Many are the tribulations of the
righteous
; but the Lord delivereth him out of all.
Augustine - Exposition on the Psalms - v1
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360 Learn of Christ. Error of seeking 'good days' here.
Psalm they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing: but
SerjT wnat manner of good, I have already said, I II. 16. Ver. 11. Come, ye children, hearken unto me:
will teach you the fear of the Lord. Ye think ', brethren, that I say this : think that David saith it ; think that an Apostle saith
it; nay think that our Lord Jesus Christ Himself saith it; Come, ye children, hearken unto Me. Let us hearken unto Him together; hearken ye unto Him through us. For He would teach us ; He the Humble, He that drurumeth, He that affecteth, would teach us. And what saith He ? Come, ye children, hearken unto Me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord. Let Him then teach, let us give ear, let us give heart. Let us not open the ears of the flesh, and shut those of the heart; but as He Himself said in His Gospel,
Mat. 11, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. Who would not hear Christ teaching through His Prophet ?
1 7. Ver. 1 2. What man is he that desireth life, and loveth to see good days ? He asketh a question. Doth not every one among you answer, I ? Is there any man among you that loveth not life, that is, that desireth not life, and loveth not to see good days ? Do ye not daily thus murmur, and thus speak ; How long shall we suffer these things ? Daily are they worse and worse : in our fathers' time were days more
joyful, were days better. O if thou couldest ask those same, thy fathers, in like manner would they murmur to thee of their own days. Our fathers were happy, miserable are we, evil days have we : such an one ruled over us, we thought that after his death might some refreshing be given to us; worse things have come : O God, shew unto us good days ! What man is he that desireth life, and loveth to see good days ? Let him not seek here good days. A good thing he seeketh, but not in its right place doth he seek it. As, if thou shouldest seek some
righteous man in a country, wherein he lived not, it would be said to thee, A good man thou seekest, a great man thou seekest, seek him still, but not here ; in vain thou seekest him here, thou wilt never find
him. Good days thou seekest, together let us seek them, seek not here. But our fathers had them. Ye are deceived : all men here have so laboured. Read the Scriptures ;
r Most Mss. * Think,' imperative, as in the other clauses.
Times not worse than ofold. Nothing safe but fear of God. 367
therefore God willed them to be written, that we might have Ver. consolation. In the time of Elias was there a famine, our--',--- fathers suffered it. The heads of dead beasts were sold for
gold ; they slew their own people, and ate them ; and two women agreed together to kill their sons, and eat them ; one killed her son, and the two ate him together; the other refused to kill her son, and she who had first slain her son
sued her, and this her suit came before the king, they betook themselves even before the king, contending concern
ing the slaying of their sons. As concerning such food, God 2 Kings avert what we read. Always are there evil days in this6'25'30.
world, but always good days in God. Good days had Abraham, but within, in his heart: evil days had he, when through famine he changed his place, and sought food. So Gen. 12,
all men have sought food. Had Paul good days, who saith,
In hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and naked-
ness? But let not the servants be wroth the Lord Himself11' 27. had not good days in this world insults, injuries, the Cross,
and all those evils did He suffer.
18. Let not a Christian then murmur, let him see whose steps he followeth but he loveth good days, let him hearken unto Him teaching and saying, Come, ye children, hearken unto Me will teach you the fear of the Lord. What wouldest thou Life and good days. Hear, and do. (Ver. 13. ) Keep thy tongue from evil. This do. will not, saith miserable man, will not keep my tongue from evil, and
desire life and good days. If workman of thine should say to thee, indeed lay waste this vineyard, yet require of thee my reward thou broughtest me to the vineyard to lop and prune cut away all the useful wood, will cut short also the very trunks of the vines, that thou have thereon nothing to gather, and when have done this, thou shalt re pay to me my labour. Wouldest thou not call him mad Wouldest thou not drive him from thy house or ever he put
bis hand to the knife Such are those men, who would both do evil, and swear falsely, and speak blasphemy against God, and murmur, and defraud, and be drunken, and dispute, and commit adultery, and use charms, and consult diviners, and withal see good days. To such said, thou canst not doing ill seek good reward. If thou art unjust, shall God
yet
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368 The Law of Love goes beyond abstinence from crime.
Psalm also be unjust ? What shall I do, then ? What desirest xxxiv. thou ? Life 1 desire, good days I desire. Keep thy tongue II. from evil, and thy lips that they speak no guile, that is,
defraud not any, lie not to any.
19. But what is, Depart from evil? It is little that thou
injure none, murder none, steal not, commit not adultery, do no wrong, speak no false witness ; Depart from evil. When thou hast departed, thou sayest, Now I am safe, I have done all, I shall have life, I shall see good days. Not only saith he, Depart from evil, but also, and do good. It is nothing that thou spoil not: clothe the naked. If thou hast not spoiled, thou hast declined from evil ; but thou wilt not do good, except thou receive the stranger into thine house. So
then depart from evil, as to do good. Seek peace, and ensue it. He hath not said, Thou shalt have peace here ; seek it, and ensue it. Whither shall 1 ensue it ? Whither it hath gone before. For the Lord is our peace, hath risen again, and hath ascended into Heaven. Seek peace, and ensue it ; because when thou also hast risen, this mortal shall be changed, and thou shalt embrace peace there where no man shall trouble thee. For there is perfect peace, where thou wilt not hunger. For here it is bread that maketh thy peace :
withhold bread, and see what a war there will be within thy bowels. How is it that even the righteous groan here, Brethren ? That ye may know that here we seek peace, but shall obtain it only in the end. But in part must we have it here, that there we may deserve it wholly. What is, in part ? Let us be peaceful here, let us love our neighbour as ourselves. So love thy brother as thyself, be at peace with
him. But there cannot but exist some strifes, as between Acts i5, brethren and between Saints have existed, as between Bar-
s9,
nabas and Paul, but not such as to destroy concord, not such as to inteiTupt charity. For even thyself thou some times resistest, and yet thou hatest not thyself. For every one who repenteth of any thing, striveth with himself. He hath sinned, he returneth, he is angry with himself that he hath done this, that he hath committed that. Therefore he is at strife with himself, but that strife tendeth to concord. See how a certain righteous man striveth with himself, say-
Ps. 42, ing, Why art thou sorrowful, O my soul; and why dost 2.
