Attend, my Beloved, and
understand
the right heart.
Augustine - Exposition on the Psalms - v1
Salvation belongeth unto the Lord: Thy blessing upon Thy people.
He saith not, Salvation belongeth unto the Lord, and His blessing upon His people; nor, Lord, salvation belongeth unto Thee, and Thy blessing upon Thy people; but when he had begun, Salvation belongeth unto the Lord, speaking not unto Him, but of Him then he turned
to Him and said, And Thy blessing is upon Thy people. So here also, when thou he'arest first, To Thee, then To Him, think not that another. For this shall every one that godly pray unto Tlice in an acceptable time. Surely in the floods of great waters they shall not come nigh unto Him. What is, in the floods of great waters? They who are floating in the floods of great waters come not nigh unto God. What are the floods of great waters The multi plicity of various doctrines. Attend, Brethren. The great waters are the variety of doctrines. The doctrine of God one there are not many waters but one water, whether the water of the Sacrament of Baptism, or of the doctrine of Salvation. Concerning that doctrine, by which we are
Pror. sprinkled through the Holy Spirit, said, Drink waters
the Apostle added, Behold, now the accepted time; behold, now the day of salvation. For this shall every one that is godly pray unto Thee in an acceptable time.
18. Surely in the floods of waters they shall not come nigh unto Him. Unto Him. Unto whom Unto God for he wont to change the person as written,
Prophet,
IB.
out of thine own cistern, and running waters out thine
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Humility taught by Christ, not by wisest Heathens. 297
own well. To those waters approach not the ungodly, but Ver.
they that believe on Him that justifieth the ungodly, now justified, approach. Other waters there are many, many^0TM. 4'
doctrines defile the minds of men, as I said but now. One doctrine there is, My fate did it; another, Chance did it for
me; Fortune caused it. Men are governed by chance, there
is no Providence whereby any thing is directed ; this is another doctrine. Another man said ', There is against usiMani. the race of darkness, which rebelled against God; the samecha? us maketh men to sin. In this flood of great waters, they shall
not come nigh unto God. Which is that water, that true
water which flows from the inmost vein of the pure fountain
of Truth ? Which is that water, Brethren, but that which teaches to confess unto the Lord ? Which is that water, but
that which teaches, It is a good thing to confess unto the'P 92 } Lord? IWhich is that water, but that which teaches this
word,
confess transgression p
, and,
have sinned against Thee. This is the water
said, Lord, be unto me; heal*. merciful
my soul, for
of confession of sin, this is the water of humiliation of heart,
this is the water of a life leading unto salvation, abasing itself, presuming nothing of itself, attributing nothing proudly to its
own power. This water is not in any of the books of the Gentilesa; not in the books of the P^picureans, not of the,,. . Stoics, not of the Manichxans, not of the Platonists. Even gena- where the best precepts of morals and discipline are found, 'um' yet is not found that humility. The way of that humility
flows from another source ; it comes from Christ. This way
is from Him, Who when He was high, came lowly. For
what else taught He by humbling Himself,
obedient unto death, even the death of the Cross? What 8. else taught He by paying that which He owed not, that He might free us from debt ? What else taught He by being baptized, Who did no sin ; crucified, Who had no guilt ? What else taught He, but this humility ? Not unjustly
saith He, / am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.
this humility these men come nigh unto God, because6.
the Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart. ps. 3* But in the floods of great waters, lifting up themselves18.
being made? . . .
InJohnU
6-
said, unto the LordI
I will I against myself my
298 God alone our hope in present difficulties.
Psalm against God, and teaching pride and ungodliness, shall they Exp. lI. not come nigh unto God.
19. But what? Art thou, who art even justified, still in the midst of those waters? On every side, my Brethren, even when we are confessing our sins, roar around us the waters of that flood. We are not indeed in the flood, but we are surrounded by the flood. They press upon us, but over whelm us not, they trouble us, but drown us not. What then wilt thou do, seeing thou art in the midst of the flood, whilst thou walkest in this world ? For doth not one hear such teachers, doth he not hear such proud men, doth he not from their words suffer in his heart daily persecutions ? What then should he say who is now justified and presum ing upon God, who is surrounded by that flood? (Ver. 7. )
Thou art My Refuge from the pressure which hath sur rounded me. Let others fly for refuge, either to their gods or to their devils, or to their own strength, or to the defence of their sins: for me in that flood is there no refuge but Thou, from the pressure which hath surrounded me.
