Men having
dominion
for a time.
Augustine - Exposition on the Psalms - v4
i?
?
22 '
27. ends of the earth : hath not the very people that cometh of
Abraham had its own wall, which rejoiceth in the corner, seeing
that it hath been written, A remnant shall be saved ? Stir Rom. 9,
Thou up Thy power. For weak Thou wast when it was being27' said, IfSon of God He is, let Him come down from the Cross. Mat. 27, Thou wast seeming to have no power: the persecutor had40'
pow er over Thee : and Thou didst shew this aforetime, for
Jacob too himself prevailed in wrestling, a man with an Gen. 32, angel. Would he at any time, except the angel had been26' willing? And man prevailed, and the angel was conquered:
and victorious man holdeth the angel, and saith,
let thee go, except thou shall have blessed me. A great
sacrament ! He both standeth conquered, and blesseth the conqueror. Conquered, because he willed it; in flesh weak,
in majesty strong. And he blessed him ; Thou sfialt be lb. 28. called, he saith, Israel. Nevertheless also he touched the hollow of the thigh, and it shrank, and the same one man he
made both blessed and halt. Thou seest that the people of
the Jews have halted: see therein also the family of the Apostles. Stir up, therefore, Thy power. How long dost Thou seem weak? Having been crucified of weakness, 2 Cor. rise Thou in power : Stir up Thy power, and come Thou, 13 ' 4 ' to save us.
4. Ver. 8. O God, convert us. For averse we have been from Thee, and except Thou convert us, we shall not be converted. And illumine Thy face, and we shall be saved. Hath He any wise a darkened face ? He hath not a darkened face, but He placed before it a cloud of flesh, and
as it were a veil of weakness ; and when He hung on the
tree, He was not thought the Same as He was after to be acknowledged when He was sitting in Heaven. For thus it
hath come to pass. Christ present on the earth, and doing miracles, Asaph knew not ; but when He had died, after that
He rose again, and ascended into Heaven, he knew Him.
He was pricked to the heart, and he may have spoken' also" Oxf. of Him this testimony which now we acknowledge in this ^*J'e,he Psalm ; Illumine Thou Thy face, and we shall be whole.
/will not
104 Prayer, under the chastisement of sons.
Psalm Thou didst cover Thy face, and we were sick : illumine
----1
LXXX Thou the same, and we shall be whole.
5. Ver. 4. O Lord God of virtues, how long wilt Thou be angry with the prayer of Thy servant ? Now Thy servant. Thou wast angry at the prayer of Thy enemy, wilt Thou still be angry with the prayer of Thy servant ? Thou hast converted us, we know Thee, and wilt Thou still be angry with the prayer of Thy servant ? Thou wilt evidently be angry, in fact, as a father correcting, not as a judge con demning. In such manner evidently Thou wilt be angry,
Ecclus. because it hath been written, My son, drawing near unto
2'
the service of God, stand thou in righteousness and in fear, and prepare thy soul for temptation. Think not that now the wrath of God hath passed away, because thou hast been
1 so Oxf. converted. The wrath of God' hath passed away from thee,
only so that it condemn not for everlasting. But He Heb. l2,scourgeth, He spareth not: because He scourgeth every
ge^',it,but
6'
son whom He receiveth. If thou refusest to be scourged, why dost thou desire to be received? He scourgeth every son whom He recciveth. He scourgeth every one, Who did not spare even His only Son. But nevertheless, How long wilt Thou be angry with the prayer of Thy servant ? No longer Thine enemy : but, Thou wilt be angry with the
prayer of Thy servant, how long ?
6. Ver. 5. There followeth : Thou wilt feed us with the
bread of tears, and wilt give us to drink with tears in
lCoT. \o,measure. What is, in measure ? Hear the Apostle; Faithful 13, is God, Who doth not suffer you to be tempted above that ye
are able to bear. The measure is, according to your powers: the measure that thou be instructed, not that thou be crushed.
7. Ver. 6. Thou hast set us for a contradiction to our neighbours. Evidently this did come to pass for out of Asaph were chosen they that should go to the Gentiles and
Acts 17, preach Christ, and should have said to them, " Who
this proclaimer of new demons*? " Thou hast set us for a
strange contradiction to our neighbours. For they were preaching
gods.
n\m Who was the subject of the contradiction. Whom did they preach That after He was dead, Christ rose again. Who would hear this Who would know this It a
y
?
?
is
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it
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Sneers of the enemy. God's vineyard transplanted. 105
new thing. But signs did follow, and to an incredible thing Ver. miracles gave credibility. He was contradicted, but the iZlIL contradictor was conquered, and from being a contradictor
was made a believer. There, however, was a great flame:
there the martyrs fed with the bread of tears, and given to drink in tears, but in measure, not more than they were able to bear; in order that after the measure of tears there should follow a crown of joys. And our enemies hare sneered at us. And where are they that sneered ? For a long while it was said, Who are they that worship the Dead One, that adore the Crucified ? For a long while so it was said. Where is the nose of them that sneered ? Now do not they that censure flee into caves, that they may not be seen ? And our enemies have sneered at us.
8. But ye see what followeth : (ver. 7. ) O Lord God of virtues convert us, and shew Thy face, and we shall be whole. (Ver. 8. ) A vineyard out of Egypt Thou hast brought over,
Thou hast cast out the nations, and hast planted her. It was done, we know. How many nations were cast out ? Amorites, Cethites, Jebusites, Gergesites, and Evites: after whose expulsion and overthrow, there was led in the people delivered out of Egypt, into the land of promise. Whence the vineyard was cast out, and where she was planted, we have heard. Let us see what next was done, how she be lieved, how much she grew, what ground she covered. A vineyard out of Egypt Thou hast brought over, Thou hast cast out the nations, and hast planted her.
