Their Ruler is within, their Shepherd and their
Comforter
is within.
Augustine - Exposition on the Psalms - v1
For
al. ' why just now they say to us, Where is your God ? What do ye
worship ? What do ye see ? Ye believe, and ye are dis- tressed; that ye are distressed is certain, what ye hope for is uncertain. When that we hope for shall come in certainty, then shall the deceitful lips be made dumb.
vor- ship?
ye not "ee.
6. Wherefore see what follows, for that the deceitful lips shall be made dumb, which speak iniquity against the Righteous in pride and contempt. The Psalmist, who thus lamenteth, hath given heed, he hath seen the good things of God within in the spirit, hath seen these good things which are seen in secret, but are not seen by the ungodly. He seeth that they therefore
pride and contempt, because they have skill to see the good things of this life, but the good things of the life to come they skill not even to imagine. But that he might set forth the value of good things of the life to come to men whom
He enjoins to endure, not love things present, he cried out and added,
Ver. 19. How great is the multitude of Thy sweetness, O
speak iniquity against the Righteous in
Sweetness of God is for those who fear Him, and not man. 269
Lord. Here if an ungodly man should say, " Where is Ver.
this multitude of sweetness ? " I will answer, How can I shew thee the multitude of this sweetness, who hast lost thy palate from the fever of iniquity ? Didst" thou not know what honey is, thou wouldest not cry out, how good it is," unless thou hadst tasted it. Thou hast no palate of the heart for tasting these good things: what shall I do for thee? How shall I shew thee ? He is not one to whom I can say,
Taste and see that the Lord is sweet. How great is thePeMfi. multitude of Thy sweetness, O Lord, which Thou hast hid
for them that fear Thee. What " hast hid for them ? "
Thou hast preserved for them, not denied to them, to
the end that they alone may attain unto it, (for that
good which cannot be common to the just and to the ungodly,) to the end that they may by fear attain unto
it. For as long as they still fear, they too have not
yet attained but they believe that they shall attain, and
they begin with fear. For nothing sweeter than the immortality of wisdom; but the fear the Lord is the Prov.
'
Thee in sight of the sons of men. Not " Thou hast per
fected in sight of the sons of men," but, " for those that
hope in Thee in sight of the sons of men;" that is, Thou
hast perfected Thy sweetness for those that hope in Thee in
sight of the sons of men. As the Lord saith, Whosoever Mat. i0, shall deny Me before men, him will also deny before My3 Father. Therefore thou trust in the Lord, trust before
men lest haply thou hide this trust of thine in thine heart, and fear to confess Him when objected to thee as crime that thou art Christian. But to whom objected now that he Christian There are so few left who are
not Christians, that may rather be objected to them that they are not Christians, than that they should dare to object to any that they are Christians. Notwithstanding say to you, my Brethren, begin, whosoever thou art that hearest me,
Christian, and see be not objected to thee even by Christians, Christians that in name, not in life and conversation. No man feels this but he who has had
to live as
1! ).
beginning of wisdom. Which Thou hast hid for them that
fear Thee.
7. But Thou hast perfected it for them that hope in
is
a
if it
it
isI is,
I
is it
it
?
a
if
is a
;
;
a
'
is
it
of is
9,
270 Walk with God before men. God hides us in Himself.
Psalm trial of it. Give heed then, look well into what thou hearest.
ExpVi. Wonldest thou live as a Christian ? Wouldestthou follow the
Serm. steps of thy Lord? It is objected to thee; thou art ashamed,
-- and in thy shame thou dost leave off. Thou hast lost the
Rom. io way. Thou seemest to thyself to have believed with the
heart unto righteousness; but thou hast lost, with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. If then thou wouldest walk the way of the Lord, trust in God even in the sight of men ; that is, be not ashamed for thy trust. As He liveth in thine heart, so let Him dwell in thy mouth ; for not without a cause hath Christ been pleased that His mark should be imprinted on our forehead, as on the seat of shame, and that a Christian should not be ashamed at the reproach of Christ. If then thou shalt have done this in the
sight of men, if thou shalt not have been ashamed thereof before men, if thou shalt not have denied Christ in sight of the sons of men, either by word or deed, hope thou that the sweetness of God is perfected for thee. What comes next ?
8. Ver. 20. Thou wilt hide them in the hidden place of Thy Countenancel. What is this place? He said not, Thou wilt hide them in Thy heaven; he said not, Thou
wilt wilt hide them in paradise; he said not, Thou wilt hide
them in Abraham's bosom. For the future places of the saith he. Saints are designated in Holy Scripture by many names*.
Let all whatsoever is out of God, be held cheap. Let
jjim wno defendeth us in the place of this life, be Himself Thy our place after this life. Because even this very Psalm tenanae aDOve sa'1^ l^'s to Him, Be Thou unto me a God, Who
a ' fide- protecteth me, and a house of refuge. Therefore shall we
hidden in the countenance of God. Are ye waiting to near from me what retreat there is in the Face of God ? Cleanse the heart, that He may Himself enlighten you, and He upon Whom ye call may enter in. Be thou His house, and He will be thy house; let Him dwell in thee, and thou shalt dwell in Him. If thou shalt entertain Him in this life in thy heart, He shall entertain thee after this life with His Countenance. [Thou uilt hide them, saith he. Where ? In the hidden place of Thy Countenance. ] From the troubling of men. For there they are not troubled when they are hid. In the hidden place of Thy Countenance
10.
lOxf. **<<"?
them
in the hidden
al. U'Ssig-De nificati-
A good conscience finds way into His Tabernacle. 271
they are not troubled. Is there, think ye, a man in this Ver. world so happy, as, that when he begins to hear men's ? 0'21. reproaches because he serveth Christ, he flieth in heart to
God, and beginneth to have trust in His sweetness, and enter, with his conscience, into the countenance of God from
the troubling of men from whom he heareth reproaches? He doth enter doubtless, if he have wherewith to enter, that if this same conscience be not laden, make not heavy burthen for him -- at the narrow gate. Thou wilt hide them, then, in the hidden place of Thy Countenance
from the troubling of men. Thou wilt protect them in Thy tabernacle from the contradiction of tongues. Some
time or other Thou wilt hide them in the hidden place of Thy Countenance from the troubling men, that thence
forward no troubling of men may harrass them but mean while, whilst they sojourn in this life, since they who serve thee are exposed to many contradicting tongues; what dost Thou do for them Thou wilt protect them in Thy taber nacle. What the tabernacle The Church of the present time, for for this reason called tabernacle, because as
yet sojourneth on this earth. For tabernacle habitation of soldiers encamped in an expedition.
are called tabernacles. tabernacle not home.
thou as sojourner on thy expedition that having been saved in thy tabernacle, thou mayest be received in glory into thy
house. For thy everlasting home will be in heaven, only thou shalt have lived well in this tabernacle. Therefore in this tabernacle Thou wilt protect them from the contra diction tongues. Many tongues contradict, divers heresies, divers schisms make noise, many tongues contradict the true doctrine, do thou run to the tabernacle of God, hold to the Catholic Church, depart not from the rule of truth, and
thou shalt be protected in thy tabernacle from the contra diction of tongues.
