Isaiah 35, Psalms 52, 53 | 93, 94 , 1 Corinthians iv. 1 & St. Matthew xi. 2
Isaiah 35
The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose. It shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing: the glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it, the excellency of Carmel and Sharon, they shall see the glory of the LORD, and the excellency of our God. Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees. Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompence; he will come and save you. Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert. And the parched ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water: in the habitation of dragons, where each lay, shall be grass with reeds and rushes. And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein. No lion shall be there, nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon, it shall not be found there; but the redeemed shall walk there: And the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.Psalm for Morning and Evening 52,53 | 93, 94
1 Corinthians iv. 1
LET a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful. But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man's judgment: yea, I judge not mine own self. For I know nothing against myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord. Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.St. Matthew xi. 2
NOW when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples, and said unto him, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another? Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see: the blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them. And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me. And as they departed, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind? But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? behold, they that wear soft clothing are in kings' houses. But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet. For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.
Scripture from 1928 Book of Common Praye
The Collects of Thomas Cranmer
Augustine
Psalm LII
1. The title of the Psalm hath: “At the end, understanding of David, when
there came Doeg the Edomite and told Saul, David hath come into the house of
Abimelech:” whereas we read that he had come into the house of Achimelech.
And it may chance that we do not unreasonably suppose, that because of the
similarity of a name and the difference of one syllable, or rather of one
letter, the titles have been varied. In the manuscripts, however, of the
Psalms, when we looked into them, rather Abimelech we have found than
Achimelech. And since in another place thou hast a most evident Psalm,
intimating not a dissimilarity of name, but an utterly different name; when,
for instance, David changed his face before King Achish, not before king
Abimelech, and he sent him away, and he departed: and yet the title of the
Psalm is thus written, “When he changed his countenance in the presence of
Abimelech” —the very change of name maketh us the rather intent upon
a mystery, lest thou shouldest pursue the quasi-facts of history, and
despise the sacred veilings.…
2. Observe ye two kinds of men; the one of men labouring, the other of those
among whom they labour: the one of men thinking of earth, the other of
heaven: the one of men weighing down their heart unto the deep, the other of
men with Angels their heart conjoining: the one trusting in earthly things,
wherein this world aboundeth, the other confiding in heavenly things, which
God, who lieth not, hath promised. But mingled are these kinds of men. We
see now the citizen of Jerusalem, citizen of the kingdom of heaven, have
some office upon earth: to wit, one weareth purple, is a Magistrate, is
Ædile, is Proconsul, is Emperor, doth direct the earthly republic: but he
hath his heart above, if he is a Christian, if he is a believer, if he is
godly, if he is despising those things wherein he is, and trusteth in that
wherein he is not yet. Of which kind was that holy woman Esther, who, though
she was wife of a king, incurred the danger of interceding for her
countrymen: and when she was praying before God, where she could not lie, in
her prayer said, that her royal ornaments were to her but as the cloth of a
menstruous woman. Despair we not then of the citizens of the kingdom
of heaven, when we see them engaged in any of Babylon’s matters, doing
something earthly in republic earthly: nor again let us forthwith
congratulate all men that we see doing matters heavenly; because even the
sons of pestilence sit sometimes in the seat of Moses, of whom is said,
“What things they say, do ye: but what things they do, do not: for they say,
and do not.” Those, amid earthly things, lift up heart unto heaven,
these, amid heavenly words, trail heart upon earth. But there will come time
of winnowing, when both are to be severed with greatest diligence, in order
that no grain may pass over unto the heap of chaff that is to be burned,
that not one single straw may pass over to the mass that is to be stored in
the barn. So long as then now it is mingled, hear we thence our
voice, that is, voice of the citizens of the kingdom of heaven (for to this
we ought to aspire, to bear with evil men here, rather than be borne with by
good men): and let us conjoin ourselves to this voice, both with ear and
with tongue, and with heart and work. Which if we shall have done, we are
here speaking in those things which we hear. Let us therefore speak first of
the evil body of kingdom earthly.