9. Ver. 9. A way Thou hast made in the sight of her, and hast planted the roots of her, and she hath filled the land. Would she have filled the land, unless a way had been made in the sight of her ? I What was the way which was made in
am, He saith, the Way, the Truth, andJohaU, the Life. With reason she hath filled the land. That hath -
now been said of this vineyard, which hath been accom
plished at the last. But in the mean time what? (Ver. 10. )
She hath covered the mountains with her shadow, and with
her branch the cedars of God. (Ver. 11. ) Tliou hast stretched
out Iier boughs even unto the sea, and even unto the river
her shoots. This requireth the office of an expositor, that
of a reader and praiser1 doth not suffice: aid me with'oneMs.
the sight of her?
106 Jewish and Christian Church, one vineyard.
Psalm attention ; for the mention of this vineyard in this Psalm is LXXX. wont to overcioud witil darkness the inattentive. For the greatness of this vineyard hath been already explained by
us: and whence she arose, and whence she became great, hath been said before. A way Thou hast made in the sight of her, and Thou hast planted her roots, and she hath filted the earth: hath been said in reference to her perfection. But nevertheless the first Jewish nation w as this vine. But the Jewish nation reigned as far as the sea and as far as the
Numb, river. As far as the sea; it appeareth in Scripture that the
34' 6'
Ps. 72,8. not from sea even unto sea, and from the river even unto the ends of the round world ; this is the future perfection of the vineyard, concerning which in tins place he hath foretold, A way Thou hast made in the sight of her, and Thou hast planted her roots, and she hath filted the earth. When, I
say, he had foretold to thee the perfection, he returneth to the beginning, out of which the perfection was made. Of the beginning wilt thou hear? Even unto the sea, and even
Ps. 72,8. unto the river. Of the end wilt thou hear? He shall have dominion from sea even unto sea, and from the river even unto the ends of the round world: that she hath filted the earth. Let us look then to the testimony of Asaph, as to what was done to the first vineyard, and what must be expected for the second vineyard, nay to the same vineyard.
John
Acts
For she the self-same: for she not another. Thence Christ, the " Salvation out of the Jews," thence the Apostles, thence the first believers, and they that laid the prices of their goods before the feet of the Apostles, thence all these things. And any of the branches were broken off, because
sea was in the vicinity thereof. And as far as the river Jordan. For on the other side of Jordan some part of the Jews was established, but within Jordan was the whole nation. Therefore, even unto the sea and even unto the river, is the kingdom of the Jews, the kingdom of Israel : but
Rom. of unbelief they were broken But thou, people of the 11, 20. GenMes^ stand fast in faith: be not high-minded, but fear. For God hath not spared the natural branches, neither
will He spare thee. But thou art highminded, thou dost not bear the root, but the root thee. What then, the vineyard before the sight whereof way was made, that she should
a
if
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if
if
is
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is
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3? '
4' 2,
4,
Mountains in her shadow. What cavsed God's Judgments. 107
fill the earth, at first was where ? Her shadow covered the Ver. mountains. Who are the mountains ? The Prophets. Why
did her shadow cover them ? Because
the things which were foretold as to come. Thou hearest from the Prophets, Keep the Sabbath-day, on the eighth day circumcise a child, offer sacrifice of ram, of calf, of he-goat. Be not troubled, her shadow doth cover the mountains of God; there will come after the shadow a manifestation. And her shrubs the cedars of God, that is, she hath covered the cedars of God; very lofty, but of God. For the cedars are types of the proud, that must needs be overthrown. The cedars of Lebanon, the heights of the world, this vineyard did cover in growing, and the mountains of God, all the holy Prophets and Patriarchs.
10. But how far hast Thou stretched out her boughs?
(Ver. 11. ) Even unto the sea and unto the river her shoots.
Then what? Wherefore hast Thou thrown down her enclosure ? Now ye see the overthrow of that nation of
the Jews : already out of another Psalm ye have heard,
with axe and hammer 1 they hare thrown her down. When Ps. 74,6. could this have been done, except her enclosure had been ^0? ' thrown down. What is her enclosure ? Her defence. For
she bore herself proudly against her planter. The servants
that were sent to her and demanded a recompense, the hus-Mat. 2i, bandmen they scourged, beat, slew: there catne also the36'&c- Only Son, they said, This is the Heir; come, let us kill Him,
and our own the inheritance will be : they killed Him, and
out of the vineyard they cast Him forth. When cast forth,
cast forth. For thus He threatens her through Isaiah,
throw down her enclosure. Wherefore ? For I
she should bring forth grapes, but she brought forth thorns. I looked for fruit from thence, and I found sin. Why then dost thou ask, O Asaph, Why hast Thou thrown down her enclosure ? For knowest thou not why ? I looked that she should do judgment, and she did iniquity. Must not her enclosure needs be thrown down ? And there came the Gentiles when the enclosure was thrown down, the vineyard was assailed, and the kingdom of the Jews effaced. This at
darkly they spake
He did more perfectly possess the place whence HeI was
first he is lamenting, but not without hope. For of directing
witlu. 6, 2. looked that
108 The ' boar from the wood,' a fierce Gentile power.
Psalm the heart he is now speaking, that is, for the " Assyrians," LXXA' for " men directing," the Psalm is. Wherefore hast Thou thrown down her enclosure: and there pluck off her grapes all men passing along the way. What is men passing along
Ps. 96, 12
the way?
Men having dominion for a time.
11. Ver. 13. Tliere hath laid her waste the boar from the
wood. In the boar from the wood what do we understand ? To the Jews a swine is an abomination, and in a swine they imagine as it were the uncleanness of the Gentiles. But by the Gentiles was overthrown the nation of the Jews: but that king who overthrew, was not only an unclean swine, but was also a boar. For what is a boar but a savage swine, a furious swine? A boar from the wood halh laid her waste. From the wood, from the Gentiles. For she was a vineyard, but the Gentiles were woods. But when the Gentiles be- lieved, there was said what ? " Then there shall exult all the trees of the woods. " The boar from the wood hath laid her waste; and a singular wild beast hath devoured her. A singular wild beast is what ? The very boar that laid her waste is the singular wild beast. Singular, because proud. For thus saith every proud one, It is I, it is I, and no
other.