9. Ver. 21. Blessed be the Lord,for He hath made His mercy marvellous in the city compassing. What the city of compassing? In Judaea alone were God's people placed, as were, in the midst of the world, where the praises of God were celebrated, and sacrifices offered unto Him, where prophecy did not cease foretelling those future
the These Fight
it
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of
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it
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272 God's Mercy made marvellous all around from Judcea.
Psalm 'events which we now see in course of fulfilment. This
XXXI Exp. II.
people were, as it were, in the midst of the nations. This Prophet marked and saw that the Church of God should be in all nations ; and because all nations were around on every side, which placed the single nation of the Jews in the midst of them, he called these nations compassing her about on every side the city of compassing. Thou didst indeed, O Lord, make Thy mercy marvellous in the city Jerusalem; there Christ suffered, there He rose again, there He ascended up into heaven, there He did many wonderful things : but
greater is Thy praise, for that Thou hast made Thy mercy marvellous in the city of compassing, that is, in all nations hast spread abroad Thy mercy. Nor hast Thou kept Thine ointment in that Jerusalem, as in a vessel; but as from a broken vessel the ointment hath been poured forth through out the world, that it might be fulfilled which is said in holy
Scripture, Thy name is as ointment poured out. And so Thou hast made Thy mercy marvellous in the city of com- passing. For He ascended up into heaven, He sitteth at the right hand of the Father, after ten days He sent the Holy Ghost : the disciples were filled with the Holy Ghost, they
Serm.
Sol.
3? ? e ' Acto 1,
Acts 8,
began to preach the wonderful works of Christ; they were stoned, slain, dispersed in flight. And when they were made to flee from thence as from one place, as brands burn- iog with Divine fire, they filled the whole wood of the world, kindled by the heat of the Spirit and the light of truth ; and the Lord made His mercy marvellous in the city of com passing. / said in
Ps. 94, 1
10. Ver. 22.
my Call to remembrance ecstasy.
the title of the Psalm. See here is that I Mark what ecstasy.
he saith,
/ said, saith in
he, my ecstasy, have been cast
forth fro/m the sight of Thine Eyes. I said in my panic,
said in my ecstasy. He saw that he was
that is,
struck inwardly by some great tribulation or other, such
as there is no want of: he gives/ heed to his panic-stricken
and trembling heart, and saith,
the sight of Thine Eyes. If I were in Thy sight, I should not fear thus : if Thou hadst Thine Eye upon me, I should not tremble thus. But as he saith in another Psalm, If / said my foot hath been moved, Thy mercy, O Lord, helped
have been cast
forth from
panic-
Humble crying in the heart wins God's help. 273
me ; so at once he saith here, Therefore Thou hast heard Ver.
the voice my prayer. Because I confessed, because I said,
--
I of
have been cast the sight Thine forth from of
because I have not been proud, but accused my own heart, and staggering in my tribulation have cried out to Thee, Thou
hast heard my prayer. That therefore hath been fulfilled wIhich I set forth from that other Psalm. For what is here,
I
of Thine Eyes, is there, If
Therefore Thou hast heard, 0 Lard, the voice of my prayer. Mark that in Peter's case, He seeth the Lord walking on the water, he thinks Him a spirit: the Lord crieth out, It is I; be not afraid. Peter hath affiance, and saith, Ifit be Thou, bid me come unto Thee on the water. So hereby do I prove whether it be Thou, if in Thy word I am able to do as Thou art able. He saith, Come. And the word of the Bidder is made the power of the hearer. Come, saith He ; and he came down : he began to go, he was going without fear, as trusting in Him ; but when he sawIthe wind boisterous, he was afraid. I said in my ecstasy, have been cast forth
from the sight of Thine Eyes. And beginning to sink, he cried, Lord, I perish. And Jesus, stretching forth His hand to him, raised him up, saying, O thou of little faith, wIherefore didst thou doubt ? I said, therefore, in my ecstasy,
said in my ecstasy,
have been cast the
I
And what is there, Thy mercy, O Lord, helped me, is here,
Eyes,
forth from sight
said my hath been moved. foot
though I were now beginning to perish in the sea, Thou hast heard, IO Lord, the voice of my prayer. Now Thou heardest,
cried unto Thee. Crying unto God is not with the
when
voice, but with the heart. Many who are silent with the lips, cry with the heart ; many clamorous with the mouth, with heart averted are able to obtain nothing. If then thou
I cried unto Thee, saith he, Thou heardest the voice of my prayer.
criest, cry inwardly where God heareth. When
11. Now then that he made trial, to what doth he exhort us? (Ver. 23. ) Love the Lord, all ye His Saints. As if he
should say, Trust me, I have made trial of it ;
I have had tribulations, I have called upon Him, and have not been
deceived; I have hoped in God, and have not been con
founded ; He hath enlightened my thoughts, He hath esta- T
Mat. 14, ~31'
have been cast the sight Thine Eyes; and, as forth from of
274 Love ofthe world hinders love of God. He will repay at last.
Psalm Wished mv fear. Love the Lord, all ye His Saints; that is,
X X XT Do love the Lord, who love not the world, that is, all His Exp II. ye
Skem. Saints. For how do I tell him to love the Lord, who still
.
III. loves the amphitheatre ? How do I tell him to love the Lord,
? ferte donee efferati<<
LXx
return
earth. Tlie Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away : as it pleased the Lord, so hath it been done. Blessed be the
--
who still loves the stage-player, still loves the harlequin, still loves wine-bibbing, still loves all the pomps and all the
12. For the Lord will require truth. You know that now
many evil doers are seen ; you know that now they are
puffed up in their vanities : the Lord will require truth.
And He will repay them that do exceeding proudly. Bear
with them until you bear ' them to their graves, endure them
until ye are free from them ; for it must needs be that the '
Lord who requireth truth will repay them that do exceeding proudly. Art thou at once about to ask, When will He repay ? When He wills. Thou mayest be certain that He will repay ; doubt not of His repaying; for the time, do not venture to give counsel to God. Assuredly He will require truth, and will repay them that do exceeding proudly. Some He will repay even here ; and we have seen and learnt that He doth repay. For when they that fear the Lord are abased, if perchance they had been distinguished in some dignity of this world, though abased they have not fallen, because they have not shut out God from their hearts : God is their exaltation. Job seemed abased when he lost his property, when he lost his children ; when he lost what he was keeping, when he lost those for whom he was keeping ; he was left without inheritance, and what is sadder, without an heir; he was left with his wife alone, no comforter to him, but rather the devil's helper; he seemed abased: see whether he were wretched, see whether he were not in the
vanities and lying madnesses of the world ?
" Learn not to love, that thou mayest learn to love ; turn away, that thou mayest be turned to; pour out, that thou mayest be filled. " Love the Lord, all ye His Saints.
I tell such,
Job l, h/idden place of God's Countenance. NakeId, saith he, came
out my mother's womb, naked shall
of into the
name of the Lord. These pearls of praise of God, whence are they ? Behold him poor without, rich within. These
Wise men can wait God's time of retribution. 275
pearls of praise of God would not proceed out of his mouth, Ver. except he had a treasure in his heart. Ye who would be ---- rich, covet such riches as ye cannot lose even by shipwreck. Therefore, when such as these are abased, deem them not wretched. Ye are mistaken, ye know not what they possess
within. Ye who love the world, judge from your own selves, because, when ye lose such things, ye are reduced to wretched ness. Do not by any means think this; they possess within wherewith to rejoice.
