The Sunday called Septuagesima
the third Sunday before Lent
Augustine on Psalm CIV
Septuagesima Home
O LORD, we beseech thee favourably to hear the prayers of thy people; that we which are justly punished for our offences, may be mercifully delivered by thy goodness, for the glory of thy Name; through Jesus Christ our Saviour, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost ever, one God, world without end. Amen.
Source: Sacramentary of Bishop Gregory of Rome [600 AD]. The collect shows the great stress that Gregory knew from all sorts of calamities and threats - often perceived directly as a result of the sin of the nation. Note the penitent tone of the collect in this somber season. This pre-lenten season of three Sundays was instituted in about 700. Septuagesima is the pre-Lent Sunday approximately 70 days before Easter.
Gen 1 Psalms 8, 148 | 104; 1 Corinthians ix. 24 & St. Matthew xx. 1
Homily of Augustine on Psalm CIV
Genesis i
In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.
And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.
And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.
And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.
And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.
And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so.
And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day.
And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so.
And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good.
Psalms for Morning and Evening 8, 148 | 104
1 Corinthians ix. 24
KNOW ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: but I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection; lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.
St. Matthew xx. 1
THE kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard. And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard. And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the market-place, and said unto them; Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way. Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise. And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle? They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard; and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive. So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the labourers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first. And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny. But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny. And when they had received it, they murmured against the goodman of the house, saying, These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day. But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny? Take that thine is, and go thy way: I will give unto this last, even as unto thee. Is it not lawful for me to do what will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good? So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.
Scripture from 1928 Book of Common Praye
The Collects of Thomas Cranmer
Augustine
Psalm CIV
1. ..."Bless the Lord, O my soul." Let the soul of us all, made one in
Christ, say this. "O Lord my God, Thou art magnified exceedingly!"
(ver. 1). Where art Thou magnified? "Confession and beauty Thou hast
put on." Confess ye, that ye may be beautified, that He may put you on.
"Clothed with light as a garment" (ver. 2). Clothed with His Church,
because she is made "light" in Him, who before was darkness in herself,
as the apostle saith: "Ye were sometime darkness, but now light in the
Lord." [4694] "Stretching out the heaven like a skin:" either as easily
as thou dost a skin, if it be "as easily," so that thou mayest take it
after the letter; or let us understand the authority of the Scriptures,
spread out over the whole world, under the name of a skin; because
mortality is signified in a skin, [4695] but all the authority of the
Divine Scriptures was dispensed unto us through mortal men, whose fame
is still spreading abroad now they are dead.
2. "Who covereth with waters the upper parts thereof" (ver. 3). The
upper parts of what? Of Heaven. What is Heaven? Figuratively only we
said, the Divine Scripture. What are the upper parts of the Divine
Scripture? The commandment of love, than which there is none more
exalted. [4696] But wherefore is love compared to waters? Because "the
love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who is
given unto us." [4697] Whence is the Spirit Himself water? because
"Jesus stood and cried, He that believeth on Me, out of his bosom shall
flow rivers of living water." [4698] Whence do we prove that it was
said of the Spirit? Let the Evangelist himself declare, who followeth
it up, and saith, "But this spake He of the Spirit, which they were to
receive, who should believe on Him." "Who walketh above the wings of
the winds;" that is, above the virtues of souls. What is the virtue of
a soul? Love itself. But how doth He walk above it? Because the love of
God toward us is greater than ours toward God.
3. "Who maketh spirits His angels, and flaming fire His ministers"
(ver. 4): that is, those who are already spirits, who are spiritual,
not carnal, He maketh His Angels, by sending them to preach His gospel.
"And flaming fire His ministers." For unless the minister that
preacheth be on fire, he enflameth not him to whom he preacheth.
4. "He hath founded the earth upon its firmness" (ver. 5). He hath
founded the Church upon the firmness of the Church. What is the
firmness of the Church, but the foundation of the Church. What is the
foundation of the Church, but that of which the Apostle saith, "Other
foundation can no man lay but that is laid, which is Christ Jesus."
[4699] And therefore, grounded on such a foundation, what hath she
deserved to hear? "It shall not be bowed forever and ever." "He founded
the earth on its firmness." That is, He hath founded the Church upon
Christ the foundation. The Church will totter if the foundation totter;
but when shall Christ totter, before whose coming unto us, and taking
flesh on Him, "all things were made by Him, and without Him was not
anything made;" [4700] who holdeth all things by His Majesty, [4701]
and us by His goodness? Since Christ faileth not, "she shall not be
bowed for ever and ever." Where are they [4702] who say that the Church
hath perished from the world, when she cannot even be bowed....
5. "The deep, like a garment, is its clothing" (ver. 6). Whose? Is it
perchance God's? But he had already said of His clothing, "Clothed with
light as with a garment." [4703] I hear of God clothed in light, and
that light, if we will, are we. What is, if we will? if we are no
longer darkness. Therefore if God is clothed with light, whose
clothing, again, is the deep? For an immense mass of waters is called
the deep. All water, all the moist nature, and the substance everywhere
shed abroad through the seas, and rivers, and hidden caves, is all
together called by one name, the Deep. Therefore we understand the
earth, of which he said, "He hath founded the earth." Of it I believe
he said, "The deep, like a garment is its clothing." For the water is
as it were the clothing of the earth, surrounding it and covering
it....
6. "Above the mountains the waters shall stand:" that is, the clothing
of the earth, which is the deep, so increased, that the waters stood
even above the mountains. We read of this taking place in the
deluge....The Prophet minding to foretell future things, not to relate
the past, therefore said it, because he would have it understood that
the Church should be in a deluge of persecutions. For there was a time
when the floods of persecutors had covered God's earth, God's Church,
and had so covered it, that not even those great ones appeared, who are
the mountains. For when they fled everywhere, how did they but cease to
appear? And perchance of those waters is that saying, "Save me, O God,
for the waters are come in even unto my soul." [4704] Especially the
waters which make the sea, stormy, unfruitful. For whatsoever earth the
sea-water may have covered, it will not rather make it fruitful than
bring it to barrenness. For there were also mountains beneath the
waters, because above the mountains waters stood. [4705] ...Why were
the Apostles hidden by flight? Because "above the mountains the waters
stood." [4706] The power of the waters was great, but how long? Hear
what followeth.