3. “Why doth he glory in malice that is mighty?” (ver. 1). Observe, my
brethren, the glorying of malignity, the glorying of evil men. Where is
glorying? “Why doth he glory in malice that is mighty?” That is, he that in
malice is mighty, why doth he glory? There is need that a man be mighty, but
in goodness, not in malice. Is it any great thing to glory in malice? To
build a house doth belong to few men, any ignorant man you please can pull
down. To sow wheat, to dress the crop, to wait until it ripen, and in that
fruit on which one has laboured to rejoice, doth belong to few men: with one
spark any man you please can burn all the crop. To breed an infant, when
born to feed him, to educate, to bring him on to youth’s estate, is a great
task: to kill him in one moment of time any one you please is able.
Therefore those things which are done for destruction, are most easily done.
“He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord:” he that glorieth, let
him glory in goodness. Thou gloriest, because thou art mighty in evil. What
art thou about to do, O mighty man, what art thou about to do, boasting
thyself much? Thou art about to kill a man: this thing also a scorpion, this
also one fever, this also a poisonous fungus can do. To this is thy
mightiness reduced, that it be made equal to a poisonous fungus? This
therefore do the good citizens of Jerusalem, who not in malice but in
goodness glory: firstly, that not in themselves, but in the Lord they glory.
Secondly, that those things which make for edification they earnestly do,
and do such things as are strong to abide: but things which make for
destruction they may do, for the discipline of men advancing, not for the
oppression of the innocent. To this mightiness then that earthly body being
compared, why may it not hear out of these words, “Why doth he glory in
malice that is mighty?”
4. “In iniquity the whole day upon injustice hath thy tongue thought” (ver.
2): that is, in the whole of time, without weariness, without intermission,
without cessation. And when thou doest not, thou thinkest; so that when
anything of evil is away from thy hands, from thy heart it is not away;
either thou doest an evil thing, or while thou canst not do, thou sayest an
evil thing, that is, thou evil-speakest: or when not even this thou canst
do, thou willest and thinkest an evil thing. “The whole day,” then, that is,
without intermission. We expect punishment to this man. Is he to himself a
small punishment? Thou threatenest him: thou, when thou threatenest him,
wilt send him whither? Unto evil? Send him away unto himself. In order that
thou mayest vent much rage, thou art going to give him into the power of
beasts: unto himself he is worse than beasts. For a beast can mangle his
body: of himself he cannot leave his heart whole. Within, against himself he
doth rage of himself, and dost thou from without seek for stripes? Nay, pray
God for him, that he may be set free from himself. Nevertheless in this
Psalm, my brethren, there is not a prayer for evil men, or against evil men,
but a prophecy of what is to result to evil men. Think not therefore that
the Psalm of ill-will saith anything: for it is said in the spirit of
prophecy.
5. There followeth then what? All thy might and all thy thought of iniquity
all the day, and meditation of malignity in thy tongue without intermission,
hath performed what, done what? “As with a sharp razor thou hast done
deceit” (ver. 3). See what do evil men to Saints, they scrape their hair.
What is it that I have said? If there be such citizens of Jerusalem, that
hear the voice of their Lord, of their King, saying, “Fear not them which
kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul:” that hear the voice which
but now from the Gospel hath been read, “What doth it profit a man, if he
shall gain the whole world, and of himself make wreck:” they despise
all present good things, and above all life itself. And what is Doeg’s razor
to do to a man on this earth meditating on the kingdom of heaven, and about
to be in the kingdom of heaven, having with him God, and about to abide with
God? What is that razor to do? Hair it is to scrape, it is to make a man
bald. And this belongeth to Christ, who in the Place of a Skull was
crucified. It maketh also the son of Core, which is interpreted
baldness. For this hair signifieth a superfluity of things temporal.
Which hairs indeed are not made by God superfluously on the body of men, but
for a sort of ornament: yet because without feeling they are cut off, they
that cleave to the Lord with their heart, so have these earthly things as
they have hair. But sometimes even something of good with “hair” is wrought,
when thou breakest bread to the hungry, the poor without roof thou bringest
into thy house; if thou shalt have seen one naked, thou coverest him:
lastly, the Martyrs themselves also imitating the Lord, blood for the Church
shedding, hearing that voice, “As Christ laid down His life for us, so also
ought we also to lay down for the brethren,” in a certain way with
their hair did good to us, that is, with those things which that razor can
lop off or scrape. But that therefore even with the very hair some good can
be done, even that woman a sinner intimated, who, when she had wept over the
feet of the Lord, with her hair wiped what with tears she wetted. Signifying what? That when thou shalt have pitied any one, thou oughtest to
relieve him also if thou canst. For when thou hast pity, thou sheddest as it
were tears: when thou relievest, thou wipest with hair. And if this to any
one, how much more to the feet of the Lord. The feet of the Lord are what?