Their Ruler is within, their Shepherd and their Comforter is within. These are they who fall miserably, even they who place their trust in this world. Their outward glitter is taken away, nothing remains within but the smoke of an evil conscience. They have no source of comfort, they have no place whither they may go abroad, they have no place whither they may return within : aban doned by the pomp of the world, void of the grace of the
Spirit, they are in deed abased. And with many God dealeth thus in this life, but not with all. For if He dealt thus with none, Divine Providence would seem as it were to slumber ; if He dealt thus with all, Divine long-suffering would not be
Nevertheless, thou, Christian, hast learnt to Rom. 12, forbear, not to repay vengeance. Wouldest thou avenge
thyself, O Christian ? Christ is not yet avenged. Hast thou suffered from the evil, and hath not He suffered ? Did not
He first suffer for thee, Who had no cause for suffering?
For in thee tribulation is the refiner's furnace, (if so be thou
art gold and not chaff,) that thou mayest be cleared of dross,
not be turned into ashes.
13. Love the Lord, all ye His Saints, for the Lord will require truth, and will repay them that do exceeding proudly. But when will He repay ? O that He would repay now, now would I see these men abased, and laid
low ! Hear what follows, Quit you like men. Do not hang down the weary hands in tribulation, let not your knees totter. (Ver. 24. ) Quit you like men, and let your heart be strengthened. Let your heart be strengthened to endure and bear all the ills of this life. But who are they to whom the Prophet saith, Quit you like men, and let your heart be
strengthened ? Is it to them who love the world ? Nay. But listen to whom he speaketh, All ye who trust in the Lord. t2
preserved.
x? $,.
270 Self to be condemned in confessing sin.
PSALM XXXII. FIRST EXPOSITION.
To David himself; for understanding
i. To David himself; for understanding; by which it is
Psalm
Exp. I. understood that not by the merits of works, but by the grace
'
~ of God, man is delivered, confessing his sins.
2. Ver. 1. Blessed are they whose unrighteousness isfor
given, and whose sins are covered: and whose sins are buried in oblivion. (Ver. 2. ) Blessed is the man to whom the Lord hath not imputed sin, nor is there guile in his mouth : nor has he in his mouth boastings of righteousness, when his conscience is full of sins.
kept silence, my bones waxed old:
3. Ver. 3. Because
'om. because I made not with my mouth
B
l'
unto salva- tion, all firmness in me has grown old in infirmity. Through
my roaring all the day long: when I was ungodly and a blasphemer, crying against God, as though defending and excusing my sins.
4. Ver. 4. Because day and night Thy Hand was heavy upon me: because, through the continual punishment of Thy scourges, / was turned in misery, while a thorn was
I
fixed through me: I was made miserable by knowing my misery, being pricked with an evil conscience.
/ acknowledged my sin, and my unrighteous
5. Ver. 5.
ness have 1 not hid: that is, my unrighteousness have I not
Iwill
teousness to the Lord: I said, I will confess, not against God,
(as in my ungodly crying, when I kept silence,) but against myself, my unrighteousness to the Lord. And Thou for- gavest the iniquity of my heart; hearing the word of con fession in the heart, before it was uttered with the voice.
6. Ver. 6. For this shall every one that is holy pray unto Thee in an acceptable time: for this wickedness of heart shall every one that is righteous pray unto Thee. For not
concealed. / said,
confess
against myselfmyunrigh
confession
They who confess not, but resist, ruled with scourges. 277
by their own merits will they be holy, but by that acceptable Ver.
time, that is, at His coming, Who redeemed us from sin. Nevertheless in the flood of great waters they shall not come nigh him: nevertheless, let none think, when the end has come suddenly, as in the days of Noah, that there remaineth a place of confession, whereby he may draw nigh unto God.
7. Ver. 7. Thou art my refuge from the pressures, which have compassed me about: Thou art my refuge from the pressure of my sins, which hath compassed my heart. O
Thou, my Rejoicing, deliver me from them that compass me about: in Thee is my joy : deliver me from the sorrow, which my sins bring upon me. / will give
8. Diapsalma. The answer of God : (ver. 8. )
thee understanding, and will set thee in the way, in which thou shall go ; I will give thee understanding after confession,
that thou depart not from the way, in which thou shouldest go ; lest thou wish to be in thine own power. / will fix Mine Eyes upon thee : so will I make sure upon thee My
Love.
9. Ver. 9. Be not ye like unto horse or mule, which have
no understanding: and therefore would govern themselves. But saith the Prophet, Hold in their jaws with bit and bridle. Do Thou then, O God, unto them, that will not come nigh Thee, what man doth to horse and mule, that by scourges Thou make them to bear Thy rule.
10. Ver. 10. Many are the scourges of the sinner: much is he scourged, who, confessing not his sins to God, would be his own ruler. But he that trusteth in the Lord, mercy compasseth him about; but he that trusteth in the Lord, and submitteth himself to His rule, mercy shall compass him about.
11. Ver. 11. Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, ye righ teous: be glad, and rejoice, ye righteous, not in yourselves, but in the Lord. And glory, all ye that are right in heart: and glory in Him, all ye who understand that it is right to be subject unto Him, that so ye may be placed above all things beside.
1"
Mat. 24,
278 Danger of trusting to faith without obedience.
EXPOSITION II.
Psalm j. A Psalm of the Grace of God, and of our justification, Exp. ll! by no merits of ours preceding, but by the Mercy of our Lord God preventing us, highly commended by the mouth
Seep. of the Apostle, as the lesson preceding this Psalm hath conveyed unto all, is undertaken by my weakness to be handled together with you, My Beloved. Wherefore first I recommend my infirmity to your prayers, as saith the Apostle, that utterance may be given unto me in the opening of my mouth, so to speak, as may be both to me not dangerous to utter, and for you wholesome to hear. For the human mind doubting and wavering between con fession of infirmity, and the boldness of presumption, is ever buffeted on this side and on that, and in such wise driven, that yet to fall to either side is to be cast headlong. For if one hath wholly given himself up to his own infirmity, and hath inclined to such thoughts as to say, The Mercy of
Eph. 6,
See S.
FaUh "God to all sinners, in whatever sins persisting, so they
a^id
believe that God delivereth, God pardoneth, is so sure at the last, that none can perish of ungodly believers, that is, that none can perish of those who say to themselves, What ever I do, with whatever crimes and wickednesses I be defiled, how much soever I sin, God delivereth me by His Mercy, because I have trusted in Him. Whoever then saith that none of such can perish, by evil thoughts is led to look for impunity of sin ; and the Righteous God, to Whom the
Ps. 101, Psalmist sings of Mercy and Judgment, not Mercy only, but also Judgment, finds one mispresuming of himself, and abusing God's Mercy to his own destruction, and so must needs condemn him. Such a thought therefore casteth a man headlong : but if any, terrified thereby, hath lifted up himself to a certain bold presumption, and hath presumed on his own strength, his own righteousness, and hath pro posed in his heart to fulfil all righteousness, and so to do all things which are commanded in the Law, as in none to
Danger of man's presuming on his own strength. 279 offend, and to have his own life in his own power so that he Ver.