7. "From Thy rebuke they shall fly" (ver. 7). And this was done,
brethren; from God's rebuke the waters did fly; that is, they went back
from pressing on the mountains. Now the mountains themselves stand
forth, Peter and Paul: how do they tower! They who before were pressed
down by persecutors, now are venerated by emperors. For the waters are
fled from the rebuke of God; because "the heart of kings is in the hand
of God, He hath bent it whither He would;" [4707] He commanded peace to
be given by them to the Christians; the authority of the Apostles
sprang up and towered high....The waters fled from the rebuke of God.
"From the voice of Thy thunder they shall be afraid." Now who is there
that would not be afraid, from the voice of God through the Apostles,
the voice of God through the Scriptures, through His clouds? The sea is
quieted, the waters have been made afraid, the mountains have been laid
bare, the emperor hath given the order. But who would have given the
order, unless God had thundered? Because God willed, they commanded,
and it was done. Therefore let no one of men arrogate anything to
himself.
8. "The mountains ascend, and the plains go down, into the place which
Thou hast founded for them" (ver. 8). He is still speaking of waters.
Let us not here understand mountains as of earth; nor plains, as of
earth: but waves so great that they may be compared to mountains. The
sea did sometime toss, and its waves were as mountains, which could
cover those mountains the Apostles. But how long do the mountains
ascend and the plains go down? They raged, and they are appeased. When
they raged they were mountains: now they are appeased they are become
plains: for He hath founded a place for them. There is a certain
channel, [4708] as it were a deep place, into which all those lately
raging hearts of mortals have retired....They were mountains formerly,
now they are plains: yet, my brethren, even a dead calm [4709] is sea.
For wherefore are they not now violent? wherefore do they not rage?
Wherefore do they not try, if they cannot overthrow our earth, at least
to cover it? Wherefore not?
9. Hear. "Thou hast set a bound which they shall not pass over, neither
shall they turn again to cover the earth" (ver. 9). What then, because
now the bitterest waves have received a measure, that we must be
allowed to preach such things even with freedom; because they have had
their due limit assigned, because they cannot pass over the bound that
is set, nor shall they return to cover the earth; what is doing in the
earth itself? What workings take place therein, now that the sea hath
left it bare? Although at its beach slight waves do make their noise,
although Pagans still murmur round; the sound of the shores I hear, a
deluge I dread not. What then; what is doing in the earth? "Who sendeth
out springs in the little valleys" (ver. 10). "Thou sendest out," he
saith, "springs in the little valleys." Ye know what little valleys
are, lower places among the lands. For to hills and mountains, valleys
and little valleys are opposed in contrary shape. Hills and mountains
are swellings of the land: but valleys and little valleys, lownesses of
the lands. Do not despise low places, thence flow springs. "Thou
sendest out springs in the little valleys." Hear a mountain. The
Apostle saith, "I laboured more than they all." A certain greatness is
brought before us: yet immediately, that the waters may flow, he hath
made himself a valley: "Yet not I, but the grace of God with me."
[4710] It is no contradiction that they who are mountains be also
valleys: for as they are called mountains because of their spiritual
greatness, so also valleys because of the humility of their spirit.
"Not I," he saith, "but the grace of God with me."...
10. What is, "In the midst between the mountains the waters shall pass
through"? We have heard who are the "mountains," the great Preachers of
the word, the exalted Angels of God, though still in mortal flesh;
lofty not by their own power, but by His grace; but as far as relates
to themselves, they are valleys, in their humility they send forth
springs. "In the midst," he saith, "between the mountains, the waters
shall pass through." Let us suppose this said thus, "In the midst
between the Apostles shall pass through the preachings of the Word of
Truth." What is, in the midst between the Apostles? What is called in
the midst, is common. A common property, from which all alike live, is
in the midst, and belongs not to me, but neither belongs it to thee,
nor yet to me....For if they are not in the midst, they are as it were
private, they flow not for public use, and I have mine, and he has his
own, it is not in the midst for both me and him to have it; but such is
not the preaching of peace....Therefore, brethren, let what we have
said to your Love serve to this purpose, because of the springs: that
they may flow from you, be ye valleys, and communicate with all that
which ye have from God. Let the waters flow in the midst, envy ye no
one, drink, be filled, flow forth when ye are filled. Everywhere let
the common water of God have the glory, not the private falsehoods of
men....
11. For it follows, "All the beasts of the wood shall drink" (ver. 11).
We do indeed see this also in the visible creation, that the beasts of
the wood drink of springs, and of streams that run between the
mountains: but now since it hath pleased God to hide His own wisdom in
the figures of such things, not to take it away from earnest seekers,
but to close it to them that care not, and open it to them that knock;
it hath also pleased our Lord God Himself to exhort you by us to this,
that in all these things which are said as if of the bodily and visible
creation, we may seek something spiritually hidden, in which when found
we may rejoice. The beasts of the wood, we understand the Gentiles, and
Holy Scripture witnesses this in many places....
12. These beasts, then, drink those waters, but passing; not staying,
but passing; for all that teaching which in all this time is dispensed
passeth....Unless perchance your love thinketh that in that city to
which it is said, "Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem, praise thy God, O
Sion; for He hath made strong the bars of thy gates;" [4711] when the
bars are now strengthened and the city closed, whence, as we said some
time since, [4712] no friend goeth out, no enemy entereth; [4713] that
there we shall have a book to read, or speech to be explained as it is
now explained to you. Therefore is it now treated, that there it may be
held fast: therefore is it now divided by syllables, that there it may
be contemplated whole and entire. The Word of God will not be wanting
there: but yet not by letters, not by sounds, not by books, [4714] not
by a reader, not by an expositor. How then? As, "In the beginning was
the Word," etc. [4715] For He did not so come to us as to depart from
thence; because He was in this world, and the world was made by Him.
Such a Word are we to contemplate. For "the God of gods shall appear in
Zion." [4716] But this when? After our pilgrimage, when the journey is
done: if however after our journey is done we be not delivered to the
Judge, that the Judge may send us to prison. But if when our journey is
ended, as we hope, and wish, and endeavour, we shall have reached our
Country, there shall we contemplate What we shall ever praise; nor
shall That fail which is present to us, nor we, who enjoy: nor shall he
be cloyed that eateth, nor shall that fail which he eateth. Great and
wonderful shall be that contemplation....