The holy Evangelists, whereof is said, “How beautiful are the feet of them
that tell of peace, that tell of good things!” Therefore like a razor
let Doeg whet his tongue, let him whet deceit as much as he may: he will
take away superfluous temporal things; will he necessary things everlasting?
6. “Thou hast loved malice above benignity” (ver. 4). Before thee was
benignity; herself thou shouldest have loved. For thou wast not going to
expend anything, nor wast thou going to fetch something to love by a distant
voyage. Benignity is before thee, iniquity before thee: compare and choose.
But perchance thou hast an eye wherewith thou seest malignity, and hast no
eye wherewith thou seest benignity. Woe to the iniquitous heart. What is
worse, it doth turn away itself, that it may not see what it is able to see.
For what of such hath been said in another place? “He would not understand
that he might do good.” For it is not said, he could not: but “he
would not,” he saith, “understand that he might do good,” he closed his eyes
from present light. And what followeth? “Of iniquity he hath meditated in
his bed;” that is, in the inner secrecy of his heart. Some reproach of this
kind is heaped upon this Doeg the Edomite, a malignant body, a motion of
earth, not abiding, not heavenly. “Thou hast loved malignity above
benignity.” For wilt thou know how an evil man doth see both, and the former
he doth rather choose, from the other doth turn himself away? Wherefore doth
he cry out when he suffereth anything unjustly? Wherefore doth he then
exaggerate as much as he can the iniquity, and praise benignity, censuring
him that hath wrought in him malignity above benignity? Be he then a rule to
himself for seeing: out of himself he shall be judged. Moreover, if he do
what is written, “Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself;” and,
“Whatsoever good things ye will that men should do unto you, these also do
ye do unto them:” at home he hath means of knowing, because what on
himself he will not have to be done, he ought not to do to another. “Thou
hast loved malice above benignity.” Iniquitously, inordinately, perversely
thou wouldest raise water above oil: the water will be sunk, the oil
will remain above. Thou wouldest under darkness place a light: the darkness
will be put to flight, the light will remain. Above heaven thou wouldest
place earth, by its weight the earth will fall into its place. Thou
therefore wilt be sunk by loving malice above benignity. For never will
malice overcome benignity. “Thou hast loved malice above benignity: iniquity
more than to speak of equity.” Before thee is equity, before thee is
iniquity: one tongue thou hast, whither thou wilt thou turnest it: wherefore
then rather to iniquity and not to equity? Food of bitterness dost thou not
give to thy belly, and food of iniquity dost thou give to thy malignant
tongue? As thou choosest whereon to live, so choose what thou mayest speak.
Thou preferrest iniquity to equity, and preferrest malice to benignity; thou
indeed preferrest, but above what can ever be but benignity and equity? But
thou, by placing thyself in a manner upon those things which it is necessary
should go beneath, wilt not make them to be above good things, but thou with
them wilt be sunk unto evil things.
7. Because of this there followeth in the Psalm, “Thou hast loved all words
of sinking under” (ver. 5). Rescue therefore thyself, if thou canst, from
sinking under. From shipwreck thou art fleeing, and dost embrace lead! If
thou wilt not sink, catch at a plank, be borne on wood, let the Cross carry
thee through. But now because thou art a Doeg the Edomite, a “motion,” and
“of earth,” thou doest what? “Thou hast loved all words of sinking-under, a
tongue deceitful.” This hath preceded, words of sinking-under have followed
a tongue deceitful. What is a tongue deceitful? A minister of guile is a
tongue deceitful, of men bearing one thing in heart, another thing from
mouth bringing forth. But in these is overthrowing, in these sinking under.