',--
no where slip at all, no where fail, no where stumble, no where be in the dark, and attribute this to himself, and to the power of his own will : even if haply he hath fulfilled all things which seem righteous in the eyes of men, so that nothing be found in his life, which can be reproved by men, that very presumption and proud boasting God condemneth. What then, if a man justify himself, and presume on his own righteousness? Hefalleth. If one considering and weighing his own infirmity, and presuming on God's mercy, neglect to cleanse his life from sins, and hath plunged himself in all the depths of wickedness ; he also falleth.
The presumption of righteousness is as the right hand,
the thought of impunity of sin is as the left. Let us hear
the voice of God, saying to us, Turn not to the right hand, P'm. *, nor to the left. Presume not of thy righteousness, so to
reign ; presume not of God's Mercy unto sin. From both
the Divine command recalleth thee, both from this height,
and from that depth. Hither if thou ascend, thou wilt
fall headlong; thither if thou sink, thou wilt drown. Turn
not (saith He) to the right hand, nor to the left. Again
I say briefly, what ye should all keep fixed in mind ; Pre
sume not of thy righteousness, so to reign; presume not of
God's Mercy unto sin. Thou wilt answer, What then shall I do? This very Psalm teacheth us, which being read through and handled, I trust, God's Mercy assisting us, we shall see that way wherein we either already walk, or which we ought to hold. Let every one according to his own measure hearken, and as he shall be conscious unto himself, either lament, if needing correction, or rejoice, if to be approved. If he find himself to have strayed from the way, let him return to walk therein; if he find himself in the way, let him walk on, that he may arrive at the end. Let none out of the way be proud, none in the way slothful.
2. Now that this Psalm doth relate to that grace whereby we are Christians, the Apostle Paul hath testified ; wherefore we have chosen to have that very lesson read unto you. This shewed the Apostle, when he was commending the righteousness which is by faith, against those who boasted
280 Abraham hath nought before God but by Faith.
Psalm of the righteousness which is by works, thus saying, What
jTM! 'sk// we then say that Abraham, our father as pertaining to
"Rom 4 the flesh, hath found ? For if Abraham were justified by
works, he hath whereof to glory ; but not before God. God Himself avert from us such glorying, and let us rather hearken to that saying, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. For many glory in their own works, and we find
many pagans therefore unwilling to become Christians, because they are in a manner satisfied with their own good lives. To live well is needful, saith one. What will Christ
1"2.
l Cor.
command of me ? That I should live well ? already ; wherein is Christ necessary to me ? mnrder, no theft, no violence ;
I live well I commit no I covet not another's goods ; I am defiled with no adultery : for let any thing be found in
my life worthy of blame, and he, who can blame shall make me Christian. He hath whereof to glory but not before God. But not so our father, Abraham. For this passage of Scripture would direct our attention to this very thing. For because we confess, and such our belief con cerning the holy Patriarch, who pleased God, that we both tay and know that he hath whereof to glory before God therefore saith the Apostle, It evidently known unto us and manifest, that Abraham hath whereof to glory before God But Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory, but not before God but he hath whereof to glory before God therefore he not justified by works. If then Abraham not justified by works, whereby he justified?
Rom. The answer follows, for saith he. For what saith the Scripture?
3'
6.
that is, Whereby saith the Scripture that Abraham justified? Gen. 15, Abraham believed God, and was counted unto him for
righteousness. Therefore Abraham was justified by Faith. 3. But whoever hears this, Not by works, but by faith, must beware of that gulf, of which spoke. Thou seest
then that by faith, not by works, Abraham justified there fore (sayest thou) will do what will, because, though have not good works, but only trust in God, that counted to me for righteousness. If so one hath spoken and de termined, he falleth and drowned yet he thinketh and wavereth, he perilled. But the Scripture of God, and its
is
I
is
if :
is
; if
I
I
:
is
it
is
is
4,
is
is is ; ;
it,
I
;
:
is
a
No works truly good unless done by Faith. 281
true understanding, not only when perilled freeth him from Ver. peril, but even when drowned raiseth him out of the deep.
I answer, therefore, as against the Apostle, and say of Abraham himself, what we find indeed in the Epistle of another Apostle, who wished to correct certain men that had misunderstood this Apostle. For James in his Epistle, writing against those who would not do good works, pre
suming on faith only, commended the works of that same Abraham, as Paul his faith : and the two Apostles are not contrary to each other. But he speaks of a work known James2, unto all, that Abraham offered unto God his own son for21,
structure of works, but I see in faith the foundation :
the fruit of good works, but I discern in faith the root. But if Abraham had done this without a right faith, it would have profited him nothing, however good that work might be. Again, if Abraham had so held his faith, as that when God commanded him to offer up to Him his son for a sacrifice, he should say with himself, " I do it not, and yet 1 believe that God will deliver me, even despising His com mands;" his faith without works had been dead, and had remained dry and barren as a root without fruit.
4. What then ? Ought no works to be placed before faith, so that before faith one may be said to do good works ? (No,) for those very good works, so called, before faith, although they may seem to men worthy of praise, are nothing worth. To me they seem to be such, as great strength, and the swiftest speed, out of the way. Let none then count his works before faith good; where faith was not, good works were not. For it is the intention that maketh the work good ; faith that directs the intention. Attend, not so much to what one doth, as to what, in doing he hath regard, whither he directing his arms which steer so excellently. For suppose man to steer ship right well, and yet to have lost his course what avails, that he holds the topsail bravely, moves bravely, keeps the head to the waves, careth lest the sides be beaten in, hath so great strength that he turn the ship whither he will, and whence he will And suppose be said to him, Where goest thou and he say, know not or say not, know not, but, am
a sacrifice. A great work ! but of faith. I laud the super
I laud
1
;
I
I
?
?
it
it
is
a ;
a
it,
282 Walking useless, save in right way. Faith needs Love.
Psalm going to such a port ; and yet goeth not to that port, but Exp. n. hurrieth on to the rocks : doth not such an one, the more he seemeth to himself active and powerful in steering the
ship, so much the more dangerously steer so as through haste to bring to shipwreck at last Such he who runs the best, out of the way. Were not better and more tolerable, that the pilot should be somewhat weaker, so as to direct the ship with some labour and difficulty, and yet hold his right and due course and that the other again should walk even somewhat slowly and feebly, yet in the way, than out of the way run bravely He then the best who both holds the way, and walks well therein but he next in hope, who though he halteth somewhat, yet not so much as to go astray, or stand still, but advances though by little and little; for haply there hope that he will arrive whither, though slowly, he tendeth.
5. Therefore, Brethren, by faith was Abraham justified but works did not precede his faith, yet they followed it. For can thy faith be barren If thou art not barren, thy faith not barren. Thou hast believed somewhat of evil, and in the fire of thy evil hast burned up the root of thy faith. Therefore hold fast thy faith, and work. But thou sayest, The Apostle Paul said not this. Nay, this said the
Gal. 5,6. Apostle Paul, Faith, which worketh by love and in another
Rom. 13, place, Therefore love the fulfilling of the Law; and in
Gal. another, For all the Law fulfilled in one word, even in
this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. See he Eom. 13, does not will thee to work, who saith, Thou shalt not commit
adultery, Thou shall do no murder, Thou shalt not covet
14.
and there is any other commandment,
prehended in this saying, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as
thyself.
al. ' why just now they say to us, Where is your God ? What do ye
worship ? What do ye see ? Ye believe, and ye are dis- tressed; that ye are distressed is certain, what ye hope for is uncertain. When that we hope for shall come in certainty, then shall the deceitful lips be made dumb.
vor- ship?
ye not "ee.
