1. Just as when we are going to enter into any house, we look on the
title to see whose it is and to whom it belongeth, lest perchance
inopportunely we burst into a place whereunto we ought not; and again,
in order that we may not through timidity withdraw from that which we
ought to enter: as if in a word we were to read, These estates belong
to such an one or to such an one: so on the lintel of this Psalm we
have inscribed, "At the end, for the people that from holy men were put
afar off, to David himself, at the inscription of the Title, when the
Allophyli held him in Gath." [2075] Let us therefore take knowledge of
the people that from holy men were put afar off at the inscription of
the Title. For this doth belong to that David whom now ye know how to
understand spiritually. For there is here commended to our notice no
other than He of whom hath been said, "The end of the Law is Christ for
righteousness to every man believing." [2076] Therefore when thou
hearest "at the end," unto Christ give heed, lest tarrying in the way
thou arrive not at the end....
2. Who are then the people that from holy men were put afar off at the
inscription of the Title? Let the Title itself declare to us that
people. For there was written a certain title at the Passion of the
Lord, when the Lord was crucified: there was in that place a Title
inscribed in Hebrew, in Greek, and in Latin, "The King of the Jews;"
[2077] in three tongues as though by three witnesses the Title was
confirmed: because "in the mouth of two or three witnesses shall stand
every word." [2078] ...
3. What therefore meaneth that which to the title itself still
belongeth, namely, that "the Allophyli held him in Geth"? Geth was a
certain city of the Allophyli, [2079] that is, of strangers, to wit, of
people afar from holy men. All they that refuse Christ for King become
strangers. Wherefore strangers are they made? Because even that vine,
though by Him planted, when it had become sour what heard it?
"Wherefore hast thou been turned into sourness, O alien vine?" [2080]
It hath not been said, My vine: because if Mine, sweet; if sour, not
Mine; if not Mine, surely alien. "There held him," then, "Allophyli in
Geth." We find indeed, brethren, David himself, son of Jesse, king of
Israel, to have been in a strange land among the Allophyli, when he was
sought by Saul, and was in that city and with the king of that city,
[2081] but that there he was detained we read not. Therefore our David,
the Lord Jesus Christ out of the seed of that David, not alone they
held, but there hold Him still Allophyli in Geth. Of Geth we have said
that it is a city. But the interpretation of this name, if asked for,
signifieth "press."...How therefore here is He held in Geth? Held in a
winepress is His Body, that is, His Church. What is, in a winepress? In
pressings. But in a winepress fruitful is the pressing. A grape on the
vine sustaineth no pressing, whole it seemeth, but nothing thence
floweth: it is thrown into a winepress, is trodden, is pressed; harm
seemeth to be done to the grape, but this harm is not barren; nay, if
no harm had been applied, barren it would have remained.
4. Let whatsoever holy men therefore that are suffering pressing from
those that have been put afar off from the saints, give heed to this
Psalm, let them perceive here themselves, let them speak what here is
spoken, that suffer what here is spoken of....Private enmities
therefore let no one think of, when about to hear the words of this
Psalm: "Know ye that for us the wrestling is not against flesh and
blood, but against princes and powers, and spiritual things of
wickedness," [2082] that is, against the devil and his angels; because
even when we suffer men that annoy us, he is instigating, he is
inflaming, as it were his vessels he is moving. Let us give heed
therefore to two enemies, him whom we see, and him whom we see not; man
we see, the devil we see not; man let us love, of the devil beware; for
man pray, against the devil pray, and let us say to God, "Have pity on
me, O Lord, for man hath trodden me down" (ver. 1). Fear not because
man hath trodden thee down: have thou wine, a grape thou hast become in
order that thou shouldest be trodden. "All day long warring he hath
troubled me," every one that hath been put afar off from the saints.
