suffered, wherefore is he a
Christian?
Augustine - Exposition on the Psalms - v1
The fire is brought to the furnace ; and the refiner's furnace is a thing of high mysterious meaning1.
There is'magni gold there, there is chaff, there is fire working in a confined "tnti
This fire is not diverse, yet its effects are diverse: it re turns chaff into ashes, from gold it takes away its impurities. Now they in whom God dwcllcth, are assuredly made better in tribulation, proved as gold. And if perchance the adversary, the devil, ask (to prove any), and it be granted him, whether by some bodily pain, or some loss, or bereavement, let him keep his heart fixed on Him, Who withdraweth not Himself, and if He seem to withdraw His ear from his lamentations, yet He sheweth mercy to his supplications.
He who made us knoweth what to do, He knoweth how to re-make us. He is a good builder Who built the house ; and if any thing therein hath fallen to decay, He knoweth how to repair it.
6. And see what he says: (ver. 4. ) Our fathers hoped in Thee, they hoped, and Thou didst deliver them. We know, and read how many of our fathers God hath delivered who in Him. He delivered the whole people of Israel
space.
hoped
154 Christ, why called a Worm. Others delivered at once.
Psalm out of the land of Egypt ; He delivered the three children
XXII
Exp. IL out o1 tfte ^ery furnace; He delivered Daniel out of the
Dan. 3. den of lions; He delivered Susanna from a false accusation: HUtl of they a^ caHed upon Him, and were delivered. What ? was
Sue
He wanting to His Own Son, that He should not hear Him when hanging on the Cross? But why is He not delivered forthwith, Who said, Our fathers hoped in Thee, and Thou didst deliver them ?
7. Ver. 6. But I
and no man; for man is a worm also: but He is a worm and no man. How no man? Because God. Why then did He so abase Himself as to say, a worm ? Is it because a worm is born of the flesh without coition, as Christ of the Virgin Mary ? Both a worm even, and yet no man. Why a worm? Because mortal, because born of the flesh, because
am a worm, and no man. A worm,
John 1, born without coition. Why not a man? Because the Word was in the beginning, and the Word was with God, and the
Word was God.
8. A scorn of men, and the outcast of the people. Con
sider how great things He suffered. Now that we may speak of the Passion, and that we may approach it with the greater grief, consider first how great things He suffers, and then consider wherefore. For what was the fruit thereof? Lo, our fathers hoped, and were delivered out of the land of Egypt. And as I said, so many called upon God, and immediately at the time, not in the life to come, but forth- with, were delivered. Job himself was given up to the devil
Joh 1.
Jr 42' at his request, corrupted w ith worms : yet he recovered his
health in this life, and received twice as much as he had lost. But the Lord was scourged, and there was none to help ; He was defiled with spittle, and there was none to help ; He was smitten with buffetings, and there was none to help ; He was crowned with thorns, there was none to help; He was raised on the tree, there was none to deliver; He crieth out, My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me ? there is no help. Wherefore, my Brethren ? Where fore ? What the recompense of so great sufferings ? All these His sufferings are a price. What so great sufferings are the price of, let us repeat, let us see what He says. Let us first inquire what He suffered, after that, wherefore : and
To rob Him of the price of His sufferings the act of enemies. 155
let us see how much they are Christ's enemies, who confess that Ver.
He endured so great sufferings, and take away the wherefore. T Hence let us hear the whole in this Psalm, both what He suffered, and wherefore. Keep to these two, the what and the wherefore. At present let me explain the what. Let us not dwell at length on this, so the very words of the Psalm will come to you the better. See what the Lord suffers, take heed ye Christians : The scorn of men, and the outcast of the people.
9. Ver. 7. All that saw Me laughed Me to scorn; they spake with the lips, and shook the head. (Ver. 8. ) He trusted in the Lord, let Him deliver Him; let Him save
Him, since He desireth Him. But why said they this ? Because He was made man, they said it as against a man.
10. Ver. 9. Since Thou art He Who drew Me out of the womb. Would they ever say this to That, Which in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God ? For that Word, by Which all things were made, was not drawn out of the womb, save that the Word was made flesh, and dwelt in us. Since Thou hast drawn Me out of the teomb : My Oodfrom My mother's breasts. For before the worlds, My FathIer ; from My mother's breasts, My God.
Is -
was cast upon Thee the womb. That from
11. Ver. 10.
is, that Thou only shouldest be My hope, now as man, now
as weak, now the Word made Flesh. From My mother's womb Thou art My God. Not from Thyself My God, for from Thyself My Father ; but from My mother's womb My God.
12. Ver. 11. Depart not from Me; for trouble is hard at hand, for there is none to help. See Him forsaken ; and woe to us, if He forsake us, for there is none to help.
13. Ver. 12. Many calves came about Me; fat bulls closed Me in. The people, and their leaders : the people, many calves ; the leaders, fat bulls.