13. "The onagers shall take for their thirst." By onagers he meaneth
some great beasts. For who knoweth not that wild asses are called
onagers? He meaneth, therefore, some great untrained ones. For the
Gentiles had no yoke of the Law: many nations lived after their own
customs, ranging in proud boastfulness as in a wilderness. And so
indeed did all the beasts, but the wild asses are put to signify the
greater sort. They too shall drink for their thirst, for for them too
the waters flow. Thence drinks the hare, thence the wild ass: the hare
little, the wild ass great; the hare timid, the wild ass fierce: either
sort drinks thence, but each for his thirst....So faithfully and gently
doth it flow, as at once to satisfy the wild ass, and not to alarm the
hare. The sound of Tully's voice rings out, Cicero is read, it is some
book, it is a dialogue of his, whether his own, or Plato's, or by
whatever such writer: some hear that are unlearned, weak ones of less
mind; who dareth to aspire to such a thing? It is a sound of water, and
that perchance turbid, but certainly flowing so violently, that a timid
animal dare not draw near and drink. To whom soundeth a Psalm, and he
saith, It is too much for me? Behold now what the Psalm soundeth;
certainly they are hidden mysteries, yet so it soundeth, that even
children are delighted to hear, and the unlearned come to drink, and
when filled burst forth in singing....
14. Then the Psalm goes on in its text, "Upon them [4717] the fowls of
the heaven shall inhabit" (ver. 12)....Upon the mountains, then, the
fowls of the air shall have their habitation. We see these birds dwell
upon the mountains, but many of them dwell in plains, many in valleys,
many in groves, many in gardens, not all upon mountains. There are some
fowls that dwell not save on the mountains. Some spiritual souls doth
this name denote. Fowls are spiritual hearts, which enjoy the free air.
In the clearness of heaven these birds delight, yet their feeding is on
the mountains, there will they dwell. Ye know the mountains, they have
been already treated of. Mountains are Prophets, mountains are
Apostles, mountains are all preachers of the truth....
15. But think not that those "fowls of heaven" follow their own
authority; see what the Psalm saith: "From the midst of the rocks they
shall give their voice." Now, if I shall say to you, Believe, for this
said Cicero, this said Plato, this said Pythagoras: which of you will
not laugh at me? For I shall be a bird that shall send forth my voice
not from the rock. What ought each one of you to say to me? what ought
he who is thus instructed to say? "If any one shall have preached unto
you a gospel other than that ye have received, let him be anathema."
[4718] What dost thou tell me of Plato, and of Cicero, and of Virgil?
Thou hast before thee the rocks of the mountains, from the midst of the
rocks give me thy voice. Let them be heard, who hear from the rock: let
them be heard, because also in those many rocks the One Rock is heard:
for "the Rock was Christ." [4719] Let them therefore be willingly
heard, giving their voice from the midst of the rocks. Nothing is
sweeter than such a voice of birds. They sound, and the rocks resound:
they sound; spiritual men discuss: the rocks resound, testimonies of
Scripture give answer. Lo! thence the fowls give their voice from the
midst of the rocks, for they dwell on the mountains.
16. "Watering the mountains from the higher places" (ver. 13). Now if a
Gentile uncircumcised man comes to us, about to believe in Christ, we
give him baptism, and do not call him back to those works of the Law.
And if a Jew asks us why we do that, we sound from the rock, we say,
This Peter did, this Paul did: from the midst of the rocks we give our
voice. But that rock, Peter himself, that great mountain, when he
prayed and saw that vision, was watered from above....
17. "From the fruit of Thy works shall the earth be satisfied." What
is, "From the fruit of Thy works"? Let no man glory in his own works:
but "he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord." [4720] With Thy
grace he is satisfied, when he is satisfied: let him not say that grace
was given for his own merits. If it is called grace, "it is
gratuitously given;" if it is returned for works, wages are paid.
[4721] Freely therefore receive, because ungodly thou art justified.
18. "Bringing forth grass for the cattle, and green herb for the
service of men" (ver. 14). This is true, I perceive; I recognise the
creation: the earth doth bring forth grass for the cattle, and green
herb for the service of men. But I perceive the words, "Thou shalt not
muzzle the mouth of the ox which treadeth out the corn: Doth God take
care for oxen? For our sakes therefore the Scripture saith it." [4722]
How then doth the earth bring forth grass for the cattle? Because "the
Lord hath ordained that they which preach the Gospel should live of the
Gospel." He sent preachers, saying unto them, "Eat such things as are
set before you of them: for the labourer is worthy of his hire." [4723]
...They give spiritual, they receive carnal things; they give gold,
they receive grass...."If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it
a great matter if we shall reap your carnal things?" [4724] This the
Apostle said, a preacher so laborious, so indefatigable, so well tried,
that he giveth this very grass to the earth. "Nevertheless," he saith,
"we have not used this power." He showeth that it is due to him, yet he
received it not; nor hath he condemned those who have received what was
due. For those were to be condemned who exact what is not due, not they
who accept their recompense: yet he gave up even his own recompense.
Thou dost not cease to owe to another, because one hath given up his
dues, otherwise thou wilt not be the watered earth which bringeth forth
grass for the cattle....Thou receivest spiritual things, give carnal
things in return: to the soldier they are due, to the soldier thou
returnest them; thou art the paymaster [4725] of Christ. "Who goeth a
warfare any time at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and
eateth not of the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not
of the milk of the flock? I speak not thus, that it should be so done
unto me." [4726] There has been such a soldier as gave up his rations
of food even to the paymaster: yet let the paymaster pay the
rations....
19. "That it may bring forth bread out of the earth." What bread?
Christ. Out of what earth? From Peter, from Paul, from the other
stewards of the truth. Hear that it is from the earth: "We have," saith
St. Paul, "this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the
power may be of God, and not of us." [4727] He is the bread who
descended from heaven, [4728] that He might be brought forth out of the
earth, when He is preached through the flesh of His servants. The earth
bringeth forth grass, that it may bring forth bread from the earth.
What earth bringeth forth grass? Pious, holy nations. That bread may be
brought forth out of what earth? The word of God out of the Apostles,
out of the stewards of God's Sacraments, who still walk upon the earth,
who still carry an earthly body.
20. "And wine maketh glad the heart of man" (ver. 15). Let no man
prepare himself for intoxication; nay, let every man prepare him for
intoxication. "How excellent is Thy cup which maketh inebriate!" [4729]
We choose not to say, Let no man be drunk. Be inebriated; yet beware,
from what source. If the excellent cup of the Lord doth saturate you,
your ebriety shall be seen in your works, it shall be seen in the holy
love of righteousness, it shall, lastly, be seen in the estrangement of
your mind, but from things earthly to heavenly. "To make him a cheerful
countenance with oil."...What is the making the countenance cheerful
with oil? The grace of God; a sort of shining for manifestation; as the
Apostle saith, "The Spirit is given to every man for manifestation."