But why should not here be understood even the devil himself? Is it
because mention is made of "man"? [2083] doth therefore the Gospel err,
because it hath said, "A man that is an enemy hath done this"? [2084]
But by a kind of figure may he also be called a man, [2085] and yet not
be a man. Whether therefore it was him whom he that said these words
was beholding, or whether it was the people and each one that was put
afar off from holy men, through which kind the devil troubleth the
people of God, who cleave to holy men, who cleave to the Holy One, who
cleave to the King, at the title of which King being indignant they
were as though beaten back, and put afar off: let him say, "Have pity
on me, O Lord, for man hath trodden me down:" and let him faint not in
this treading down, knowing Him on whom he is calling, and by whose
example he hath been made strong. The first cluster in the winefat
pressed is Christ. When that cluster by passion was pressed out, [2086]
there flowed that whence "the cup inebriating is how passing
beautiful!" [2087] Let His Body likewise say, looking upon its Head,
"Have pity on me, O Lord, for man hath trodden me down: all day long
warring he hath troubled me." "All day long," at all times. Let no one
say to himself, There have been troubles in our fathers' time, in our
time there are not. If thou supposest thyself not to have troubles, not
yet hast thou begun to be a Christian. And where is the voice of the
Apostle, "But even all that will live godly in Christ, persecutions
shall suffer." [2088] If therefore thou sufferest not any persecution
for Christ, take heed lest not yet thou hast begun godly to live in
Christ. But when thou hast begun godly to live in Christ, thou hast
entered into the winepress; make ready thyself for pressings: but be
not thou dry, lest from the pressing nothing go forth.
5. "Mine enemies have trodden me down all day long" (ver. 2). They that
have been put afar off from holy men, these are mine enemies. All day
long: already it hath been said, "From the height [2089] of the day."
What meaneth, "from the height of the day"? Perchance it is a high
thing to understand. And no wonder, because the height of the day it
is. For perchance they for this reason have been put afar off from holy
men, because they were not able to penetrate the height of the day,
whereof the Apostles are twelve shining hours. Therefore they that
crucified Him, as if man, in the day have erred. But why have they
suffered darkness, so that they should be put afar off from holy men?
Because on high the day was shining, Him in the height hidden they knew
not. "For if they had known, never the Lord of Glory would they have
crucified." [2090] ...
6. "For many men that war against me, shall fear" (ver. 3). Shall fear
when? When the day shall have passed away, wherein they are high. For
for a time high they are, when the time of their height is finished
they will fear. "But I in Thee will hope, O Lord." He saith not, "But I
will not fear:" but, "Many men, that war against me, shall fear." When
there shall have come that day of Judgment, then "shall mourn for
themselves all the tribes of the earth." [2091] When there shall have
appeared the sign of the Son of Man in heaven, then secure shall be all
holy men. For that thing shall come which they hoped for, which they
longed for, the coming whereof they prayed for: but to those men no
place for repentance shall remain, because in that time wherein
fruitful might have been repentance, their heart they hardened against
a warning Lord. Shall they too raise up a wall against a judging God?
The godliness of this man do thou indeed acknowledge, and if in that
Body thou art, imitate him. When he had said, "Many men, that war
against me, shall fear:" he did not continue, "But I will not fear;"
lest to his own powers ascribing his not fearing, he too should be amid
high temporal things, and through pride temporal he should not deserve
to come to rest everlasting: rather he hath made thee to perceive
whence he shall not fear. "But I," he saith, "in thee will hope, O
Lord:" he hath not spoken of his confidence: but of the cause of his
confidence. For if I shall not fear, I may also by hardness of heart
not fear, for many men by too much pride fear nothing....
7. "In God I will praise my discourses, in God I have [2092] hoped: I
will not fear what flesh doeth to me" (ver. 4). Wherefore? Because in
God I will praise my discourses. If in thyself thou praisest thy
discourses: I say not that thou art not to fear; it is impossible that
thou have not to fear. For thy discourses either false thou wilt have,
and therefore thine own, because false: or if thy discourses shall be
true, and thou shalt deem thyself not to have them from God but of
thyself to speak; true they will be, but thou wilt be false: but if
thou shalt have known that thou canst say nothing true in the wisdom of
God, in the faith of the Truth, save that which from Him thou hast
received, of whom is said, "For what hast thou which thou hast not
received?" [2093] Then in God thou art praising thy discourses, in
order that in God thou mayest be praised by the discourses of
God...."In God I have hoped, I will not fear what flesh doeth to me."