God cares for us when He seems not to hear.
thou disquiet me? Hope thou in God; for
Him. When he saith to his soul, Why dost thou disquiet me ? it surely did disquiet him. He wished perhaps himself to suffer for Christ, and his soul became sorrowful.
who knew and said, Why art thou sorrowful, O my soul, and why dost thou disquiet me ? had not yet peace with himself; but in his heart he clave unto Christ, that his soul might follow Him, and not disquiet himself. ISeek then peace, Brethren. The Lord saith, These things
have spoken unto John you, that in me ye might have peace. Peace in this world33'
16,
I promise not unto you. In this life is not true peace,
neither tranquillity. The joy of immortality, the society of Angels, is promised. But whoever hath not sought it while here he hath been, shall not have when there he shall arrive.
20. Ver. 15. The Eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous: fear not then; labour; the eyes of the Lord are upon thee. And His Ears are open unto iheir prayers. What wouldest thou more If an householder in great house should not hearken to servant murmuring, he would complain, and say, What hardship do we here suffer, and none heareth us. Canst thou say this of God, What hardships suffer, and none heareth me If He heard me, haply, sayest thou, He would take away my tribulation cry unto Him, and yet have tribulation. Only do thou hold fast His ways, and when thou art in tribulation, He heareth thee. But He a Physician, and still hast thou something of putrefaction thou criest out, but still He cutteth, and taketh not away His Hand, until He hath cut as much as pleaseth Him. For that Physician cruel who heareth man, and spareth his wound and putrefaction. How do mothers rub their chil dren in the baths for their health. Do not the little ones cry out in their hands Are they then cruel because they spare not, nor hearken unto their tears Are they not full of affection And yet the children cry out, and are not
So our God also full of charity, but therefore
seemeth He not to hear, that He may spare and heal us for
everlasting.
21. The Eyes the Lord are upon the righteous, and His Ears are open unto their prayers. Haply say the wicked,
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370 Those not less delivered who are saved invisibly.
Psalm securely do evil, because the Eyes of the Lord are not upon xxxiv. me . qo(l aitendeth to the righteous, me He seeth not, and ir. whatever I do, I do securely. Immediately added the Holy Spirit, seeing the thoughts of men, and said, The Eyes of the
Lord are upon the righteous, and His Ears are open unto their prayers : (ver. 16. ) but the Face of the Lord is against them that do evil; to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.
22. Ver. 17. The righteous cried, and the Lord heard them, and delivered them out of all their troubles. Righteous were the Three Children ; out of the furnace cried they unto the Lord, and in His praises their flames cooled. The flame could not approach nor hurt the innocent and righteous Children
Dan. 3, praising God, and He delivered them out of the fire. Some one saith, Lo, truly righteous were those who were heard, as it is written, The righteous cried, and the Lord heard them,
and delivered them out of all their troubles: but I have
cried, and He delivereth me not ; either I am not righteous, 1 al. audor I do not1 the things which He commandeth me, or haply
0 no ' He seeth me not. Fear not : only do what He commandeth ; and if He deliver thee not bodily, He will deliver thee
spiritually.
For He Who took out of the fire the Three Chil-
2 Mac. dren, did He take out of the fire the Maccabees ? Did not 73.
the first sing hymns in the flames, these last in the flames expire ? The God of the Three Children, was not He the God also of the Maccabees ? The one He delivered, the other He delivered not. Nay, He delivered both : but the Three Children He so delivered, that even the carnal were con founded ; but the Maccabees therefore He delivered not so, that those who persecuted them should go into greater tor ments, while they thought that they had overcome God's
Acts 12, Martyrs. He delivered Peter, when the Angel came unto him being in prison, and said, Arise, and go forth, and sud denly his chains were loosed, and he followed the Angel, and He delivered him. Had Peter lost righteousness when He delivered him not from the cross ? Did He not deliver him then ? Even then He delivered him. Did his long life make him unrighteous ? Haply He heard him more at last than at first, when truly he delivered him out of all his troubles. For when He first delivered him, how many things
Troubles of Saints. Bones of Chrisfs Body kept whole. 371
did he suffer afterwards ! For thither He sent him at last, Vrr. where he could have suffered no evil. i-----
23. Ver. 18. The Lord is nigh unto them that have broken their heart ; and saveth such as be lowly in spirit. God is High : let a Christian be lowly. If he would that the Most High God draw nigh unto him, let him be lowly. A great mystery, Brethren. God is above all : thou raisest thyself, and touchest not Him : thou humblest thyself, and He de- scendeth unto thee. (Ver. 19. ) Many are the troubles ofthe righteous : doth He say, Therefore let Christians be righteous, therefore let them hear My Word, that they may suffer no tribulation ? He promiseth not this ; but saith, Many are the troubles of the righteous. Rather, if they be unrighteous they have fewer troubles, if righteous they have many. But after few tribulations, or none, these shall come to tribulation everlasting, whence they shall never be delivered: but the righteous after many tribulations shall come to peace ever lasting, where they shall never suffer any evil.
Many are the tribulations of the righteous ; but the Lord delivereth him out of all.
24. Ver. 20. The Lord keepeth all their bones: not one of them shall be broken : this also, Brethren, let us not receive carnally. Bones are the firm supports of the faithful. For
as in flesh our bones give firmness, so in the heart of a Christian it is faith that gives firmness. The patience then which is in faith, is as the bones of the inner man : this is
that which cannot be broken. The Lord keepeth all their bones: not one of them shall be broken. If of our Lord God Jesus Christ he had said this, The Lord keepeth all the
bones of His Son ; not one of them shall be broken ,? as is prefigured of Him also in another place, when the lamb was spoken of that should be slain, and it was said of Neither Exoi- shall ye break a bone thereof: then was fulfilled in the 12, 46. Lord, because when He hung upon the Cross, He expired
before they came to the Cross, and found His Body lifeless Johnl9 already, and would not break His legs, that might be33. fulfilled which was written. But He gave this promise to
other Christians also, The Lord keepeth all their bones; not
one of them shall be broken. Therefore, Brethren, we see any Saint suffer tribulation, and haply either by Physician
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372 Promise to be taken spiritually. Good and ill death.
