The First Sunday in Lent
Quadregesima
Augutstine on Psalm LI
First Sunday in Lent Home
O LORD, who for our sake didst fast forty days and forty nights; Give us grace to use such abstinence, that, our flesh being subdued to the Spirit we may ever obey thy godly motions in righteousness, and true holiness, to thy honour and glory, who livest and reignest with the Father and the Holy Ghost, one God, world without end. Amen.
ALMIGHTY and everlasting God, who hatest nothing that thou hast made, and dost forgive the sins of all those who are penitent; Create and make in us new and contrite hearts, that we, worthily lamenting our sins and acknowledging our wretchedness, may obtain of thee, the God of all mercy, perfect remission and forgiveness; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
[Collect of Ash Wednesday said daily until Palm Sunday]
This homily was traditionally said on Quardregesima... another name of this Sunday, which marked the start of Lent being about forty days before easter. The beginning of Lent was officially moved by the church to Ash Wednesday before this Sunday, but the collect remained, even though the fasting had begun
1 Samuel xxiii. 13 Psalm 51, 54 | 119:1–32 2 Corinthians vi. 1 & St. Matthew iv. 1
Homily of Augustine on Psalm LI
READINGS
1 Samuel xxiii. 13
Then David and his men, which were about six hundred, arose and departed out of Keilah, and went whithersoever they could go. And it was told Saul that David was escaped from Keilah; and he forbare to go forth. And David abode in the wilderness in strong holds, and remained in a mountain in the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul sought him every day, but God delivered him not into his hand. And David saw that Saul was come out to seek his life: and David was in the wilderness of Ziph in a wood. And Jonathan Saul's son arose, and went to David into the wood, and strengthened his hand in God. And he said unto him, Fear not: for the hand of Saul my father shall not find thee; and thou shalt be king over Israel, and I shall be next unto thee; and that also Saul my father knoweth. And they two made a covenant before the LORD: and David abode in the wood, and Jonathan went to his house. Then came up the Ziphites to Saul to Gibeah, saying, Doth not David hide himself with us in strong holds in the wood, in the hill of Hachilah, which is on the south of Jeshimon? Now therefore, O king, come down according to all the desire of thy soul to come down; and our part shall be to deliver him into the king's hand. And Saul said, Blessed be ye of the LORD; for ye have compassion on me. Go, I pray you, prepare yet, and know and see his place where his haunt is, and who hath seen him there: for it is told me that he dealeth very subtly. See therefore, and take knowledge of all the lurking places where he hideth himself, and come ye again to me with the certainty, and I will go with you: and it shall come to pass, if he be in the land, that I will search him out throughout all the thousands of Judah. And they arose, and went to Ziph before Saul: but David and his men were in the wilderness of Maon, in the plain on the south of Jeshimon. Saul also and his men went to seek him. And they told David: wherefore he came down into a rock, and abode in the wilderness of Maon. And when Saul heard that, he pursued after David in the wilderness of Maon. And Saul went on this side of the mountain, and David and his men on that side of the mountain: and David made haste to get away for fear of Saul; for Saul and his men compassed David and his men round about to take them. But there came a messenger unto Saul, saying, Haste thee, and come; for the Philistines have invaded the land. Wherefore Saul returned from pursuing after David, and went against the Philistines: therefore they called that place Selahammahlekoth. And David went up from thence, and dwelt in strong holds at Engedi.
Psalm 51, 54 | 119:1–32(Aleph-Daleth)
2 Corinthians vi. 1
WE then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain; (for he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation;) giving no offence in any thing, that the ministry be not blamed: but in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings; by pureness, by knowledge, by long-suffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned, by the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left, by honour and dishonour, by evil report and good report: as deceivers, and yet true; as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and, behold, we live; as chastened, and not killed; as sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.
St. Matthew iv. 1.
THEN was Jesus led up of the spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred. And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple, and saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. Again, the devil taketh him up into an excee-ding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; and saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.