8. “Wherefore God shall destroy thee at the end” (ver. 6): though now thou
seemest to flourish like grass in the field before the heat of the sun. For,
“All flesh is grass, and the brightness of man as the bloom of grass: the
grass hath withered, and the bloom hath fallen down: but the word of the
Lord abideth for everlasting.” Behold that to which thou mayest bind
thyself, to what “abideth for everlasting.” For if to grass, and to
the bloom of grass, thou shalt have bound thyself, since the grass shall
wither, and the bloom shall fall down, “God shall destroy thee at the
end:” and if not now, certainly at the end He shall destroy, when that
winnowing shall have come, and the heap of chaff from the solid grain shall
have been separated. Is not the solid grain for the barns, and the
chaff for the fire? Shall not the whole of that Doeg stand at the left hand,
when the Lord is to say, “Go ye into fire everlasting, which hath been
prepared for the devil and his angels”? Therefore “God shall destroy
at the end: shall pluck thee out, and shall remove thee from thy
dwelling.” Now then this Doeg the Edomite is in a dwelling: “But a servant
abideth not in the house for ever.” Even he worketh something of
good, even if not with his doings, at least with the words of God, so that
in the Church, when he “seeketh his own,” he would say, at least,
those things which are of Christ.
“But He shall remove thee from thy dwelling.” “Verily, verily, I say unto
you, they have received their reward.” “And thy root from the land of
the living.” Therefore in the land of the living we ought to have root. Be
our root there. Out of sight is the root: fruits may be seen, root cannot be
seen. Our root is our love, our fruits are our works: it is needful that thy
works proceed from love, then is thy root in the land of the living. Then
shall be rooted up that Doeg, nor any wise shall he be able there to abide,
because neither more deeply there hath he fixed a root: but it shall
be with him in like manner as it is with those seeds on the rock, which even
if a root they throw out, yet, because moisture they have not, with the
risen sun forthwith do wither. But, on the other hand, they that fix a root
more deeply, hear from the Apostle what? “I bow my knees for you to the
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye may be in love rooted and
grounded.” And because there now is root, “That ye may be able,” he saith,
“to comprehend what is the height, and breadth, and length, and depth: to
know also the supereminent knowledge of the love of Christ, that ye may be
filled unto all the fulness of God.” Of such fruits so great a root
is worthy, being so single, so budding, for buddings so deeply grounded. But
truly this man’s root shall be rooted up from the land of the living.
9. “And the just shall see, and shall fear; and over him they shall laugh”
(ver. 7). Shall fear when? Shall laugh when? Let us therefore understand,
and make a distinction between those two times of fearing and laughing,
which have their several uses. For so long as we are in this world, not yet
must we laugh, lest hereafter we mourn. We have read what is reserved at the
end for this Doeg, we have read and because we understand and believe, we
see but fear. This, therefore, hath been said, “The just shall see, and
shall fear.” So long as we see what will result at the end to evil men,
wherefore do we fear? Because the Apostle hath said, “In fear and trembling
work out your own salvation:” because it hath been said in a Psalm,
“Serve the Lord in fear, and exult unto Him with trembling.”
Wherefore “with fear”? “Wherefore let him that thinketh himself to stand,
see that he fall not.” Wherefore “with trembling”? Because he saith
in another place: “Brethren, if a man shall have been overtaken in any
delinquency, ye that are spiritual instruct such sort in the spirit of
gentleness; heeding thyself, lest thou also be tempted.” Therefore,
the just that are now, that live of faith, so see this Doeg, what to him is
to result, that nevertheless they fear also for themselves: for what they
are to-day, they know; what to-morrow they are to be, they know not. Now,
therefore, “The just shall see, and they shall fear.” But when shall they
laugh? When iniquity shall have passed over; when it shall have flown over;
as now to a great degree hath flown over the time uncertain; when shall have
been put to flight the darkness of this world, wherein now we walk not but
by the lamp of the Scriptures, and therefore fear as though in night. For we
walk by prophecy; whereof saith the Apostle Peter, “We have a more sure
prophetic word, to which giving heed ye do well, as to a lamp shining in a
dark place, until the day shine, and the day-star arise in your hearts.”
