations, (saith He,) beginning at Jerusalem. But what Mercy do we all expect, my Brethren, more abundant from the Lord, than that our sins be forgiven ? Since then that is the great Mercy of the Lord, the remission of sins, this remission of sins also hath the Lord predicted should be preached among all nations. The earth is full of the Mercy of the Lord. Wherewith is the earth full ? With the Mercy of the Lord ? Wherefore ? Because every where God forgiveth
sins, because He hath sent the Heavens to water the earth. 8. And how dared those same Heavens to go with con
fidence, of weak men to be made Heavens, except that by the Word of the Lord were the Heavens made firm. Whence could sheep among wolves have such strength, except that by the Breath of His Mouth were all the strength of them.
r. uke24,
Behold, saith He, /
as sheep in the midst o/"Mat. lO, wolves. O Lord most merciful ! Surely Thou dost this, that 16.
the earth may be full of Thy Mercy. If then Thou art so Merciful, as to fill the earth with Thy Mercy; see whom Thou sendest, see whither Thou sendest. Whither, I say,
send you forth
326 Sheep in the midst of wolves victorious through Mercy.
Psalm Thou sendest, and whom Thou sendest. Sheep into the EJpIL midst of wolves. If one wolf be sent into the midst of innu- Serm. merable sheep, who resisteth him ? What doth he not over
throw, unless it happen that he is soon satisfied ? For he could devour all. Sendest Thou the weak among the savage ? I send them, saith He, because they are become Heavens to water the earth. Whence can weak men be Heavens. But all the strength of them by the Breath of His Mouth. Be hold the wolves shall take you, and deliver, and give you up to powers for My Name's sake. Now arm ye yourselves.
Mat 10, With your own strength ? Far be it. Take no thought how 19. 20. or wliai ye shall speak : for it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you. For all the
2 Tim.
strength of them by the Breath of His Mouth.
9. These things were done. The Apostles were sent;
they endured pressures. Do we now bear as great to hear this Word, as they to sow it? No. Will then, Brethren, our labour be unfruitful ? No. I see your thronging toge- ther, but ye also see my sweat. If we suffer, we shall also reign with Him. Behold those things are come to pass. From those sheep sent into the midst of wolves, we cele brate also the Martyrs' memories. This very place, when
'
'
1St. Cy-the body of a blessed 'Martyr was smitten, was then full of
priaD.
Trea. tises.
wolves. So many wolves were overcome by one sheep cap- Pref. tured, and the place was filled with sheep by one sheep slain.
Then raged the sea with great waves of persecutors. Into a dry larKl and thirsty went the Heaven of God. But now, through those things which they suffered, who broke the enemy's line, is the Name of Christ glorified. Walking over the heads of swelling waters, it hath occupied even powers themselves. And because those things are come to pass, they also who now see, not yet believing, our conventicles, our celebrations, our solemnities, the praises now openly, now publicly offered to our God; think ye that they grieve not, think ye that they do not rave ? But now is fulfilled
Ps. U2, that which is written of them, The wicked shall see it, and shall be enraged. What then, though he be enraged. Fear not the wolf, O sheep. Fear not now their threats and raving. He is enraged, but what followeth ? He shall
gnash with his teeth, and melt away.
Bitterness of wicked confined. The Righteous still tried. 327
10. Because then the salt sea-water, which hath remained, Vrr. dares not now to rage against Christians, but grinds1 to U-- itself a secret murmur, and within the mortal skin roars the al. rug'it. confined saltness; see what follows, (ver. 7. ) He gathereth
the waters of the sea together as into a bottle. Since then before, the sea having its waves free raged, but now being confined within mortal breasts is bitter, He, who in those
Saints was victorious, who then set bounds to the sea, He
hath caused that its waves returning into themselves should
be abated. He hath gathered as into a bottle the waters of
the sea: the mortal skin covereth bitter thought. For fear
ing for their own skin, men keep within, that which they
dare not to utter. For their bitterness is the same : they
hate as much, they detest as much. But what then raged openly, now rageth secretly. What else can I say, than that which is spoken, He shall gnash with his teeth and melt away? Let the Church then go on, let it walk for ward. The way is made, our highway is paved for us by the Emperor. Let us be fervent in our journeys of good work, for this it is for us to walk on. And if ever arise pressures of temptations, whence we expected them not, the waters of the sea being now gathered together as into a bottle, let us understand that the Lord doth this for discipline, that He may shake out of us too confident a security in temporal
things, and direct us to His kingdom with composed desire. Which desire by tribulations buffeting on this side and on that is lengthened out, so that we become tuneful to the
Ears of the Lord like ductile trumpets. For this also is
said in the Psalms, that we should praise God on ductile Ps.