[4730] A certain grace which men can clearly see in men, to conciliate
holy love, is termed oil, for its divine splendour; and since it
appeared most excellent in Christ, the whole world loveth Him; who
though while here He was scorned, is now worshipped by every nation:
"For the kingdom is the Lord's, and He shall be Governor among the
people." [4731] For such is His grace, that many, who do not believe on
Him, praise Him, and declare that they are unwilling to believe on Him,
because no man can fulfil what He doth command. They who with
reproaches once raged against Him, are hindered by His very praises.
Yet by all is He loved, by all is He preached; because He is
excellently anointed, therefore He is Christ: for He is called Christ
from the Chrism or anointing which He had. Messiah in the Hebrew,
Christ in the Greek, Unctus in the Latin: but He anointeth over His
whole Body. All therefore who come, receive grace, that their
countenances may be made glad with oil.
21. "And bread strengtheneth man's heart." What is this, brethren? As
it were, he hath forced us to understand what bread he was speaking of.
For while that visible bread strengtheneth the stomach, feedeth the
body, there is another bread which strengtheneth the heart, in that it
is the bread of the heart....There is therefore a wine that truly
maketh glad the heart, and knoweth not to do aught else than to gladden
the heart. But that thou mayest not imagine that this indeed should be
taken of the spiritual wine, but not of that spiritual bread; He hath
shown this very point, that it is also spiritual: "and bread," he
saith, "strengtheneth man's heart." So understand it therefore of the
bread as thou dost understand it of the wine; hunger inwardly, thirst
inwardly: "Blessed are they," saith our Lord, "who hunger and thirst
after righteousness; for they shall be filled." [4732] That bread is
righteousness, that wine is righteousness: it is truth, Christ is
truth. [4733] "I am," He said, "the living bread, who came down from
heaven;" [4734] and, "I am the Vine, and ye are the branches." [4735]
22. "The trees of the plain shall be satisfied" (ver. 16): but with
this grace, brought forth out of the earth. "The trees of the plain,"
are the lower orders of the nations. "And the cedars of Libanus which
He hath planted." The cedars of Libanus, the powerful in the world,
shall themselves be filled. The bread, and wine, and oil of Christ hath
reached senators, nobles, kings; the trees of the plain are filled.
First the humble are filled; next also the cedars of Libanus, yet those
which He hath planted; pious cedars, religious faithful; for such hath
He planted. For the ungodly also are cedars of Libanus; for, "The Lord
shall break the cedars of Libanus." [4736] For Libanus is a mountain:
there are those trees, even according to the letter most long-lived and
most excellent. But Libanus is interpreted, as we read in those who
have written of these things, a brightness: and this brightness seemeth
to belong to this world, which at present shineth and is refulgent with
its pomps. There are the cedars of Libanus, which the Lord hath
planted; those which the Lord hath planted shall be filled....
23. "There shall the sparrows build their nests: their leader is the
house of the coot" (ver. 17). Where shall the sparrows build? In the
cedars of Libanus....Who are the sparrows? Sparrows are birds indeed,
and fowls of the air, but small fowls are wont to be called sparrows.
There are therefore some spiritual ones that build in the cedars of
Libanus: that is, there are certain servants of God who hear in the
Gospel, "Sell all that thou hast, and give to the poor; and thou shalt
have treasure in heaven; and come and follow Me." [4737] ...Let him who
hath resigned many things, not be proud. We know that Peter was a
fisherman: what then could he give up, to follow our Lord? Or his
brother Andrew, or John and James the sons of Zebedee, themselves also
fishermen; [4738] and yet what did they say? "Behold, we have forsaken
all, and followed Thee." [4739] Our Lord said not to him, Thou hast
forgotten thy poverty; what hast thou resigned, that thou shouldest
receive the whole world? He, my brethren, who resigned not only what he
had, but also what he longed to have, resigned much....
24. But although the sparrows will build in the cedars of Libanus, "the
house of the coot is their leader." What is the house of the coot? The
coot, as we all know, is a water bird, dwelling either among the
marshes, or on the sea. It hath rarely or never a home on the shore;
but in places in the midst of the waters, and thus usually in rocky
islets, surrounded by the waves. We therefore understand that the rock
is the fit home of the coot, it never dwelleth more securely than on
the rock. On what sort of rock? One placed in the sea. And if it is
beaten by the waves, yet it breaketh the waves, is not broken by them:
this is the excellency of the rock in the sea. How great waves beat on
our Lord Jesus Christ? The Jews dashed against Him; they were broken,
He remained whole. And let every one who doth imitate Christ, so dwell
in this world, that is, in this sea, where he cannot but feel storms
and tempests, that he may yield to no wind, to no wave, but remain
whole, while he meets them all. The home of the coot, therefore, is
both strong and weak. The coot hath not a home on lofty spots; nothing
is more firm and nothing more humble than that home. Sparrows build
indeed in cedars, on account of actual need: but they hold that rock as
their leader, which is beaten by the waves, and yet not broken; for
they imitate the sufferings of Christ....
25. What then followeth? "The loftiest hills are for the stags" (ver.
18). The stags are mighty, spiritual, passing in their course over all
the thorny places of the thickets and woods. "He maketh my feet like
harts' feet, and setteth me up on high." [4740] Let them hold to the
lofty hills, the lofty commandments of God; let them think on sublime
subjects, let them hold those which stand forth most in the Scriptures,
let them be justified in the highest: for those loftiest hills are for
the stags. What of the humble beasts? what of the hare? what of the
hedgehog? The hare is a small and weak animal: the hedgehog is also
prickly: the one is a timid animal, the other is covered with prickles.
What do the prickles signify, except sinners? He who sinneth daily,
although not great sins, is covered over with the smallest prickles. In
his timidity he is a hare: in his being covered with the minutest sins,
he is a hedgehog: and he cannot hold those lofty and perfect
commandments. For "the loftiest hills are for the stags." What then? do
these perish? No. For so "is the rock the refuge for the hedgehogs and
the hares." [4741] For the Lord is a refuge for the poor. Place that
rock upon the land, it is a refuge for hedgehogs, and for hares: place
it on the sea, it is the home of the coot. Everywhere the rock is
useful. Even in the hills it is useful: for the hills without the
rock's foundation would fall into the deep....
26. "He appointed the Moon for certain seasons" (ver. 19). We
understand spiritually the Church increasing from the smallest size,
and growing old as it were from the mortality of this life; yet so,
that it draweth nearer unto the Sun. I speak not of this moon visible
to the eye, but of that which is signified by this name. While the
Church was in the dark, while she as yet appeared not, shone not forth
as yet, men were led astray, and it was said, This is the Church, here
is Christ; so that "while the Moon was dark, they shot their arrows at
the righteous in heart." [4742] How blind is he who now, when the Moon
is full, wandereth astray? "He appointed the Moon for certain seasons."