Wast thou not the same that a little before wast saying, "Have pity on
me, O Lord, for man hath trodden me down; all day long warring he hath
troubled me"? [2094] How therefore here, "I will not fear what flesh
doeth to me"? What shall he do to thee? Thou thyself a little before
hast said, "Hath trodden me down, hath troubled me." Nothing shall he
do, when these things he shall do? He hath had regard to the wine which
floweth from treading, and hath made answer, Evidently he hath trodden
down, evidently hath troubled; but what to me shall he do? A grape I
was, wine I shall be: "In God I have hoped, I will not fear what flesh
doeth to me."
8. "All day long my words they abhorred" (ver. 5). Thus they are, ye
know. Speak truth, preach truth, proclaim Christ to the heathen,
proclaim the Church to heretics, proclaim to all men salvation: they
contradict, they abhor my words. But when my words they abhor, whom
think ye they abhor, save Him in whom I shall praise my discourses?
"All day long my words they abhorred." Let this at least suffice, let
them abhor words, no farther let them proceed, censure, reject! Be it
far from them! Why should I say this? When words they reject, when
words they hate, those words which from the fount of truth flow forth,
what would they do to him through whom the very words are spoken? what
but that which followeth, "Against me all the counsels of them are for
evil?" If the bread itself they hate, how spare they the basket wherein
it is ministered? "Against me all the counsels of them are for evil."
If so even against the Lord Himself, let not the Body disdain that
which hath gone before in the Head, to the end that the Body may cleave
to the Head. Despised hath been thy Lord, and wilt thou have thyself be
honoured by those men that have been put afar off from holy men? Do not
for thyself wish to claim that which in Him hath not gone before. "The
disciple is not greater than his Master; the servant is not greater
than his Lord. If the Master of the family they have called Beelzebub,
how much more them of His household?" [2095] Against me all the
counsels of them are for evil."
9. "They shall sojourn, and shall hide" (ver. 6). To sojourn is to be
in a strange land. Sojourners is a term used of those then that live in
a country not their own. Every man in this life is a foreigner: in
which life ye see that with flesh we are covered round, through which
flesh the heart cannot be seen. Therefore the Apostle saith, "Do not
before the time judge anything, until the Lord come, and He shall
enlighten the hidden things of darkness, and shall manifest the
thoughts of the heart; and then praise shall be to each one from God."
[2096] Before that this be done, in this sojourning of fleshly life
every one carrieth his own heart, and every heart to every other heart
is shut. Furthermore, those men of whom the counsels are against this
man for evil, "shall sojourn, and shall hide:" because in this foreign
abode they are, and carry flesh, they hide guile in heart; whatsoever
of evil they think, they hide. Wherefore? Because as yet this life is a
foreign one. Let them hide; that shall appear which they hide, and they
too will not be hidden. There is also in this hidden thing another
interpretation, which perchance will be more approved of. For out of
those men that have been put afar off from holy men, there creep in
certain false brethren, and they cause worse tribulations to the Body
of Christ; because they are not altogether avoided as if entirely
aliens....Not even those men nevertheless let us fear, brethren: "I
will not fear what flesh doeth to me." Even if they sojourn, even if
they go in, even if they feign, even if they hide, flesh they are: do
thou in the Lord hope, nothing to thee shall flesh do. But he bringeth
in tribulation, bringeth in treading down. There is added wine, because
the grape is pressed: thy tribulation will not be unfruitful: another
seeth thee, imitateth thee: because thou also in order that thou
mightest learn to bear such a man, to thy Head hast looked up, that
first cluster, unto whom there hath come in a man that he might see,
hath sojourned, and hath hidden, to wit, the traitor Judas. All men,
therefore, that with false heart go in, sojourning and hiding, do not
thou fear: the father of these same men, Judas, with thy Lord hath
been: and He indeed knew him; although Judas the traitor was sojourning
and hiding, nevertheless, the heart of him was open to the Lord of all:
[2097] knowingly He chose one man, whereby He might give comfort to
thee that wouldest not know whom thou shouldest avoid. For He might
have not chosen Judas, because He knew Judas: for He saith to His
disciples, "Have not I chosen you twelve, and one out of you is a
devil?" [2098] Therefore even a devil was chosen. Or if chosen he was
not, how is it that He hath chosen twelve, and not rather eleven?
