The Eleventh Sunday after
Trinity
Holmily of Augustine on Psalm LXIV
11th Sunday after Trinity Home
O GOD, who declarest thy almighty power chiefly in showing mercy and pity; Mercifully grant unto us such a measure of thy grace, that we may obtain thy gracious promises, and be made partakers of thy heavenly treasure; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Source: Gelasius [492-496]. This is the orignial as Cranmer translated it. It it was altered in the 1662 update by adding the phrase " running the way of thy commandments" The Collect's emphasis on Grace, compliments the story of the Pharisee and the Publican praying in today's Gospel story from Luke.
Psalms 63, 64 | 54, 55
, 1 Corinthians xv. 1
St. Luke xviii. 9
Homily of Augustine on Psalm LXIV
1 Corinthians xv. 1
BRETHREN, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; by which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: and that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: after that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time. For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. Therefore whether it were I or they, so we preach, and so ye believed.
St. Luke xviii. 9
JESUS spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.Scripture from 1928 Book of Common Prayer, KJV, Collect information from The Collects of Thomas Cranmer
Augustine
Psalm LXIV
1. Though chiefly the Lord's Passion is noticed in this Psalm, neither
could the Martyrs have been strong, unless they had beheld Him, that
first suffered; nor such things would they have endured in suffering,
as He did, unless they had hoped for such things in the Resurrection as
He had showed of Himself: but your Holiness [2490] knoweth that our
Head is our Lord Jesus Christ, and that all that cleave unto Him are
the members of Him the Head ....And let no one say, that now-a-days in
tribulation of passions we are not. For alway ye have heard this fact,
how in those times the whole Church together as it were was smitten
against, but now through individuals she is tried. Bound indeed is the
devil, that he may not do as much as he could, that he may not do as
much as he would: nevertheless, he is permitted to tempt as much as is
expedient to men advancing. It is not expedient for us to be without
temptations: nor should we beseech God that we be not tempted, but that
we be not "led into temptation." [2491]
Notes:
2. Say we, therefore, ourselves also: "Hearken, O God, to my prayer,
while I am troubled; from fear of the enemy deliver my soul" (ver. 1).
Enemies have raged against the Martyrs: for what was that voice of
Christ's Body praying? For this it was praying, to be delivered from
enemies, and that enemies might not have power to slay them. Were they
not therefore hearkened to, because they were slain; and hath God
forsaken His servants of a contrite heart, and despised men hoping in
Him? Far be it. For "who hath called upon God, and hath been forsaken;
who hath hoped in Him, and hath been deserted by Him?" [2492] They were
hearkened to therefore, and they were slain; and yet from enemies they
were delivered. Others being afraid gave consent, and lived, and yet
the same by enemies were swallowed up. The slain were delivered, the
living were swallowed up. Thence is also that voice of thanksgiving,
"Perchance alive they would have swallowed us up." [2493] ...Therefore
for this prayeth the voice of the Martyrs, "From fear of the enemy
deliver Thou my soul:" not so that the enemy may not slay me, but that
I may not fear an enemy slaying. For that to be fulfilled in the Psalm
the servant prayeth, which but now in the Gospel the Lord was
commanding. What but now was the Lord commanding? "Fear not them that
kill the body, but the soul are not able to kill; but Him rather fear
ye, that hath power to kill both body and soul in the hell of fire."
[2494] And He repeated, "Yea, I say unto you, fear Him." [2495] Who are
they that kill the body? Enemies. What was the Lord commanding? That
they should not be feared. Be prayer offered, therefore, that He may
grant what He hath commanded. "From fear of the enemy deliver my soul."
Deliver me from fear of the enemy, and make me submit to the fear of
Thee. I would not fear him that killeth the body, but I would fear Him
that hath power to kill both body and soul in the hell of fire. For not
from fear would I be free: but from fear of the enemy being free, under
fear of the Lord a servant.
3. "Thou hast protected me from the gathering together of malignants,
and from the multitude of men working iniquity" (ver. 2). Now upon
Himself our Head let us look. Like things many Martyrs have suffered:
but nothing doth shine out so brightly as the Head of Martyrs; in Him
rather let us behold what they have gone through. Protected He was from
the multitude of malignants, God protecting Himself, the Son Himself
and the Manhood [2496] which He was carrying protecting His flesh:
because Son of Man He is, and Son of God He is; Son of God because of
the form of God, Son of Man because of the form of a servant: having in
His power to lay down His life: and to take it again. [2497] To Him
what could enemies do? They killed body, soul they killed not. Observe.