20. O Thou, My Rejoicing, deliver me. If already thou rejoicest, why wouldest thou be delivered? O Thou, My Rejoicing, deliver me. I hear the voice of joy, O Thou, My Rejoicing ; I hear a groan, deliver me. Thou rejoicest and groanest. True, saith he, I both rejoice and groan; I rejoice
in hope, I groan still in act. O Thou, My Rejoiciug, deliver
me. Rejoicing in hope; saith the Apostle. Therefore 12, 12, rightly saith he, 0 Thou, My Rejoicing, deliver me. Where
fore, deliver me ? It follows ; patient in tribulation. 0 Thou, My Rejoicing, deliver me. The Apostle also was Bom. 8, already justified, and what saith he? And not only they,
23--25. ouf ourseivcs afco which have the firslfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves. Wherefore, deliver me ? Because, we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. See then wherefore he saith, deliver me. Because we still wait, groaning within ourselves, for the redemption of our
body. Wherefore then, O Thou, My Rejoicing? There the same Apostle goes on, and says, For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man
Rom.
We must look to God, that He may look to us. 290
seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that Ver.
ue see not, then do we with patience wait for it. If thou dost hope, thou dost rejoice; if with patience thou waitest,
yet thou groanest : for there is no need of patience, where thou sufferest no evil. That which is called endurance, that which is called patience, that which is called submis sion, th at which is called long-suffering, is not but in evils. When thou art sore pressed, there is anguish. If then we wait with patience, still we say, Deliver me from the pressure which hath compassed me about: but because we are saved by hope, we say at the same time both of these, O Thou, My Rejoicing, deliver me. Iwill give thee under
21. The answer of God, (ver. 8. )
standing. The Psalm indeed is for understanding. / will give thee understanding, and set thee in the way in which thou shall go. What is, I will set thee in the way in which thou shalt go? Not that thou may est stand still therein, but that thou stray not therefrom. I will give thee under standing, that thou mayest know thyself ever, and rejoice ever in hope before God, until thou come at last to that country where shall be now no more hope, but reality. Iwill
Take no thought, saith He; and the Apostle Peter saith, Matt. 6,
Cast ye all your care upon Him, for He care th for you. jpet
Iwill
raise thine eyes unto Him, and fear not, as I said, lest thou
fall into a snare. Hear another Psalm. Mine eyes are ever Ps. 25, toward the Lord. And, as if one said to him, What dost
thou for thy feet, when thou lookest not before thee ? For
Therefore,
fix
Mine Eyes upon thee. Do thou then 7.
fi
8'
fix Mine Eyes upon thee : I will not take off from thee Mine Eyes ; because thou also wilt not take off thine eyes from Me. Now, being justified, now after remission of thy sins, lift up thine eyes unto God. For thine heart was corrupt, while it was on earth. It is not in vain that thou hearest, Lift up thine heart, lest it be corrupted. Therefore do thou also lift up thine eyes even unto God, that He may fix His Eyes upon thee. But why fearest thou, lest while thou hast thine eyes upon God, thou shouldest stumble, shouldest not look before thee, and haply fall into a snare ? Fear not, for even there are His Eyes, which He fixeth upon thee.
800 They are wisest who yield ready submission to God.
Psalm He shall pluck, saith he, my feet out of the net. XXXII Mine Eyes upon thee.
I will
fix
Exp. ii.
22. To this man promised He understanding, and His
now turneth He to the proud, who defend their sins, and sheweth unto us, what is true understanding.
(Ver. 9. ) Be not ye as the horse or as the mule, which have no understanding. The horse and mule are of uplifted neck. Is. l,3. The horse and mule are not like that ox, which knoweth
his owner, and the ass his master's crib: be not ye as the horse or as the mule, which have no understanding. For what do such suffer? Hold in their jaws with bit and bridle, who come not near unto Thee. Wouldest thou be as the horse or as the mule ? wouldest thou not have a rider? Thy mouth and thy jaws shall be held in with bit and bridle; thy mouth shall be held in, even that wherewith thou boastest thy merits, and keepest silent thy sins. Hold in their jaws, who come not near unto Thee, by humbling themselves.
23. Ver. 10. Many are the scourges of the sinner. It is no wonder if after the applying of the bit and bridle, there follow scourges; for the beast desired to be untamed: he is tamed with bridle and scourge; and I wish he may be throughly tamed ! for there is fear lest by too much resisting he deserve to be left untamed, and to go on in his own un restrained liberty, so that it be said of him, Their iniquity
Ps. 73,7. standeth forth as from their fatness ; as of them whose sins are as yet unpunished. Therefore when he is scourged, let him be amended, let him be tamed ; for even so this man also declared himself to be tamed. A horse and a mule had he called himself, when he kept silence, but whereby was he tamed? By scourges. / was turned, saith he, in misery,
until a thorn was fixed through. Whether scourges thou sayest, or goads thou sayest, God tameth the beast whereon He rideth ; for it is expedient for the beast that it be ridden
For not because He is weary by going afoot, doth God ride the beast. And truly is it not full of mystery, that an ass was brought unto the Lord ? A people, meek, and gentle, bearing well the Lord, is that ass; and tendeth
protection:
7.
upon.