1 4 . Ver. 1 3. They opened their mouth upon Me, as a ravening and roaring lion. Let us hearken to their roaring in the Gospel, Crucify, Crucify.
Johni9, / was poured out like water, and all My Bones were scattered. He calleth His strong ones His
15. Ver. 14.
Bones. For bones are strong in the body. When did He
1 56 Christ poured forth, melted, dried up, pierced with wounds.
Psalm scatter His Bones ? When He said to them, Behold Isend xxir. yoU foyih as sheep {n the midst of wolves. Then scattered Hat'io'He His strong ones, and He was poured out like water. l6.
For when water is poured out, it either cleanses, or waters. Christ was poured out like water, the filthy were cleansed, minds were watered. My heart became as melting wax, in the midst of My Belly. He calls the weak ones in His Church His Belly. How did His Heart become as wax ? His Heart is His Scripture, that is, His wisdom which was in the Scriptures. For the Scripture was closed, no one understood it: the Lord was crucified, and the Scripture was melted like wax, that all the weak ones should under-
Mat27, stand it. For hence too the veil of the temple was rent: because what was veiled hath been unveiled.
1 6. Ver. 1 5 . My strength dried up as a potsherd. Gloriously expressed ; for, My name has been made stronger by tribu lation. For as a potsherd is before the fire soft, after the fire hard ; so the Lord's name was before the Passion despised, after the Passion it is honoured. And My tongue cleaved to My jaws. As that member in us is of use only for speaking; so He said that His preachers, His tongue, cleaved to His jaws, that from His inward parts they might derive wisdom. And Thou broughtest Me down to the dust of death.
17. For many dogs came about Me: the council of the malignant ones came about Me. See here the very Gospel. John20, They pierced My hands and My feet. Then were the wounds
made, the scars whereofI the doubting disciple handled, the
same who said, Unless
shall put my fingers into the scars
I will not believe:
of His wounds,
him, Come, thou hard of belief, put thy hand: and he put his hand, and cried out, My Lord, and my God. And He answered, Because thou hast seen Me, thou hast believed; blessed are they that see not, and believe. They pierced My hands and Myfeet.
18. (Ver. 17. ) They numbered distinctly all My Bones. When He was hanging extended on the tree. The extension of His Body on the tree could not be better described than by the words, They numbered distinctly all My Bones.
19. Yea, they regarded, and beheld Me. They regarded,
whereupon
He said to
His virtue, Charity. His Church saved from dogs of violence. 157
and understood not : they beheld, and saw not. They lifted Ver. up their eyes to the flesh, not their heart unto the Word. 18~21. (Ver. 18. ) They divided My garments for themselves. His garments, His Sacraments. Mark, brethren, His garments,
His Sacraments, could be divided by heresies : but there
was there a garment which no one divided. And cast the
lot upon My vesture. There was there, says the Evangelist,
a coat woven from above. From heaven therefore, from the John 19, Father therefore, from the Holy Ghost therefore. What is23.
this coat, but love, which no man can divide ? What is this coat, but unity ? Upon it is the lot cast ; no man divideth it. The Sacraments heretics have been able to divide for themselves ; they have not divided love. And because they could not divide
they withdrew but abideth entire. It falls by lot to some. Whoso hath safe. No one moves him from the Church Catholic and being without
he begin to have he received within, as the olive branch Gen.
ll*
by the dove.
20. Ver. 19. But Thou, Lord, withhold not Thy help
farfrom Me. Aud was so after three days He rose again. Look to My defence.
21. Ver. 20. Deliver My soul from the sword (framea): that from death. For framea a sword, and by sword He would have us understand death. And Thine Only One
from the hand of the dog. My soul, Mine Only One, the Head, and the Body. By Only One, He meant, the Church. From the hand, that is, from the power, of the dog. Who are dogs They that bark like dogs, and understand not against whom. Nothing done to them, and they bark. What will man do to dog, when he going on his way Yet he barks. They that bark with blinded eyes, not dis cerning against whom, or for whom, are dogs.
22. Ver. 21. Save Me from the lion's mouth. You know
who the roaring lion going about, and seeking whom he Pet. may devour. And My humility from the horns of the '
unicorns. By unicorns, He would mean only the proud; therefore He added, My humility.
23. You have heard what His sufferings were, and what He prayed, that He might be delivered from them let us now give heed to the wherefore He suffered. Now then,
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l 58 The words of Christ here refute the Donatists.
Psalm brethren, consider: whoso is not in that lot, for which Christ
XXiI
Ex p. I I.
suffered, wherefore is he a Christian? Lo, we know what He
suffered: His bones were numbered distinctly, He was mocked, His garments were divided, moreover the lot was cast upon His vesture, men in furiousness and raging stood around Him, and all His bones were scattered: we hear it here, and we read it in the Gospel. Let us see wherefore. O Christ, Son of God, if Thou hadst not willed Thou couldest not suffer; O shew us the fruit of Thy Passion. " Hear," saith He, " the fruit: I am not silent, but men are deaf. Hear," saith He, " the fruit, wherefore I suffered all these things. "
I will declare Thy Name to My brethren. Let us see whether He dIeclareth God's Name to His brethren in
Ver. 22.
any separate part.
will declare Thy Name to My brethren:
in the midst of the Church will I of
sing Thee. So is it accomplished now. But let us see what the Church is. For
He said, In the midst of the Church will I sing of Thee. Let us see the Church, for which He suffered.