Too little therefore it were for the Lord to exhort the Martyrs with
word, unless He had enforced it by example. Ye know what a gathering
together there was of malignant Jews, and what a multitude there was of
men working iniquity. What iniquity? That wherewith they willed to kill
the Lord Jesus Christ. "So many good works," He saith, "I have shown to
you, for which of these will ye to kill Me?" [2498] He endured all
their infirm, [2499] He healed all their sick, He preached the Kingdom
of Heaven, He held not His peace at their vices, so that these same
should have been displeasing to them, rather than the Physician by whom
they were being made whole: for all these His remedies being
ungrateful, like men delirious in high fever raving at the physician,
they devised the plan of destroying Him that had come to heal them; as
though therein they would prove whether He were indeed a man, that
could die, or were somewhat above men, and would not suffer Himself to
die. The word of these same men we perceive in the wisdom of Solomon:
"with death most vile," say they, "let us condemn Him; let us question
Him, for there will be regard in the discourses of Him; for if truly
Son of God He is, let Him deliver Him." [2500] Let us see therefore
what was done.
4. "For they have whet like a sword their tongues" (ver. 3). Which
saith another Psalm also, "Sons of men; their teeth are arms and
arrows, and their tongue is a sharp sword." [2501] Let not the Jews
say, we have not killed Christ. For to this end they gave Him to Pilate
the judge, in order that they themselves might seem as it were
guiltless of His death....But if he is guilty because he did it though
unwillingly, are they innocent who compelled him to do it? By no means.
But he gave sentence against Him, and commanded Him to be crucified:
and in a manner himself killed Him; ye also, O ye Jews, killed Him.
Whence did ye kill Him? With the sword of the tongue: for ye did whet
your tongues. And when did ye smite, except when ye cried out,
"Crucify, Crucify"? [2502]
5. But on this account we must not pass over that which hath come into
mind, lest perchance the reading of the Divine Scriptures should
disquiet any one. One Evangelist saith that the Lord was crucified at
the sixth hour, [2503] and another at the third hour: [2504] unless we
understand it, we are disquieted. And when the sixth hour was already
beginning, Pilate is said to have sat on the judgment-seat: and in
reality when the Lord was lifted up upon the tree, it was the sixth
hour. But another Evangelist, looking unto the mind of the Jews, how
they wished themselves to seem guiltless of the death of the Lord, by
his account proveth them guilty, saying, that the Lord was crucified at
the third hour. But considering all the circumstance of the history,
how many things might have been done, when before Pilate the Lord was
being accused, in order that He might be crucified; we find that it
might have been the third hour, when they cried out, "Crucify,
Crucify." Therefore with more truth they killed at the time when they
cried out. The ministers of the magistrate at the sixth hour crucified,
the transgressors of the law at the third hour cried out: that which
those did with hands at the sixth hour, these did with tongue at the
third hour. More guilty are they that with crying out were raging, than
they that in obedience were ministering. This is the whole of the Jews'
sagacity, this is that which they sought as some great matter. Let us
kill and let us not kill: so let us kill, as that we may not ourselves
be judged to have killed.
6. "They have bended the bow, a bitter thing, in order that they may
shoot in secret One unspotted" (ver. 4). The bow he calleth lyings in
wait. For he that with sword fighteth hand to hand, openly fighteth: he
that shooteth an arrow deceiveth, in order to strike. For the arrow
smiteth, before it is foreseen to come to wound. But whom could the
lyings in wait of the human heart escape? Would they escape our Lord
Jesus Christ, who had no need that any one should bear witness to Him
of man? "For Himself knew what was in man," [2505] as the Evangelist
testifieth. Nevertheless, let us hear them, and look upon them in their
doings as if the Lord knew not what they devise. The expression he
used, "They have bended the bow," is the same as, "in secret:" as if
they were deceiving by lyings in wait. For ye know by what artifices
they did this, how with money they bribed a disciple that clave to Him,
in order that He might be betrayed to them, [2506] how they procured
false witnesses; with what lyings in wait and artifices they wrought,
"in order that they might shoot in secret One unspotted." Great
iniquity! Behold from a secret place there cometh an arrow, which
striketh One unspotted, who had not even so much of spot as could be
pierced with an arrow. A Lamb indeed He is unspotted, wholly unspotted,
alway unspotted; not one from whom spots have been removed but that
hath contracted not any spots. For He hath made many unspotted by
forgiving sins, being Himself unspotted by not having sins. "Suddenly
they shall shoot Him, and shall not fear." O heart hardened, to wish to
kill a Man that did raise the dead! "Suddenly:" that is, insidiously,
as if unexpectedly, as if not foreseen. For the Lord was like to one
knowing not, being among men knowing not what He knew not and what He
knew: yea, knowing not that there was nothing that He knew not, and
that He knew all things, and to this end had come in order that they
might do that which they thought they did by their own power.