' towards Jerusalem. For the meek will He guide in judg- Ps. 25,9.
Rejoice in God. Never question His Government. 301
tnent, as saith another Psalm, and the gentle will He teach Vee. His way. What meek ? Those that lift not up their neck -- , against their tamer ; suffering patiently the scourges and the bridle; afterwards so tamed, that without a scourge they
amble, and without bit or bridle keep the way. If thou be without That rider, thou wilt fall, not He. Many are the scourges of the sinners ; but he that trusteth in the Lord, Mercy shall compass him about. How is there refuge from pressure ? Him whom first pressure compasseth, afterwards compasseth Mercy : because He will give Mercy, Who gave Ps. 84,
'
also Law: Law in scourges; Mercy in consolation. But he that trusteth in the Lord, Mercy shall compass him about.
24. What then is the conclusion?
the Lord, and rejoice, ye righteous. O ye who rejoice in
yourselves! O ye ungodly, O ye proud, who rejoice in yourselves! now believe ye on Him that justifieth the un godly, and let your faith be counted for righteousness. Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, ye righteous. And rejoice; understand again, in the Lord. Wherefore? Because ye
are now righteous. Whereby righteous? Not by your merits, but by His Grace. Wherefore righteous? Because
justified.
25. And glory all ye that are right in heart. What is,
Right in heart ? Not resisting God.
Attend, my Beloved, and understand the right heart. I speak briefly, but yet a thing of all the most to be commended. And God be thanked, that it cometh at the end, that so it may remain fixed in your thoughts. Between a right heart, and an heart not right, is this difference. Whatever man, whatsoever he suffereth against his will, afflictions, sorrows, labours, humiliations, attributeth them not but to the Righteous Will of God, not
charging Him with foolishness, as though He knoweth not what He doth, because He scourgeth such an one, and spareth such another ; he indeed is right in heart. But perverse in heart, and froward, and distorted are they, who whatever evils they suffer, say that they suffer them unjustly, charging Him with injustice, through Whose Will they suffer; or, because they dare not charge Him with injustice, take from Him His government. Because God,
saith one, can not do injustice, but it is unjust that I suffer,
(ver. 11. ) Be glad in
300
304 ' VWi Mmm *"il Bt hm>>v ai. mrmz"
Psalm He s/i XXXII. ,r.
22.
protect sins, al
(Ver. 9.
If. l,8. The hoi fo's oumel .
horse or what do bridle, win the horse Thy mom bridle; thy thou boast in their j'a themselves
23. Ver. no wonder i follow scour tamed with throughly t;i he deserve I restrained 1-
Ps. *3,7. standethfor are as yet ui
him be aml also declan he called hi tamed ? ] I until a th<
sayest, or He rideth
upon. F God ride an ass v
Mat. 2l,Seut,e, 7. toward1 Ps. 25,9.
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the world stand ? U% M the inh^itants of or of any Z^^/*TM of *e Errors of men
Ourselves to be offered to God, of Whom is all good. 305
Ver. 2. Praise the Lord with harp praise the Lord, V>>.
resenting unto Him your bodies living sacrifice. Sing *^~
uto Him with lfie psaltery often strings let vour members l*, servants to the love of God, and of your 'neighbour, in
<Inch are kept both the three and the seven command- nents'.
Ver.
Ver. 4. For the Word the Lord right: for the
Word of the Lord right, to make you that which of your
selves ye cannot be. And all His works are done in faith "
lest any think that the merit of works he hath arrived at
taith when in faith are done all the works which God Him- sell loveth.
5. Ver He loveth Mercy and Judgment for He loveth Mercy, whrch now He sheweth first; and Judgment, where- TmlrTT that which He hath firet sheTM >>? -'"
Sing unto Him a new song: sing unto Him ong of the grace of faith. Sing skilfully unto Him with ubtlation: sing skilfully unto Him with rejoicing.
* ""*
them8el^<<, but by the Word of the
are sms forgiven
made 7ouU
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^inthemSt^^S
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802 Divers errors of those who will not submit.