Chosen even he is, but for another purpose. Chosen were eleven for the
work of probation, chosen one for the work of temptation. [2099] Whence
could He give an example to thee, that wouldest not know what men thou
shouldest avoid as evil, of what men thou shouldest beware as false and
artificial, sojourning and hiding, except He say to thee, Behold, with
Myself I have had one of those very men! There hath gone before an
example, I have borne, to suffer I have willed that which I knew, in
order that to thee knowing not I might give consolation. That which to
Me he hath done, the same he will do to thee also: in order that he may
be able to do much, in order that he may make much havoc, he will
accuse, false charges he will allege....
10. "These same men shall mark my heel." For they shall sojourn and
hide in such sort, that they may mark where a man slippeth. Intent they
are upon the heel, to see when a slip may chance to be made; in order
that they may detain the foot for a fall, or trip up the foot for a
stumble; certes that they may find that which they may accuse. And what
man so walketh, that nowhere he slippeth? For example, how speedily is
a slip made even in tongue? For it is written, "Whosoever in tongue
stumbleth not, the same is a perfect man." [2100] What man I pray would
dare himself to call or deem perfect? Therefore it must needs be that
every one slip in tongue. But let them that shall sojourn and shall
hide, carp at all words, seeking somewhere to make snares and knotty
false accusations, wherein they are themselves entangled before those
whom they strive to entangle: in order that they may themselves be
taken and perish before that they catch other men in order to destroy
them....Whatever good thing I have said, whatever true thing I have
said, of God I have said it, and from God have said it: whatever other
thing perchance I have said, which to have said I ought not, as a man I
have said, but under God I have said. He that strengtheneth one
walking, doth menace one straying, forgive one acknowledging, recalleth
the tongue, recalleth him that slipped....Attend thou unto the
discourses of him whom thou blamest, whether perchance he may teach
thee something to thy health. And what, he saith, shall he be able to
teach to my health, that hath so slipped in word? This very thing
perchance he is teaching thee to thy health, that thou be not a carper
at words, but a gatherer of precepts. "As my soul hath undergone." I
speak of that which I have undergone. He was speaking as one
experienced: "As my soul hath undergone. They shall sojourn and hide."
Let my soul undergo all men, men without barking, men within hiding,
let it undergo. From without coming, like a river cometh temptation: on
the Rock let it find thee, let it strike against, not throw thee down;
the house hath been founded upon a Rock. [2101] Within he is, he shall
sojourn and hide: suppose chaff is near thee, let there come in the
treading of oxen, let there come in the roller of temptations; thou art
cleansed, the other is crushed.
11. "For nothing Thou shalt save them" (ver. 7). He hath taught us even
for these very men to pray. However "they shall sojourn and hide,"
however deceitful they be, however dissemblers and liers in wait they
be; do thou pray for them, and do not say, Shall God amend even such a
man, so evil, so perverse? Do not despair: give heed to Him whom thou
askest, not him for whom thou askest. The greatness of the disease
seest thou, the might of the Physician seest thou not? "They shall
sojourn and hide: as my soul hath undergone." Undergo, pray: and there
is done what? "For nothing Thou shalt save them." Thou shalt make them
safe so as that nothing to Thee it may be, that is, so that no labour
to Thee it may be. With men they are despaired of, but Thou with a word
dost heal; Thou wilt not toil in healing, though we are astounded in
looking on. There is another sense in this verse, "For nothing Thou
shalt save them:" with not any merits of their going before Thou shalt
save them....They shall not bring to Thee he-goats, rams, bulls, not
gifts and spices shall they bring Thee in Thy temple, not anything of
the drink-offering of a good conscience do they pour thereon; all in
them is rough, all foul, all to be detested: and though they to Thee
bring nothing whereby they may be saved; "For nothing Thou shalt save
them," that is, with the free gift of Thy Grace....