Psalm so cut, or by some persecutor so mangled, that his bones be
XXXIV broken ; let us not say, This man was not righteous, for this Skrm
Ii. hath the Lord promised to His righteous, of whom He said, The Lord keepeth all their bones ; not one of them shall be
broken. Wouldest thou see that He spoke of other bones, those which we called the firm supports of faith, that is, patience and endurance in all tribulations ? For these are the bones which are not broken. Hear, and see ye in the very Passion of our Lord, what I say. The Lord was in the middle Crucified ; near Him were two thieves : the one mocked, the other believed : the one was condemned, the other justified: the one had his punishment both in this world, and thIat which shall be, but unto the other said the
say unto thee, To-day shalt thou be with Me in Paradise ; and yet those who came brake not the bones of the Lord, but of the thieves they brake: as much were broken the bones of the thief who blasphemed, as of the thief who believed. Where then is that which is spoken, The Lord keepeth all their bones ; not one of them shall be broken ? Lo, unto whom He said, To-day shalt thou be with
me in Paradise, could He not keep all his bones ? The Lord answereth thee: Yea, I kept them; for the firm sup port of his faith could not be broken by those blows whereby his legs were broken.
25. Ver. 21. The death of sinners is the worst. Attend, Brethren, for the sake of those things which I said. Truly Great is the Lord, and His Mercy, truly Great is He Who gave to us to eat His Body, wherein He suffered such great things, and His Blood to drink. How regardeth He them that think evil and say, ' Such an one died ill, by beasts was he devoured : he was not a righteous man, therefore he perished ill; for else would he not have perished. ' Is he then righteous, who dieth in his own house and in his own bed ? This then (sayest thou) it is whereat I wonder; because I know the sins and the crimes of this same man, and yet he died well ; in his own house, within his own doors, with no injury
/al. evenof travel, with none even in mature1 age. Hearken, The
Luke23,Lord, Verily
death of sinners is worst. What seemeth to thee a good outwardly lying on his bed, dost thou see him inwardly
at no
prema. . .
rare. death, is worst if thou couldest see within. Thou seest him
Deaths of Dives and Lazariu :ompared. S73 carried to hell ? Hearken, Brethren, and learn from the Ver.
Gospel, what is the ' worst death' of sinners. Were there
-- not two in that age1, a rich man who was clothed in purple 1 >>1? ' in
and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day ; another a WOrld. ' poor man who lay at his door full of sores, and the dogsLuke16, came and licked his sores, and he desired to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table ? Now it came
to pass that the poor man died, (righteous was that poor man,)
and was carried by Angels into Abraham's bosom. He who
saw his body lying at the rich man's door, and no man to
bury what haply said he? . So die he who my enemy;
and whoever persecutes me, so may see him. His body accursed with spitting, his wounds stink and yet in Abra
ham's bosom he resteth. Ifwe are Christians, let us believe:
if we believe not, Brethren, let none feign himself Christian.
Faith bringeth us to the end. As the Lord spake these things, so are they. Doth indeed an astrologer2 speak unto^mathe-
thee, and true, and doth Christ speak, and false But by what sort of death died the rich man What sort of death must not be in purple and fine linen, how sumptuous, how pompous What funeral ceremonies were there In what spices was that body buried And yet when he was in hell, being in torments, from the finger of that despised poor man he desired one drop of water to be poured upon his burning tongue, and obtained not. Learn then what meaneth,
The death sinners worst and ask not beds covered with costly garments, and to have the flesh wrapped in many rich things, friends exhibiting shew of lamentation, household beating their breasts, crowd of attendants going before and following when the body carried out, marble
and gilded memorials. For ye ask those things, they answer you what false, that of many not light sinners, but altogether wicked, the death best, who have deserved to be so lamented, so embalmed, so covered, so carried out, so entombed. But ask the Gospel, and will shew to your faith the soul of the rich man burning in torments, which was nothing profited by all those honours and obsequies, which to his dead body the vanity of the living did afford.
26. But because there are many kinds of sinners, and not to be sinner difficult, or perhaps in this life impossible,
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374 Salvation through Christ. David a Type of Him.
Psalm he added immediately, of what kind of sinners the death is
YXX V worst. And they that hate the righteous one
Serm. (saith he)
shall perish. What righteous one, but Him that justifieth 5TM' ' the ungodly ? Whom, but our Lord Jesus Christ, Who is also l John the propitiation for our sins? Who then hate Him, have the
Lat. XXXIV.
worst death; because they die in their sins, who are not through Him reconciled to our God. (Ver. 22. ) For the Lord redeemeth the souls of His servants. But according to the soul is death to be understood either the worst or best, not according to bodily either dishonour, or honours which men
see. And none of them which trust in Him, shall perish ; this is the manner of human righteousness, that mortal life, however advanced, because without sin it can not be, in this perisheth not, while it trusteth in Him, in Whom is remission of sins. Amen.
PSALM XXXV. DISCOURSE I. >>
On the first part of the Psalm.
How that this Psalm, by command of my Brethren and fellow-Bishops, hath been laid on me to be handled, be
your charity aware. They have willed that we all hear somewhat therefrom. For from Him do we all hear, from
Whom we learn together, and in Whose
fellow-disciples. The title of it causeth us no delay, for it is both brief, and to be understood not difficult, (especially to those nursed in the Church of God. ) For so it is, To David himself. The Psalm then is to David himself: now David is interpreted, Strong in hand, or Desirable.
Psalm then is to the Strong in hand, and Desirable, to Him Who for us hath overcome death, Who unto us hath promised life : for in this is He Strong in hand, that He hath over come death for us ; in this is He Desirable, that He hath
promised unto us life eternal. For what stronger than That Luku 7, Hand Which touched the bier, and he that was dead rose ud ?
? Delivered upon the occasion of some Council.
school we are
The
Christ in His Body. God's arms, and ours from Him. 375
What stronger than That Hand Which overcame the world, Ver. not armed with steel, but pierced with wood? Or what more J. 3l desirable than He, Whom not having seen, the Martyrs wished even to die, that they might be worthy to come unto Him? Therefore is the Psalm unto Him: to Him let our heart, to Him our tongue sing worthily: if yet Himself shall deign to give somewhat to sing. None to Him singeth worthily, but who hath from Him received what to sing.
Nay this which now we sing, was spoken by His Spirit through His Prophet, and in those words wherein we acknow
ledge both ourselves and Him. Neither do we wrong, be
cause we say both ourselves and Him: since when He was in Heaven, He so cried, Why persecutesl thou Me? when Him Acts 9, none touched, and we on earth were in trouble. His Voice
then let us hear : now of the Body, now of the Head. For this is a Psalm calling on God, against enemies, amid the tribulations of this world. And surely He is the same Christ, then the Head being in tribulation, now the Body being in tribulation; yet through tribulations to all His Members giving life eternal, which by promising became He desirable.