Psalm and such an one suffer not ; for I grant that I am a sinner, Expujyet surely there are some worse, who rejoice, while I suffer "tribulation : because then this is unjust, that even some
worse than I should rejoice, while I suffer tribulation, who am either righteous, or less a sinner than they, and it is certain unto me that this is unjust, and it is certain unto me that God doth not injustice ; therefore God governeth not the things of men, nor is there any care for us with Him. They then who are not right in heart, that is, who are distorted in heart, have three conclusions; either
Ps. 14,1. There is no God; for, Thefool hath said in his heart, There 1 supra, is no God. And it hath been ' said, in speaking of those p. ' floods, there wanted not such a doctrine among philosophers;
there wanted not men who said that there was no God, who governeth all things, and who created all things, but that there were many Gods, living at ease, beyond this world, caring not for it. Either, therefore, There is no God, which saith the ungodly, who is displeased with whatever happens to him against his will, and happens not to another, to whom he preferreth himself: or, God is unjust, Who is pleased at these things, and Who doeth these things; or, God governeth not human things, and there is no care for all men with Him. In these three conclusions, great ungodliness is it, either to deny a God, or to call Him unrighteous, or to take from Him the government of the world. Wherefore this ? Because he is distorted in heart. God is right, and therefore a dis torted heart acquiesceth not in Him. As it is in another
Ps. 73,i. Psalm, How good is God to Israel, even unto such as are of an upright heart. And because even he had once such a thought as this, How doth God know, and is there knowledge in the Most High? therefore he added in that place, But as for me, my feet were almost gone. As a warped beam, though you lay it on an even pavement, taketh not its place, nor is it joined and fastened to the rest, but always moves about and totters, not because that is uneven where thou placedst but because that which thou placedst warped so thy heart, as long as crooked and warped, cannot coincide with the lightness of God, and can not be so placed
Cor. therein, as to cleave unto the same, and for that to be, He that is joined unto the Lord is one Spirit. Therefore said
l 6,
it is
it,
is
:
All suffering by God's permission, for His children's good. 303
he, Glory, all ye that are right in heart. How glory the Veh. right in heart? Hear their glorying; And not only so, but -- we glory in tribulations also, saith the Apostle. For it is no 3 great thing to glory in gladness, to glory in rejoicing; the
right in heart glorieth in tribulations also. And hear how he glorieth in tribulation for not in vain, nor without reason, that such an one glorieth see Knowing, saith the right heart, that tribulation worketh patience and patience, experience and experience, hope and hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God shed abroad in our hearts the Holy Ghost, which is given unto us.
26. So then the right heart, Brethren. Let every man to whomsoever any thing happens say, The Lord gave, and the Joh Lord hath taken away. Lo, this right heart. As tte^K Lord pleased, so done. Blessed be the Name of the Lord. Who hath taken away What hath He taken away? From whom hath He taken away When hath He taken
Blessed be the Name of the Lord. He said not,
The Lord gave, and the devil hath taken away. Attend therefore, Beloved, lest haply you should say, the devil did
this for me. Unto thy God alone refer thy scourge for not
even the devil doth any thing against thee unless He permit Who hath power above, either for punishment, or
for discipline: for the punishment of the ungodly, for the discipline of His son. For He scourgeth every son whom Heb. 12, He receiveth. Neither must thou hope to be without a " scourge, unless haply thou wish to be disinherited. For He scourgeth every son whom He receiveth. What, every son? Where then wouldest thou hide thyself? Everyone; and
none will be excepted, none without scourge. What?
Even to all Would you hear how truly he saith all
Even the Only-Begotten, without sin, was yet not without a scourge. Wherefore even the Only-Begotten, bearing thy
infirmity, and foreshewing in Himself thy person, as the head beareth the person of its own body when now He was approaching His Passion, out of His Manhood which He bore, became sorrowful, that He might make thee glad became sorrowful, that He might console thee. For truly the Lord was able to be without sorrow, going to His Passion. If the soldier was able, was not the Captain able?
away
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304 Christ's Human Will. His bearing all infirmities.
Hear Paul exulting, as he ap-
.
am now ready to be
which the Lord, the Righteous Judge, shall give me at that day : and not to me only, but unto all them that love His appearing. See how he exulteth, coming to his passion. He then rejoiceth, who should be crowned ; He, who should crown, sorroweth. What therefore did He bear ? The infirmity of some, who, when tribulation or death cometh, are sorrowful. But see how He leadeth us to rightness of heart. Behold, thou wouldest live, thou wouldest not that any thing should happen to thee ; but God hath willed otherwise : here are two wills, but thy will must be made straight to the will of God, not God's will bent to thine. For thy will is crooked ; His is even the rule. The rule must be fixed, that what is crooked may be made straight to the rule. See now the Lord Jesus Christ
Psalm How was the soldier able ?
XXXII ExP_n_'proached
.
his passion. /
I have kept
(saith he)
2 Tim. 4, offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.
have
I
the faith : henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of
fought a good fight, I
have my course, finished
righteousness,
Mat. 26,teacheth this, My Soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: and, Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from Me. See, He sheweth the human will. But see the right
I will, but as Thou wilt. Do thou then the same ; rejoice in those things which happen unto thee ; and even if the last day come upon thee, rejoice.
heart ; Nevertheless, not as
Or if the frailty of any human will creep over thee, let it speedily be made straight unto God, that thou mayest be among those of whom it is said, Glory, all ye that are right in heart.
PSALM XXXIII. FIRST EXPOSITION.