12. "In anger the peoples Thou shalt bring down." Thou art angry and
dost bring down, dost rage and save, dost terrify and call. Thou
fillest with tribulations all things, in order that being set in
tribulations men may fly to Thee, lest by pleasures and a wrong
security they be seduced. From Thee anger is seen, but that of a
father. A father is angry with a son, the despiser of his injunctions:
being angry with him he boxeth him, striketh, pulleth the ear, draggeth
with hand, leadeth to school. How many men have entered, how many men
have filled the House of the Lord, in the anger of Him brought down,
that is, by tribulations terrified and with faith filled? For to this
end tribulation stirreth up; in order to empty the vessel which is full
of wickedness, so as that it may be filled with grace.
13. "O God, my life I have told out to Thee" (ver. 8). For that I live
hath been Thy doing, and for this reason I tell out my life to Thee.
But did not God know that which He had given? What is that which thou
tellest out to Him? Wilt thou teach God? Far be it. Therefore why saith
he, "I have told out to Thee"? Is it perchance because it profiteth
Thee that I have told out my life? And what doth it profit God? To the
advantage of God it doth profit. I have told out to God my life,
because that life hath been God's doing. In like manner as his life
Paul the Apostle did tell out, saying, "I that before was a blasphemer
and a persecutor and injurious," he shall tell out his life. "But mercy
I have obtained." [2102] He hath told out his life, not for himself,
but for Him: because he hath told it out in such sort, that in Him men
believe, not for his own advantages, but for the advantages of
Him...."O God, my life I have told out to Thee. Thou hast put my tears
in Thy sight." Thou hast hearkened to me imploring Thee. "As also in
Thy promise." Because as Thou hadst promised this thing, so Thou hast
done. Thou hast said Thou wouldest hearken to one weeping. I have
believed, I have wept, I have been hearkened unto; I have found Thee
merciful in promising, true in repaying.
14. "Turned be mine enemies backward" (ver. 9). This thing to these
very men is profitable, no ill to these men he is wishing. For to go
before they are willing, therefore to be amended they are not willing.
Thou warnest thine enemy to live well, that he amend himself: he
scorneth, he rejecteth thy word: "Behold him that adviseth me; behold
him from whom I am to hear the commandments whereby I shall live!" To
go before thee he willeth, and in going before is not amended. He
mindeth not that thy words are not thine, he mindeth not that thy life
to God thou tellest out, not to thyself. In going before therefore he
is not amended: it is a good thing for him that he be turned backward,
and follow him whom to go before he willed. The Lord to His disciples
was speaking of His Passion that was to be. Peter shuddered, and saith,
"Far be it, O Lord;" [2103] he that a little before had said, "Thou art
the Christ, Son of the living God," having confessed God, feared for
Him to die, as if but a man. But the Lord who so came that He might
suffer (for we could not otherwise be saved unless with His blood we
were redeemed), a little before had praised the confession of
Peter....But immediately when the Lord beginneth to speak of His
Passion, he feared lest He should perish by death, whereas we ourselves
should perish unless He died; and he saith, "Far be it, O Lord, this
thing shall not be done." And the Lord, to him to whom a little before
He had said, "Blessed thou art, and upon this Rock I will build my
Church," saith, "Go back behind, Satan, an offence thou art to Me." Why
therefore "Satan" is he, that a little before was "blessed," and a
"Rock"? "For thou savourest not the things which are of God," He saith,
"but those things which are of man." [2104] A little before he savoured
the things which are of God: because "not flesh and blood hath revealed
to thee, but My Father which is in the Heavens." When in God he was
praising his discourse, not Satan but Peter, from petra: but when of
himself and out of human infirmity, carnal love of man, which would be
for an impediment to his own salvation, and that of the rest, Satan he
is called. Why? Because to go before the Lord he willed, and earthly
counsel to give to the heavenly Leader. "Far be it, O Lord, this thing
shall not be done." Thou sayest, "Far be it," and thou sayest, "O
Lord:" surely if Lord He is, in power He doeth: if Master He is, He
knoweth what He doeth, He knoweth what He teacheth. But thou willest to
lead thy Leader, teach thy Master, command thy Lord, choose for God:
much thou goest before, go back behind. Did not this too profit these
enemies? "Turned be Mine enemies backward;" but let them not remain
backward. For this reason let them be turned backward, lest they go
before; but so that they follow, not so that they remain.