For here the Church temporarily is passing away: for this subjection to
death will not remain for ever: there will some time be an end of
waxing and waning; it is appointed for certain seasons. "And the sun
knoweth his going down." And what sun is this, but that Sun of
righteousness, whom the ungodly will lament on the day of judgment
never having risen for them; they who will say on that day, "Therefore
we wandered from the way of truth, and the light of righteousness shone
not on us, and the sun did not arise upon us." [4743] That sun riseth
for him who understandeth Christ....
27. Nor think, brethren, that the sun ought to be worshipped by some
men, because the sun doth sometimes in the Scriptures signify Christ.
For such is the madness of men; [4744] as if we said that a creature
should be worshipped, when it is said, the sun is an emblem of Christ.
Then worship the rock also, for it also is a type of Christ. [4745] "He
was brought as a lamb to the slaughter:" [4746] worship the lamb also,
since it is a type of Christ. "The Lion of the tribe of Judah hath
prevailed;" [4747] worship the lion also, since it signifieth Christ.
Observe how numerous are the types of Christ: all these are Christ in
similitude, not in essence....
28. What then, when the sun went down, when our Lord suffered? There
was a sort of darkness with the Apostles, hope failed, in those to whom
He at first seemed great, and the Redeemer of all men. How so? "Thou
didst make darkness, and it became night; wherein all the beasts of the
forest shall move" (ver. 20)....Here the beasts of the forest are used
in different ways: for these things are always understood in varying
senses; as our Lord Himself is at one time termed a lion, at another a
lamb. What is so different as a lion and a lamb? But what sort of lamb?
One that could overcome the wolf, overcome the lion. He is the Rock, He
the Shepherd, He the Gate. The Shepherd entereth by the gate: and He
saith, "I am the good Shepherd:" and, "I am the Door of the Sheep."
[4748] ...Learn thus to understand, when these things are spoken
figuratively; lest perchance when ye have read that the Rock signifieth
Christ, [4749] ye may understand it to mean Him in every passage. In
one place it meaneth one thing, another in another, just as we can only
understand the meaning of a letter by seeing its position. [4750] "The
lion's whelps roaring after their prey, do seek their meat from God"
(ver. 21). Justly then our Lord, when nigh unto His going down, the
very Sun of Righteousness recognising His going down, said to His
disciples, as if darkness being about to come, the lion would roam
about to seek whom he might devour, that that lion could devour no man,
unless with leave: "Simon," said He, "this night Satan hath desired to
have you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for thee,
that thy faith fail not." [4751] When Peter thrice denied, [4752] was
he not already between the lion's teeth?...
29. "The Sun hath arisen, and they get them away together, and lay them
down in their dens" (ver. 22). More and more as the Sun riseth, so that
Christ is recognised by the round world, and glorified therein, do the
lion's whelps get them away together; those devils recede from the
persecution of the Church, who instigated men to persecute the house of
God, by working in the sons of unbelief. [4753] Now that none of them
dareth persecute the Church, "the Sun hath arisen, and they get them
away together." And where are they? "And they lay them down in their
dens." Their dens are the hearts of the unbelieving. How many carry
lions crouching in their hearts? They burst not forth thence, they make
no assault upon the pilgrim Jerusalem. Wherefore do they not so?
Because the Sun is already risen, and is shining over the whole world.
30. What art thou doing, O man of God? thou, O Church of God? what art
thou, O body of Christ, whose Head is in Heaven? what art thou doing, O
man, His unity? "Man," he saith, "shall go forth to his work" (ver.
23). Let therefore this man work good works in the security of the
peace of the Church, let him work unto the end. For sometime there will
be a sort of general darkening, and a sort of assault will be made, but
in the evening, that is, in the end of the world: but now the Church
doth work in peace and tranquillity; for "man shall go forth to his
work, and to his labour, unto the evening."
31. "O Lord, how great are made Thy works!" (ver. 24). Justly great,
justly sublime! where were those works made, that are so great? what
was that station where God stood, or that seat whereupon He sat, when
He did those works? what was the place where He worked thus? whence did
those so beautiful works proceed at the first? To take it word for
word, every ordained creation, running by ordinance, beautiful by
ordinance, rising by ordinance, setting by ordinance, going through all
seasons by ordinance, whence hath it proceeded? whence hath the Church
herself received her rise, her growth, her perfection? In what manner
is she destined to a consummation in immortality? with what heralding
is she preached? by what mysteries is she recommended? by what types is
she concealed? by what preaching is she revealed? where hath God done
these things? I see great works. "How great are made Thy works, O
Lord!" I ask where He hath made them: I find not the place: but I see
what followeth: "In Wisdom hast Thou made them all." All therefore Thou
hast made in Christ...."The earth is full of Thy creation." The earth
is full of the creation of Christ. And how so? We discern how: for what
was not made by the Father through the Son? Whatever walketh and doth
crawl on earth, whatever doth swim in the waters, whatever flieth in
the air, whatever doth revolve in heaven, how much more then the earth,
the whole universe, is the work of God. But he seems to me to speak
here of some new creation, of which the Apostle saith, "If any man be
in Christ, he is a new creature: old things have passed away; behold,
all things are become new. And all things are of God." [4754] All who
believe in Christ, who put off the old man, and put on the new, [4755]
are a new creature. "The earth is full of Thy works." On one spot of
the earth He was crucified, in one small spot that seed fell into the
earth, and died; but brought forth great fruit....
32. "The earth is full of Thy creation." Of what creation of Thine is
the earth full? Of all trees and shrubs, of all animals and flocks, and
of the whole of the human race; the earth is full of the creation of
God. We see, know, read, recognise, praise, and in these we preach of
Him; yet we are not able to praise respecting these things, as fully as
our heart doth abound with praise after the beautiful contemplation of
them. But we ought rather to heed that creation, of which the Apostle
saith, "If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are
passed away; behold, all things are become new." [4756] What "old
things have passed away"? In the Gentiles, all idolatry; in the Jews
themselves, all that servitude unto the Law, all those sacrifices that
were harbingers of the present Sacrifice. The oldness of man was then
abundant; One came to renovate His own work, to melt His silver, to
form His coin, and we now see the earth full of Christians believing in
God, turning themselves away from their former uncleanness and
idolatry, from a past hope to the hope of a new age: and behold it is
not yet realized, but is already possessed in hope, and through that
very hope we now sing, and say, "The earth is full of Thy creation." We
do not as yet sing this in our country, nor yet in that rest which is
promised, the bars of the gates of Jerusalem not being as yet made
fast; [4757] but still in our pilgrimage gazing upon the whole of this
world, upon men who on every side are running unto the faith, fearing
hell, despising death, loving eternal life, scorning the present, and
filled with joy at such a spectacle, we say, "The earth is full of Thy
creation."