12. But with what profit is this? (Ver. 14. ) O God of
virtues turn Thou nevertheless. Although these things have been done, Turn Thou nevertheless. Look from heaven and see, and visit this vineyard. (Ver. 15. ) And perfect Thou her whom Thy right hand hath planted. No other plant Thou, but this make Thou perfect. For she is the very seed of
Gen. 22, Abraham, she is the very seed in whom all nations shall be blessed: there is the root where is borne the gr. iffed wild olive. Perfect Thou this vineyard which Thy right hand hath planted. But wherein doth He perfect? And upon the Son of man, whom Thou hast strengthened to Thyself. What can be more evident ? Why do ye still expect, that we should still explain to you in discourse, and should we not rather cry out with you in admiration, Perfect Thou this vineyard which Thy right hand hath planted, and, upon the Son of man perfect her? What Son of man ? Him Whom
l 11.
Tliou hast strengthened to Thyself. A mighty stronghold :
Cor. 3, build as much as thou art able. For other foundation no
Sins are to be extermmated by God's rebuke. 109
one is able to lay, except that which is laid, which is Christ Jesus.
13. Ver. 16. Things burned with fire, and dug up, by the All sins
rebuke of Thy countenance shall perish. What are the? |Jj,e things burned with fire and dug up which shall perish from desireor the rebuke of His countenance. Let us see and perceive offear' what are the things burned with fire and dug up. Christ
hath rebuked what? Sins : by the rebuke of His countenance
sins have perished. Why then are sins burned with fire and
dug up ? Of all sins, two things are the cause in man, desire
and fear. Think, examine, question your hearts, sift your consciences, see whether there can be sins, except they be
either of desire, or of fear. There is set before thee a reward
to induce thee to sin, that is, a thing which delighteth thee ;
thou doest because thou desirest it. But perchance thou
wilt not be allured by bribes; thou art terrified with menaces,
thou doest because thou fearest. man would bribe thee,
for example, to bear false witness. Countless cases there
are, but am setting before you the plainer cases, whereby
ye may imagine the rest. last thou hearkened unto God,
and hast thou said in thy heart, What doth profit a man, Mat. 16,
he gain the whole world, but ofhis own soul suffer loss? 26,
am not allured by bribe to lose my soul to gain money, lor'life'
He tumeth himself to stir up fear within thee, he who was not able to corrupt thee with bribe, beginneth to threaten loss, banishment, massacres, perchance, and death. Therein now, if desire prevailed not, perchance fear will prevail to make thee sin. But furthermore, out of the Scriptures there comcth into thy mind, forbidding desire, what doth profit a man, he gain the whole world, but his own soul suffer loss: let there come also into thy mind, forbidding fear,
Fear not them who kill body, but soul are not able to kill. Mat. 10, Whosoever will kill thee may do as far as the body, as for28'
the soul he may not. Thy soul will not die unless thou shalt
have willed to kill it. Let another's iniquity slay thy flesh,
so long as the truth preserveth thy soul. But from the truth thou shalt have started aside, what more will the enemy do to thee than thou art of thyself doing to thyself? The raging enemy able to kill thy flesh but thou by bearing
false witness art killing thy soul. Flear the Scripture. The wisd. 11.
Ver. 16'
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it
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if if
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it
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110 Fear, and love, the cause of right or wrong actions.
Psaim mouth which lieth slayeth the soul. Therefore, my brethren, unto every right deed love and fear do lead : unto every sin
and fear do lead. To make thee do well, thou lovest God and fearest God : to make thee do ill, thou lovest the world and fearest the world. Let these two things be turned unto good : thou didst love the earth, love life eternal ; thou didst fear d<<ath, fear hell. Whatever to thee if unrighteous the world hath promised, will it be able to give as much as God will give to the righteous ? Whatever the world hath threatened thee if righteous, will it be able to do what God
doeth to the unrighteous ? Wilt thou see what God will Mat. 26, give, if thou shalt have lived righteously ? Come, ye blessed
3*'
andfear. love
ofMy Father, receive the kingdom which hath been prepared for you from the beginning of the world. Wilt thou see what Ib. v. 4i. He will do to ungodly men? Go ye into fire everlasting, which hath been prepared for the devil and his angeh. It
is well thou wouldest have nothing else than that it should be well with thee. For in that thing which thou lovest, thou wouldest have it well with thee ; and in that thing which thou fearest, thou wouldest not that it should be ill with thee : but thou dost not seek it in that country wherein it ought to be sought. Thou art in haste : for thou wouldest be both without indigence and without trouble. A good thing it is which thou wouldest have, but endure that which thou wouldest not, in order that thou mayest attain unto
that which thou wouldest. Furthermore, the face of Him effacing sins shall do what ? What are the sins set alight with fire and dug up ? What had evil love done ? A fire, as it were, it had set alight. What had evil fear done ? It had dug up, as it were. For love doth inflame, fear doth humble: therefore, sins of evil love, with fire were lighted : sins of evil fear, were dug up. On the one hand, evil fear dolh humble, and good love doth light ; but in different ways respectively. For even the husbandman interceding for the tree, that it
I will dig about it, and will apply a basket of dung. The dug trench doth signify the godly humility of one fearing, and the basket of dung the
Lukel3, should not be cut down, saith, 8-
profitable squalid state of one repenting. But concerning
I^ukel2,the fire of good love the Lord saith, Fire I
have come to send into the world. With which fire may the fervent in spirit
God quickening us, u>e depart not from Him. 1 1 1
barn, and they too that are inflamed with the love of God Ver. and their neighbour. And thus, as all good works are 17' 18- wrought by good fear and good love, so by evil fear and
evil love all sins are committed. Therefore, Things set
alight withfire and dug up, to wit, all sins, by the rebuke of Thy countenance shall perish.