24. Ver. 23. Ye that fear the Lord, praise Him. Where soever God is feared and praised, there is the Church of Christ. See, my brethren, whether in these days throughout the whole world it is said without a cause, Amen and Hal lelujah. Is not God feared there ? Is not God praised there ? Donatus has gone out, and says, " He is altogether not feared, the whole world is lost. " Without any reason thou sayest, The whole world is lost. Has then a small portion only remained in Africa? Doth Christ then say nothing, whereby to stop these men's mouths ? doth He say nothing, whereby to pluck out the tongues of such as speak thus ? . Let us see, if haply we may find. Still it is said to us, In the midst of the Church: He speaketh of our Church.
Ye that fear the Lord, praise Him: let us see, whether they praise the Lord; and let us understand, whether He speaketh of them, and whether in the midst of their Church He be praised. How do they praise Christ, who say, " He hath lost the whole world, the devil hath taken all from Him, and He hath remained in a part only? " But let us look farther; let Him declare Himself more openly, let Him speak more openly : let it not be a matter for interpretation,
The ' Church" He speaks of is not what they would make it. 159
or conjecture. All ye seed of Jacob, magnify Him. Perhaps Ver. they still say, " We are the seed of Jacob. " Let us see, 24' 25. whether they be.
25. " Let all the seed of Israel fear Him. Let them still say, We are the seed of Israel :" let us allow them, let them say it. (Ver. 24. ) Since He hath not despised nor disregarded the prayer of the poor. What poor ? Not they that rely upon themselves. Let us see, whether they be poor, who say, " We are the righteous. " Christ crieth out, Far
from My salvation are the words of My sins. But let them still say what they will. I Nor hath turned away His face from Me; and when cried unto Him, He heard Me.
Wherefore heard He ? to what purpose ?
26. Ver. 25. With Thee is My praise. With God He
hath put His praise : He hath taught us uot to rely on man.
Let them still say what they will. Already indeed they
begin to burn, the fire begins to draw nigh: there is none Ps. 19,6. may hide" himself from the heat thereof. But let them
still say, We too have put our praise with Him, we too
rely not on ourselves," let them still say so. In the great Church will I confess Thee. Now here I suppose He has
begun to touch the quick'. The great Church, Brethren, ' ccepit what is it? Is a scanty portion of the earth the great t^~? ? Church? The great Church is the whole world. Now if
one would wish to gainsay Christ, " Tell us, Thou hast
I will
Church? Thou art reduced to a morsel of Africa*, the
said, In the great Church
confess
Thee: what great
whole world Thou hast lost : Thou hast shed Thy Blood for the whole, but Thou hast suffered from the invader. " Thus
have we spoken to the Lord as if by way of inquiry ; yet knowing what we are about to say. Let us suppose that we do not know what He would say: doth not He answer us? " Peace, I will yet say what no one can raise a doubt about. " Let us await then what He is about to say. I would wish at once to pass sentence, and not admit men to give any other explanation, forasmuch as Christ saith, In the great Church. And you say, that He hath"continued in an extreme part. And they still dare to say, And ours is the great
? ? Ad frustum Africae remansisti. ' sit sola. ' ' For Thy fruit Africa hath Oxf. Mss. ' ad fructum Africa reman- remained alone. '
160 The 'poor,' that praise Ckrist,those who praise not themselves.
Psalm Church: what think you of Bagai and Tamugade*? " If He ETp. II. say not something to stop their mouths, let them still say,
that the great Church is Numidia only. / trill 27. Let us see, let us hear the Lord further :
offer my vows in the sight of them that fear Him. What are
His vows ? The sacrifice which He offered to God. Know ye what sacrifice ? The faithful know the vows which He offered in the sight of them that fear Him. For there follows, (ver. 26. ) The poor shall eat, and be filled. Blessed poor, who eat to the end that they may be filled. For it is the poor that eat. But they that are rich are not filled, because they are not hungry. The poor shall eat. From them came1 Peter the fisherman, from them came the other fishermen, John and James his brother, from them came too Matthew the publican. These were of the poor, who ate and were filled: having suffered such things as they ate. He gave His Supper", He gave His Passion: he is filled, wn0 imitates it. The poor imitated it : for they so suffered
i 0xf. M,s.
l thence did eat'
"Oxf. Mss.