2. Ver. 1. Judge Thou, O Lord, (saith he,) them that hurt me, andjight Thou against them that fight against me. " If God Rom. 8, be for us, who can be against us ? " And whereby doth God
this for us? (Ver. 2. ) Take hold (saith he) of arms and shield,
and rise up to my help. A great spectacle is to see God
armed for thee. And what His Shield, what are His
Arms? Lord, in another place saith the man who here alsoPs. 5,12. speaketh, as with the shield of Thy good-will hast Thou compassed us. But His Arms, wherewith He may not only
us defend, but also strike His enemies, we have well profited,
shall we ourselves be. For as we from Him have this, that
we be armed, so He armed from us. But He armed
from those, whom He hath made, we are armed with those
things which we have received from Him Who made us.
These our arms the Apostle in certain place calleth, The Eph. shield of Faith, the helmet of Salvation, and the sword of 1(1" the Spirit, which the Word God. He hath armed us
with such arms as ye have heard, arms admirable, and un-
conquered, insuperable
and shining; spiritual truly and
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376 Designations of spiritual armour variable.
Psalm invisible, because we have to fight also against invisible Serm. enemies. If thou seest thine enemy, let thine arms be seen. *? We are armed with faith in those things which we see not,
and we overthrow enemies whom we see not. Nevertheless, dearly Beloved, think not that these arms are so that what is a shield is always a shield, or what is a helmet is always a helmet, or what is a breast-plate always a breast-plate. For in these arms corporal it is so, although even those which are made of steel may be changed, so that out of a sword may be made an axe : but the same Apostle we find to have
l Thess. said in one place, The breast-plate offaith, and in another
' '
Ps. 22,
to have said, The shield offaith. Therefore the same faith can be both a breast-plate and a shield, a shield it is, because it receives and repels the darts of the enemies, a breast-plate because it suffers not thy inward parts to be pierced through. These are our arms ; but what are God's ? We read in a certain place, Deliver my soulfrom the ungodly, Thy Weapon from the enemies of Thy Hand1'. What first he said, from the
ungodly, that in the following verse is from the enemies of Thy Hand: and what above he called my soul, that in the following verse he called, Thy Weapon, that is, Thy Sword. His soul then he called the Weapon of God : Deliver (saith he) my soul from the ungodly, that is, deliver Thy Weapon from the enemies of Thy Hand. For Thou takest hold of my soul, and warrest upon my enemies. And what is our
pro- soul, however splendid, however far reaching1, however sharpened, however anointed, however with the light and gleam of Wisdom glistening ? What is our soul, or what can it do, unless God hold it and fight with it. For the best made weapon, unless it have a warrior, is useless. But I have said of our own arms, that nothing ought be taken as so fixed, that what is one thing, the same cannot be another :
so also we find in God's arms. Lo, here he called the soul
of the righteous the weapon of God : again he saith that the
Vfisd. soul of the righteous is the seat of God, the soul of the
'?
righteous is the seat of Wisdom. Therefore whatever He will, He maketh of our soul. Since it is in His hand, let Him use it as He will.
3. Let Him then rise up, for so is He called on, let Him * Lat. Erne al, impiis animam meam,framca>>i tuam ab inimicis manus t<<tc.
Wake to call on Christ. What World Satan rules. 377
Ver.
take hold of His Arms, let Him rise up for our help. Whence
He should rise up, is said unto Him also in another place in
these very words, Rise up: why steepest Thou, O Lord? Ps. 44, And when He is said to sleep, we sleep ; and when He is
said to rise up, we are awakened. For the Lord also slept Mat. 8, in the ship ; and therefore was the ship tossed, because Jesus
For if Jesus had watched therein, the ship had not been tossed. Thy ship is thy heart; Jesus in the ship, faith in the heart. If thou rememberest thy faith, thy heart is
not tossed ; if thou forgettest thy faith, Christ sleepeth ; beware of shipwreck. Nevertheless do what remaineth, that if He sleep, He may be awakened; say unto Him, Lord, rise up, we perish ; that He may rebuke the winds, and there be a calm in thy heart. For all temptations will retire, or surely will prevail nothing, when Christ, that is, thy faith,
shall watch in thy heart. What then is, Rise up ? Make Thyself known, apparent, felt. Rise up, therefore,/or my help. 4. Ver. 3. Pour forth the weapon, and stop the way against
them that persecute me. Who are they that persecute thee ? Haply thy neighbour, or he whom thou hast offended, or to whom thou hast done wrong, or who would take away what is thine, or against whom thou preachest the truth, or whose sin thou rebukest, or whom living ill by thy well living thou
offendest. There are indeed even these enemies to us, and
slept.
us: but other enemies we are taught to know, those against whom we fight invisibly, of whom the
they persecute
Apostle warneth us, saying, We wrestle not against ^es/< Epties. and blood, that is, against men ; not against those whom ye6' 12, see, but against those whom ye see not; against princi palities, against powers, against the rulers of the world,
of this darkness. Now when he said the rulers of the world,
as he spake of the devil and his angels, there was need to take care lest men should misunderstand, and think that the
world is ruled by the devil and his demons. But because
the world is said of this fabric which we see, and the world
is said of sinners, and of those who love the world, of whom
it was said, The world knew Him not, and of whom also, John 1,
The whole world lieth in wickedness; therefore the Apostle t John
of what world they were rulers, he said, of this5, i9. darkness. The rulers of this world, I say, are the rulers of
explained
378 Man a Weapon in God's Hand. Suggestion of despair.
Psalm this darkness. Again, he maketh us to understand what he
XXXV sa^, '*** darkness. Of what darkness are the devil and Serm. of
I.
of the same as many believe, what saith the same Apostle? Eph. 5, Ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord. Wouldest thou not be ruled by the devil ? Come to
the light. And how shalt thou come to the Light, unless He pour forth the weapon, and deliver thee from thy enemies, and from them that persecute thee ? How poureth He forth the weapon ? for we have already heard what His weapon is ; even the soul of the righteous. Let the righteous abound, so is the weapon poured forth, and the way is stopped against the enemies. For from the very pouring forth of the weapon the Apostle warning us to live righteously, in the sequel
Titus 2, saith, That he that is of the contrary part, may have no evil thing to say of you.