Scripture from 1928 Book of Common Praye
The Collects of Thomas Cranmer
HOMILY
Augustine of Hippo
Psalm LIV
1. The title of this Psalm hath fruit in the prolixity thereof, if it
be understood: and because the Psalm is short, let us make up our not
having to tarry over the Psalm by tarrying over the title. For upon
this dependeth every verse which is sung. If any one, therefore,
observe that which on the front of the house is fixed, secure he will
enter; and, when he shall have entered, he will not err. For this on
the post itself is prominently marked, namely, in what manner within he
may not be in error. The title thereof standeth thus: "At the end, in
hymns, understanding to David himself, when there came the Ziphites,
and said to Saul, Behold, is not David hidden with us?" That Saul was
persecutor of the holy man David, very well we know: that Saul was
bearing the figure of a temporal kingdom, not to life but to death
belonging, this also to your Love we remember to have imparted. And
also that David himself was bearing the figure of Christ, or of the
Body of Christ, ye ought both to know and to call to mind, ye that have
already learned. [1948] What then of the Ziphites? There was a certain
village, Ziph, whereof the inhabitants were Ziphites, in whose country
David had hidden himself, when Saul would find and slay him. These
Ziphites then, when they had learned this, betrayed him to the king his
persecutor, saying, "Behold, is not David hidden with us?" Of no good
to them indeed was their betrayal, and to David himself of no harm. For
their evil disposition was shown: but Saul not even after their
betrayal could seize David; but rather in a certain cave in that very
country, when into his hands Saul had been given to slay, David spared
him, and that which he had in his power he did not. [1949] But the
other was seeking to do that which he had not in his power. Let them
that have been Ziphites take heed: let us see those whom to us the
Psalm presenteth to be understood by the occasion of those same men.
Notes:
2. If we inquire then by what word is translated Ziphites, we find,
"Men flourishing." Flourishing then were certain enemies to holy David,
flourishing before him hiding. We may find them in mankind, if we are
willing to understand the Psalm. Let us find here at first David
hiding, and we shall find his adversaries flourishing. Observe David
hiding: "For ye are dead," saith the Apostle to the members of Christ,
"and your life is hid with Christ in God." [1950] These men, therefore,
that are hiding, when shall they be flourishing? "When Christ," he
saith, "your life, shall have appeared, then ye also with Him shall
appear in glory." [1951] When these men shall be flourishing, then
shall be those Ziphites withering. For observe to what flower their
glory is compared: "All flesh is grass, and the honour of flesh as the
flower of grass." [1952] What is the end? "The grass hath withered, and
the flower hath fallen off." Where then shall be David? See what
followeth: "But the Word of the Lord abideth for ever."...
3. These men sometimes are observed of the weak sons of light, and
their feet totter, when they have seen evil men in felicity to
flourish, and they say to themselves, "Of what profit to me is
innocence? What doth it advantage me that I serve God, that I keep His
commandments, that I oppress no one, from no one plunder anything, hurt
no one, that what I can I bestow? behold, all these things I do, and
they flourish, I toil." But why? Wouldest thou also wish to be a
Ziphite? They flourish in the world, wither in judgment, and after
withering, into fire everlasting shall be cast: wouldest thou also
choose this? Art thou ignorant of what He hath promised thee, who to
thee hath come, what in Himself here He displayed? If the flower of the
Ziphites were to be desired, would not Himself thy Lord also in this
world have flourished? Or indeed was there wanting to Him the power to
flourish? Nay but here He chose rather amid the Ziphites to hide, and
to say to Pontius Pilate, as if to one being himself also a flower of
the Ziphites, and in suspicion about His kingdom, "My kingdom is not of
this world." [1953] Therefore here He was hidden: and all good men are
hidden here, because their good is within, it is concealed, in the
heart it is, where is faith, where charity, where hope, where their
treasure is. Do these good things appear in the world? Both these good
things are hidden, and the reward of these good things is hidden....
4. "O God, in Thy name make me safe, and in Thy virtue judge me" (ver.
1). Let the Church say this, hiding amid the Ziphites. Let the
Christian body say this, keeping secret the good of its morals,
expecting in secret the reward of its merits, let it say this: "In Thy
virtue [1954] judge me." Thou hast come, O Christ, humble Thou hast
appeared, despised Thou hast been, scourged hast been, crucified hast
been, slain hast been; but, on the third day hast risen, on the
fortieth day into Heaven hast ascended: Thou sittest at the right hand
of the Father, and no one seeth: Thy Spirit thence Thou hast sent,
which men that were worthy have received; fulfilled with Thy love, the
praise of that very humility of Thine throughout the world and nations
they have preached: Thy name I see to excel among mankind, but
nevertheless as weak to us hast Thou been preached. For not even did
that Teacher of the Gentiles say, that among us he knew anything, "Save
Christ Jesus, and Him crucified;" [1955] in order that of Him we might
choose the reproach, rather than the glory of the flourishing Ziphites.
Nevertheless, of Him he saith what? "Although He died of weakness, yet
He liveth of the power [1956] of God." He came then that He might die
of weakness, He is to come that He may judge in the power of God: but
through the weakness of the Cross His name hath been illustrious.