Flesh. ' as to follow Christ's footsteps. The poor shall eat. But why poor ? And they shall praise the Lord, who seek Him. The rich praise themselves ; the poor praise the Lord. Why are they poor? Because they praise the Lord, and seek the Lord. The Lord is the riches of the poor. For therefore is the house empty, that the heart may be full of riches. Let the rich seek wherewith to fill their chest; the poor seek wherewith to fill their heart : and when they have filled they praise the Lord, who seek Him. And see, Brethren, wherein they, that are truly poor, are rich that
not in the chest, not in the garner, not in the storehouse Their hearts shall live for ever and ever.
28. Now then give heed. The Lord hath suffered; all that ye have heard hath the Lord suffered. We ask, why He suffered and He begins to declare will declare Thy name to My brethren; in the midst of the Church will
sing of Thee. But they still say, " This the Church. " Let all the seed Lsrael fear Him. They say, " We are the seed of Israel. " Since He hath not despised, "nor dis regarded the prayer of the poor. Still they say, We are they. " Nor hath He turned away His face from Me. Christ the Lord Himself hath not turned away His face
Two of the principal towns of the Donatists.
b?
of
I is
it,
is
it :/
: it
:
Christ won not Africa alone, but ' all the ends of the earth. ' 161
from Himself, that is, from His Church, which is His Body. With Thee is My praise. Ye would praise yourselves. But
Ver.
they answer, " Nay, without a doubt we too praise Him. "
offer My vows unto the Lord,in thesight ofthem thatfear Him. The sacrifice of peace, the sacrifice of love, the sacrifice of His Body the faithful know : on this I cannot now enlarge. / will offer My vows in the sight of them that fear Him. Let the publicans eat, let the fishermen eat, let them feed,
let them imitate the Lord, let them suffer, let them be filled. The Lord Himself hath died, the poor die also; and the death of the disciples is added to the death of the Master. Wherefore? Give Me the fruit. (V er. 27. ) All the borders of the earth shall remember themselves, and be turned to the Lord. See here, Brethren !
Why ask ye of me, what answer we should give to Donatus' party? Look at the Psalm: both among us it is read to-day, and among them it is read to-day. Let us write it on our foreheads, let us go
I will
forth with " let not our tongue keep silence, let repeat the words See, Christ hath suffered see, the Merchant displayeth His gains; see, the price which He gave, His Blood was shed. In scrip He bare our price: He was smitten with spear, the scrip was rent, and the price of the whole world flowed forth. What answerest thou, heretic Is not the price of the whole world
Hath Africa only been redeemed Thou darest not say, The whole world
was redeemed, but lost. ' From what spoiler's hand hath Christ so suffered, as to lose His own possession Lo, All the borders of the earth shall remember themselves, and be turned to the Lord. " Let this satisfy thee', and let Him speak. Had he said the ends of the earth, and not all the borders the earth: they had been able to say, " Lo, we have the ends of the earth in Mauritania. " He said, All the borders of the earth, heretic, he said, all. What outlet there for thee to escape the difficulty Outlet hast thou none, but thou hast whereby to enter.
29. appeal to you am unwilling to enlarge upon this, lest should be said, that my words are of any influence
Adbuc satiet te, et dicat. al. adhuc dicant. ' H
attend to the Psalm, read the Psalm.
suffered, His Blood hath been shed: lo, our Redeemer;
Lo, Christ hath thus far let them speak. '
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it
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l 62 Donatists urged by the Books they claimed to have kept.
Psalm our Price. Let me be told, what hath He bought ? Why Exp. ii. do we ask? What if one say to me, "why, O foolish ~man, dost thou ask ? Thou hast the volume in thine hands: thou hast therein wherewith He bought, seek therein what He bought. Lo, there thou hast, All the borders of the earth shall remember themselves, and be turned to the Lord. " For
the borders of the earth shall remember themselves. But heretics have forgotten, and therefore do they hear it every
Do they give ear to this, think ye, when their reader says, All the borders of the earth shall remember themselves, and turn to the Lord? Well, perchance it is but one verse : thy thoughts were elsewhere, thou wast talking idly with thy brother, when he spoke thus: mark, how he repeats and knocks at deaf men's ears And all the kindreds of the
nations shall worship in His sight. He still deaf, he does not hear: let the knocking be repeated. (Ver. 28. ) For the kingdom is the Lord's, and He shall rule over the nations. Remember these three verses, Brethren. To-day have they been sung even among them or may be they have erased them. Believe me, my Brethren, am so embarassed, am so pressed, that am astonished at this strange deafness and hardness of their hearts, that sometimes doubt, whether they have in their copies. All run to-day to the Church, all to-day attentively listen to this Psalm, all listen with
uplifted heart. But suppose that they are not attentive
one verse only, All the borders of the earth shall remember
themselves, and be turned to the Lord? Thou art awaking, but art still rubbing thine eyes: And all the kindreds of the nations shall worship in His sight. Shake off sleep, thou art still drowsy listen: For the kingdom is the Lord's, and He shall rule over the nations.
too let
be burnt What did ye preserve Open, read thou
year.