7. "They have confirmed to themselves malignant discourse" (ver. 5).
There were done so great miracles, they were not moved, they persisted
in the design of the evil discourse. He was given up to the judge: the
judge trembleth, and they tremble not that have given Him up to the
judge: trembleth power, and ferocity trembleth not: he would wash his
hands, and they stain their tongues. But wherefore this? "They have
confirmed to themselves malignant discourse." How many things did
Pilate, how many things that they might be restrained! What said he?
what did he? But "they have confirmed to themselves malignant
discourse: Crucify, crucify." [2507] The repetition is the confirmation
of the "malignant discourse." Let us see in what manner "they have
confirmed to themselves malignant discourse." "Your King shall I
crucify?" They said, "We have no king but Caesar alone." [2508] He was
offering for King the Son of God: to a man they betook themselves:
worthy were they to have the one, and not have the Other. "I find not
anything in this Man," saith the judge, "wherefore He is worthy of
death." [2509] And they that "confirmed malignant discourse," said,
"His blood be upon us and upon our sons." [2510] "They confirmed
malignant discourse," not to the Lord, but to "themselves." For how not
to themselves when they say, "Upon us and upon our sons"? That which
therefore they confirmed, to themselves they confirmed: because the
same voice is elsewhere, "They dug before my face a ditch, and fell
into it." Death killed not the Lord, but He death: but them iniquity
killed, because they would not kill iniquity....
8. "They told, in order that they might hide traps: they said, Who
shall see them?" (ver. 5). They thought they would escape Him, whom
they were killing, that they would escape God. Behold, suppose Christ
was a man, like the rest of men, and knew not what was being contrived
for Him: doth God also know not? O heart of man! wherefore hast thou
said to thyself, Who seeth me? when He seeth that hath made thee? "They
said, Who shall see them?" [2511] God did see, Christ also was seeing:
because Christ is also God. But wherefore did they think that He saw
not? Hear the words following.
9. "They have searched out iniquity, they have failed, searching
searchings" (ver. 6): that is, deadly and acute designs. Let Him not be
betrayed by us, but by His disciple: let Him not be killed by us, but
by the judge: let us do all, and let us seem to have done nothing....
10. But what befell them? "They failed searching searchings." Whence?
Because he saith, "Who shall see them?" that is, that no one saw [2512]
them. This they were saying, this among themselves they thought, that
no one saw them. See what befalleth an evil soul: it departeth from the
light of truth, and because itself seeth not God, it thinketh that
itself is not seen by God....
11. For what followeth? "There shall draw near a man and a deep heart."
They said, Who shall see us? They failed in searching searchings, evil
counsels. There drew near a man to those same counsels, He suffered
Himself to be held as a man. For He would not have been held except He
were man, or have been seen except He were man, or have been smitten
except He were man, or have been crucified or have died except He were
man. There drew near a man therefore to all those sufferings, which in
Him would have been of no avail except He were Man. But if He were not
Man, there would not have been deliverance for man. There hath drawn
near a Man "and a deep heart," that is, a secret "heart:" presenting
before human faces Man, keeping within God: concealing the "form of
God," wherein He is equal with the Father, [2513] and presenting the
form of a servant, wherein He is less than the Father. For Himself hath
spoken of both: but one thing there is which He saith in the form of
God, another thing in the form of a servant. He hath said in the form
of God, "I and the Father are one:" [2514] He hath said in the form of
a servant, "For the Father is greater than I." [2515] Whence in the
form of God saith He, "I and the Father are one"?...
12. "Arrows of infants have been made the strokes of them" (ver. 7).
Where is that savageness? where is that roar of the lion, of the people
roaring and saying, "Crucify, Crucify"? [2516] Where are the lyings in
wait of men bending the bow? Have not "the strokes of them been made
the arrows of infants"? Ye know in what manner infants make to
themselves arrows of little canes. What do they strike, or whence do
they strike? What is the hand, or what the weapon? what are the arms,
or what the limbs?
13. "And the tongues of them have been made weak upon them" (ver. 8).