14. Ver. 17. Let Thy hand be upon the Man of Thy right hand, awl upon the Son of Man Whom Thou hast strengthened
Thyself. (Ver. 18. ) And we depart not from Thee. How
long is the generation crooked and provoking, and one Ps. 78,8. which directeth not their heart ? Let Asaph say, Let Thy
mercy shew herself, do well with Thy vineyard ; perfect her. Forasmuch as blindness in part befel Israel, in order that ~Rom. il,
the fulness of the Gentiles might come in, and so all Israel25' might be saved. Thy face having been shewn upon the Man of Thy right hand, Whom Thou hast strengthened to Thyself, we depart not from Thee. How long dost Thou rebuke us ?
How long censure? 'JTiis do, And we depart not from Thee. Thou wilt quicken us, and Thy Name we will invoke. Thou shall be sweet to us, Thou wilt quicken us. For aforetime
we did love earth, not Thee: but Thou hast mortified our Col. 3, members which are upon the earth. For the Old Testament,6' having earthly promises, seemeth to exhort that God should
not be loved for nought, but that He should be loved because
He giveth something on earth. What dost thou love, so as not to love God ? Tell me. Love, if thou canst, any thing which He hath not made. Look round upon the whole creation, see whether in any place thou art held with the birdlime of desire, and hindered from loving the Creator,
except it be by that very thing which He hath Himself created, Whom thou despisest. But why dost thou love those things, except because they are beautiful ? Can they be as beautiful as He by Whom they were made ? Thou admirest these things, because thou seest not Him : but through those things which thou admirest, love Him Whom thou seest not. Examine the creation ; if of itself it stay therein but of Him, for no other reason pre judicial to lover, than because preferred to the Creator. Why have said this? With reference to this verse, brethren. Dead, say, were they that did worship
I
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is I
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112 IVhat gifts God reserves for them that love Him.
Psalm God that it might be well with them after the flesh : For to ^-xxx- be wise after the flesh is death : and dead are they that do 6. ' not worship God gratis, that is, because of Himself He is
good, not because He giveth such and such good things, which He giveth even to men not good. Money wilt thou have of God ? Even a robber hath it. Wife, abundance of children, soundness of body, the world's dignity, observe how many evil men have. Is this all for the sake of which thou
Pb. 73,2. dost worship Him? Thy feet will totter, thou wilt suppose thyself to worship without cause, when thou seest those things to be with them who do not worship Him. All these things, I say, He giveth even to evil men, Himself alone
Lat. LXXX.
He reserveth for good men. Thou wilt quicken
dead we were, when to earthly things we did cleave ; dead we were, when of the earthly man we did bear the image.
Thou wilt quicken us; Thou wilt renew us, the life of the inward man Thou wilt give us. And Thy Name we will invoke ; that is, Thee we will love. Thou to us wilt be the sweet forgiver of our sins, Thou wilt be the entire reward of the justified. (Ver. 20. ) O Lord God of virtues, convert ms, and shew Thy face, and we shall be whole.
PSALM LXXXI. EXPOSITION.
A Sermon to the people of Carthage.
We have undertaken to speak to you of the present Psalm ; let your quietness aid our voice, for it is somewhat worn out : the attention of the hearers, and the help of Him Who bids me speak, will give it strength. For a Title this Psalm hath, Unto the end for the presses, on the fifth of the Sabbath, a Psalm to Asaph himself. Into one title many mysteries are heaped together, still so that the lintel of the Psalm indicates the things within. As we have to speak of
the presses, let no one expect that we shall speak of a vat, ' Hscinisof a press, of olive baskets because neither the Psalm hath
us; for
Troubles to be expected in the ' winepress' of the Church. 1 13
this, and therefore it indicateth the greater mystery. Far Title. indeed if the text of the Psalm contained any thing of the
sort, there would be some one who would imagine that the presses were to be taken to the letter, and nothing more to
be sought there, nor any thing put mystically, and signified in sacred meaning ; but he would say, The Psalm speaketh simply of presses, and thou tellest me of I know not what beside that thou imaginest !
No such thing did ye hear in this when it was reading. Therefore take the presses for the mystery of the Church, which is now transacting. In the presses we observe three things, pressure, and of the pressure two things, one to be
laid up, the other to be thrown away. There takes place
then in the press a treading, a crushing, a weight : and with
these the oil strains out secretly into the vat, the lees run Kernel
nm
openly down the streets.
Look intently on this great spectacle. For God ceaseth
not to exhibit to us that which we may look upon with great joy, nor is the madness of the Circus to be compared with this spectacle. That belongeth to the lees, this to the oil. When therefore ye hear the blasphemers babble impudently and say that distresses abound in Christian times ; for ye know that they love to say this : and it is an old proverb, yet one that began from Christian times, ' God gives no rain ; count it to the Christians? ! ' Although it was those of old that said thus. But these now say also, ' That God sends rain, count it to the Christians ! God sends no rain ; we sow not. God sends rain; we reap not! ' And they wilfully make that an occasion of shewing pride, which ought to make them more earnest in supplication, choosing
rather to blaspheme than to pray.
When therefore they talk of such things, when they make
such boasts, when they say these things, and say them in defiance, not with fear, but with loftiness, let them not
? ' Due ad Christianos. ' al. (Heat and St. Cyprian to Demetrianus, Christianus,' with other variations, speaking of the like complaints with The Ben. Editor refers to DeCiv. Dei, respect to other calamities ; to which
c. 3. where a similar proverb" may be added, St. Aug. De Civ. Dei, noticed, and Tertull. Apol.