30. Whether they have any thing yet to allege, know not: let them contend with the Scriptures, not with us. See the volume itself, let them contend against it. Where is
Oxf.
This fire is not diverse, yet its effects are diverse: it re turns chaff into ashes, from gold it takes away its impurities. Now they in whom God dwcllcth, are assuredly made better in tribulation, proved as gold. And if perchance the adversary, the devil, ask (to prove any), and it be granted him, whether by some bodily pain, or some loss, or bereavement, let him keep his heart fixed on Him, Who withdraweth not Himself, and if He seem to withdraw His ear from his lamentations, yet He sheweth mercy to his supplications.
He who made us knoweth what to do, He knoweth how to re-make us. He is a good builder Who built the house ; and if any thing therein hath fallen to decay, He knoweth how to repair it.
6. And see what he says: (ver. 4. ) Our fathers hoped in Thee, they hoped, and Thou didst deliver them. We know, and read how many of our fathers God hath delivered who in Him. He delivered the whole people of Israel
space.
hoped
154 Christ, why called a Worm. Others delivered at once.
Psalm out of the land of Egypt ; He delivered the three children
XXII
Exp. IL out o1 tfte ^ery furnace; He delivered Daniel out of the
Dan. 3. den of lions; He delivered Susanna from a false accusation: HUtl of they a^ caHed upon Him, and were delivered. What ? was
Sue
He wanting to His Own Son, that He should not hear Him when hanging on the Cross? But why is He not delivered forthwith, Who said, Our fathers hoped in Thee, and Thou didst deliver them ?
7. Ver. 6. But I
and no man; for man is a worm also: but He is a worm and no man. How no man? Because God. Why then did He so abase Himself as to say, a worm ? Is it because a worm is born of the flesh without coition, as Christ of the Virgin Mary ? Both a worm even, and yet no man. Why a worm? Because mortal, because born of the flesh, because
am a worm, and no man. A worm,
John 1, born without coition. Why not a man? Because the Word was in the beginning, and the Word was with God, and the
Word was God.
8. A scorn of men, and the outcast of the people. Con
sider how great things He suffered. Now that we may speak of the Passion, and that we may approach it with the greater grief, consider first how great things He suffers, and then consider wherefore. For what was the fruit thereof? Lo, our fathers hoped, and were delivered out of the land of Egypt. And as I said, so many called upon God, and immediately at the time, not in the life to come, but forth- with, were delivered. Job himself was given up to the devil
Joh 1.
Jr 42' at his request, corrupted w ith worms : yet he recovered his
health in this life, and received twice as much as he had lost. But the Lord was scourged, and there was none to help ; He was defiled with spittle, and there was none to help ; He was smitten with buffetings, and there was none to help ; He was crowned with thorns, there was none to help; He was raised on the tree, there was none to deliver; He crieth out, My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me ? there is no help. Wherefore, my Brethren ? Where fore ? What the recompense of so great sufferings ? All these His sufferings are a price. What so great sufferings are the price of, let us repeat, let us see what He says. Let us first inquire what He suffered, after that, wherefore : and
To rob Him of the price of His sufferings the act of enemies. 155
let us see how much they are Christ's enemies, who confess that Ver.
He endured so great sufferings, and take away the wherefore. T Hence let us hear the whole in this Psalm, both what He suffered, and wherefore. Keep to these two, the what and the wherefore. At present let me explain the what. Let us not dwell at length on this, so the very words of the Psalm will come to you the better. See what the Lord suffers, take heed ye Christians : The scorn of men, and the outcast of the people.
9. Ver. 7. All that saw Me laughed Me to scorn; they spake with the lips, and shook the head. (Ver. 8. ) He trusted in the Lord, let Him deliver Him; let Him save
Him, since He desireth Him. But why said they this ? Because He was made man, they said it as against a man.
10. Ver. 9. Since Thou art He Who drew Me out of the womb. Would they ever say this to That, Which in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God ? For that Word, by Which all things were made, was not drawn out of the womb, save that the Word was made flesh, and dwelt in us. Since Thou hast drawn Me out of the teomb : My Oodfrom My mother's breasts. For before the worlds, My FathIer ; from My mother's breasts, My God.
Is -
was cast upon Thee the womb. That from
11. Ver. 10.
is, that Thou only shouldest be My hope, now as man, now
as weak, now the Word made Flesh. From My mother's womb Thou art My God. Not from Thyself My God, for from Thyself My Father ; but from My mother's womb My God.
12. Ver. 11. Depart not from Me; for trouble is hard at hand, for there is none to help. See Him forsaken ; and woe to us, if He forsake us, for there is none to help.
13. Ver. 12. Many calves came about Me; fat bulls closed Me in. The people, and their leaders : the people, many calves ; the leaders, fat bulls.
1 4 . Ver. 1 3. They opened their mouth upon Me, as a ravening and roaring lion. Let us hearken to their roaring in the Gospel, Crucify, Crucify.