Whosoever shall not have believed upon the name made illustrious
through weakness, shall stand in awe at the Judge, when He shall have
come in power. But, lest He that once was weak, when He shall have come
strong, with that fan send us to the left hand; may He "save us in His
name, and judge us in His virtue." For who so rash as to have desired
this, as to say to God, for instance "Judge me"? Is it not wont to be
said to men for a curse, "God judge thee"? So evidently it is a curse,
if He judge thee in His virtue; and shall not have saved thee in His
name: but when in name precedent He shall have saved thee, to thy
health in virtue consequent He shall judge. Be thou without care: that
judgment shall not to thee be punishment, but dividing. For in a
certain Psalm [1957] thus is said: "Judge me, O God, and divide my
cause from the nation unholy."...
5. "O God, hearken to my prayer, in Thy ears receive the words of my
mouth" (ver. 2)....To Thee may my prayer attain, driven forth and
darted out from the desire of Thy eternal blessings: to Thy ears I send
it forth, aid it that it may reach, lest it fall short in the middle of
the way, and fainting as it were it fall down. But even if there result
not to me now the good things which I ask, I am secured nevertheless
that hereafter they will come. For even in the case of transgressions a
certain man is said to have asked of God, and not to have been
hearkened to for his good. For privations of this world had inspired
him to prayer, and being set in temporal tribulations he had wished
that temporal tribulations should pass away, and there should return
the flower of grass; and he saith, "My God, my God, why hast Thou
forsaken me?" [1958] The very voice of Christ it is, but for His
members' sake. "The words," he saith, "of my transgressions I have
cried to Thee throughout the day, and Thou hast not hearkened: and by
night, and not for the sake of folly to me:" that is, "and by night I
have cried, and Thou hast not hearkened; and nevertheless in this very
thing that Thou hast not hearkened, it is not for the sake of folly to
me that Thou hast not hearkened, but rather for the sake of wisdom that
Thou hast not hearkened, that I might perceive what of Thee I ought to
ask. For those things I was asking which to my cost perchance I should
have received." Thou askest riches, O man; how many have been overset
through their riches? Whence knowest thou whether to thee riches may
profit? Have not many poor men more safely been in obscurity; having
become rich men, so soon as they have begun to blaze forth, they have
been a prey to the stronger? How much better they would have lain
concealed, how much better they would have been unknown, that have
begun to be inquired after not for the sake of what they were, but for
the sake of what they had! In these temporal things therefore,
brethren, we admonish and exhort you in the Lord, that ye ask not
anything as if it were a thing settled, but that which God knoweth to
be expedient for you. For what is expedient for you, ye know not at
all. Sometimes that which ye think to be for you is against you, and
that which ye think to be against you is for you. For sick ye are; do
not dictate to the physician the medicines he may choose to set beside
you. If the teacher of the Gentiles, Paul the Apostle, saith, "For what
we should pray for as we ought, we know not," [1959] how much more we?
Who nevertheless, when he seemed to himself to pray wisely, namely,
that from him should be taken away the thorn of the flesh, the angel of
Satan, that did buffet him, in order that he might not in the greatness
of the revelations be lifted up, heard from the Lord what? Was that
done which he wished? Nay, [1960] in order to that being done which was
expedient, he heard from the Lord, I say, what? "Thrice," he saith, "I
besought the Lord that He would take it from me; and He said to me, My
Grace sufficeth for thee: for virtue in weakness is made perfect."
[1961] Salve to the wound I have applied; when I applied it I know,
when it should be taken away I know. Let not a sick man draw back from
the hands of the physician, let him not give advice to the physician.
So it is with all these things temporal. There are tribulations; if
well thou worshippest God, thou wilt know that He knoweth what is
expedient for each man: there are prosperities; take the more heed,
lest these same corrupt thy soul, so that it withdraw from Him that
hath given these things....
6. "For aliens have risen up against me" (ver. 3). What "aliens"? Was
not David himself a Jew of the tribe of Judah? But the very place Ziph
belonged to the tribe of Judah; it was of the Jews. How then "aliens"?
Not in city, not in tribe, not in kindred, but in flower. [1962] ...But
see the Ziphites, see them for a time flourishing. With reason "alien"
sons. Thou amid the Ziphites hiding saidst what? "Blessed the people
whereof the Lord is its God." Out of this affection this prayer [1963]
is being sent forth into the ears of the Lord, when it is said, "for
aliens have risen up against me."