6. Wherefore see what follows, for that the deceitful lips shall be made dumb, which speak iniquity against the Righteous in pride and contempt. The Psalmist, who thus lamenteth, hath given heed, he hath seen the good things of God within in the spirit, hath seen these good things which are seen in secret, but are not seen by the ungodly. He seeth that they therefore
pride and contempt, because they have skill to see the good things of this life, but the good things of the life to come they skill not even to imagine. But that he might set forth the value of good things of the life to come to men whom
He enjoins to endure, not love things present, he cried out and added,
Ver. 19. How great is the multitude of Thy sweetness, O
speak iniquity against the Righteous in
Sweetness of God is for those who fear Him, and not man. 269
Lord. Here if an ungodly man should say, " Where is Ver.
this multitude of sweetness ? " I will answer, How can I shew thee the multitude of this sweetness, who hast lost thy palate from the fever of iniquity ? Didst" thou not know what honey is, thou wouldest not cry out, how good it is," unless thou hadst tasted it. Thou hast no palate of the heart for tasting these good things: what shall I do for thee? How shall I shew thee ? He is not one to whom I can say,
Taste and see that the Lord is sweet. How great is thePeMfi. multitude of Thy sweetness, O Lord, which Thou hast hid
for them that fear Thee. What " hast hid for them ? "
Thou hast preserved for them, not denied to them, to
the end that they alone may attain unto it, (for that
good which cannot be common to the just and to the ungodly,) to the end that they may by fear attain unto
it. For as long as they still fear, they too have not
yet attained but they believe that they shall attain, and
they begin with fear. For nothing sweeter than the immortality of wisdom; but the fear the Lord is the Prov.
'
Thee in sight of the sons of men. Not " Thou hast per
fected in sight of the sons of men," but, " for those that
hope in Thee in sight of the sons of men;" that is, Thou
hast perfected Thy sweetness for those that hope in Thee in
sight of the sons of men. As the Lord saith, Whosoever Mat. i0, shall deny Me before men, him will also deny before My3 Father. Therefore thou trust in the Lord, trust before
men lest haply thou hide this trust of thine in thine heart, and fear to confess Him when objected to thee as crime that thou art Christian. But to whom objected now that he Christian There are so few left who are
not Christians, that may rather be objected to them that they are not Christians, than that they should dare to object to any that they are Christians. Notwithstanding say to you, my Brethren, begin, whosoever thou art that hearest me,
Christian, and see be not objected to thee even by Christians, Christians that in name, not in life and conversation. No man feels this but he who has had
to live as
1! ).
beginning of wisdom. Which Thou hast hid for them that
fear Thee.
7. But Thou hast perfected it for them that hope in
is
a
if it
it
isI is,
I
is it
it
?
a
if
is a
;
;
a
'
is
it
of is
9,
270 Walk with God before men. God hides us in Himself.
Psalm trial of it. Give heed then, look well into what thou hearest.
ExpVi. Wonldest thou live as a Christian ? Wouldestthou follow the
Serm. steps of thy Lord? It is objected to thee; thou art ashamed,
-- and in thy shame thou dost leave off. Thou hast lost the
Rom. io way. Thou seemest to thyself to have believed with the
heart unto righteousness; but thou hast lost, with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. If then thou wouldest walk the way of the Lord, trust in God even in the sight of men ; that is, be not ashamed for thy trust. As He liveth in thine heart, so let Him dwell in thy mouth ; for not without a cause hath Christ been pleased that His mark should be imprinted on our forehead, as on the seat of shame, and that a Christian should not be ashamed at the reproach of Christ. If then thou shalt have done this in the
sight of men, if thou shalt not have been ashamed thereof before men, if thou shalt not have denied Christ in sight of the sons of men, either by word or deed, hope thou that the sweetness of God is perfected for thee. What comes next ?
8. Ver. 20. Thou wilt hide them in the hidden place of Thy Countenancel. What is this place? He said not, Thou wilt hide them in Thy heaven; he said not, Thou
wilt wilt hide them in paradise; he said not, Thou wilt hide
them in Abraham's bosom. For the future places of the saith he. Saints are designated in Holy Scripture by many names*.
Let all whatsoever is out of God, be held cheap. Let
jjim wno defendeth us in the place of this life, be Himself Thy our place after this life. Because even this very Psalm tenanae aDOve sa'1^ l^'s to Him, Be Thou unto me a God, Who
a ' fide- protecteth me, and a house of refuge. Therefore shall we
hidden in the countenance of God. Are ye waiting to near from me what retreat there is in the Face of God ? Cleanse the heart, that He may Himself enlighten you, and He upon Whom ye call may enter in. Be thou His house, and He will be thy house; let Him dwell in thee, and thou shalt dwell in Him. If thou shalt entertain Him in this life in thy heart, He shall entertain thee after this life with His Countenance. [Thou uilt hide them, saith he. Where ? In the hidden place of Thy Countenance. ] From the troubling of men. For there they are not troubled when they are hid. In the hidden place of Thy Countenance
10.
lOxf. **<<"?
them
in the hidden
al. U'Ssig-De nificati-
A good conscience finds way into His Tabernacle. 271
they are not troubled. Is there, think ye, a man in this Ver. world so happy, as, that when he begins to hear men's ? 0'21. reproaches because he serveth Christ, he flieth in heart to
God, and beginneth to have trust in His sweetness, and enter, with his conscience, into the countenance of God from
the troubling of men from whom he heareth reproaches? He doth enter doubtless, if he have wherewith to enter, that if this same conscience be not laden, make not heavy burthen for him -- at the narrow gate. Thou wilt hide them, then, in the hidden place of Thy Countenance
from the troubling of men. Thou wilt protect them in Thy tabernacle from the contradiction of tongues. Some
time or other Thou wilt hide them in the hidden place of Thy Countenance from the troubling men, that thence
forward no troubling of men may harrass them but mean while, whilst they sojourn in this life, since they who serve thee are exposed to many contradicting tongues; what dost Thou do for them Thou wilt protect them in Thy taber nacle. What the tabernacle The Church of the present time, for for this reason called tabernacle, because as
yet sojourneth on this earth. For tabernacle habitation of soldiers encamped in an expedition.
are called tabernacles. tabernacle not home.
thou as sojourner on thy expedition that having been saved in thy tabernacle, thou mayest be received in glory into thy
house. For thy everlasting home will be in heaven, only thou shalt have lived well in this tabernacle. Therefore in this tabernacle Thou wilt protect them from the contra diction tongues. Many tongues contradict, divers heresies, divers schisms make noise, many tongues contradict the true doctrine, do thou run to the tabernacle of God, hold to the Catholic Church, depart not from the rule of truth, and
thou shalt be protected in thy tabernacle from the contra diction of tongues.