1. Ver. 1. Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous: rejoice, O ye righteous, not in yourselves, for that is not safe ; but in the Lord. For praise is comely to the upright : these praise the Lord, who submit themselves unto the Lord;
they are distorted and perverse.
for else
Ourselves to be offered to God, of Whom is all good. 305
2. Ver. 2. Praise the Lord with harp : praise the Lord, Jjer. " presenting unto Him your bodies a living sacrifice. ^ing^^ unto Him with the psaltery of ten strings : let your members 12, i. be servants to the love of God, and of your neighbour, in
which are kept both the three and the seven command ments*.
to Him and said, And Thy blessing is upon Thy people. So here also, when thou he'arest first, To Thee, then To Him, think not that another. For this shall every one that godly pray unto Tlice in an acceptable time. Surely in the floods of great waters they shall not come nigh unto Him. What is, in the floods of great waters? They who are floating in the floods of great waters come not nigh unto God. What are the floods of great waters The multi plicity of various doctrines. Attend, Brethren. The great waters are the variety of doctrines. The doctrine of God one there are not many waters but one water, whether the water of the Sacrament of Baptism, or of the doctrine of Salvation. Concerning that doctrine, by which we are
Pror. sprinkled through the Holy Spirit, said, Drink waters
the Apostle added, Behold, now the accepted time; behold, now the day of salvation. For this shall every one that is godly pray unto Thee in an acceptable time.
18. Surely in the floods of waters they shall not come nigh unto Him. Unto Him. Unto whom Unto God for he wont to change the person as written,
Prophet,
IB.
out of thine own cistern, and running waters out thine
of
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Humility taught by Christ, not by wisest Heathens. 297
own well. To those waters approach not the ungodly, but Ver.
they that believe on Him that justifieth the ungodly, now justified, approach. Other waters there are many, many^0TM. 4'
doctrines defile the minds of men, as I said but now. One doctrine there is, My fate did it; another, Chance did it for
me; Fortune caused it. Men are governed by chance, there
is no Providence whereby any thing is directed ; this is another doctrine. Another man said ', There is against usiMani. the race of darkness, which rebelled against God; the samecha? us maketh men to sin. In this flood of great waters, they shall
not come nigh unto God. Which is that water, that true
water which flows from the inmost vein of the pure fountain
of Truth ? Which is that water, Brethren, but that which teaches to confess unto the Lord ? Which is that water, but
that which teaches, It is a good thing to confess unto the'P 92 } Lord? IWhich is that water, but that which teaches this
word,
confess transgression p
, and,
have sinned against Thee. This is the water
said, Lord, be unto me; heal*. merciful
my soul, for
of confession of sin, this is the water of humiliation of heart,
this is the water of a life leading unto salvation, abasing itself, presuming nothing of itself, attributing nothing proudly to its
own power. This water is not in any of the books of the Gentilesa; not in the books of the P^picureans, not of the,,. . Stoics, not of the Manichxans, not of the Platonists. Even gena- where the best precepts of morals and discipline are found, 'um' yet is not found that humility. The way of that humility
flows from another source ; it comes from Christ. This way
is from Him, Who when He was high, came lowly. For
what else taught He by humbling Himself,
obedient unto death, even the death of the Cross? What 8. else taught He by paying that which He owed not, that He might free us from debt ? What else taught He by being baptized, Who did no sin ; crucified, Who had no guilt ? What else taught He, but this humility ? Not unjustly
saith He, / am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.
this humility these men come nigh unto God, because6.
the Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart. ps. 3* But in the floods of great waters, lifting up themselves18.
being made? . . .
InJohnU
6-
said, unto the LordI
I will I against myself my
298 God alone our hope in present difficulties.
Psalm against God, and teaching pride and ungodliness, shall they Exp. lI. not come nigh unto God.
19. But what? Art thou, who art even justified, still in the midst of those waters? On every side, my Brethren, even when we are confessing our sins, roar around us the waters of that flood. We are not indeed in the flood, but we are surrounded by the flood. They press upon us, but over whelm us not, they trouble us, but drown us not. What then wilt thou do, seeing thou art in the midst of the flood, whilst thou walkest in this world ? For doth not one hear such teachers, doth he not hear such proud men, doth he not from their words suffer in his heart daily persecutions ? What then should he say who is now justified and presum ing upon God, who is surrounded by that flood? (Ver. 7. )
Thou art My Refuge from the pressure which hath sur rounded me. Let others fly for refuge, either to their gods or to their devils, or to their own strength, or to the defence of their sins: for me in that flood is there no refuge but Thou, from the pressure which hath surrounded me.