7. "And mighty men have sought after my soul." For in a new manner, my
brethren, they would destroy the race of holy men, and the race of them
that abstain from hoping in this world, all they that have hope in this
world. Certainly commingled they are, certainly together they live.
Very much to one another are opposed these two sorts: the one of those
that place no hope but in things secular, and in temporal felicity, and
the other of those that do firmly place their hope in the Lord God. And
though concordant are these Ziphites, do not much trust to their
concord: temptations are wanting; when there shall have come any
temptation, so as that a person may be reproved for the flower of the
world, I say not to thee he will quarrel with the Bishop, but not even
to the Church Herself will he draw near, lest there fall any part of
the grass. [1964] Wherefore have I said these words, brethren? Because
now gladly ye all hear in the name of Christ, and according as ye
understand, so ye shout out at the word; ye would not indeed shout at
it unless ye understood. [1965] This your understanding ought to be
fruitful. But whether it is fruitful, temptation doth try; lest
suddenly when ye are said to be ours, through temptation ye be found
aliens, and it be said, "Aliens have risen up against me, and mighty
men have sought my soul." Be not that said which followeth, "They have
not set forth God before their face." For when will he set God before
his face, before whose eyes there is nought but the world? namely, how
he may have coin upon coin, how flocks may be increased, how barns may
be filled, how it may be said to his soul, "Thou hast many good things,
be merry, feast, take thy fill." Doth he set before his face Him, that
unto one so boasting and so blooming with the flower of the Ziphites
saith, "Fool" (that is, "man not understanding," "man unwise"), "this
night shall be taken from thee thy soul; all these things which thou
hast prepared, whose shall they be?" [1966]
8. "For behold, God helpeth me" (ver. 4). Even themselves know not
themselves, amid whom I am hiding. But if they too were to set God
before their face, they would find in what manner God helpeth me. For
all holy men are helped by God, but within, where no one seeth. For in
like manner as the conscience of ungodly men is a great punishment, so
a great joy is the very conscience of godly men. "For our glory this
is," saith the Apostle, "the testimony of our conscience." [1967] In
this within, not in the flower of the Ziphites without, doth glory that
man that now saith, "For behold God helpeth me." Surely though afar off
are to be those things which He promiseth, this day have I a sweet and
present help; to-day in my heart's joy I find that without cause
certain say, "Who doth show to us good things? For there is signed upon
us the light of Thy countenance, O Lord, Thou hast put pleasantness
into my heart." [1968] Not into my vineyard, not into my flock, not
into my cask, not into my table, but "into my heart." "For behold God
helpeth me." How doth He help thee? "And the Lord is the lifter up of
my soul."
9. "Turn away evil things unto mine enemies" (ver. 5). So however green
they are, so however they flourish, for the fire they are being [1969]
reserved. "In Thy virtue destroy Thou them." Because to wit they
flourish now, because to wit they spring up like grass: [1970] do not
thou be a man unwise and foolish, so that by giving thought to these
things thou perish for ever and ever. For, "Turn Thou away evil things
unto mine enemies." For if thou shalt have place in the body of David
Himself, in His virtue He will destroy them. These men flourish in the
felicity of the world, perish in the virtue of God. Not in the same
manner as they flourish, do they also perish: for they flourish for a
time, perish for everlasting: flourish in unreal good things, perish in
real torments. "In Thy strength destroy," whom in Thy weakness Thou
hast endured.
10. "Voluntarily I will sacrifice to Thee" (ver. 6). Who can even
understand this good thing of the heart, at another's speaking thereof,
unless in himself he hath tasted it? What is, "Voluntarily I will
sacrifice to Thee"?... For what sacrifice here shall I take, brethren?
or what worthily shall I offer to the Lord for His mercy? Victims shall
I seek from flock of sheep, ram shall I select, for any bull in the
herds shall I look out, frankincense indeed from the land of the
Sabaeans shall I bring? What shall I do? What offer; except that
whereof He speaketh, "Sacrifice of praise shall honour Me"? [1971]
Wherefore then "voluntarily"? Because truly I love that which I praise.