Johni9, / was poured out like water, and all My Bones were scattered. He calleth His strong ones His
15. Ver. 14.
Bones. For bones are strong in the body. When did He
1 56 Christ poured forth, melted, dried up, pierced with wounds.
Psalm scatter His Bones ? When He said to them, Behold Isend xxir. yoU foyih as sheep {n the midst of wolves. Then scattered Hat'io'He His strong ones, and He was poured out like water. l6.
For when water is poured out, it either cleanses, or waters. Christ was poured out like water, the filthy were cleansed, minds were watered. My heart became as melting wax, in the midst of My Belly. He calls the weak ones in His Church His Belly. How did His Heart become as wax ? His Heart is His Scripture, that is, His wisdom which was in the Scriptures. For the Scripture was closed, no one understood it: the Lord was crucified, and the Scripture was melted like wax, that all the weak ones should under-
Mat27, stand it. For hence too the veil of the temple was rent: because what was veiled hath been unveiled.
1 6. Ver. 1 5 . My strength dried up as a potsherd. Gloriously expressed ; for, My name has been made stronger by tribu lation. For as a potsherd is before the fire soft, after the fire hard ; so the Lord's name was before the Passion despised, after the Passion it is honoured. And My tongue cleaved to My jaws. As that member in us is of use only for speaking; so He said that His preachers, His tongue, cleaved to His jaws, that from His inward parts they might derive wisdom. And Thou broughtest Me down to the dust of death.
17. For many dogs came about Me: the council of the malignant ones came about Me. See here the very Gospel. John20, They pierced My hands and My feet. Then were the wounds
made, the scars whereofI the doubting disciple handled, the
same who said, Unless
shall put my fingers into the scars
I will not believe:
of His wounds,
him, Come, thou hard of belief, put thy hand: and he put his hand, and cried out, My Lord, and my God. And He answered, Because thou hast seen Me, thou hast believed; blessed are they that see not, and believe. They pierced My hands and Myfeet.
18. (Ver. 17. ) They numbered distinctly all My Bones. When He was hanging extended on the tree. The extension of His Body on the tree could not be better described than by the words, They numbered distinctly all My Bones.
19. Yea, they regarded, and beheld Me. They regarded,
whereupon
He said to
His virtue, Charity. His Church saved from dogs of violence. 157
and understood not : they beheld, and saw not. They lifted Ver. up their eyes to the flesh, not their heart unto the Word. 18~21. (Ver. 18. ) They divided My garments for themselves. His garments, His Sacraments. Mark, brethren, His garments,
His Sacraments, could be divided by heresies : but there
was there a garment which no one divided. And cast the
lot upon My vesture. There was there, says the Evangelist,
a coat woven from above. From heaven therefore, from the John 19, Father therefore, from the Holy Ghost therefore. What is23.
this coat, but love, which no man can divide ? What is this coat, but unity ? Upon it is the lot cast ; no man divideth it. The Sacraments heretics have been able to divide for themselves ; they have not divided love. And because they could not divide
they withdrew but abideth entire. It falls by lot to some. Whoso hath safe. No one moves him from the Church Catholic and being without
he begin to have he received within, as the olive branch Gen.
ll*
by the dove.
20. Ver. 19. But Thou, Lord, withhold not Thy help
farfrom Me. Aud was so after three days He rose again. Look to My defence.
21. Ver. 20. Deliver My soul from the sword (framea): that from death. For framea a sword, and by sword He would have us understand death. And Thine Only One
from the hand of the dog. My soul, Mine Only One, the Head, and the Body. By Only One, He meant, the Church. From the hand, that is, from the power, of the dog. Who are dogs They that bark like dogs, and understand not against whom. Nothing done to them, and they bark. What will man do to dog, when he going on his way Yet he barks. They that bark with blinded eyes, not dis cerning against whom, or for whom, are dogs.
22. Ver. 21. Save Me from the lion's mouth. You know
who the roaring lion going about, and seeking whom he Pet. may devour. And My humility from the horns of the '
unicorns. By unicorns, He would mean only the proud; therefore He added, My humility.
23. You have heard what His sufferings were, and what He prayed, that He might be delivered from them let us now give heed to the wherefore He suffered. Now then,
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l 58 The words of Christ here refute the Donatists.
Psalm brethren, consider: whoso is not in that lot, for which Christ
XXiI
Ex p. I I.
suffered, wherefore is he a Christian? Lo, we know what He
suffered: His bones were numbered distinctly, He was mocked, His garments were divided, moreover the lot was cast upon His vesture, men in furiousness and raging stood around Him, and all His bones were scattered: we hear it here, and we read it in the Gospel. Let us see wherefore. O Christ, Son of God, if Thou hadst not willed Thou couldest not suffer; O shew us the fruit of Thy Passion. " Hear," saith He, " the fruit: I am not silent, but men are deaf. Hear," saith He, " the fruit, wherefore I suffered all these things. "
I will declare Thy Name to My brethren. Let us see whether He dIeclareth God's Name to His brethren in
Ver. 22.
any separate part.
will declare Thy Name to My brethren:
in the midst of the Church will I of
sing Thee. So is it accomplished now. But let us see what the Church is. For
He said, In the midst of the Church will I sing of Thee. Let us see the Church, for which He suffered.