15. "In whatsoever day I shall have called upon Thee, behold I have
known that my God art Thou" (ver. 9). A great knowledge. He saith not,
"I have known that God Thou art:" but, "that my God art Thou." For
thine He is, when thee He succoureth: thine He is, when thou to Him art
not an alien. Whence is said, "Blessed the people of whom is the Lord
the God of the same." [2105] Wherefore "of whom is"? For of whom is He
not? Of all things indeed God He is: but of those men the God
peculiarly He is said to be, that love Him, that hold Him, that possess
Him, that worship Him, as though belonging to His own House: the great
family of Him are they, redeemed by the great blood of the Only Son.
How great a thing hath God given to us, that His own we should be, and
He should be ours! But in truth foreigners afar have been put from holy
men, sons alien they are. See what of them is said in another Psalm: "O
Lord, deliver me," he saith, "from the hand of alien sons, of whom the
mouth hath spoken vanity, and the right hand of them is a right hand of
iniquity." [2106] ...
16. Let us therefore love God, brethren, purely and chastely. There is
not a chaste heart, if God for reward it worshippeth. How so? Reward of
the worship of God shall not we have? We shall have evidently, but it
is God Himself whom we worship. Himself for us a reward shall be,
because "we shall see Him as He is." [2107] Observe that a reward
[2108] thou shalt obtain....I will tell you, brethren: in these human
alliances consider a chaste heart, of what sort it is towards God:
certainly human alliances are of such sort, that a man doth not love
his wife, that loveth her because of her portion: a woman her husband
doth not chastely love, that for these reasons loveth him, because
something he hath given, or because much he hath given. Both a rich man
is a husband, and one that hath become a poor man is a husband. How
many men proscribed, by chaste wives have been the more beloved! Proved
have been many chaste marriages by the misfortunes of husbands: that
the wives might not be supposed to love any other object more than
their husband, not only have they not forsaken, but the more have they
obeyed. If therefore a husband of flesh freely is loved, if chastely he
is loved; and a wife of flesh freely is loved, if chastely she is
loved; in what manner must God be loved, the true and truth-speaking
Husband of the soul, making fruitful unto the offspring of everlasting
life, and not suffering us to be barren? Him, therefore, so let us
love, as that any other thing besides Himself be not loved: and there
takes place in us that which we have spoken of, that which we have
sung, because even here the voice is ours: "In whatsoever day I shall
have called upon Thee, behold, I have known that my God art Thou." This
is to call upon God, freely to call upon Him. Furthermore, of certain
men hath been said what? "Upon the Lord they have not called." [2109]
The Lord they seemed as it were to call unto themselves and they
besought Him about inheritances, about increasing money, about
lengthening this life, about the rest of temporal things: and
concerning them the Scripture saith what? "Upon the Lord they have not
called." Therefore there followeth what? "There they have feared with
fear, where there was no fear." What is, "where there was no fear"?
Lest money should be stolen from them, lest anything in their house
should be made less; lastly, lest they should have less of years in
this life, than they hoped for themselves: but there have they trembled
with fear, where there was no fear...."In God I will praise the word,
in the Lord I will praise the discourse" (ver. 10): "in God I have
hoped, I will not fear what man doeth unto me" (ver. 11). Now this is
the very sense which above [2110] hath been repeated.
17. "In me, O God, are Thy vows, which I will render of praise to Thee"
(ver. 12). "Vow ye, and render to the Lord your God." [2111] What vow,
what render? Perchance those animals which were offered at the altars
aforetime? No such thing offer thou: in thyself is what thou mayest vow
and render. From the heart's coffer bring forth the incense of praise;
from the store of a good conscience bring forth the sacrifice of faith.
Whatsoever thing thou bringest forth, kindle with love. In thyself be
the vows, which thou mayest render of praise to God. Of what praise?