So long then as by a lamp we walk, it is needful that with fear we
should live. But when shall have come our day, that is, the manifestation of
Christ, whereof the same Apostle saith, “When Christ shall have appeared,
your life, then ye also shall appear with Himself in glory,” then the
just shall laugh at that Doeg.…
10. But what shall they then say that shall laugh? “And over him they shall
laugh; and shall say, Behold a man that hath not set God for his helper”
(ver. 8). See ye the body earthly! “As much as thou shalt have, so great
shalt thou be,” is a proverb of covetous men, of grasping men, of men
oppressing the innocent, of men seizing upon other men’s goods, of men
denying things entrusted to their care. Of what sort is this proverb? “As
much as thou shalt have, so great shalt thou be;” that is, as much as thou
shalt have had of money, as much as thou shalt have gotten, by so much the
more mighty shalt thou be. “Behold a man that hath not set God for his
helper, but hath trusted in the multitude of his riches.” Let not a poor
man, one perchance that is evil, say, I am not of this body. For he hath
heard the Prophet saying, “He hath trusted in the multitude of his
riches:” forthwith if he is poor, he heedeth his rags, he hath observed near
him perchance a rich man among the people of God more richly apparelled, and
he saith in his heart, Of this man he speaketh; doth he speak of me? Do not
thence except thyself, do not separate thyself, unless thou shalt have seen
and feared, in order that thou mayest hereafter laugh. For what doth it
profit thee, if thou dost want means, and thou burnest with cupidity? When
our Lord Jesus Christ to that rich man that was grieved, and that was
departing from Him, had said, “Go, sell all that thou hast, and give to the
poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven, and come follow Me:” and great hopelessness for rich men foretold, so that He said, more easily
could a camel pass through the eye of a needle, than a rich man enter into
the kingdom of Heaven, were not forthwith the disciples grieved,
saying with themselves, “Who shall be able to be saved?” Therefore when they
were saying, “Who shall be able to be saved?” did they think of the few rich
men, did there escape them so great a multitude of poor men? Could they not
say to themselves, If it is hard, aye an impossible thing, that rich men
should enter into the kingdom of heaven, as it is impossible that a camel
should enter through the eye of a needle, let all poor men enter into the
kingdom of heaven, be the rich alone shut out? For how few are the rich men?
But of poor men are thousands innumerable. For not the coats are we to look
upon in the kingdom of heaven; but for every one’s garment shall be reckoned
the effulgence of righteousness: there shall be therefore poor men equal to
Angels of God, clothed with the stoles of immortality, they shall shine as
the sun in the kingdom of their Father: what reason is there for us about a
few rich men to be concerned, or distressed? This thought not the Apostles;
but when the Lord had spoken this, “It is easier for a camel to go through
the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of
heaven:” they saying to themselves, “Who shall be able to be saved,” meant
what? Not means, but desires; for they saw even poor men themselves, even if
not having money, yet to have covetousness. And that ye may know, that not
money in a rich man, but covetousness is condemned, attend to what I say;
Thou observest that rich man standing near thee, and perchance in him is
money, and is not covetousness; in thee is not money, and is covetousness. A
poor man full of sores, full of woe, licked by dogs, having no help, having
no morsel, not having perchance a mere garment, was borne by the Angels unto
Abraham’s bosom. Ho! being a poor man, art thou glad now; for are
even sores by thee to be desired? Is not thy patrimony soundness? There is
not in this Lazarus the merit of poverty, but that of godliness. For thou
seest who was borne up, thou seest not whither he was borne up. Who was
borne up by Angels? A poor man, full of woe, full of sores. Whither was he
borne up? Unto Abraham’s bosom. Read the Scriptures, and thou shall find
Abraham to have been a rich man. In order that thou mayest know, that
not riches are blamed; Abraham had much gold, silver, cattle, household, was
a rich man, and unto his bosom Lazarus, a poor man, was borne up. Unto bosom
of rich man, poor man: are not rather both unto God rich men, both in
cupidity poor men?…
11. Therefore that man having been condemned that “hath trusted in the
multitude of his riches, and hath prevailed in his vanity:” for what more
vain, than he that thinketh coin more to avail than God? Therefore that man
having been condemned that said, blessed of the people to whom these things
are: thou that sayest, “Blessed the people of whom is the Lord their own
God,” dost think of thyself what? dost hope for thyself what? “But I;” now
at length hear that body: “But I am like an olive, fruit-bearing in the
house of God” (ver. 9). Not one man speaketh, but that olive fruit-bearing,
whence have been pruned the proud branches, and the humble wild olive
graffed in. “Like an olive, fruit-bearing in the house of God, I have
trusted in the mercy of God.” He did what? “In the multitude of his
riches:” therefore his root shall be plucked out from the land of the
living. “But I,” because “like an olive, fruit-bearing in the house of
God,” the root whereof is nourished, is not rooted out, “have trusted in the
mercy of God.” But perchance now? For even herein men err sometimes. God
indeed they worship, and are not now like to that Doeg: but though on God
they rely, it is for temporal things nevertheless; so that they say to
themselves, I worship my God, who will make me rich upon earth, who to me
will give sons, who to me will give a wife. Such things indeed giveth none
but God, but God would not have Himself for the sake of such things to be
loved. For to this end oftentimes those things He giveth even to evil men,
in order that some other thing good men of Him may learn to seek. In what
manner then sayest thou, “I have trusted in the mercy of God”? Perchance for
obtaining temporal things? Nay but, “For everlasting and world without
end.” The expression, “For everlasting,” he willed to repeat by adding,
“world without end,” in order that by there repeating he might affirm how
rooted he was in the love of the kingdom of heaven, and in the hope of
everlasting felicity.