27. ends of the earth : hath not the very people that cometh of
Abraham had its own wall, which rejoiceth in the corner, seeing
that it hath been written, A remnant shall be saved ? Stir Rom. 9,
Thou up Thy power. For weak Thou wast when it was being27' said, IfSon of God He is, let Him come down from the Cross. Mat. 27, Thou wast seeming to have no power: the persecutor had40'
pow er over Thee : and Thou didst shew this aforetime, for
Jacob too himself prevailed in wrestling, a man with an Gen. 32, angel. Would he at any time, except the angel had been26' willing? And man prevailed, and the angel was conquered:
and victorious man holdeth the angel, and saith,
let thee go, except thou shall have blessed me. A great
sacrament ! He both standeth conquered, and blesseth the conqueror. Conquered, because he willed it; in flesh weak,
in majesty strong. And he blessed him ; Thou sfialt be lb. 28. called, he saith, Israel. Nevertheless also he touched the hollow of the thigh, and it shrank, and the same one man he
made both blessed and halt. Thou seest that the people of
the Jews have halted: see therein also the family of the Apostles. Stir up, therefore, Thy power. How long dost Thou seem weak? Having been crucified of weakness, 2 Cor. rise Thou in power : Stir up Thy power, and come Thou, 13 ' 4 ' to save us.
4. Ver. 8. O God, convert us. For averse we have been from Thee, and except Thou convert us, we shall not be converted. And illumine Thy face, and we shall be saved. Hath He any wise a darkened face ? He hath not a darkened face, but He placed before it a cloud of flesh, and
as it were a veil of weakness ; and when He hung on the
tree, He was not thought the Same as He was after to be acknowledged when He was sitting in Heaven. For thus it
hath come to pass. Christ present on the earth, and doing miracles, Asaph knew not ; but when He had died, after that
He rose again, and ascended into Heaven, he knew Him.
He was pricked to the heart, and he may have spoken' also" Oxf. of Him this testimony which now we acknowledge in this ^*J'e,he Psalm ; Illumine Thou Thy face, and we shall be whole.
/will not
104 Prayer, under the chastisement of sons.
Psalm Thou didst cover Thy face, and we were sick : illumine
----1
LXXX Thou the same, and we shall be whole.
5. Ver. 4. O Lord God of virtues, how long wilt Thou be angry with the prayer of Thy servant ? Now Thy servant. Thou wast angry at the prayer of Thy enemy, wilt Thou still be angry with the prayer of Thy servant ? Thou hast converted us, we know Thee, and wilt Thou still be angry with the prayer of Thy servant ? Thou wilt evidently be angry, in fact, as a father correcting, not as a judge con demning. In such manner evidently Thou wilt be angry,
Ecclus. because it hath been written, My son, drawing near unto
2'
the service of God, stand thou in righteousness and in fear, and prepare thy soul for temptation. Think not that now the wrath of God hath passed away, because thou hast been
1 so Oxf. converted. The wrath of God' hath passed away from thee,
only so that it condemn not for everlasting. But He Heb. l2,scourgeth, He spareth not: because He scourgeth every
ge^',it,but
6'
son whom He receiveth. If thou refusest to be scourged, why dost thou desire to be received? He scourgeth every son whom He recciveth. He scourgeth every one, Who did not spare even His only Son. But nevertheless, How long wilt Thou be angry with the prayer of Thy servant ? No longer Thine enemy : but, Thou wilt be angry with the
prayer of Thy servant, how long ?
6. Ver. 5. There followeth : Thou wilt feed us with the
bread of tears, and wilt give us to drink with tears in
lCoT. \o,measure. What is, in measure ? Hear the Apostle; Faithful 13, is God, Who doth not suffer you to be tempted above that ye
are able to bear. The measure is, according to your powers: the measure that thou be instructed, not that thou be crushed.
7. Ver. 6. Thou hast set us for a contradiction to our neighbours. Evidently this did come to pass for out of Asaph were chosen they that should go to the Gentiles and
Acts 17, preach Christ, and should have said to them, " Who
this proclaimer of new demons*? " Thou hast set us for a
strange contradiction to our neighbours. For they were preaching
gods.
n\m Who was the subject of the contradiction. Whom did they preach That after He was dead, Christ rose again. Who would hear this Who would know this It a
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Sneers of the enemy. God's vineyard transplanted. 105
new thing. But signs did follow, and to an incredible thing Ver. miracles gave credibility. He was contradicted, but the iZlIL contradictor was conquered, and from being a contradictor
was made a believer. There, however, was a great flame:
there the martyrs fed with the bread of tears, and given to drink in tears, but in measure, not more than they were able to bear; in order that after the measure of tears there should follow a crown of joys. And our enemies hare sneered at us. And where are they that sneered ? For a long while it was said, Who are they that worship the Dead One, that adore the Crucified ? For a long while so it was said. Where is the nose of them that sneered ? Now do not they that censure flee into caves, that they may not be seen ? And our enemies have sneered at us.
8. But ye see what followeth : (ver. 7. ) O Lord God of virtues convert us, and shew Thy face, and we shall be whole. (Ver. 8. ) A vineyard out of Egypt Thou hast brought over,
Thou hast cast out the nations, and hast planted her. It was done, we know. How many nations were cast out ? Amorites, Cethites, Jebusites, Gergesites, and Evites: after whose expulsion and overthrow, there was led in the people delivered out of Egypt, into the land of promise. Whence the vineyard was cast out, and where she was planted, we have heard. Let us see what next was done, how she be lieved, how much she grew, what ground she covered. A vineyard out of Egypt Thou hast brought over, Thou hast cast out the nations, and hast planted her.