33. ..."So is the great and wide sea also; wherein are things creeping
innumerable, both small and great beasts" (ver. 25). He speaketh of the
sea as terrible. Snares creep in this world, and surprise the careless
suddenly; for who numbereth the temptations that creep? They creep, but
beware, lest they snatch us away. Let us keep watch on the Wood; even
in the water, [4758] even on the waves, we are safe: let not Christ
sleep, let not faith sleep; if He hath slept, let Him be awakened; He
will command the winds; He will calm the sea; [4759] the voyage will be
ended, and we shall rejoice in our country. For I see in this terrible
sea unbelievers still; for they dwell in barren and bitter waters: but
they are both small and great. We know this: many little men of this
world are still unbelievers, many great men of this world are so: there
are living creatures, both small and great, in this sea. They hate the
Church: the name of Christ is a burden to them: they rage not, because
they are not permitted; the cruelty which cannot burst forth in deeds,
is shut up within the heart. For all, whether small or great, "creeping
things, both small and great," who at present grieve at the temples
being shut, the altars overthrown, the images broken, the laws which
make it a capital crime to sacrifice to idols; all who mourn on this
account, are still in the sea. What then of us? And by what road then
are we to journey unto our country? Through this very sea, but on the
Wood. Fear not the danger; that wood which holdeth together the world
doth bear thee up.
34. "There shall go the ships" (ver. 26). Lo, ships float upon that
which alarmed you, and sink not. By ships we understand churches; they
go among the storms, among the tempests of temptations, among the waves
of the world, among the beasts, both small and great. Christ on the
wood of His cross is the Pilot. "There shall go the ships." Let not the
ships fear, let them not much mind where they float, but by Whom they
are steered. "There shall go the ships." What voyage do they find
tedious, when they feel that Christ is their Pilot? They will sail
safely, let them sail diligently, they will reach their promised haven,
they will be led to the land of rest.
35. There is also in that sea somewhat which transcends all creatures,
great and small. What is this? Let us hear the Psalm: "There is that
Leviathan, whom Thou hast formed to make sport of him." There are
creeping things innumerable, both small and great beasts; there shall
the ships go, and shall not fear, not only the creeping things
innumerable, and beasts both small and great, but not even the serpent
which is there; "whom Thou," he speaketh unto God, "hast made to make
sport of him." This is a great mystery; and yet I am about to utter
what ye already know. Ye know that a certain serpent is the enemy of
the Church: ye have not seen him with the eyes of the flesh, but ye see
him with the eyes of faith....
36. This serpent then, our ancient enemy, glowing with rage, cunning in
his wiles, is in the mighty sea. "Here is that Leviathan, whom Thou
hast formed to make sport of him." Do thou now make sport of the
serpent: for for this end was this serpent made. He falling by his own
sin from the sublime realms of the heavens, and made devil instead of
angel, received a certain region of his own in this mighty and spacious
sea. What thou thinkest his kingdom, is his prison. For many say:
wherefore hath the devil received so great power, that he may rule in
this world, and prevaileth so much, can do so much? How much prevaileth
he? How much can he do? Unless by permission, he can do nothing. Do
thou so act, that he may not be allowed to attack thee; or if he be
allowed to tempt thee, he may depart vanquished, and may not gain thee.
For he hath been allowed to tempt some holy men, servants of God: they
overcame him, because they departed not from the way, they whose heel
he watched, fell not....
37. He then, my brethren, who doth wish to watch the serpent's head,
and safely to pass this sea; for it must be that this serpent dwelleth
here, and, as I had commenced saying, the devil when he fell from
heaven received this region; let him watch his head, on the part of the
fear of the world, and of the lusts of the world. For it is hence that
he suggesteth some object of fear or of desire; he trieth thy love, or
thy fear. If thou fearest hell, and lovest the kingdom of God, thou
wilt watch his head...."There is no power but of God." [4760] What then
fearest thou? Let the dragon be in the waters, let the dragon be in the
sea: thou art to pass through it. He is made so as to be made sport of,
he is ordained to inhabit this place, this region is given him. Thou
thinkest that this habitation is a great thing for him, because thou
knowest not the dwellings of the angels whence he fell: [4761] what
seemeth to thee his glory, is his damnation.
38. ...What then fearest thou? Perhaps he is about to try thy flesh: it
is the scourge of thy Lord, not the power of thy tempter. His wish is
to injure that salvation which is promised: but he is not allowed: but
that he may not be allowed, have Christ for thy Head: repel the
serpent's head: consent not unto his suggestion, slip not from thy
path. "There is that Leviathan, whom Thou hast made to make sport of
him."
39. Dost thou wish to see how incapable he is of hurting thee, unless
permitted? "These," he saith, "wait all upon Thee, that Thou mayest
give them meat in due season" (ver. 27). And this serpent wisheth to
devour, but he devoureth not whom he wisheth....Thou hast heard what
the serpent's meat is. Thou dost not wish that God give thee to be
devoured by the serpent; because not the serpent's food: i.e. forsake
not the Word of God. For where it is said to the serpent, "Dust thou
shalt eat," it is said to the transgressor, "Dust thou art, and unto
dust thou shalt return." [4762] Thou dost not wish to be the serpent's
food? be not dust. How, thou repliest, shall I not be dust? If thou
hast not a taste for earthly things. Hear the Apostle, that thou mayest
not be dust. For the body which thou wearest is earth: but do thou
refuse to be earth. What meaneth this? "Set your affection on things
above, not on things on the earth." [4763] If thou dost not set thy
affections on earthly things, thou art not earth: if thou art not
earth, thou art not devoured by the serpent, whose appointed food is
earth. The Lord giveth the serpent his food when He will, what He will:
but He judgeth rightly, he cannot be deceived, He giveth him not gold
for earth. "When Thou hast given it them, they gather it."...
40. "When thou openest Thy hand, they shall all be filled with good"
(ver. 28). What is it, O Lord, that Thou openest Thy hand? Christ is
Thy hand. "To whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?" [4764] To whom it
is revealed, unto him it is opened: for revelation is opening. "When
Thou openest Thy hand, they shall all be filled with good." When Thou
revealest Thy Christ, "they shall all be filled with good." But they
have not good from themselves; this is oftentimes proved unto them.