For what hath He granted thee? "For Thou hast rescued my soul from
death" (ver. 13). This is that very life which he telleth out to Him:
"O God, my life I have told out to Thee." [2112] For I was what? Dead.
Through myself I was dead: through Thee I am what? Alive. Therefore "in
me, O God, are Thy vows, which I will render of praise to Thee." Behold
I love my God: no one doth tear Him from me: that which to Him I may
give, no one doth tear from me, because in the heart it is shut up.
With reason is said with that former confidence, "What should man do
unto me?" [2113] Let man rage, let him be permitted to rage, be
permitted to accomplish that which he attempteth: what is he to take
away? Gold, silver, cattle, men servants, maid servants, estates,
houses, let him take away all things: doth he by any means take away
the vows, which are in me, which I may render of praise to God? The
tempter was permitted to tempt a holy man, Job; [2114] in one moment he
took away all things: whatever of possessions he had had, he carried
off: took away inheritance, slew heirs; and this not little by little,
but in a crowd, at one blow, at one swoop, so that all things were on a
sudden announced: when all was taken away, alone there remained Job,
but in him were vows of praise, which he might render to God, in him
evidently there were: the coffer of his holy breast the thieving devil
had not rifled, full he was of that wherefrom he might sacrifice. Hear
what he had, hear what he brought forth: "The Lord hath given, the Lord
hath taken away; as hath pleased the Lord, so hath been done: be the
name of the Lord blessed." [2115] O riches interior, whither thief doth
not draw near! God Himself had given that whereof He was receiving; He
had Himself enriched him with that whereof to Him he was offering that
which He loved. Praise from thee God requireth, thy confession God
requireth. But from thy field wilt thou give anything? He hath Himself
rained in order that thou mayest have. From thy coffer wilt thou give
anything? He hath Himself put in that which thou art to give. What wilt
thou give, which from Him thou hast not received? "For what hast thou
which thou hast not received?" [2116] From the heart wilt thou give? He
too hath given faith, hope, and charity: this thou must bring forth:
this thou must sacrifice. But evidently all the other things the enemy
is able to take away against thy will; this to take away he is not
able, unless thou be willing. These things a man will lose even against
his will: and wishing to have gold, will lose gold; and wishing to have
house, will lose house: faith no one will lose, except him that shall
have despised her.
18. "Because Thou hast rescued my soul from death, mine eyes from
tears, and my feet from slipping: that I may be pleasing before God in
the light of the living" (ver. 13). With reason he is not pleasing to
alien sons, that are put afar off from holy men, because they have not
the light of the living, whence they may see that which to God is
pleasing. "Light of the living," is light of the immortal, light of
holy men. He that is not in darkness, is pleasing in the light of the
living. A man is observed, and the things which belong to him; no one
knoweth of what sort he is: God seeth of what sort he is. Sometimes
even the devil himself he escapeth; except he tempt, he findeth not:
just as concerning that man of whom just now I have made
mention:..."Doth Job by any means worship God for nought?" [2117] For
this was true light, this the light of the living, that gratis he
should worship God. God saw in the heart of His servant His gratuitous
worship. For that heart was pleasing in the sight of the Lord in the
light of the living: the devil's sight he escaped, because in darkness
he was. God admitted the tempter, not in order that He might Himself
know that which He did know, but in order that to us to be known and
imitated He might set it forth. Admitted was the tempter; he took away
everything, there remained the man bereft of possessions, bereft of
family, bereft of children, full of God. A wife certainly was left.
[2118] Merciful do ye deem the devil, that he left him a wife? He knew
through whom he had deceived Adam....With wound smitten from head even
unto feet, whole nevertheless within, he made answer to the woman
tempting, out of the light of the living, out of the light of his
heart: "thou hast spoken as though one of the unwise women," [2119]
that is, as though one that hath not the light of the living. For the
light of the living is wisdom, and the darkness of unwise men is folly.
Thou hast spoken as though one of the unwise women: my flesh thou
seest, the light of my heart thou seest not. For she then might more
have loved her husband, if the interior beauty she had known, and had
beheld the place where he was beautiful before the eyes of God: because
in Him were vows which he might render of praise to God. How entirely
the enemy had forborne to invade that patrimony! How whole was that
which he was possessing, and that because of which yet more to be
possessed he hoped for, being to go on "from virtues unto virtue."