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360 Learn of Christ. Error of seeking 'good days' here.
Psalm they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing: but
SerjT wnat manner of good, I have already said, I II. 16. Ver. 11. Come, ye children, hearken unto me:
will teach you the fear of the Lord. Ye think ', brethren, that I say this : think that David saith it ; think that an Apostle saith
it; nay think that our Lord Jesus Christ Himself saith it; Come, ye children, hearken unto Me. Let us hearken unto Him together; hearken ye unto Him through us. For He would teach us ; He the Humble, He that drurumeth, He that affecteth, would teach us. And what saith He ? Come, ye children, hearken unto Me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord. Let Him then teach, let us give ear, let us give heart. Let us not open the ears of the flesh, and shut those of the heart; but as He Himself said in His Gospel,
Mat. 11, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. Who would not hear Christ teaching through His Prophet ?
1 7. Ver. 1 2. What man is he that desireth life, and loveth to see good days ? He asketh a question. Doth not every one among you answer, I ? Is there any man among you that loveth not life, that is, that desireth not life, and loveth not to see good days ? Do ye not daily thus murmur, and thus speak ; How long shall we suffer these things ? Daily are they worse and worse : in our fathers' time were days more
joyful, were days better. O if thou couldest ask those same, thy fathers, in like manner would they murmur to thee of their own days. Our fathers were happy, miserable are we, evil days have we : such an one ruled over us, we thought that after his death might some refreshing be given to us; worse things have come : O God, shew unto us good days ! What man is he that desireth life, and loveth to see good days ? Let him not seek here good days. A good thing he seeketh, but not in its right place doth he seek it. As, if thou shouldest seek some
righteous man in a country, wherein he lived not, it would be said to thee, A good man thou seekest, a great man thou seekest, seek him still, but not here ; in vain thou seekest him here, thou wilt never find
him. Good days thou seekest, together let us seek them, seek not here. But our fathers had them. Ye are deceived : all men here have so laboured. Read the Scriptures ;
r Most Mss. * Think,' imperative, as in the other clauses.
Times not worse than ofold. Nothing safe but fear of God. 367
therefore God willed them to be written, that we might have Ver. consolation. In the time of Elias was there a famine, our--',--- fathers suffered it. The heads of dead beasts were sold for
gold ; they slew their own people, and ate them ; and two women agreed together to kill their sons, and eat them ; one killed her son, and the two ate him together; the other refused to kill her son, and she who had first slain her son
sued her, and this her suit came before the king, they betook themselves even before the king, contending concern
ing the slaying of their sons. As concerning such food, God 2 Kings avert what we read. Always are there evil days in this6'25'30.
world, but always good days in God. Good days had Abraham, but within, in his heart: evil days had he, when through famine he changed his place, and sought food. So Gen. 12,
all men have sought food. Had Paul good days, who saith,
In hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and naked-
ness? But let not the servants be wroth the Lord Himself11' 27. had not good days in this world insults, injuries, the Cross,
and all those evils did He suffer.
18. Let not a Christian then murmur, let him see whose steps he followeth but he loveth good days, let him hearken unto Him teaching and saying, Come, ye children, hearken unto Me will teach you the fear of the Lord. What wouldest thou Life and good days. Hear, and do. (Ver. 13. ) Keep thy tongue from evil. This do. will not, saith miserable man, will not keep my tongue from evil, and
desire life and good days. If workman of thine should say to thee, indeed lay waste this vineyard, yet require of thee my reward thou broughtest me to the vineyard to lop and prune cut away all the useful wood, will cut short also the very trunks of the vines, that thou have thereon nothing to gather, and when have done this, thou shalt re pay to me my labour. Wouldest thou not call him mad Wouldest thou not drive him from thy house or ever he put
bis hand to the knife Such are those men, who would both do evil, and swear falsely, and speak blasphemy against God, and murmur, and defraud, and be drunken, and dispute, and commit adultery, and use charms, and consult diviners, and withal see good days. To such said, thou canst not doing ill seek good reward. If thou art unjust, shall God
yet
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368 The Law of Love goes beyond abstinence from crime.
Psalm also be unjust ? What shall I do, then ? What desirest xxxiv. thou ? Life 1 desire, good days I desire. Keep thy tongue II. from evil, and thy lips that they speak no guile, that is,
defraud not any, lie not to any.
19. But what is, Depart from evil? It is little that thou
injure none, murder none, steal not, commit not adultery, do no wrong, speak no false witness ; Depart from evil. When thou hast departed, thou sayest, Now I am safe, I have done all, I shall have life, I shall see good days. Not only saith he, Depart from evil, but also, and do good. It is nothing that thou spoil not: clothe the naked. If thou hast not spoiled, thou hast declined from evil ; but thou wilt not do good, except thou receive the stranger into thine house. So
then depart from evil, as to do good. Seek peace, and ensue it. He hath not said, Thou shalt have peace here ; seek it, and ensue it. Whither shall 1 ensue it ? Whither it hath gone before. For the Lord is our peace, hath risen again, and hath ascended into Heaven. Seek peace, and ensue it ; because when thou also hast risen, this mortal shall be changed, and thou shalt embrace peace there where no man shall trouble thee. For there is perfect peace, where thou wilt not hunger. For here it is bread that maketh thy peace :
withhold bread, and see what a war there will be within thy bowels. How is it that even the righteous groan here, Brethren ? That ye may know that here we seek peace, but shall obtain it only in the end. But in part must we have it here, that there we may deserve it wholly. What is, in part ? Let us be peaceful here, let us love our neighbour as ourselves. So love thy brother as thyself, be at peace with
him. But there cannot but exist some strifes, as between Acts i5, brethren and between Saints have existed, as between Bar-
s9,
nabas and Paul, but not such as to destroy concord, not such as to inteiTupt charity. For even thyself thou some times resistest, and yet thou hatest not thyself. For every one who repenteth of any thing, striveth with himself. He hath sinned, he returneth, he is angry with himself that he hath done this, that he hath committed that. Therefore he is at strife with himself, but that strife tendeth to concord. See how a certain righteous man striveth with himself, say-
Ps. 42, ing, Why art thou sorrowful, O my soul; and why dost 2.