9. Ver. 9. A way Thou hast made in the sight of her, and hast planted the roots of her, and she hath filled the land. Would she have filled the land, unless a way had been made in the sight of her ? I What was the way which was made in
am, He saith, the Way, the Truth, andJohaU, the Life. With reason she hath filled the land. That hath -
now been said of this vineyard, which hath been accom
plished at the last. But in the mean time what? (Ver. 10. )
She hath covered the mountains with her shadow, and with
her branch the cedars of God. (Ver. 11. ) Tliou hast stretched
out Iier boughs even unto the sea, and even unto the river
her shoots. This requireth the office of an expositor, that
of a reader and praiser1 doth not suffice: aid me with'oneMs.
the sight of her?
106 Jewish and Christian Church, one vineyard.
Psalm attention ; for the mention of this vineyard in this Psalm is LXXX. wont to overcioud witil darkness the inattentive. For the greatness of this vineyard hath been already explained by
us: and whence she arose, and whence she became great, hath been said before. A way Thou hast made in the sight of her, and Thou hast planted her roots, and she hath filted the earth: hath been said in reference to her perfection. But nevertheless the first Jewish nation w as this vine. But the Jewish nation reigned as far as the sea and as far as the
Numb, river. As far as the sea; it appeareth in Scripture that the
34' 6'
Ps. 72,8. not from sea even unto sea, and from the river even unto the ends of the round world ; this is the future perfection of the vineyard, concerning which in tins place he hath foretold, A way Thou hast made in the sight of her, and Thou hast planted her roots, and she hath filted the earth. When, I
say, he had foretold to thee the perfection, he returneth to the beginning, out of which the perfection was made. Of the beginning wilt thou hear? Even unto the sea, and even
Ps. 72,8. unto the river. Of the end wilt thou hear? He shall have dominion from sea even unto sea, and from the river even unto the ends of the round world: that she hath filted the earth. Let us look then to the testimony of Asaph, as to what was done to the first vineyard, and what must be expected for the second vineyard, nay to the same vineyard.
John
Acts
For she the self-same: for she not another. Thence Christ, the " Salvation out of the Jews," thence the Apostles, thence the first believers, and they that laid the prices of their goods before the feet of the Apostles, thence all these things. And any of the branches were broken off, because
sea was in the vicinity thereof. And as far as the river Jordan. For on the other side of Jordan some part of the Jews was established, but within Jordan was the whole nation. Therefore, even unto the sea and even unto the river, is the kingdom of the Jews, the kingdom of Israel : but
Rom. of unbelief they were broken But thou, people of the 11, 20. GenMes^ stand fast in faith: be not high-minded, but fear. For God hath not spared the natural branches, neither
will He spare thee. But thou art highminded, thou dost not bear the root, but the root thee. What then, the vineyard before the sight whereof way was made, that she should
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Mountains in her shadow. What cavsed God's Judgments. 107
fill the earth, at first was where ? Her shadow covered the Ver. mountains. Who are the mountains ? The Prophets. Why
did her shadow cover them ? Because
the things which were foretold as to come. Thou hearest from the Prophets, Keep the Sabbath-day, on the eighth day circumcise a child, offer sacrifice of ram, of calf, of he-goat. Be not troubled, her shadow doth cover the mountains of God; there will come after the shadow a manifestation. And her shrubs the cedars of God, that is, she hath covered the cedars of God; very lofty, but of God. For the cedars are types of the proud, that must needs be overthrown. The cedars of Lebanon, the heights of the world, this vineyard did cover in growing, and the mountains of God, all the holy Prophets and Patriarchs.
10. But how far hast Thou stretched out her boughs?
(Ver. 11. ) Even unto the sea and unto the river her shoots.
Then what? Wherefore hast Thou thrown down her enclosure ? Now ye see the overthrow of that nation of
the Jews : already out of another Psalm ye have heard,
with axe and hammer 1 they hare thrown her down. When Ps. 74,6. could this have been done, except her enclosure had been ^0? ' thrown down. What is her enclosure ? Her defence. For
she bore herself proudly against her planter. The servants
that were sent to her and demanded a recompense, the hus-Mat. 2i, bandmen they scourged, beat, slew: there catne also the36'&c- Only Son, they said, This is the Heir; come, let us kill Him,
and our own the inheritance will be : they killed Him, and
out of the vineyard they cast Him forth. When cast forth,
cast forth. For thus He threatens her through Isaiah,
throw down her enclosure. Wherefore ? For I
she should bring forth grapes, but she brought forth thorns. I looked for fruit from thence, and I found sin. Why then dost thou ask, O Asaph, Why hast Thou thrown down her enclosure ? For knowest thou not why ? I looked that she should do judgment, and she did iniquity. Must not her enclosure needs be thrown down ? And there came the Gentiles when the enclosure was thrown down, the vineyard was assailed, and the kingdom of the Jews effaced. This at
darkly they spake
He did more perfectly possess the place whence HeI was
first he is lamenting, but not without hope. For of directing
witlu. 6, 2. looked that
108 The ' boar from the wood,' a fierce Gentile power.
Psalm the heart he is now speaking, that is, for the " Assyrians," LXXA' for " men directing," the Psalm is. Wherefore hast Thou thrown down her enclosure: and there pluck off her grapes all men passing along the way. What is men passing along
Ps. 96, 12
the way?
Men having dominion for a time.
11. Ver. 13. Tliere hath laid her waste the boar from the
wood. In the boar from the wood what do we understand ? To the Jews a swine is an abomination, and in a swine they imagine as it were the uncleanness of the Gentiles. But by the Gentiles was overthrown the nation of the Jews: but that king who overthrew, was not only an unclean swine, but was also a boar. For what is a boar but a savage swine, a furious swine? A boar from the wood halh laid her waste. From the wood, from the Gentiles. For she was a vineyard, but the Gentiles were woods. But when the Gentiles be- lieved, there was said what ? " Then there shall exult all the trees of the woods. " The boar from the wood hath laid her waste; and a singular wild beast hath devoured her. A singular wild beast is what ? The very boar that laid her waste is the singular wild beast. Singular, because proud. For thus saith every proud one, It is I, it is I, and no
other.