9. Ver. 21. Blessed be the Lord,for He hath made His mercy marvellous in the city compassing. What the city of compassing? In Judaea alone were God's people placed, as were, in the midst of the world, where the praises of God were celebrated, and sacrifices offered unto Him, where prophecy did not cease foretelling those future
the These Fight
it
it
of
A
?
is
if
is
a
of
a
is
;
is
a a
of ;
a
if it
it
is,
is
?
a
272 God's Mercy made marvellous all around from Judcea.
Psalm 'events which we now see in course of fulfilment. This
XXXI Exp. II.
people were, as it were, in the midst of the nations. This Prophet marked and saw that the Church of God should be in all nations ; and because all nations were around on every side, which placed the single nation of the Jews in the midst of them, he called these nations compassing her about on every side the city of compassing. Thou didst indeed, O Lord, make Thy mercy marvellous in the city Jerusalem; there Christ suffered, there He rose again, there He ascended up into heaven, there He did many wonderful things : but
greater is Thy praise, for that Thou hast made Thy mercy marvellous in the city of compassing, that is, in all nations hast spread abroad Thy mercy. Nor hast Thou kept Thine ointment in that Jerusalem, as in a vessel; but as from a broken vessel the ointment hath been poured forth through out the world, that it might be fulfilled which is said in holy
Scripture, Thy name is as ointment poured out. And so Thou hast made Thy mercy marvellous in the city of com- passing. For He ascended up into heaven, He sitteth at the right hand of the Father, after ten days He sent the Holy Ghost : the disciples were filled with the Holy Ghost, they
Serm.
Sol.
3? ? e ' Acto 1,
Acts 8,
began to preach the wonderful works of Christ; they were stoned, slain, dispersed in flight. And when they were made to flee from thence as from one place, as brands burn- iog with Divine fire, they filled the whole wood of the world, kindled by the heat of the Spirit and the light of truth ; and the Lord made His mercy marvellous in the city of com passing. / said in
Ps. 94, 1
10. Ver. 22.
my Call to remembrance ecstasy.
the title of the Psalm. See here is that I Mark what ecstasy.
he saith,
/ said, saith in
he, my ecstasy, have been cast
forth fro/m the sight of Thine Eyes. I said in my panic,
said in my ecstasy. He saw that he was
that is,
struck inwardly by some great tribulation or other, such
as there is no want of: he gives/ heed to his panic-stricken
and trembling heart, and saith,
the sight of Thine Eyes. If I were in Thy sight, I should not fear thus : if Thou hadst Thine Eye upon me, I should not tremble thus. But as he saith in another Psalm, If / said my foot hath been moved, Thy mercy, O Lord, helped
have been cast
forth from
panic-
Humble crying in the heart wins God's help. 273
me ; so at once he saith here, Therefore Thou hast heard Ver.
the voice my prayer. Because I confessed, because I said,
--
I of
have been cast the sight Thine forth from of
because I have not been proud, but accused my own heart, and staggering in my tribulation have cried out to Thee, Thou
hast heard my prayer. That therefore hath been fulfilled wIhich I set forth from that other Psalm. For what is here,
I
of Thine Eyes, is there, If
Therefore Thou hast heard, 0 Lard, the voice of my prayer. Mark that in Peter's case, He seeth the Lord walking on the water, he thinks Him a spirit: the Lord crieth out, It is I; be not afraid. Peter hath affiance, and saith, Ifit be Thou, bid me come unto Thee on the water. So hereby do I prove whether it be Thou, if in Thy word I am able to do as Thou art able. He saith, Come. And the word of the Bidder is made the power of the hearer. Come, saith He ; and he came down : he began to go, he was going without fear, as trusting in Him ; but when he sawIthe wind boisterous, he was afraid. I said in my ecstasy, have been cast forth
from the sight of Thine Eyes. And beginning to sink, he cried, Lord, I perish. And Jesus, stretching forth His hand to him, raised him up, saying, O thou of little faith, wIherefore didst thou doubt ? I said, therefore, in my ecstasy,
said in my ecstasy,
have been cast the
I
And what is there, Thy mercy, O Lord, helped me, is here,
Eyes,
forth from sight
said my hath been moved. foot
though I were now beginning to perish in the sea, Thou hast heard, IO Lord, the voice of my prayer. Now Thou heardest,
cried unto Thee. Crying unto God is not with the
when
voice, but with the heart. Many who are silent with the lips, cry with the heart ; many clamorous with the mouth, with heart averted are able to obtain nothing. If then thou
I cried unto Thee, saith he, Thou heardest the voice of my prayer.
criest, cry inwardly where God heareth. When
11. Now then that he made trial, to what doth he exhort us? (Ver. 23. ) Love the Lord, all ye His Saints. As if he
should say, Trust me, I have made trial of it ;
I have had tribulations, I have called upon Him, and have not been
deceived; I have hoped in God, and have not been con
founded ; He hath enlightened my thoughts, He hath esta- T
Mat. 14, ~31'
have been cast the sight Thine Eyes; and, as forth from of
274 Love ofthe world hinders love of God. He will repay at last.
Psalm Wished mv fear. Love the Lord, all ye His Saints; that is,
X X XT Do love the Lord, who love not the world, that is, all His Exp II. ye
Skem. Saints. For how do I tell him to love the Lord, who still
.
III. loves the amphitheatre ? How do I tell him to love the Lord,
? ferte donee efferati<<
LXx
return
earth. Tlie Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away : as it pleased the Lord, so hath it been done. Blessed be the
--
who still loves the stage-player, still loves the harlequin, still loves wine-bibbing, still loves all the pomps and all the
12. For the Lord will require truth. You know that now
many evil doers are seen ; you know that now they are
puffed up in their vanities : the Lord will require truth.
And He will repay them that do exceeding proudly. Bear
with them until you bear ' them to their graves, endure them
until ye are free from them ; for it must needs be that the '
Lord who requireth truth will repay them that do exceeding proudly. Art thou at once about to ask, When will He repay ? When He wills. Thou mayest be certain that He will repay ; doubt not of His repaying; for the time, do not venture to give counsel to God. Assuredly He will require truth, and will repay them that do exceeding proudly. Some He will repay even here ; and we have seen and learnt that He doth repay. For when they that fear the Lord are abased, if perchance they had been distinguished in some dignity of this world, though abased they have not fallen, because they have not shut out God from their hearts : God is their exaltation. Job seemed abased when he lost his property, when he lost his children ; when he lost what he was keeping, when he lost those for whom he was keeping ; he was left without inheritance, and what is sadder, without an heir; he was left with his wife alone, no comforter to him, but rather the devil's helper; he seemed abased: see whether he were wretched, see whether he were not in the
vanities and lying madnesses of the world ?
" Learn not to love, that thou mayest learn to love ; turn away, that thou mayest be turned to; pour out, that thou mayest be filled. " Love the Lord, all ye His Saints.
I tell such,
Job l, h/idden place of God's Countenance. NakeId, saith he, came
out my mother's womb, naked shall
of into the
name of the Lord. These pearls of praise of God, whence are they ? Behold him poor without, rich within. These
Wise men can wait God's time of retribution. 275
pearls of praise of God would not proceed out of his mouth, Ver. except he had a treasure in his heart. Ye who would be ---- rich, covet such riches as ye cannot lose even by shipwreck. Therefore, when such as these are abased, deem them not wretched. Ye are mistaken, ye know not what they possess
within. Ye who love the world, judge from your own selves, because, when ye lose such things, ye are reduced to wretched ness. Do not by any means think this; they possess within wherewith to rejoice.