God cares for us when He seems not to hear.
thou disquiet me? Hope thou in God; for
Him. When he saith to his soul, Why dost thou disquiet me ? it surely did disquiet him. He wished perhaps himself to suffer for Christ, and his soul became sorrowful.
who knew and said, Why art thou sorrowful, O my soul, and why dost thou disquiet me ? had not yet peace with himself; but in his heart he clave unto Christ, that his soul might follow Him, and not disquiet himself. ISeek then peace, Brethren. The Lord saith, These things
have spoken unto John you, that in me ye might have peace. Peace in this world33'
16,
I promise not unto you. In this life is not true peace,
neither tranquillity. The joy of immortality, the society of Angels, is promised. But whoever hath not sought it while here he hath been, shall not have when there he shall arrive.
20. Ver. 15. The Eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous: fear not then; labour; the eyes of the Lord are upon thee. And His Ears are open unto iheir prayers. What wouldest thou more If an householder in great house should not hearken to servant murmuring, he would complain, and say, What hardship do we here suffer, and none heareth us. Canst thou say this of God, What hardships suffer, and none heareth me If He heard me, haply, sayest thou, He would take away my tribulation cry unto Him, and yet have tribulation. Only do thou hold fast His ways, and when thou art in tribulation, He heareth thee. But He a Physician, and still hast thou something of putrefaction thou criest out, but still He cutteth, and taketh not away His Hand, until He hath cut as much as pleaseth Him. For that Physician cruel who heareth man, and spareth his wound and putrefaction. How do mothers rub their chil dren in the baths for their health. Do not the little ones cry out in their hands Are they then cruel because they spare not, nor hearken unto their tears Are they not full of affection And yet the children cry out, and are not
So our God also full of charity, but therefore
seemeth He not to hear, that He may spare and heal us for
everlasting.
21. The Eyes the Lord are upon the righteous, and His Ears are open unto their prayers. Haply say the wicked,
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370 Those not less delivered who are saved invisibly.
Psalm securely do evil, because the Eyes of the Lord are not upon xxxiv. me . qo(l aitendeth to the righteous, me He seeth not, and ir. whatever I do, I do securely. Immediately added the Holy Spirit, seeing the thoughts of men, and said, The Eyes of the
Lord are upon the righteous, and His Ears are open unto their prayers : (ver. 16. ) but the Face of the Lord is against them that do evil; to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.
22. Ver. 17. The righteous cried, and the Lord heard them, and delivered them out of all their troubles. Righteous were the Three Children ; out of the furnace cried they unto the Lord, and in His praises their flames cooled. The flame could not approach nor hurt the innocent and righteous Children
Dan. 3, praising God, and He delivered them out of the fire. Some one saith, Lo, truly righteous were those who were heard, as it is written, The righteous cried, and the Lord heard them,
and delivered them out of all their troubles: but I have
cried, and He delivereth me not ; either I am not righteous, 1 al. audor I do not1 the things which He commandeth me, or haply
0 no ' He seeth me not. Fear not : only do what He commandeth ; and if He deliver thee not bodily, He will deliver thee
spiritually.
For He Who took out of the fire the Three Chil-
2 Mac. dren, did He take out of the fire the Maccabees ? Did not 73.
the first sing hymns in the flames, these last in the flames expire ? The God of the Three Children, was not He the God also of the Maccabees ? The one He delivered, the other He delivered not. Nay, He delivered both : but the Three Children He so delivered, that even the carnal were con founded ; but the Maccabees therefore He delivered not so, that those who persecuted them should go into greater tor ments, while they thought that they had overcome God's
Acts 12, Martyrs. He delivered Peter, when the Angel came unto him being in prison, and said, Arise, and go forth, and sud denly his chains were loosed, and he followed the Angel, and He delivered him. Had Peter lost righteousness when He delivered him not from the cross ? Did He not deliver him then ? Even then He delivered him. Did his long life make him unrighteous ? Haply He heard him more at last than at first, when truly he delivered him out of all his troubles. For when He first delivered him, how many things
Troubles of Saints. Bones of Chrisfs Body kept whole. 371
did he suffer afterwards ! For thither He sent him at last, Vrr. where he could have suffered no evil. i-----
23. Ver. 18. The Lord is nigh unto them that have broken their heart ; and saveth such as be lowly in spirit. God is High : let a Christian be lowly. If he would that the Most High God draw nigh unto him, let him be lowly. A great mystery, Brethren. God is above all : thou raisest thyself, and touchest not Him : thou humblest thyself, and He de- scendeth unto thee. (Ver. 19. ) Many are the troubles ofthe righteous : doth He say, Therefore let Christians be righteous, therefore let them hear My Word, that they may suffer no tribulation ? He promiseth not this ; but saith, Many are the troubles of the righteous. Rather, if they be unrighteous they have fewer troubles, if righteous they have many. But after few tribulations, or none, these shall come to tribulation everlasting, whence they shall never be delivered: but the righteous after many tribulations shall come to peace ever lasting, where they shall never suffer any evil.
Many are the tribulations of the righteous ; but the Lord delivereth him out of all.
24. Ver. 20. The Lord keepeth all their bones: not one of them shall be broken : this also, Brethren, let us not receive carnally. Bones are the firm supports of the faithful. For
as in flesh our bones give firmness, so in the heart of a Christian it is faith that gives firmness. The patience then which is in faith, is as the bones of the inner man : this is
that which cannot be broken. The Lord keepeth all their bones: not one of them shall be broken. If of our Lord God Jesus Christ he had said this, The Lord keepeth all the
bones of His Son ; not one of them shall be broken ,? as is prefigured of Him also in another place, when the lamb was spoken of that should be slain, and it was said of Neither Exoi- shall ye break a bone thereof: then was fulfilled in the 12, 46. Lord, because when He hung upon the Cross, He expired
before they came to the Cross, and found His Body lifeless Johnl9 already, and would not break His legs, that might be33. fulfilled which was written. But He gave this promise to
other Christians also, The Lord keepeth all their bones; not
one of them shall be broken. Therefore, Brethren, we see any Saint suffer tribulation, and haply either by Physician
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372 Promise to be taken spiritually. Good and ill death.