Let them whet now their tongues like a sword, let them confirm to
themselves malignant discourse. Deservedly to themselves they have
confirmed [2517] it, because "the tongues of them have been made weak
upon them." Could this be strong against God? "Iniquity," he saith,
"hath lied to itself;" [2518] "their tongues have been made weak upon
them." Behold, the Lord hath risen, that was killed....What thinkest
thou of Him who from the cross came not down, and from the tomb rose
again? What therefore did they effect? But even if the Lord had not
risen again, what would they have effected, except what the persecutors
of the martyrs have also effected? For the Martyrs have not yet risen
again, and nevertheless they have effected nothing; of them not yet
rising again we are now celebrating the nativities. Where is the
madness of their raging? To what did they bring those their searchings,
in which searchings they failed, so that even, when the Lord was dead
and buried, they set guards at the tomb? For they said to Pilate, "That
deceiver;" by this name the Lord Jesus Christ was called, for the
comfort of His servants when they are called deceivers; they say
therefore to Pilate, "That deceiver said when yet living, After three
days I will rise again:" [2519] ...They set for guards soldiers at the
sepulchre. At the earth quaking, the Lord rose again: such miracles
were done about the sepulchre, that even the very soldiers that had
come for guards were made witnesses, if they chose to tell the truth:
but the same covetousness which had led captive a disciple, the
companion of Christ, led captive also the soldier that was guard of the
sepulchre. We give you, they say, money; [2520] and say ye, while
yourselves were sleeping there came His disciples, and took Him
away....Sleeping witnesses ye adduce: truly thou thyself hast fallen
asleep, that in searching such devices hast failed. If they were
sleeping, what could they see? if nothing they saw, how are they
witnesses? But "they failed in searching searchings:" failed of the
light of God, failed in the very completion of their designs: when that
which they willed, nowise they were able to complete, surely they
failed. Wherefore this? Because "there drew near a Man and a deep
heart, and God was exalted."...
14. "And every man feared" (ver. 9). They that feared not, were not
even men. "Every man feared;" that is, every one using reason to
perceive the things which were done. Whence they that feared not, must
rather be called cattle, rather beasts savage and cruel. A lion ramping
and roaring is that people as yet. But in truth every man feared: that
is, they that would believe, that trembled at the judgment to come.
"And every man feared: and they declared the works of God."..."And
every man hath feared: and they have declared the works of God, and His
doings they have perceived." What is, "His doings they have perceived"?
Was it, O Lord Jesus Christ, that Thou wast silent, and like a sheep
for a victim wast being led, and didst not open before the shearer Thy
mouth, [2521] and we thought Thee to be set in smiting and in grief,
[2522] and knowing how to bear weakness? [2523] Was it that Thou wast
hiding Thy beauty, O Thou beautiful in form before the sons of men?
[2524] Was it that Thou didst not seem to have beauty nor grace? [2525]
Thou didst bear on the Cross men reviling and saying, "If Son of God He
is, let Him come down from the Cross." [2526] ...This thing they, that
would have had Him come down from the Cross, perceived not: but when He
rose again, and being glorified ascended into Heaven, they perceived
the works of God.
15. "The just man shall rejoice in the Lord" (ver. 10). Now the just
man is not sad. For sad were the disciples at the Lord's being
crucified; overcome with sadness, sorrowing they departed, they thought
they had lost hope. He rose again, even when appearing to them He found
them sad. He held the eyes of two men that walked in the way, so that
by them he was not known, and He found them groaning and sighing, and
He held them until He had expounded the Scriptures, and by the same
Scriptures had shown that so it ought to have been done as it was done.
[2527] For He showed in the Scriptures, how after the third day it
behoved the Lord to rise again. [2528] And how on the third day would
He have risen again, if from the Cross He had come down?...Therefore
let us all rejoice in the Lord, let us all after the faith be One Just
Man, and let us all in one Body hold One Head, and let us rejoice in
the Lord, not in ourselves: because our Good is not ourselves to
ourselves, but He that hath made us. Himself is our good to make us
glad. And let no one rejoice in himself, no one rely on himself, no one
despair of himself: let no one rely on any man, whom he ought to bring
in to be the partner of his own hope, not the giver of the hope.
16. Now because the Lord hath risen again, now because He hath ascended
into Heaven, now because He hath showed that there is another life, now
because it is evident that His counsels, wherein He lay concealed in
deep heart, were not empty, because to this end That Blood was shed to
be the price of the redeemed; now because all things are evident,
because all things have been preached, because all things have been
believed, under the whole of heaven, "the just man shall rejoice in the
Lord, and shall hope in Him; and all men shall be praised that are
right in heart."...God is displeasing to thee, and thou art pleasing to
thyself, of perverted and crooked heart thou art: and this is the
worse, that the heart of God thou wouldest correct by thy heart, to
make Him do what thou wilt have whereas thou oughtest to do what He
willeth. What then? Thou wouldest make crooked the heart of God which
alway is right, according to the depravity of thy own heart? How much
better to correct thy heart by the rectitude of God? Hath not thy Lord
taught thee this, of Whose Passion but now were we speaking? Was He not
bearing thy weakness, when He said, "Sad is My soul even unto death"?