24. Ver. 23. Ye that fear the Lord, praise Him. Where soever God is feared and praised, there is the Church of Christ. See, my brethren, whether in these days throughout the whole world it is said without a cause, Amen and Hal lelujah. Is not God feared there ? Is not God praised there ? Donatus has gone out, and says, " He is altogether not feared, the whole world is lost. " Without any reason thou sayest, The whole world is lost. Has then a small portion only remained in Africa? Doth Christ then say nothing, whereby to stop these men's mouths ? doth He say nothing, whereby to pluck out the tongues of such as speak thus ? . Let us see, if haply we may find. Still it is said to us, In the midst of the Church: He speaketh of our Church.
Ye that fear the Lord, praise Him: let us see, whether they praise the Lord; and let us understand, whether He speaketh of them, and whether in the midst of their Church He be praised. How do they praise Christ, who say, " He hath lost the whole world, the devil hath taken all from Him, and He hath remained in a part only? " But let us look farther; let Him declare Himself more openly, let Him speak more openly : let it not be a matter for interpretation,
The ' Church" He speaks of is not what they would make it. 159
or conjecture. All ye seed of Jacob, magnify Him. Perhaps Ver. they still say, " We are the seed of Jacob. " Let us see, 24' 25. whether they be.
25. " Let all the seed of Israel fear Him. Let them still say, We are the seed of Israel :" let us allow them, let them say it. (Ver. 24. ) Since He hath not despised nor disregarded the prayer of the poor. What poor ? Not they that rely upon themselves. Let us see, whether they be poor, who say, " We are the righteous. " Christ crieth out, Far
from My salvation are the words of My sins. But let them still say what they will. I Nor hath turned away His face from Me; and when cried unto Him, He heard Me.
Wherefore heard He ? to what purpose ?
26. Ver. 25. With Thee is My praise. With God He
hath put His praise : He hath taught us uot to rely on man.
Let them still say what they will. Already indeed they
begin to burn, the fire begins to draw nigh: there is none Ps. 19,6. may hide" himself from the heat thereof. But let them
still say, We too have put our praise with Him, we too
rely not on ourselves," let them still say so. In the great Church will I confess Thee. Now here I suppose He has
begun to touch the quick'. The great Church, Brethren, ' ccepit what is it? Is a scanty portion of the earth the great t^~? ? Church? The great Church is the whole world. Now if
one would wish to gainsay Christ, " Tell us, Thou hast
I will
Church? Thou art reduced to a morsel of Africa*, the
said, In the great Church
confess
Thee: what great
whole world Thou hast lost : Thou hast shed Thy Blood for the whole, but Thou hast suffered from the invader. " Thus
have we spoken to the Lord as if by way of inquiry ; yet knowing what we are about to say. Let us suppose that we do not know what He would say: doth not He answer us? " Peace, I will yet say what no one can raise a doubt about. " Let us await then what He is about to say. I would wish at once to pass sentence, and not admit men to give any other explanation, forasmuch as Christ saith, In the great Church. And you say, that He hath"continued in an extreme part. And they still dare to say, And ours is the great
? ? Ad frustum Africae remansisti. ' sit sola. ' ' For Thy fruit Africa hath Oxf. Mss. ' ad fructum Africa reman- remained alone. '
160 The 'poor,' that praise Ckrist,those who praise not themselves.
Psalm Church: what think you of Bagai and Tamugade*? " If He ETp. II. say not something to stop their mouths, let them still say,
that the great Church is Numidia only. / trill 27. Let us see, let us hear the Lord further :
offer my vows in the sight of them that fear Him. What are
His vows ? The sacrifice which He offered to God. Know ye what sacrifice ? The faithful know the vows which He offered in the sight of them that fear Him. For there follows, (ver. 26. ) The poor shall eat, and be filled. Blessed poor, who eat to the end that they may be filled. For it is the poor that eat. But they that are rich are not filled, because they are not hungry. The poor shall eat. From them came1 Peter the fisherman, from them came the other fishermen, John and James his brother, from them came too Matthew the publican. These were of the poor, who ate and were filled: having suffered such things as they ate. He gave His Supper", He gave His Passion: he is filled, wn0 imitates it. The poor imitated it : for they so suffered
i 0xf. M,s.
l thence did eat'
"Oxf. Mss.