I praise God, and in the self-same praise I rejoice: in the praise of
Himself I rejoice, at whom being praised, I blush not. For He is not
praised in the same manner as by those who love the theatrical follies
is praised either by a charioteer, or a hunter, or actor of any kind,
and by their praisers, other praisers are invited, are exhorted, to
shout together: and when all have shouted, ofttimes, if their favourite
is overcome, they are all put to the blush. Not so is our God: be He
praised with the will, loved with charity: let it be gratuitous (or
voluntary) that He is loved and that He is praised. What is
"gratuitous"? Himself for the sake of Himself, not for the sake of
something else. For if thou praisest God in order that He may give thee
something else, no longer freely dost thou love God. Thou wouldest
blush, if thy wife for the sake of riches were to love thee, and
perchance if poverty should befall thee, should begin to think of
adultery. Seeing that therefore thou wouldest be loved by thy partner
freely, wilt thou for anything else love God? What reward art thou to
receive of God, O covetous man? Not earth for thee, but Himself He
keepeth, who made heaven and earth. "Voluntarily I will sacrifice to
Thee:" do it not of necessity. For if for the sake of anything else
thou praisest God, out of necessity thou praisest....These things also
which He hath given, because of the Giver are good things. For He
giveth entirely, He giveth these temporal things: and to certain men to
their good, to certain men to their harm, after the height and depth of
His judgments...."Voluntarily I will sacrifice to Thee." Wherefore
"voluntarily"? Because gratis. What is gratis? "And I will confess to
Thy name, O Lord, for it is a good thing:" for nothing else, but
because a "good thing" it is. Doth he say, "I will confess to Thy name,
O Lord," because Thou givest me fruitful manors, because Thou givest me
gold and silver, because Thou givest me extended riches, abundant
money, most exalted dignity? Nay. But what? "For it is a good thing."
Nothing I find better than Thy name.
11. "For out of all tribulation Thou hast delivered me" (ver. 7). For
this cause I have perceived how good a thing is Thy name: for if this I
were able before tribulations to acknowledge, perchance for me there
had been no need of them. But tribulation hath been applied for
admonition, admonition hath redounded to Thy praise. For I should not
have understood where I was, except of my weakness I had been
admonished. "Out of all tribulations," therefore, "Thou hast delivered
me. And upon mine enemies mine eye hath looked back:" upon those
Ziphites "mine eye hath looked back." Yea, their flower I have passed
over in loftiness of heart, unto Thee I have come, and thence I have
looked back upon them, and have seen that "All flesh is grass, and all
the glory of man as the flower of grass:" [1972] as in a certain place
is also said, "I have seen the ungodly man to be exalted and raised up
like [1973] the cedars of Lebanon: I passed by, and, lo! he was not."
[1974] Wherefore "he was not"? Because thou hast passed by. What is,
"because thou hast passed by"? Because not to no purpose hast thou
heard "Lift up thy heart;" because not on earth, where thou wouldest
have rotted, thou hast remained; because thou hast lifted thy soul to
God, and thou hast mounted beyond the cedars of Lebanon, and from that
elevation hast observed: and "Lo! he was not;" and thou hast sought
him, and there hath not been found place for him. No longer is labour
before thee; because thou hast entered into the sanctuary of God, and
hast understood for the last things. [1975] So also here thus he
concludeth. "And upon mine enemies mine eye hath looked back." This do
ye therefore, brethren, with your souls; lift up your hearts, sharpen
the edge of your mind, learn truly to love God, learn to despise the
present world, learn voluntarily to sacrifice the offerings of praise;
to the end that, mounting beyond the flower of the grass, ye may look
back upon your enemies.
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
From a sermon to the people.
[1948] See exposition upon Ps. lii. S:S: 1, 2.
[1949] 1 Sam. xxiv. 4.
[1950] Col. iii. 3.
[1951] Col. iii. 4.
[1952] Isa. xl. 6.
[1953] John xviii. 36.
[1954] [i.e., power or strength.--C.]
[1955] 1 Cor. ii. 2.
[1956] Virtute.
[1957] Ps. xliii. i.
[1958] Ps. xxii. 1.
[1959] Rom. viii. 26.
[1960] "Nay" not in mss.
[1961] 2 Cor. xii. 8, 9.
[1962] [Jas. i. 10, 11. He seems to bear this text in mind in these
comments.--C.]
[1963] [i.e., this Psalm.--C.]
[1964] [Isa. xl. 6. Note 5, p. 199, supra.--C.]
[1965] [They seem to have applauded, or shouted Amen. So, also, often
when Chrysostom preached.--C.]
[1966] Luke xii. 20.
[1967] 2 Cor. i. 12.
[1968] Ps. iv. 6, 7.
[1969] Al. "let them be."
[1970] Ps. xcii. 7.
[1971] Ps. l. 23.
[1972] Isa. xl. 6.
[1973] Oxf. mss. "above."
[1974] Ps. xxxvii. 35, 36.
[1975] Ps. lxxiii. 16, 17.
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