Psalm so cut, or by some persecutor so mangled, that his bones be
XXXIV broken ; let us not say, This man was not righteous, for this Skrm
Ii. hath the Lord promised to His righteous, of whom He said, The Lord keepeth all their bones ; not one of them shall be
broken. Wouldest thou see that He spoke of other bones, those which we called the firm supports of faith, that is, patience and endurance in all tribulations ? For these are the bones which are not broken. Hear, and see ye in the very Passion of our Lord, what I say. The Lord was in the middle Crucified ; near Him were two thieves : the one mocked, the other believed : the one was condemned, the other justified: the one had his punishment both in this world, and thIat which shall be, but unto the other said the
say unto thee, To-day shalt thou be with Me in Paradise ; and yet those who came brake not the bones of the Lord, but of the thieves they brake: as much were broken the bones of the thief who blasphemed, as of the thief who believed. Where then is that which is spoken, The Lord keepeth all their bones ; not one of them shall be broken ? Lo, unto whom He said, To-day shalt thou be with
me in Paradise, could He not keep all his bones ? The Lord answereth thee: Yea, I kept them; for the firm sup port of his faith could not be broken by those blows whereby his legs were broken.
25. Ver. 21. The death of sinners is the worst. Attend, Brethren, for the sake of those things which I said. Truly Great is the Lord, and His Mercy, truly Great is He Who gave to us to eat His Body, wherein He suffered such great things, and His Blood to drink. How regardeth He them that think evil and say, ' Such an one died ill, by beasts was he devoured : he was not a righteous man, therefore he perished ill; for else would he not have perished. ' Is he then righteous, who dieth in his own house and in his own bed ? This then (sayest thou) it is whereat I wonder; because I know the sins and the crimes of this same man, and yet he died well ; in his own house, within his own doors, with no injury
/al. evenof travel, with none even in mature1 age. Hearken, The
Luke23,Lord, Verily
death of sinners is worst. What seemeth to thee a good outwardly lying on his bed, dost thou see him inwardly
at no
prema. . .
rare. death, is worst if thou couldest see within. Thou seest him
Deaths of Dives and Lazariu :ompared. S73 carried to hell ? Hearken, Brethren, and learn from the Ver.
Gospel, what is the ' worst death' of sinners. Were there
-- not two in that age1, a rich man who was clothed in purple 1 >>1? ' in
and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day ; another a WOrld. ' poor man who lay at his door full of sores, and the dogsLuke16, came and licked his sores, and he desired to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table ? Now it came
to pass that the poor man died, (righteous was that poor man,)
and was carried by Angels into Abraham's bosom. He who
saw his body lying at the rich man's door, and no man to
bury what haply said he? . So die he who my enemy;
and whoever persecutes me, so may see him. His body accursed with spitting, his wounds stink and yet in Abra
ham's bosom he resteth. Ifwe are Christians, let us believe:
if we believe not, Brethren, let none feign himself Christian.
Faith bringeth us to the end. As the Lord spake these things, so are they. Doth indeed an astrologer2 speak unto^mathe-
thee, and true, and doth Christ speak, and false But by what sort of death died the rich man What sort of death must not be in purple and fine linen, how sumptuous, how pompous What funeral ceremonies were there In what spices was that body buried And yet when he was in hell, being in torments, from the finger of that despised poor man he desired one drop of water to be poured upon his burning tongue, and obtained not. Learn then what meaneth,
The death sinners worst and ask not beds covered with costly garments, and to have the flesh wrapped in many rich things, friends exhibiting shew of lamentation, household beating their breasts, crowd of attendants going before and following when the body carried out, marble
and gilded memorials. For ye ask those things, they answer you what false, that of many not light sinners, but altogether wicked, the death best, who have deserved to be so lamented, so embalmed, so covered, so carried out, so entombed. But ask the Gospel, and will shew to your faith the soul of the rich man burning in torments, which was nothing profited by all those honours and obsequies, which to his dead body the vanity of the living did afford.
26. But because there are many kinds of sinners, and not to be sinner difficult, or perhaps in this life impossible,
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374 Salvation through Christ. David a Type of Him.
Psalm he added immediately, of what kind of sinners the death is
YXX V worst. And they that hate the righteous one
Serm. (saith he)
shall perish. What righteous one, but Him that justifieth 5TM' ' the ungodly ? Whom, but our Lord Jesus Christ, Who is also l John the propitiation for our sins? Who then hate Him, have the
Lat. XXXIV.
worst death; because they die in their sins, who are not through Him reconciled to our God. (Ver. 22. ) For the Lord redeemeth the souls of His servants. But according to the soul is death to be understood either the worst or best, not according to bodily either dishonour, or honours which men
see. And none of them which trust in Him, shall perish ; this is the manner of human righteousness, that mortal life, however advanced, because without sin it can not be, in this perisheth not, while it trusteth in Him, in Whom is remission of sins. Amen.
PSALM XXXV. DISCOURSE I. >>
On the first part of the Psalm.
How that this Psalm, by command of my Brethren and fellow-Bishops, hath been laid on me to be handled, be
your charity aware. They have willed that we all hear somewhat therefrom. For from Him do we all hear, from
Whom we learn together, and in Whose
fellow-disciples. The title of it causeth us no delay, for it is both brief, and to be understood not difficult, (especially to those nursed in the Church of God. ) For so it is, To David himself. The Psalm then is to David himself: now David is interpreted, Strong in hand, or Desirable.
Psalm then is to the Strong in hand, and Desirable, to Him Who for us hath overcome death, Who unto us hath promised life : for in this is He Strong in hand, that He hath over come death for us ; in this is He Desirable, that He hath
promised unto us life eternal. For what stronger than That Luku 7, Hand Which touched the bier, and he that was dead rose ud ?
? Delivered upon the occasion of some Council.
school we are
The
Christ in His Body. God's arms, and ours from Him. 375
What stronger than That Hand Which overcame the world, Ver. not armed with steel, but pierced with wood? Or what more J. 3l desirable than He, Whom not having seen, the Martyrs wished even to die, that they might be worthy to come unto Him? Therefore is the Psalm unto Him: to Him let our heart, to Him our tongue sing worthily: if yet Himself shall deign to give somewhat to sing. None to Him singeth worthily, but who hath from Him received what to sing.
Nay this which now we sing, was spoken by His Spirit through His Prophet, and in those words wherein we acknow
ledge both ourselves and Him. Neither do we wrong, be
cause we say both ourselves and Him: since when He was in Heaven, He so cried, Why persecutesl thou Me? when Him Acts 9, none touched, and we on earth were in trouble. His Voice
then let us hear : now of the Body, now of the Head. For this is a Psalm calling on God, against enemies, amid the tribulations of this world. And surely He is the same Christ, then the Head being in tribulation, now the Body being in tribulation; yet through tribulations to all His Members giving life eternal, which by promising became He desirable.