Flesh. ' as to follow Christ's footsteps. The poor shall eat. But why poor ? And they shall praise the Lord, who seek Him. The rich praise themselves ; the poor praise the Lord. Why are they poor? Because they praise the Lord, and seek the Lord. The Lord is the riches of the poor. For therefore is the house empty, that the heart may be full of riches. Let the rich seek wherewith to fill their chest; the poor seek wherewith to fill their heart : and when they have filled they praise the Lord, who seek Him. And see, Brethren, wherein they, that are truly poor, are rich that
not in the chest, not in the garner, not in the storehouse Their hearts shall live for ever and ever.
28. Now then give heed. The Lord hath suffered; all that ye have heard hath the Lord suffered. We ask, why He suffered and He begins to declare will declare Thy name to My brethren; in the midst of the Church will
sing of Thee. But they still say, " This the Church. " Let all the seed Lsrael fear Him. They say, " We are the seed of Israel. " Since He hath not despised, "nor dis regarded the prayer of the poor. Still they say, We are they. " Nor hath He turned away His face from Me. Christ the Lord Himself hath not turned away His face
Two of the principal towns of the Donatists.
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Christ won not Africa alone, but ' all the ends of the earth. ' 161
from Himself, that is, from His Church, which is His Body. With Thee is My praise. Ye would praise yourselves. But
Ver.
they answer, " Nay, without a doubt we too praise Him. "
offer My vows unto the Lord,in thesight ofthem thatfear Him. The sacrifice of peace, the sacrifice of love, the sacrifice of His Body the faithful know : on this I cannot now enlarge. / will offer My vows in the sight of them that fear Him. Let the publicans eat, let the fishermen eat, let them feed,
let them imitate the Lord, let them suffer, let them be filled. The Lord Himself hath died, the poor die also; and the death of the disciples is added to the death of the Master. Wherefore? Give Me the fruit. (V er. 27. ) All the borders of the earth shall remember themselves, and be turned to the Lord. See here, Brethren !
Why ask ye of me, what answer we should give to Donatus' party? Look at the Psalm: both among us it is read to-day, and among them it is read to-day. Let us write it on our foreheads, let us go
I will
forth with " let not our tongue keep silence, let repeat the words See, Christ hath suffered see, the Merchant displayeth His gains; see, the price which He gave, His Blood was shed. In scrip He bare our price: He was smitten with spear, the scrip was rent, and the price of the whole world flowed forth. What answerest thou, heretic Is not the price of the whole world
Hath Africa only been redeemed Thou darest not say, The whole world
was redeemed, but lost. ' From what spoiler's hand hath Christ so suffered, as to lose His own possession Lo, All the borders of the earth shall remember themselves, and be turned to the Lord. " Let this satisfy thee', and let Him speak. Had he said the ends of the earth, and not all the borders the earth: they had been able to say, " Lo, we have the ends of the earth in Mauritania. " He said, All the borders of the earth, heretic, he said, all. What outlet there for thee to escape the difficulty Outlet hast thou none, but thou hast whereby to enter.
29. appeal to you am unwilling to enlarge upon this, lest should be said, that my words are of any influence
Adbuc satiet te, et dicat. al. adhuc dicant. ' H
attend to the Psalm, read the Psalm.
suffered, His Blood hath been shed: lo, our Redeemer;
Lo, Christ hath thus far let them speak. '
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l 62 Donatists urged by the Books they claimed to have kept.
Psalm our Price. Let me be told, what hath He bought ? Why Exp. ii. do we ask? What if one say to me, "why, O foolish ~man, dost thou ask ? Thou hast the volume in thine hands: thou hast therein wherewith He bought, seek therein what He bought. Lo, there thou hast, All the borders of the earth shall remember themselves, and be turned to the Lord. " For
the borders of the earth shall remember themselves. But heretics have forgotten, and therefore do they hear it every
Do they give ear to this, think ye, when their reader says, All the borders of the earth shall remember themselves, and turn to the Lord? Well, perchance it is but one verse : thy thoughts were elsewhere, thou wast talking idly with thy brother, when he spoke thus: mark, how he repeats and knocks at deaf men's ears And all the kindreds of the
nations shall worship in His sight. He still deaf, he does not hear: let the knocking be repeated. (Ver. 28. ) For the kingdom is the Lord's, and He shall rule over the nations. Remember these three verses, Brethren. To-day have they been sung even among them or may be they have erased them. Believe me, my Brethren, am so embarassed, am so pressed, that am astonished at this strange deafness and hardness of their hearts, that sometimes doubt, whether they have in their copies. All run to-day to the Church, all to-day attentively listen to this Psalm, all listen with
uplifted heart. But suppose that they are not attentive
one verse only, All the borders of the earth shall remember
themselves, and be turned to the Lord? Thou art awaking, but art still rubbing thine eyes: And all the kindreds of the nations shall worship in His sight. Shake off sleep, thou art still drowsy listen: For the kingdom is the Lord's, and He shall rule over the nations.
too let
be burnt What did ye preserve Open, read thou
year.
30. Whether they have any thing yet to allege, know not: let them contend with the Scriptures, not with us. See the volume itself, let them contend against it. Where is
Oxf.