12. But with what profit is this? (Ver. 14. ) O God of
virtues turn Thou nevertheless. Although these things have been done, Turn Thou nevertheless. Look from heaven and see, and visit this vineyard. (Ver. 15. ) And perfect Thou her whom Thy right hand hath planted. No other plant Thou, but this make Thou perfect. For she is the very seed of
Gen. 22, Abraham, she is the very seed in whom all nations shall be blessed: there is the root where is borne the gr. iffed wild olive. Perfect Thou this vineyard which Thy right hand hath planted. But wherein doth He perfect? And upon the Son of man, whom Thou hast strengthened to Thyself. What can be more evident ? Why do ye still expect, that we should still explain to you in discourse, and should we not rather cry out with you in admiration, Perfect Thou this vineyard which Thy right hand hath planted, and, upon the Son of man perfect her? What Son of man ? Him Whom
l 11.
Tliou hast strengthened to Thyself. A mighty stronghold :
Cor. 3, build as much as thou art able. For other foundation no
Sins are to be extermmated by God's rebuke. 109
one is able to lay, except that which is laid, which is Christ Jesus.
13. Ver. 16. Things burned with fire, and dug up, by the All sins
rebuke of Thy countenance shall perish. What are the? |Jj,e things burned with fire and dug up which shall perish from desireor the rebuke of His countenance. Let us see and perceive offear' what are the things burned with fire and dug up. Christ
hath rebuked what? Sins : by the rebuke of His countenance
sins have perished. Why then are sins burned with fire and
dug up ? Of all sins, two things are the cause in man, desire
and fear. Think, examine, question your hearts, sift your consciences, see whether there can be sins, except they be
either of desire, or of fear. There is set before thee a reward
to induce thee to sin, that is, a thing which delighteth thee ;
thou doest because thou desirest it. But perchance thou
wilt not be allured by bribes; thou art terrified with menaces,
thou doest because thou fearest. man would bribe thee,
for example, to bear false witness. Countless cases there
are, but am setting before you the plainer cases, whereby
ye may imagine the rest. last thou hearkened unto God,
and hast thou said in thy heart, What doth profit a man, Mat. 16,
he gain the whole world, but ofhis own soul suffer loss? 26,
am not allured by bribe to lose my soul to gain money, lor'life'
He tumeth himself to stir up fear within thee, he who was not able to corrupt thee with bribe, beginneth to threaten loss, banishment, massacres, perchance, and death. Therein now, if desire prevailed not, perchance fear will prevail to make thee sin. But furthermore, out of the Scriptures there comcth into thy mind, forbidding desire, what doth profit a man, he gain the whole world, but his own soul suffer loss: let there come also into thy mind, forbidding fear,
Fear not them who kill body, but soul are not able to kill. Mat. 10, Whosoever will kill thee may do as far as the body, as for28'
the soul he may not. Thy soul will not die unless thou shalt
have willed to kill it. Let another's iniquity slay thy flesh,
so long as the truth preserveth thy soul. But from the truth thou shalt have started aside, what more will the enemy do to thee than thou art of thyself doing to thyself? The raging enemy able to kill thy flesh but thou by bearing
false witness art killing thy soul. Flear the Scripture. The wisd. 11.
Ver. 16'
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110 Fear, and love, the cause of right or wrong actions.
Psaim mouth which lieth slayeth the soul. Therefore, my brethren, unto every right deed love and fear do lead : unto every sin
and fear do lead. To make thee do well, thou lovest God and fearest God : to make thee do ill, thou lovest the world and fearest the world. Let these two things be turned unto good : thou didst love the earth, love life eternal ; thou didst fear d<<ath, fear hell. Whatever to thee if unrighteous the world hath promised, will it be able to give as much as God will give to the righteous ? Whatever the world hath threatened thee if righteous, will it be able to do what God
doeth to the unrighteous ? Wilt thou see what God will Mat. 26, give, if thou shalt have lived righteously ? Come, ye blessed
3*'
andfear. love
ofMy Father, receive the kingdom which hath been prepared for you from the beginning of the world. Wilt thou see what Ib. v. 4i. He will do to ungodly men? Go ye into fire everlasting, which hath been prepared for the devil and his angeh. It
is well thou wouldest have nothing else than that it should be well with thee. For in that thing which thou lovest, thou wouldest have it well with thee ; and in that thing which thou fearest, thou wouldest not that it should be ill with thee : but thou dost not seek it in that country wherein it ought to be sought. Thou art in haste : for thou wouldest be both without indigence and without trouble. A good thing it is which thou wouldest have, but endure that which thou wouldest not, in order that thou mayest attain unto
that which thou wouldest. Furthermore, the face of Him effacing sins shall do what ? What are the sins set alight with fire and dug up ? What had evil love done ? A fire, as it were, it had set alight. What had evil fear done ? It had dug up, as it were. For love doth inflame, fear doth humble: therefore, sins of evil love, with fire were lighted : sins of evil fear, were dug up. On the one hand, evil fear dolh humble, and good love doth light ; but in different ways respectively. For even the husbandman interceding for the tree, that it
I will dig about it, and will apply a basket of dung. The dug trench doth signify the godly humility of one fearing, and the basket of dung the
Lukel3, should not be cut down, saith, 8-
profitable squalid state of one repenting. But concerning
I^ukel2,the fire of good love the Lord saith, Fire I
have come to send into the world. With which fire may the fervent in spirit
God quickening us, u>e depart not from Him. 1 1 1
barn, and they too that are inflamed with the love of God Ver. and their neighbour. And thus, as all good works are 17' 18- wrought by good fear and good love, so by evil fear and
evil love all sins are committed. Therefore, Things set
alight withfire and dug up, to wit, all sins, by the rebuke of Thy countenance shall perish.