20. O Thou, My Rejoicing, deliver me. If already thou rejoicest, why wouldest thou be delivered? O Thou, My Rejoicing, deliver me. I hear the voice of joy, O Thou, My Rejoicing ; I hear a groan, deliver me. Thou rejoicest and groanest. True, saith he, I both rejoice and groan; I rejoice
in hope, I groan still in act. O Thou, My Rejoiciug, deliver
me. Rejoicing in hope; saith the Apostle. Therefore 12, 12, rightly saith he, 0 Thou, My Rejoicing, deliver me. Where
fore, deliver me ? It follows ; patient in tribulation. 0 Thou, My Rejoicing, deliver me. The Apostle also was Bom. 8, already justified, and what saith he? And not only they,
23--25. ouf ourseivcs afco which have the firslfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves. Wherefore, deliver me ? Because, we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. See then wherefore he saith, deliver me. Because we still wait, groaning within ourselves, for the redemption of our
body. Wherefore then, O Thou, My Rejoicing? There the same Apostle goes on, and says, For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man
Rom.
We must look to God, that He may look to us. 290
seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that Ver.
ue see not, then do we with patience wait for it. If thou dost hope, thou dost rejoice; if with patience thou waitest,
yet thou groanest : for there is no need of patience, where thou sufferest no evil. That which is called endurance, that which is called patience, that which is called submis sion, th at which is called long-suffering, is not but in evils. When thou art sore pressed, there is anguish. If then we wait with patience, still we say, Deliver me from the pressure which hath compassed me about: but because we are saved by hope, we say at the same time both of these, O Thou, My Rejoicing, deliver me. Iwill give thee under
21. The answer of God, (ver. 8. )
standing. The Psalm indeed is for understanding. / will give thee understanding, and set thee in the way in which thou shall go. What is, I will set thee in the way in which thou shalt go? Not that thou may est stand still therein, but that thou stray not therefrom. I will give thee under standing, that thou mayest know thyself ever, and rejoice ever in hope before God, until thou come at last to that country where shall be now no more hope, but reality. Iwill
Take no thought, saith He; and the Apostle Peter saith, Matt. 6,
Cast ye all your care upon Him, for He care th for you. jpet
Iwill
raise thine eyes unto Him, and fear not, as I said, lest thou
fall into a snare. Hear another Psalm. Mine eyes are ever Ps. 25, toward the Lord. And, as if one said to him, What dost
thou for thy feet, when thou lookest not before thee ? For
Therefore,
fix
Mine Eyes upon thee. Do thou then 7.
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fix Mine Eyes upon thee : I will not take off from thee Mine Eyes ; because thou also wilt not take off thine eyes from Me. Now, being justified, now after remission of thy sins, lift up thine eyes unto God. For thine heart was corrupt, while it was on earth. It is not in vain that thou hearest, Lift up thine heart, lest it be corrupted. Therefore do thou also lift up thine eyes even unto God, that He may fix His Eyes upon thee. But why fearest thou, lest while thou hast thine eyes upon God, thou shouldest stumble, shouldest not look before thee, and haply fall into a snare ? Fear not, for even there are His Eyes, which He fixeth upon thee.
800 They are wisest who yield ready submission to God.
Psalm He shall pluck, saith he, my feet out of the net. XXXII Mine Eyes upon thee.
I will
fix
Exp. ii.
22. To this man promised He understanding, and His
now turneth He to the proud, who defend their sins, and sheweth unto us, what is true understanding.
(Ver. 9. ) Be not ye as the horse or as the mule, which have no understanding. The horse and mule are of uplifted neck. Is. l,3. The horse and mule are not like that ox, which knoweth
his owner, and the ass his master's crib: be not ye as the horse or as the mule, which have no understanding. For what do such suffer? Hold in their jaws with bit and bridle, who come not near unto Thee. Wouldest thou be as the horse or as the mule ? wouldest thou not have a rider? Thy mouth and thy jaws shall be held in with bit and bridle; thy mouth shall be held in, even that wherewith thou boastest thy merits, and keepest silent thy sins. Hold in their jaws, who come not near unto Thee, by humbling themselves.
23. Ver. 10. Many are the scourges of the sinner. It is no wonder if after the applying of the bit and bridle, there follow scourges; for the beast desired to be untamed: he is tamed with bridle and scourge; and I wish he may be throughly tamed ! for there is fear lest by too much resisting he deserve to be left untamed, and to go on in his own un restrained liberty, so that it be said of him, Their iniquity
Ps. 73,7. standeth forth as from their fatness ; as of them whose sins are as yet unpunished. Therefore when he is scourged, let him be amended, let him be tamed ; for even so this man also declared himself to be tamed. A horse and a mule had he called himself, when he kept silence, but whereby was he tamed? By scourges. / was turned, saith he, in misery,
until a thorn was fixed through. Whether scourges thou sayest, or goads thou sayest, God tameth the beast whereon He rideth ; for it is expedient for the beast that it be ridden
For not because He is weary by going afoot, doth God ride the beast. And truly is it not full of mystery, that an ass was brought unto the Lord ? A people, meek, and gentle, bearing well the Lord, is that ass; and tendeth
protection:
7.
upon.