[2120] Therefore, brethren, to this end let all these things serve us,
that God gratis we love, in Him hope always, neither man nor devil
fear. Neither the one nor the other doeth anything, except when it is
permitted: permitted for no other reason can it be, except because it
doth profit us. Let us endure evil men, let us be good men: because
even we have been evil. Even as nothing [2121] God shall save men, of
whom we dare to despair. Therefore of no one let us despair, for all
men whom we suffer let us pray, from God let us never depart. Our
patrimony let Him be, our hope let Him be, our safety let Him be. He is
Himself here a comforter, there a remunerator, everywhere Maker-alive,
and of life the Giver, not of another life, but of that whereof hath
been said, "I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life:" [2122] in order
that both here in the light of faith, and there in the light of sight,
as it were in the light of the living, in the sight of the Lord we may
be pleasing.
Let us pray in the words of Augustine.
Turn we to the Lord God, the Father Almighty, and with pure hearts offer to him, so far as our
meanness can, great and true thanks, with all our hearts praying his exceeding kindness, that of
his good pleasure he would deign to hear our prayers, that by his Power he would drive out the
enemy from our deeds and thoughts, that he would increase our faith, guide our understandings,
give us spiritual thoughts, and lead us to his bliss, through Jesus Christ his Son our Lord, who
liveth and reigneth with him, in the Unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
[A prayer which he was wont to use after his Sermons and Lectures.]
NPNF (V1-08) St. Augustine
Notes:
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[2074] Lat. LV. A discourse to the people of Carthage. A Paris ms. has
the title, "Incipit Carthagine Sermo habitus in Basilica Restituta,
Feria V. de Psalmo LV.--Ben.
[2075] 1 Sam. xxi. 10.
[2076] Rom. x. 4.
[2077] John xix. 19.
[2078] Matt. xviii. 16; Deut. xix. 15.
[2079] The usual name of the Philistines in LXX. and Vulgate.
[2080] Jer. ii. 21.
[2081] 1 Sam. xxi. 10.
[2082] Eph. vi. 12.
[2083] So mss. edd. "because he is not called man."
[2084] Matt. xiii. 28.
[2085] [Angels are so called. Dan. ix. 21, Acts x. 26. Compare Mark
xvi. 5; Rev. xix. 10; also this vol. p. 117, note 7, supra.--C.]
[2086] Isa. lxiii. 3.
[2087] Ps. xxiii. 5.
[2088] 2 Tim. iii. 12.
[2089] Or, "depth."
[2090] 1 Cor. ii. 8.
[2091] Matt. xxiv. 30.
[2092] Or, "will hope," mss.
[2093] 1 Cor. iv. 7.
[2094] Ps. lvi. 1.
[2095] Matt. x. 24, 25.
[2096] 1 Cor. iv. 5.
[2097] Oxf. mss. "guilty before the Lord."
[2098] John vi. 70.
[2099] [See A.N.F. vol. i. pp. 40, 117, 153, 157, vi. 207.--C.]
[2100] Jas. iii. 2.
[2101] Matt. vii. 25.
[2102] 1 Tim. i. 13.
[2103] Matt. xvi. 22.
[2104] Matt. xvi. 23.
[2105] Ps. cxliv. 15.
[2106] Ps. cxliv. 11.
[2107] 1 John iii. 2.
[2108] Al. "what reward."
[2109] Ps. xiv. 4.
[2110] Ps. lvi. 4, p. 220, supra.
[2111] Ps. lxxvi. 11.
[2112] Ps. lvi. 8, p. 222, supra.
[2113] Ps. lvi. 11.
[2114] Job i. 12.
[2115] Job i. 21.
[2116] 1 Cor. iv. 7.
[2117] Job i. 9.
[2118] Job ii. 9.
[2119] Job ii. 10.
[2120] Ps. lxxxiv. 7.
[2121] Pro nihilo.
[2122] John xiv. 6.
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