12. “I will confess to Thee for ever, because Thou hast done” (ver. 10).
“Hast done what?” Doeg Thou hast condemned, David Thou hast crowned. “I will
confess to Thee for ever, because Thou hast done.” Great confession,
“Because thou hast done”! “Hast done” what? except these very things which
above have been spoken of, that like an olive fruit-bearing in the house of
God, I should trust in the mercy of God for everlasting and world without
end? Thou hast done: an ungodly man cannot justify himself. But who is He
that justifieth? “Believing,” he saith, “on Him” that justifieth “the
ungodly.” “For what hast thou which thou hast not received? But if
thou hast received, why dost thou glory as if thou hast not received, as if
of thyself thou hast?” Be it far from me that I should so glory,
saith he, that is opposed against Doeg, that beareth with Doeg upon earth,
until he remove from his dwelling, and be rooted up from the land of the
living. I glory not as if I have not received, but in God I glory. “And I
will confess to Thee because Thou hast done,” that is, because Thou hast
done not according to my merits, but according to Thy mercy. But I have done
what? If thou recollectest, “Before, I was a blasphemer, and a persecutor,
and injurious.” But thou, what hast thou done? “But mercy I have obtained,
because ignorant I did it.” “I will confess to Thee for ever, because
Thou hast done.”
13. “And I will look for Thy name, for it is pleasant.” Bitter is the world,
but Thy name is pleasant. Even if certain sweet things are in the world, yet
with bitterness they are digested. Thy name is preferred, not only for
greatness but also for pleasantness. “For unjust men have told to me their
delights, but it is not as Thy law, O Lord.” For if there were
nothing sweet to the Martyrs, they would not have suffered with equanimity
so great bitterness of tribulations. Their bitterness by any one was
experienced, their sweetness easily could no one taste. The name of God
therefore is pleasant to men loving God above all pleasantnesses. “I will
look for Thy name, for it is pleasant.” And to what dost Thou prove that it
is pleasant? Give me a palate to which it is pleasant. Praise honey as much
as thou art able, exaggerate the sweetness thereof with what words thou
shalt have the power: a man knowing not what honey is, unless he shall have
tasted, what thou sayest knoweth not. Therefore the rather to the proof the
Psalm inviting thee saith what? “Taste and see that sweet is the Lord.”
Taste thou wilt not, and thou sayest, Is it pleasant? What is
pleasant? If thou hast tasted, in thy fruit be it found, not in words alone,
as it were only in leaves, lest by the curse of the Lord, to wither like
that fig-tree thou shouldest deserve. “Taste,” he saith, “and see,
that sweet is the Lord.” Taste and see: then ye shall see, if ye shall have
tasted. But to a man not tasting, how provest thou? By praising the
pleasantness of the name of God, whatsoever things thou shalt have said are
words: something else is taste. The words of His praise there hear even the
ungodly, but none taste how sweet it is, but the Saints. Further, a man
discerning the sweetness of the name of God, and wishing to unfold and
wishing to show the same, and not finding persons to whom he may unfold it;
for to the Saints there is no need that he show it, because they even of
themselves taste and know, but the ungodly cannot discern what they will not
taste: doth, I say, what, because of the sweetness of the name of God? He
hath borne him forthwith away from the crowds of the ungodly. “And I will
look,” he saith, “for Thy name, for it is pleasant, in the sight of Thy
Saints.” Pleasant is Thy name, but not in the sight of the ungodly. I know
how sweet a thing it is, but it is to them that have tasted.
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
Finis
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