"When Thou hidest Thy face, they are troubled" (ver. 29). Many filled
with good have attributed to themselves what they had, and have wished
to boast as in their own righteousnesses, and have said to themselves,
I am righteous; I am great: and have become self-complacent. Unto these
the Apostle speaketh: "What hast thou, that thou didst not receive?"
[4765] But God, wishing to prove unto man that whatever he hath he hath
from Him, so that with good he may gain humility also, sometimes
troubleth him; He turneth away His face from him, and he falleth into
temptation; and He showeth him that his righteousness, and his walking
aright, was only under His government....
41. But wherefore dost Thou do this? wherefore dost Thou hide Thy face,
that they may be troubled? "Thou shalt take away their breath, and they
shall fail." Their breath was their pride; they boast, they attribute
things to themselves, they justify themselves. Hide, therefore, Thy
face, that they may be troubled: take away their breath, and let them
fail; let them cry unto Thee, "Hear me, O Lord, and that soon, for my
spirit waxeth faint: hide not Thy face from me." [4766] "Thou shalt
take away their breath, and they shall fail, and shall be turned to
their dust." The man who repenteth of his sin discovereth himself, that
he had not strength of himself; and doth confess unto God, saying, that
he is earth and ashes. O proud one, thou art turned to thine own dust,
thy breath hath been taken away; no longer dost thou boast thyself, no
longer extol thyself, no longer justify thyself; thou seest that thou
art made of dust, and when the Lord turneth away His face, thou hast
fallen back into thine own dust. Pray, therefore, confess thy dust and
thy weakness.
42. And see what followeth: "Thou shalt send forth Thy Spirit, [4767]
and they shall be made" (ver. 30). Thou shalt take away their spirit,
and send forth Thine own: Thou shalt take away their spirit: they shall
have no spirit of their own. Are they then forsaken? "Blessed are the
poor in spirit:" [4768] but they are not forsaken. They refused to have
a spirit of their own: they shall have the Spirit of God. Such were our
Lord's words to the future martyrs: [4769] "It is not ye that speak,
but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you." Attribute not
your courage to yourselves. If it is yours, He saith, and not Mine, it
is obstinacy, not courage. "For we are His workmanship," saith the
Apostle, "created unto good works." [4770] From His Spirit we have
received grace, that we may live unto righteousness: for it is He that
justifieth the ungodly. [4771] "Thou shalt take away their spirit, and
they shall fail; Thou shalt send forth Thy Spirit, and they shall be
made: and Thou shalt renew the face of the earth:" that is, with new
men, confessing themselves to have been justified, not righteous of
their own power, so that the grace of God is in them. What then? When
He hath taken away our spirit, we shall be turned again to our dust,
beholding to our edification our weakness, that when we receive His
Spirit we may be refreshed. See what followeth: "Be the glory of the
Lord for ever" (ver. 31). Not thine, not mine, not his, or his; not for
a season, but "for ever." "The Lord shall rejoice in His works." Not in
thine, as if they were thine: because if thy works are evil, it is
through thy iniquity; if good, it is through the grace of God. "The
Lord shall rejoice in His works."
43. "Who looketh on the earth, and maketh it tremble; who toucheth the
hills, and they shall smoke" (ver. 32). O earth, thou wast exulting in
thy good, to thyself thou didst ascribe thy fulness and opulence;
behold, the Lord looketh on thee, and causeth thee to tremble. May He
look on thee, and make thee tremble: for the trembling of humility is
better than the confidence of pride....For it is God, he saith, which
worketh in you. For this reason then with trembling, because God
worketh in you. Because He gave, because what thou hast cometh not from
thee, thou shalt work with fear and trembling, for if thou fearest not
Him, He will take away what He gave. Work, therefore, with trembling.
Hear another Psalm: "Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice unto Him
with trembling." [4772] If we must rejoice with trembling, God
beholdeth us, there cometh an earthquake; when God looketh upon us, let
our hearts tremble; then will God rest there. Hear Him in another
passage: "Upon whom shall My Spirit rest? Even on him that is lowly and
quiet, and who trembleth at My Word." [4773]
"Who looketh on the earth, and maketh it tremble; who toucheth the
hills, and they shall smoke" (ver. 32). The hills were proud, and
boastful of themselves, God had not touched them: He toucheth them, and
they shall smoke. What meaneth the smoking of the hills? That they pray
unto the Lord. Behold great hills, proud hills, vast hills, prayed not
to God: they wished themselves to be entreated, and entreated not Him
who was above them. For what powerful, arrogant, proud man is there
upon the earth, who deigneth humbly to entreat God? I speak of the
ungodly, not of the "cedars of Libanus, which the Lord hath planted."
Every ungodly man, unhappy soul, knoweth not how to entreat God, while
he wisheth himself to be entreated by men. He is a hill; it is needful
that God touch him, that he may smoke: when he hath begun to smoke, he
will offer prayers unto God, as it were the sacrifice of his heart. He
smoketh unto God, he then beateth his breast: he beginneth to weep, for
smoke doth elicit tears.
44. "I will sing unto the Lord in my life" (ver. 33). What will sing?
Everything that is willing. Let us sing unto the Lord in our life. Our
life at present is only hope; our life will be eternity hereafter: the
life of mortal life, is the hope of an everlasting life. "I will praise
my God while I have my being." Since I am in Him for ever and ever,
while I have my being, I will praise my God. Let us not imagine that,
when we have commenced praising God in that state, we shall have any
other work: our whole life will be for the praises of God. If we become
weary of Him whom we praise, we may also become weary of praising. If
He is ever loved, He is ever praised by us.
45. "Let my discourse be pleasing to Him: my joy shall be in the Lord"
(ver. 34). What is the discourse of man unto God, save the confession
of sins? Confess unto God what thou art, and thou hast discoursed with
Him. Discourse unto Him, do good works, and discourse. "Wash you, make
you clean," saith Isaiah. [4774] What is it to discourse unto God?
Unfold thyself to him who knoweth thee, that He may unfold Himself to
thee who knowest not Him. Behold, it is thy discourse that pleaseth the
Lord; the offering of thy humility, the tribulation of thy heart, the
holocaust of thy life, this pleaseth God. But what is pleasing to
thyself? "My joy shall be in the Lord." This is that discoursing which
I meant between God and thyself: show thyself to Him who knoweth thee,
and He showeth Himself unto thee who knowest not him. Pleasing unto Him
is thy confession: sweet unto thee is His grace. He hath spoken Himself
unto thee. How? By the Word. What Word? Christ....