14. Ver. 17. Let Thy hand be upon the Man of Thy right hand, awl upon the Son of Man Whom Thou hast strengthened
Thyself. (Ver. 18. ) And we depart not from Thee. How
long is the generation crooked and provoking, and one Ps. 78,8. which directeth not their heart ? Let Asaph say, Let Thy
mercy shew herself, do well with Thy vineyard ; perfect her. Forasmuch as blindness in part befel Israel, in order that ~Rom. il,
the fulness of the Gentiles might come in, and so all Israel25' might be saved. Thy face having been shewn upon the Man of Thy right hand, Whom Thou hast strengthened to Thyself, we depart not from Thee. How long dost Thou rebuke us ?
How long censure? 'JTiis do, And we depart not from Thee. Thou wilt quicken us, and Thy Name we will invoke. Thou shall be sweet to us, Thou wilt quicken us. For aforetime
we did love earth, not Thee: but Thou hast mortified our Col. 3, members which are upon the earth. For the Old Testament,6' having earthly promises, seemeth to exhort that God should
not be loved for nought, but that He should be loved because
He giveth something on earth. What dost thou love, so as not to love God ? Tell me. Love, if thou canst, any thing which He hath not made. Look round upon the whole creation, see whether in any place thou art held with the birdlime of desire, and hindered from loving the Creator,
except it be by that very thing which He hath Himself created, Whom thou despisest. But why dost thou love those things, except because they are beautiful ? Can they be as beautiful as He by Whom they were made ? Thou admirest these things, because thou seest not Him : but through those things which thou admirest, love Him Whom thou seest not. Examine the creation ; if of itself it stay therein but of Him, for no other reason pre judicial to lover, than because preferred to the Creator. Why have said this? With reference to this verse, brethren. Dead, say, were they that did worship
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112 IVhat gifts God reserves for them that love Him.
Psalm God that it might be well with them after the flesh : For to ^-xxx- be wise after the flesh is death : and dead are they that do 6. ' not worship God gratis, that is, because of Himself He is
good, not because He giveth such and such good things, which He giveth even to men not good. Money wilt thou have of God ? Even a robber hath it. Wife, abundance of children, soundness of body, the world's dignity, observe how many evil men have. Is this all for the sake of which thou
Pb. 73,2. dost worship Him? Thy feet will totter, thou wilt suppose thyself to worship without cause, when thou seest those things to be with them who do not worship Him. All these things, I say, He giveth even to evil men, Himself alone
Lat. LXXX.
He reserveth for good men. Thou wilt quicken
dead we were, when to earthly things we did cleave ; dead we were, when of the earthly man we did bear the image.
Thou wilt quicken us; Thou wilt renew us, the life of the inward man Thou wilt give us. And Thy Name we will invoke ; that is, Thee we will love. Thou to us wilt be the sweet forgiver of our sins, Thou wilt be the entire reward of the justified. (Ver. 20. ) O Lord God of virtues, convert ms, and shew Thy face, and we shall be whole.
PSALM LXXXI. EXPOSITION.
A Sermon to the people of Carthage.
We have undertaken to speak to you of the present Psalm ; let your quietness aid our voice, for it is somewhat worn out : the attention of the hearers, and the help of Him Who bids me speak, will give it strength. For a Title this Psalm hath, Unto the end for the presses, on the fifth of the Sabbath, a Psalm to Asaph himself. Into one title many mysteries are heaped together, still so that the lintel of the Psalm indicates the things within. As we have to speak of
the presses, let no one expect that we shall speak of a vat, ' Hscinisof a press, of olive baskets because neither the Psalm hath
us; for
Troubles to be expected in the ' winepress' of the Church. 1 13
this, and therefore it indicateth the greater mystery. Far Title. indeed if the text of the Psalm contained any thing of the
sort, there would be some one who would imagine that the presses were to be taken to the letter, and nothing more to
be sought there, nor any thing put mystically, and signified in sacred meaning ; but he would say, The Psalm speaketh simply of presses, and thou tellest me of I know not what beside that thou imaginest !
No such thing did ye hear in this when it was reading. Therefore take the presses for the mystery of the Church, which is now transacting. In the presses we observe three things, pressure, and of the pressure two things, one to be
laid up, the other to be thrown away. There takes place
then in the press a treading, a crushing, a weight : and with
these the oil strains out secretly into the vat, the lees run Kernel
nm
openly down the streets.
Look intently on this great spectacle. For God ceaseth
not to exhibit to us that which we may look upon with great joy, nor is the madness of the Circus to be compared with this spectacle. That belongeth to the lees, this to the oil. When therefore ye hear the blasphemers babble impudently and say that distresses abound in Christian times ; for ye know that they love to say this : and it is an old proverb, yet one that began from Christian times, ' God gives no rain ; count it to the Christians? ! ' Although it was those of old that said thus. But these now say also, ' That God sends rain, count it to the Christians ! God sends no rain ; we sow not. God sends rain; we reap not! ' And they wilfully make that an occasion of shewing pride, which ought to make them more earnest in supplication, choosing
rather to blaspheme than to pray.
When therefore they talk of such things, when they make
such boasts, when they say these things, and say them in defiance, not with fear, but with loftiness, let them not
? ' Due ad Christianos. ' al. (Heat and St. Cyprian to Demetrianus, Christianus,' with other variations, speaking of the like complaints with The Ben. Editor refers to DeCiv. Dei, respect to other calamities ; to which
c. 3. where a similar proverb" may be added, St. Aug. De Civ. Dei, noticed, and Tertull. Apol.