Their Ruler is within, their Shepherd and their Comforter is within. These are they who fall miserably, even they who place their trust in this world. Their outward glitter is taken away, nothing remains within but the smoke of an evil conscience. They have no source of comfort, they have no place whither they may go abroad, they have no place whither they may return within : aban doned by the pomp of the world, void of the grace of the
Spirit, they are in deed abased. And with many God dealeth thus in this life, but not with all. For if He dealt thus with none, Divine Providence would seem as it were to slumber ; if He dealt thus with all, Divine long-suffering would not be
Nevertheless, thou, Christian, hast learnt to Rom. 12, forbear, not to repay vengeance. Wouldest thou avenge
thyself, O Christian ? Christ is not yet avenged. Hast thou suffered from the evil, and hath not He suffered ? Did not
He first suffer for thee, Who had no cause for suffering?
For in thee tribulation is the refiner's furnace, (if so be thou
art gold and not chaff,) that thou mayest be cleared of dross,
not be turned into ashes.
13. Love the Lord, all ye His Saints, for the Lord will require truth, and will repay them that do exceeding proudly. But when will He repay ? O that He would repay now, now would I see these men abased, and laid
low ! Hear what follows, Quit you like men. Do not hang down the weary hands in tribulation, let not your knees totter. (Ver. 24. ) Quit you like men, and let your heart be strengthened. Let your heart be strengthened to endure and bear all the ills of this life. But who are they to whom the Prophet saith, Quit you like men, and let your heart be
strengthened ? Is it to them who love the world ? Nay. But listen to whom he speaketh, All ye who trust in the Lord. t2
preserved.
x? $,.
270 Self to be condemned in confessing sin.
PSALM XXXII. FIRST EXPOSITION.
To David himself; for understanding
i. To David himself; for understanding; by which it is
Psalm
Exp. I. understood that not by the merits of works, but by the grace
'
~ of God, man is delivered, confessing his sins.
2. Ver. 1. Blessed are they whose unrighteousness isfor
given, and whose sins are covered: and whose sins are buried in oblivion. (Ver. 2. ) Blessed is the man to whom the Lord hath not imputed sin, nor is there guile in his mouth : nor has he in his mouth boastings of righteousness, when his conscience is full of sins.
kept silence, my bones waxed old:
3. Ver. 3. Because
'om. because I made not with my mouth
B
l'
unto salva- tion, all firmness in me has grown old in infirmity. Through
my roaring all the day long: when I was ungodly and a blasphemer, crying against God, as though defending and excusing my sins.
4. Ver. 4. Because day and night Thy Hand was heavy upon me: because, through the continual punishment of Thy scourges, / was turned in misery, while a thorn was
I
fixed through me: I was made miserable by knowing my misery, being pricked with an evil conscience.
/ acknowledged my sin, and my unrighteous
5. Ver. 5.
ness have 1 not hid: that is, my unrighteousness have I not
Iwill
teousness to the Lord: I said, I will confess, not against God,
(as in my ungodly crying, when I kept silence,) but against myself, my unrighteousness to the Lord. And Thou for- gavest the iniquity of my heart; hearing the word of con fession in the heart, before it was uttered with the voice.
6. Ver. 6. For this shall every one that is holy pray unto Thee in an acceptable time: for this wickedness of heart shall every one that is righteous pray unto Thee. For not
concealed. / said,
confess
against myselfmyunrigh
confession
They who confess not, but resist, ruled with scourges. 277
by their own merits will they be holy, but by that acceptable Ver.
time, that is, at His coming, Who redeemed us from sin. Nevertheless in the flood of great waters they shall not come nigh him: nevertheless, let none think, when the end has come suddenly, as in the days of Noah, that there remaineth a place of confession, whereby he may draw nigh unto God.
7. Ver. 7. Thou art my refuge from the pressures, which have compassed me about: Thou art my refuge from the pressure of my sins, which hath compassed my heart. O
Thou, my Rejoicing, deliver me from them that compass me about: in Thee is my joy : deliver me from the sorrow, which my sins bring upon me. / will give
8. Diapsalma. The answer of God : (ver. 8. )
thee understanding, and will set thee in the way, in which thou shall go ; I will give thee understanding after confession,
that thou depart not from the way, in which thou shouldest go ; lest thou wish to be in thine own power. / will fix Mine Eyes upon thee : so will I make sure upon thee My
Love.
9. Ver. 9. Be not ye like unto horse or mule, which have
no understanding: and therefore would govern themselves. But saith the Prophet, Hold in their jaws with bit and bridle. Do Thou then, O God, unto them, that will not come nigh Thee, what man doth to horse and mule, that by scourges Thou make them to bear Thy rule.
10. Ver. 10. Many are the scourges of the sinner: much is he scourged, who, confessing not his sins to God, would be his own ruler. But he that trusteth in the Lord, mercy compasseth him about; but he that trusteth in the Lord, and submitteth himself to His rule, mercy shall compass him about.
11. Ver. 11. Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, ye righ teous: be glad, and rejoice, ye righteous, not in yourselves, but in the Lord. And glory, all ye that are right in heart: and glory in Him, all ye who understand that it is right to be subject unto Him, that so ye may be placed above all things beside.
1"
Mat. 24,
278 Danger of trusting to faith without obedience.
EXPOSITION II.
Psalm j. A Psalm of the Grace of God, and of our justification, Exp. ll! by no merits of ours preceding, but by the Mercy of our Lord God preventing us, highly commended by the mouth
Seep. of the Apostle, as the lesson preceding this Psalm hath conveyed unto all, is undertaken by my weakness to be handled together with you, My Beloved. Wherefore first I recommend my infirmity to your prayers, as saith the Apostle, that utterance may be given unto me in the opening of my mouth, so to speak, as may be both to me not dangerous to utter, and for you wholesome to hear. For the human mind doubting and wavering between con fession of infirmity, and the boldness of presumption, is ever buffeted on this side and on that, and in such wise driven, that yet to fall to either side is to be cast headlong. For if one hath wholly given himself up to his own infirmity, and hath inclined to such thoughts as to say, The Mercy of
Eph. 6,
See S.
FaUh "God to all sinners, in whatever sins persisting, so they
a^id
believe that God delivereth, God pardoneth, is so sure at the last, that none can perish of ungodly believers, that is, that none can perish of those who say to themselves, What ever I do, with whatever crimes and wickednesses I be defiled, how much soever I sin, God delivereth me by His Mercy, because I have trusted in Him. Whoever then saith that none of such can perish, by evil thoughts is led to look for impunity of sin ; and the Righteous God, to Whom the
Ps. 101, Psalmist sings of Mercy and Judgment, not Mercy only, but also Judgment, finds one mispresuming of himself, and abusing God's Mercy to his own destruction, and so must needs condemn him. Such a thought therefore casteth a man headlong : but if any, terrified thereby, hath lifted up himself to a certain bold presumption, and hath presumed on his own strength, his own righteousness, and hath pro posed in his heart to fulfil all righteousness, and so to do all things which are commanded in the Law, as in none to
Danger of man's presuming on his own strength. 279 offend, and to have his own life in his own power so that he Ver.