46. "Let the sinners be consumed out of the earth" (ver. 35). He
seemeth angry! O holy soul, which here doth sing and groan! Would that
our soul were with that very soul! Would that it were coupled with it,
associated, conjoined with it! It shall behold also His loving-kindness
when he is angry. For who but he who is filled with charity,
understandeth this? Thou tremblest, because he curseth. And who doth
curse? A saint. Without doubt he is listened to. But it is said unto
the saints, "Bless, and curse not." [4775] What is then the sense of
the words, "Let the sinners be consumed out of the earth"? Let them
utterly be consumed; let their spirit be taken away, that He may send
forth His own Spirit, and they may be restored. "And the ungodly, so
that they be no more." In what that they be no more, save as wicked
men? Let them therefore be justified, that they may no longer be
ungodly. The Psalmist saw this, and was filled with joy, and repeateth
the first verse of the Psalm: "Bless thou the Lord, O my soul." Let our
soul bless the Lord, brethren, since He hath deigned to give unto us
both understanding and the power of language, and unto you attention
and earnestness in hearing. Let each, as he can recall to mind what he
hath heard, by mutual conversation stir up the food ye have received,
ruminate on what ye have heard, let it not descend in you into the
bowels of forgetfulness. Let the treasure to be desired [4776] rest
upon your lips. These matters have been sought out and discovered with
great labour, with great labour have they been announced and discoursed
of; may our toil be fruitful unto you, and may our soul bless the Lord.
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:
__________________________________________________________________
[4693] Lat. CIII. At Carthage, in his old age.
[4694] Eph. v. 8.
[4695] [Job xix. 26.--C.]
[4696] Mark xii. 31.
[4697] Rom. v. 5.
[4698] John vii. 37, 38.
[4699] 1 Cor. iii. 11.
[4700] John i. 3.
[4701] Heb. i. 3.
[4702] Donatists.
[4703] Ps. civ. 2.
[4704] Ps. lxix. 1.
[4705] Oxf. mss. "shall stand."
[4706] Oxf. mss. "shall stand."
[4707] Prov. xxi. 1.
[4708] Meatus, Ben. All the mss. metus, "a certain fear," which may be
the true reading.
[4709] Malacia.
[4710] 1 Cor. xv. 10.
[4711] Ps. cxlvii. 12, 13.
[4712] See on Ps. lxxxv. 10 and on Ps. cxlvii. on ver. 13.--Ben.
[4713] [This beautiful expression may be found in divers places in
these expositions: e.g. on Ps. xlix. ver 15 (p. 186, supra), where it
is of slightly different sense; also on Ps. lxxxv. ver. 9, (p. 407,
supra), and, infra, on Ps. cxlviii. 13. The Latin is felicitous though
varied: Unde amicus non exit, quo inimicus non intrat. I love the
familiar English: "Where no enemy ever enters, and whence no friend
departs."--C.]
[4714] [I suppose many Christians have said, "Shall I no more recall my
Bible, and be refreshed by the recollection of these songs of our
pilgrimage?" I could not think of heaven as a place where the Holy
Scriptures should be forgotten. The author's idea comforts me.--C.]
[4715] John i. 1.
[4716] Ps. lxxxiv. 7.
[4717] Illos.
[4718] Gal. i. 9.
[4719] 1 Cor. x. 4.
[4720] 1 Cor. i. 31.
[4721] Rom. iv. 4, 5.
[4722] 1 Cor. ix. 9.
[4723] Luke x. 7, 8.
[4724] 1 Cor. ix. 11.
[4725] Provincialis. See this series, vol. vii. p. 440, note 3.
[4726] 1 Cor. ix. 7, 15.
[4727] 2 Cor. iv. 7.
[4728] John vi. 41.
[4729] Ps. xxiii. 5.
[4730] 1 Cor. xii. 7.
[4731] Ps. xxii. 28.
[4732] Matt. v. 6.
[4733] John xiv. 6.
[4734] John vi. 51.
[4735] John xv. 5.
[4736] Ps. xxix. 5.
[4737] Matt. xix. 21.
[4738] Matt. iv. 18, 21.
[4739] Matt. xix. 27.
[4740] Ps. xviii. 33.
[4741] Ps. ix. 9.
[4742] Ps. xi. 2.
[4743] Wisd. v. 6.
[4744] [What would our author have said to the teaching of the Trent
Catechism on image-worship? See A.N.F. vol. iii. p. 76.--C.]
[4745] 1 Cor. x. 4.
[4746] Isa. liii. 7.
[4747] Rev. v. 5.
[4748] John x. 11, 7.
[4749] 1 Cor. x. 4.
[4750] Circumstantia sui exponuntur. [He adds, "If thou hast heard the
first letter in the word Deus, and thinkest it must always belong to it
alone, thou wilt blot it out in the word Diabolus. For the word Deus
beginneth with the same letter as the word Diabolus: and nothing is so
far apart, as God from the devil. Consider how utterly ignorant of
things both human and divine he must be, who shall say of the letter D,
it ought not to be used in the beginning of the word devil; and when
thou hast asked the reason, replieth, I read that letter in the name of
God. Such a man is laughed at: for he is not worthy of an argument. Do
not then so childishly interpret these divine things, as if any of you
were to think, from my having said above that the beasts of the forest
signifies the Gentiles, while I now say that they signify devils and
the angels of disobedience, that I am contradicting what I said before.
For they are only figures, and wherever they occur, are explained by
the context they have."--C.]
[4751] Luke xxii. 31, 32.
[4752] Matt. xxvi. 70, 74.
[4753] Eph. ii. 2.
[4754] 2 Cor. v. 17, 18.
[4755] Eph. iv. 22-24.
[4756] 2 Cor. v. 17.
[4757] Ps. cxlvii. 13.
[4758] Some mss. add, "On the cross let us sail;" but this may be a
gloss.
[4759] Matt. viii. 24-26.
[4760] Rom. xiii. 1.
[4761] Oxf. mss. add, "Thou admirest the dwellings of the dead where he
is cast down."
[4762] Gen. iii. 14, 19.
[4763] Col. iii. 2.
[4764] Isa. liii. 1.
[4765] 1 Cor. iv. 7.
[4766] Ps. cxliii. 7.
[4767] Or, "breath."
[4768] Matt. v. 3.
[4769] Matt. x. 20.
[4770] Eph. ii. 10.
[4771] Rom. iv. 5.
[4772] Ps. ii. 11.
[4773] Isa. lxvi. 2.
[4774] Isa. i. 16.
[4775] Rom. xii. 14.
[4776] Prov. xxi. 20.
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