' towards Jerusalem. For the meek will He guide in judg- Ps. 25,9.
Rejoice in God. Never question His Government. 301
tnent, as saith another Psalm, and the gentle will He teach Vee. His way. What meek ? Those that lift not up their neck -- , against their tamer ; suffering patiently the scourges and the bridle; afterwards so tamed, that without a scourge they
amble, and without bit or bridle keep the way. If thou be without That rider, thou wilt fall, not He. Many are the scourges of the sinners ; but he that trusteth in the Lord, Mercy shall compass him about. How is there refuge from pressure ? Him whom first pressure compasseth, afterwards compasseth Mercy : because He will give Mercy, Who gave Ps. 84,
'
also Law: Law in scourges; Mercy in consolation. But he that trusteth in the Lord, Mercy shall compass him about.
24. What then is the conclusion?
the Lord, and rejoice, ye righteous. O ye who rejoice in
yourselves! O ye ungodly, O ye proud, who rejoice in yourselves! now believe ye on Him that justifieth the un godly, and let your faith be counted for righteousness. Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, ye righteous. And rejoice; understand again, in the Lord. Wherefore? Because ye
are now righteous. Whereby righteous? Not by your merits, but by His Grace. Wherefore righteous? Because
justified.
25. And glory all ye that are right in heart. What is,
Right in heart ? Not resisting God.
Attend, my Beloved, and understand the right heart. I speak briefly, but yet a thing of all the most to be commended. And God be thanked, that it cometh at the end, that so it may remain fixed in your thoughts. Between a right heart, and an heart not right, is this difference. Whatever man, whatsoever he suffereth against his will, afflictions, sorrows, labours, humiliations, attributeth them not but to the Righteous Will of God, not
charging Him with foolishness, as though He knoweth not what He doth, because He scourgeth such an one, and spareth such another ; he indeed is right in heart. But perverse in heart, and froward, and distorted are they, who whatever evils they suffer, say that they suffer them unjustly, charging Him with injustice, through Whose Will they suffer; or, because they dare not charge Him with injustice, take from Him His government. Because God,
saith one, can not do injustice, but it is unjust that I suffer,
(ver. 11. ) Be glad in
300
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Psalm He s/i XXXII. ,r.
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(Ver. 9.
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Ourselves to be offered to God, of Whom is all good. 305
Ver. 2. Praise the Lord with harp praise the Lord, V>>.
resenting unto Him your bodies living sacrifice. Sing *^~
uto Him with lfie psaltery often strings let vour members l*, servants to the love of God, and of your 'neighbour, in
<Inch are kept both the three and the seven command- nents'.
Ver.
Ver. 4. For the Word the Lord right: for the
Word of the Lord right, to make you that which of your
selves ye cannot be. And all His works are done in faith "
lest any think that the merit of works he hath arrived at
taith when in faith are done all the works which God Him- sell loveth.
5. Ver He loveth Mercy and Judgment for He loveth Mercy, whrch now He sheweth first; and Judgment, where- TmlrTT that which He hath firet sheTM >>? -'"
Sing unto Him a new song: sing unto Him ong of the grace of faith. Sing skilfully unto Him with ubtlation: sing skilfully unto Him with rejoicing.
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802 Divers errors of those who will not submit.
Psalm and such an one suffer not ; for I grant that I am a sinner, Expujyet surely there are some worse, who rejoice, while I suffer "tribulation : because then this is unjust, that even some
worse than I should rejoice, while I suffer tribulation, who am either righteous, or less a sinner than they, and it is certain unto me that this is unjust, and it is certain unto me that God doth not injustice ; therefore God governeth not the things of men, nor is there any care for us with Him. They then who are not right in heart, that is, who are distorted in heart, have three conclusions; either
Ps. 14,1. There is no God; for, Thefool hath said in his heart, There 1 supra, is no God. And it hath been ' said, in speaking of those p. ' floods, there wanted not such a doctrine among philosophers;
there wanted not men who said that there was no God, who governeth all things, and who created all things, but that there were many Gods, living at ease, beyond this world, caring not for it. Either, therefore, There is no God, which saith the ungodly, who is displeased with whatever happens to him against his will, and happens not to another, to whom he preferreth himself: or, God is unjust, Who is pleased at these things, and Who doeth these things; or, God governeth not human things, and there is no care for all men with Him. In these three conclusions, great ungodliness is it, either to deny a God, or to call Him unrighteous, or to take from Him the government of the world. Wherefore this ? Because he is distorted in heart. God is right, and therefore a dis torted heart acquiesceth not in Him. As it is in another
Ps. 73,i. Psalm, How good is God to Israel, even unto such as are of an upright heart. And because even he had once such a thought as this, How doth God know, and is there knowledge in the Most High? therefore he added in that place, But as for me, my feet were almost gone. As a warped beam, though you lay it on an even pavement, taketh not its place, nor is it joined and fastened to the rest, but always moves about and totters, not because that is uneven where thou placedst but because that which thou placedst warped so thy heart, as long as crooked and warped, cannot coincide with the lightness of God, and can not be so placed
Cor. therein, as to cleave unto the same, and for that to be, He that is joined unto the Lord is one Spirit. Therefore said
l 6,
it is
it,
is
:
All suffering by God's permission, for His children's good. 303
he, Glory, all ye that are right in heart. How glory the Veh. right in heart? Hear their glorying; And not only so, but -- we glory in tribulations also, saith the Apostle. For it is no 3 great thing to glory in gladness, to glory in rejoicing; the
right in heart glorieth in tribulations also. And hear how he glorieth in tribulation for not in vain, nor without reason, that such an one glorieth see Knowing, saith the right heart, that tribulation worketh patience and patience, experience and experience, hope and hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God shed abroad in our hearts the Holy Ghost, which is given unto us.