[2529] Was He not figuring thyself in Himself, when He was saying,
"Father, if it be possible, let there pass from Me this cup"? [2530]
For the hearts of the Father and of the Son were not two and different:
but in the form of a servant He carried thy heart, that He might teach
it by His example. Now behold trouble found out as it were another
heart of thine, which willed that there should pass away that which was
impending: but God would not. God consenteth not to thy heart, do thou
consent to the heart of God.
17. What followeth? If "there shall be praised all men right in heart,"
there shall be condemned the crooked in heart. Two things are set
before thee now, choose while there is time....If of crooked heart thou
hast become, there will come that Judgment, there will appear all the
reasons on account of which God doeth all these things: and thou that
wouldest not in this life correct thy heart by the rectitude of God,
and prepare thyself for the right hand, where "there shall be praised
all men right in heart," wilt be on the left, where at that time thou
shalt hear, "Go ye into fire everlasting, that hath been prepared for
the devil and his angels." [2531] And will there be then time to
correct the heart? Now therefore correct, brethren, now correct. Who
doth hinder? Psalm is chanted, Gospel is read, Reader crieth, Preacher
crieth; long-suffering is the Lord; thou sinnest, and He spareth; still
thou sinnest, still He spareth, and still thou addest sin to sin. How
long is God long-suffering? Thou wilt find God just also. We terrify
because we fear; teach us not to fear, and we terrify no more. But
better it is that God teach us to fear, than that any man teach us not
to fear....Thou bringest forth grain, barn expect thou; bringest forth
thorns, fire expect thou. But not yet hath come either the time of the
barn or the time of the fire: now let there be preparation, and there
will not be fear. In the name of Christ both we who speak are living,
and ye to whom we speak are living: for amending our plan, and changing
evil life into a good life, is there no place, is there no time? Can it
not, if thou wilt, be done to-day? Can it not, if thou wilt, be now
done? What must thou buy in order to do it, what specifics [2532] must
thou seek? To what Indies must thou sail? What ship prepare? Lo, while
I am speaking, change the heart; and there is done what so often and so
long while is cried out for, that it be done, and which bringeth forth
everlasting punishment if it be not done.
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
[2489] Lat. LXIII. Sermon to the Commonalty while keeping the festival
of the holy Martyrs.
[2490] [Preached in the presence of a bishop, thus addressed.--C.]
[2491] Matt. vi. 13.
[2492] Ecclus. ii. 10.
[2493] Ps. cxxiv. 3.
[2494] Matt. x. 28.
[2495] Luke xii. 5.
[2496] Homine. See on Ps. i. Retrs.
[2497] John x. 18.
[2498] John x. 32.
[2499] Oxf. mss. "infirmities."
[2500] Wisd. ii. 20, 18.
[2501] Ps. lvii. 4.
[2502] Luke xxiii. 21.
[2503] John xix. 14.
[2504] Mark xv. 25.
[2505] John ii. 25.
[2506] Matt. xxvi. 14, 15.
[2507] Luke xxiii. 21.
[2508] John xix. 15.
[2509] Luke xxiii. 14, 20, 22.
[2510] Matt. xxvii. 25.
[2511] Eas(the traps). Oxf. mss. "us."
[2512] Oxf. mss. "will see."
[2513] Philip. ii. 6.
[2514] John x. 30.
[2515] John xiv. 28.
[2516] Luke xxiii. 21; John xix. 6.
[2517] Or, strengthened.
[2518] Ps. xxvii. 12, Vulgate.
[2519] Matt. xxvii. 63.
[2520] Matt. xxviii. 12, 13.
[2521] Isa. liii. 7.
[2522] Isa. liii. 4.
[2523] Isa. liii. 3.
[2524] Ps. xlv. 2.
[2525] Isa. liii. 2.
[2526] Matt. xxvii. 40.
[2527] Luke xxiv. 16, etc.
[2528] Luke xxiv. 46.
[2529] Matt. xxvi. 38.
[2530] Matt. xxvi. 39.
[2531] Matt. xxv. 41.
[2532] Symplasia, probably meaning "compounds;" older edition,
emplastra; Oxf. and some other mss., Templa Asiae, "Temples of Asia."
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