2. Ver. 1. Judge Thou, O Lord, (saith he,) them that hurt me, andjight Thou against them that fight against me. " If God Rom. 8, be for us, who can be against us ? " And whereby doth God
this for us? (Ver. 2. ) Take hold (saith he) of arms and shield,
and rise up to my help. A great spectacle is to see God
armed for thee. And what His Shield, what are His
Arms? Lord, in another place saith the man who here alsoPs. 5,12. speaketh, as with the shield of Thy good-will hast Thou compassed us. But His Arms, wherewith He may not only
us defend, but also strike His enemies, we have well profited,
shall we ourselves be. For as we from Him have this, that
we be armed, so He armed from us. But He armed
from those, whom He hath made, we are armed with those
things which we have received from Him Who made us.
These our arms the Apostle in certain place calleth, The Eph. shield of Faith, the helmet of Salvation, and the sword of 1(1" the Spirit, which the Word God. He hath armed us
with such arms as ye have heard, arms admirable, and un-
conquered, insuperable
and shining; spiritual truly and
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376 Designations of spiritual armour variable.
Psalm invisible, because we have to fight also against invisible Serm. enemies. If thou seest thine enemy, let thine arms be seen. *? We are armed with faith in those things which we see not,
and we overthrow enemies whom we see not. Nevertheless, dearly Beloved, think not that these arms are so that what is a shield is always a shield, or what is a helmet is always a helmet, or what is a breast-plate always a breast-plate. For in these arms corporal it is so, although even those which are made of steel may be changed, so that out of a sword may be made an axe : but the same Apostle we find to have
l Thess. said in one place, The breast-plate offaith, and in another
' '
Ps. 22,
to have said, The shield offaith. Therefore the same faith can be both a breast-plate and a shield, a shield it is, because it receives and repels the darts of the enemies, a breast-plate because it suffers not thy inward parts to be pierced through. These are our arms ; but what are God's ? We read in a certain place, Deliver my soulfrom the ungodly, Thy Weapon from the enemies of Thy Hand1'. What first he said, from the
ungodly, that in the following verse is from the enemies of Thy Hand: and what above he called my soul, that in the following verse he called, Thy Weapon, that is, Thy Sword. His soul then he called the Weapon of God : Deliver (saith he) my soul from the ungodly, that is, deliver Thy Weapon from the enemies of Thy Hand. For Thou takest hold of my soul, and warrest upon my enemies. And what is our
pro- soul, however splendid, however far reaching1, however sharpened, however anointed, however with the light and gleam of Wisdom glistening ? What is our soul, or what can it do, unless God hold it and fight with it. For the best made weapon, unless it have a warrior, is useless. But I have said of our own arms, that nothing ought be taken as so fixed, that what is one thing, the same cannot be another :
so also we find in God's arms. Lo, here he called the soul
of the righteous the weapon of God : again he saith that the
Vfisd. soul of the righteous is the seat of God, the soul of the
'?
righteous is the seat of Wisdom. Therefore whatever He will, He maketh of our soul. Since it is in His hand, let Him use it as He will.
3. Let Him then rise up, for so is He called on, let Him * Lat. Erne al, impiis animam meam,framca>>i tuam ab inimicis manus t<<tc.
Wake to call on Christ. What World Satan rules. 377
Ver.
take hold of His Arms, let Him rise up for our help. Whence
He should rise up, is said unto Him also in another place in
these very words, Rise up: why steepest Thou, O Lord? Ps. 44, And when He is said to sleep, we sleep ; and when He is
said to rise up, we are awakened. For the Lord also slept Mat. 8, in the ship ; and therefore was the ship tossed, because Jesus
For if Jesus had watched therein, the ship had not been tossed. Thy ship is thy heart; Jesus in the ship, faith in the heart. If thou rememberest thy faith, thy heart is
not tossed ; if thou forgettest thy faith, Christ sleepeth ; beware of shipwreck. Nevertheless do what remaineth, that if He sleep, He may be awakened; say unto Him, Lord, rise up, we perish ; that He may rebuke the winds, and there be a calm in thy heart. For all temptations will retire, or surely will prevail nothing, when Christ, that is, thy faith,
shall watch in thy heart. What then is, Rise up ? Make Thyself known, apparent, felt. Rise up, therefore,/or my help. 4. Ver. 3. Pour forth the weapon, and stop the way against
them that persecute me. Who are they that persecute thee ? Haply thy neighbour, or he whom thou hast offended, or to whom thou hast done wrong, or who would take away what is thine, or against whom thou preachest the truth, or whose sin thou rebukest, or whom living ill by thy well living thou
offendest. There are indeed even these enemies to us, and
slept.
us: but other enemies we are taught to know, those against whom we fight invisibly, of whom the
they persecute
Apostle warneth us, saying, We wrestle not against ^es/< Epties. and blood, that is, against men ; not against those whom ye6' 12, see, but against those whom ye see not; against princi palities, against powers, against the rulers of the world,
of this darkness. Now when he said the rulers of the world,
as he spake of the devil and his angels, there was need to take care lest men should misunderstand, and think that the
world is ruled by the devil and his demons. But because
the world is said of this fabric which we see, and the world
is said of sinners, and of those who love the world, of whom
it was said, The world knew Him not, and of whom also, John 1,
The whole world lieth in wickedness; therefore the Apostle t John
of what world they were rulers, he said, of this5, i9. darkness. The rulers of this world, I say, are the rulers of
explained
378 Man a Weapon in God's Hand. Suggestion of despair.
Psalm this darkness. Again, he maketh us to understand what he
XXXV sa^, '*** darkness. Of what darkness are the devil and Serm. of
I.
of the same as many believe, what saith the same Apostle? Eph. 5, Ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord. Wouldest thou not be ruled by the devil ? Come to
the light. And how shalt thou come to the Light, unless He pour forth the weapon, and deliver thee from thy enemies, and from them that persecute thee ? How poureth He forth the weapon ? for we have already heard what His weapon is ; even the soul of the righteous. Let the righteous abound, so is the weapon poured forth, and the way is stopped against the enemies. For from the very pouring forth of the weapon the Apostle warning us to live righteously, in the sequel
Titus 2, saith, That he that is of the contrary part, may have no evil thing to say of you.