26. So then the right heart, Brethren. Let every man to whomsoever any thing happens say, The Lord gave, and the Joh Lord hath taken away. Lo, this right heart. As tte^K Lord pleased, so done. Blessed be the Name of the Lord. Who hath taken away What hath He taken away? From whom hath He taken away When hath He taken
Blessed be the Name of the Lord. He said not,
The Lord gave, and the devil hath taken away. Attend therefore, Beloved, lest haply you should say, the devil did
this for me. Unto thy God alone refer thy scourge for not
even the devil doth any thing against thee unless He permit Who hath power above, either for punishment, or
for discipline: for the punishment of the ungodly, for the discipline of His son. For He scourgeth every son whom Heb. 12, He receiveth. Neither must thou hope to be without a " scourge, unless haply thou wish to be disinherited. For He scourgeth every son whom He receiveth. What, every son? Where then wouldest thou hide thyself? Everyone; and
none will be excepted, none without scourge. What?
Even to all Would you hear how truly he saith all
Even the Only-Begotten, without sin, was yet not without a scourge. Wherefore even the Only-Begotten, bearing thy
infirmity, and foreshewing in Himself thy person, as the head beareth the person of its own body when now He was approaching His Passion, out of His Manhood which He bore, became sorrowful, that He might make thee glad became sorrowful, that He might console thee. For truly the Lord was able to be without sorrow, going to His Passion. If the soldier was able, was not the Captain able?
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304 Christ's Human Will. His bearing all infirmities.
Hear Paul exulting, as he ap-
.
am now ready to be
which the Lord, the Righteous Judge, shall give me at that day : and not to me only, but unto all them that love His appearing. See how he exulteth, coming to his passion. He then rejoiceth, who should be crowned ; He, who should crown, sorroweth. What therefore did He bear ? The infirmity of some, who, when tribulation or death cometh, are sorrowful. But see how He leadeth us to rightness of heart. Behold, thou wouldest live, thou wouldest not that any thing should happen to thee ; but God hath willed otherwise : here are two wills, but thy will must be made straight to the will of God, not God's will bent to thine. For thy will is crooked ; His is even the rule. The rule must be fixed, that what is crooked may be made straight to the rule. See now the Lord Jesus Christ
Psalm How was the soldier able ?
XXXII ExP_n_'proached
.
his passion. /
I have kept
(saith he)
2 Tim. 4, offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.
have
I
the faith : henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of
fought a good fight, I
have my course, finished
righteousness,
Mat. 26,teacheth this, My Soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: and, Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from Me. See, He sheweth the human will. But see the right
I will, but as Thou wilt. Do thou then the same ; rejoice in those things which happen unto thee ; and even if the last day come upon thee, rejoice.
heart ; Nevertheless, not as
Or if the frailty of any human will creep over thee, let it speedily be made straight unto God, that thou mayest be among those of whom it is said, Glory, all ye that are right in heart.
PSALM XXXIII. FIRST EXPOSITION.
1. Ver. 1. Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous: rejoice, O ye righteous, not in yourselves, for that is not safe ; but in the Lord. For praise is comely to the upright : these praise the Lord, who submit themselves unto the Lord;
they are distorted and perverse.
for else
Ourselves to be offered to God, of Whom is all good. 305
2. Ver. 2. Praise the Lord with harp : praise the Lord, Jjer. " presenting unto Him your bodies a living sacrifice. ^ing^^ unto Him with the psaltery of ten strings : let your members 12, i. be servants to the love of God, and of your neighbour, in
which are kept both the three and the seven command ments*.