',--
no where slip at all, no where fail, no where stumble, no where be in the dark, and attribute this to himself, and to the power of his own will : even if haply he hath fulfilled all things which seem righteous in the eyes of men, so that nothing be found in his life, which can be reproved by men, that very presumption and proud boasting God condemneth. What then, if a man justify himself, and presume on his own righteousness? Hefalleth. If one considering and weighing his own infirmity, and presuming on God's mercy, neglect to cleanse his life from sins, and hath plunged himself in all the depths of wickedness ; he also falleth.
The presumption of righteousness is as the right hand,
the thought of impunity of sin is as the left. Let us hear
the voice of God, saying to us, Turn not to the right hand, P'm. *, nor to the left. Presume not of thy righteousness, so to
reign ; presume not of God's Mercy unto sin. From both
the Divine command recalleth thee, both from this height,
and from that depth. Hither if thou ascend, thou wilt
fall headlong; thither if thou sink, thou wilt drown. Turn
not (saith He) to the right hand, nor to the left. Again
I say briefly, what ye should all keep fixed in mind ; Pre
sume not of thy righteousness, so to reign; presume not of
God's Mercy unto sin. Thou wilt answer, What then shall I do? This very Psalm teacheth us, which being read through and handled, I trust, God's Mercy assisting us, we shall see that way wherein we either already walk, or which we ought to hold. Let every one according to his own measure hearken, and as he shall be conscious unto himself, either lament, if needing correction, or rejoice, if to be approved. If he find himself to have strayed from the way, let him return to walk therein; if he find himself in the way, let him walk on, that he may arrive at the end. Let none out of the way be proud, none in the way slothful.
2. Now that this Psalm doth relate to that grace whereby we are Christians, the Apostle Paul hath testified ; wherefore we have chosen to have that very lesson read unto you. This shewed the Apostle, when he was commending the righteousness which is by faith, against those who boasted
280 Abraham hath nought before God but by Faith.
Psalm of the righteousness which is by works, thus saying, What
jTM! 'sk// we then say that Abraham, our father as pertaining to
"Rom 4 the flesh, hath found ? For if Abraham were justified by
works, he hath whereof to glory ; but not before God. God Himself avert from us such glorying, and let us rather hearken to that saying, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. For many glory in their own works, and we find
many pagans therefore unwilling to become Christians, because they are in a manner satisfied with their own good lives. To live well is needful, saith one. What will Christ
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command of me ? That I should live well ? already ; wherein is Christ necessary to me ? mnrder, no theft, no violence ;
I live well I commit no I covet not another's goods ; I am defiled with no adultery : for let any thing be found in
my life worthy of blame, and he, who can blame shall make me Christian. He hath whereof to glory but not before God. But not so our father, Abraham. For this passage of Scripture would direct our attention to this very thing. For because we confess, and such our belief con cerning the holy Patriarch, who pleased God, that we both tay and know that he hath whereof to glory before God therefore saith the Apostle, It evidently known unto us and manifest, that Abraham hath whereof to glory before God But Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory, but not before God but he hath whereof to glory before God therefore he not justified by works. If then Abraham not justified by works, whereby he justified?
Rom. The answer follows, for saith he. For what saith the Scripture?
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that is, Whereby saith the Scripture that Abraham justified? Gen. 15, Abraham believed God, and was counted unto him for
righteousness. Therefore Abraham was justified by Faith. 3. But whoever hears this, Not by works, but by faith, must beware of that gulf, of which spoke. Thou seest
then that by faith, not by works, Abraham justified there fore (sayest thou) will do what will, because, though have not good works, but only trust in God, that counted to me for righteousness. If so one hath spoken and de termined, he falleth and drowned yet he thinketh and wavereth, he perilled. But the Scripture of God, and its
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No works truly good unless done by Faith. 281
true understanding, not only when perilled freeth him from Ver. peril, but even when drowned raiseth him out of the deep.
I answer, therefore, as against the Apostle, and say of Abraham himself, what we find indeed in the Epistle of another Apostle, who wished to correct certain men that had misunderstood this Apostle. For James in his Epistle, writing against those who would not do good works, pre
suming on faith only, commended the works of that same Abraham, as Paul his faith : and the two Apostles are not contrary to each other. But he speaks of a work known James2, unto all, that Abraham offered unto God his own son for21,
structure of works, but I see in faith the foundation :
the fruit of good works, but I discern in faith the root. But if Abraham had done this without a right faith, it would have profited him nothing, however good that work might be. Again, if Abraham had so held his faith, as that when God commanded him to offer up to Him his son for a sacrifice, he should say with himself, " I do it not, and yet 1 believe that God will deliver me, even despising His com mands;" his faith without works had been dead, and had remained dry and barren as a root without fruit.
4. What then ? Ought no works to be placed before faith, so that before faith one may be said to do good works ? (No,) for those very good works, so called, before faith, although they may seem to men worthy of praise, are nothing worth. To me they seem to be such, as great strength, and the swiftest speed, out of the way. Let none then count his works before faith good; where faith was not, good works were not. For it is the intention that maketh the work good ; faith that directs the intention. Attend, not so much to what one doth, as to what, in doing he hath regard, whither he directing his arms which steer so excellently. For suppose man to steer ship right well, and yet to have lost his course what avails, that he holds the topsail bravely, moves bravely, keeps the head to the waves, careth lest the sides be beaten in, hath so great strength that he turn the ship whither he will, and whence he will And suppose be said to him, Where goest thou and he say, know not or say not, know not, but, am
a sacrifice. A great work ! but of faith. I laud the super
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282 Walking useless, save in right way. Faith needs Love.
Psalm going to such a port ; and yet goeth not to that port, but Exp. n. hurrieth on to the rocks : doth not such an one, the more he seemeth to himself active and powerful in steering the
ship, so much the more dangerously steer so as through haste to bring to shipwreck at last Such he who runs the best, out of the way. Were not better and more tolerable, that the pilot should be somewhat weaker, so as to direct the ship with some labour and difficulty, and yet hold his right and due course and that the other again should walk even somewhat slowly and feebly, yet in the way, than out of the way run bravely He then the best who both holds the way, and walks well therein but he next in hope, who though he halteth somewhat, yet not so much as to go astray, or stand still, but advances though by little and little; for haply there hope that he will arrive whither, though slowly, he tendeth.
5. Therefore, Brethren, by faith was Abraham justified but works did not precede his faith, yet they followed it. For can thy faith be barren If thou art not barren, thy faith not barren. Thou hast believed somewhat of evil, and in the fire of thy evil hast burned up the root of thy faith. Therefore hold fast thy faith, and work. But thou sayest, The Apostle Paul said not this. Nay, this said the
Gal. 5,6. Apostle Paul, Faith, which worketh by love and in another
Rom. 13, place, Therefore love the fulfilling of the Law; and in
Gal. another, For all the Law fulfilled in one word, even in
this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. See he Eom. 13, does not will thee to work, who saith, Thou shalt not commit
adultery, Thou shall do no murder, Thou shalt not covet
14.
and there is any other commandment,
prehended in this saying, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as
thyself.
