Seventh Sunday after Trinity
Augustine on Psalm XXXIV
O LORD of Hosts, who art the author and giver of all good things; Graft in our hearts the love of thy Name, increase in us true religion, nourish us with all goodness, and of thy great mercy keep us in the same; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Historical Note: Source: Collect composed by Bishop Gelasius of Rome (492-496), in 1549 Cranmer revised the collect to begin with "Lord of all power and might." His "true religion" reminds one of James' epistle and "pure religon KJV [James 1:27]
1 Samuel xxi. 10, Psalms 32, 36 | 33,34 , Romans vi. 19 & St. Mark viii. 1
Homily of Augustine on Psalm XXXIV
1 Kings viii. 38.
And David arose, and fled that day for fear of Saul, and went to Achish the king of Gath. And the servants of Achish said unto him, Is not this David the king of the land? did they not sing one to another of him in dances, saying, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands? And David laid up these words in his heart, and was sore afraid of Achish the king of Gath. And he changed his behaviour before them, and feigned himself mad in their hands, and scrabbled on the doors of the gate, and let his spittle fall down upon his beard. Then said Achish unto his servants, Lo, ye see the man is mad: wherefore then have ye brought him to me? Have I need of mad men, that ye have brought this fellow to play the mad man in my presence? shall this fellow come into my house?
Romans vi. 19
I SPEAK after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness. For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness. What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death. But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.St. Mark viii. 1
IN those days the multitude being very great, and having nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples unto him, and saith unto them, I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now been with me three days, and have nothing to eat: and if I send them away fasting to their own houses, they will faint by the way: for divers of them came from far. And his disciples answered him, From whence can a man satisfy these men with bread here in the wilderness? And he asked them, How many loaves have ye? And they said, Seven. And he commanded the people to sit down on the ground: and he took the seven loaves, and gave thanks, and brake, and gave to his disciples to set before them; and they did set them before the people. And they had a few small fishes: and he blessed, and commanded to set them also before them. So they did eat, and were filled: and they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets. And they that had eaten were about four thousand: and he sent them away.Homily
Augustine
Psalm XXXIV
A psalm of David, when he changed his countenance before Abimelech, and
he sent him away, and he departed.
Notes:
1. Because there was there a sacrifice after the order of Aaron, and
afterwards He of His Own Body and Blood appointed a sacrifice after the
order of Melchizedek; He changed then His Countenance in the
Priesthood, and sent away the kingdom of the Jews, and came to the
Gentiles. What then is, "He affected"? [702] He was full of affection.
For what is so full of affection as the Mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who, seeing our infirmity, that He might deliver us from everlasting
death, underwent temporal death with such great injury and contumely?
"And He drummed:" because a drum is not made, except when a skin is
extended on wood; and David drummed, to signify that Christ should be
crucified. But, "He drummed upon the doors of the city:" what are "the
doors of the city," but our hearts which we had closed against Christ,
who by the drum of His Cross hath opened the hearts of mortal men? "And
was carried in His Own Hands:" how "carried in His Own Hands"? Because
when He commended His Own Body and Blood, He took into His Hands that
which the faithful know; and in a manner carried Himself, when He said,
"This is My Body." [703] "And He fell down at the doors of the gate;"
that is, He humbled Himself. For this it is, to fall down even at the
very beginning of our faith. For the door of the gate is the beginning
of faith; whence beginneth the Church, and arriveth at last even unto
sight: that as it believeth those things which it seeth not, it may
deserve to enjoy them, when it shall have begun to see face to face. So
is the title of the Psalm; briefly we have heard it; let us now hear
the very words of Him that affecteth, and drummeth upon the doors of
the city.
2. "I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall be ever in my
mouth" (ver. 1). So speaketh Christ, so also let a Christian speak; for
a Christian is in the Body of Christ; and therefore was Christ made
Man, that that Christian might be enabled to be an Angel, who saith, "I
will bless the Lord at all times." When shall I "bless the Lord"? When
He blesseth thee? When the goods of this world abound? When thou hast
great abundance of corn, oil, and wine, of gold and silver, of servants
and cattle; when this mortal health remaineth unwounded and sound; when
all that are born to thee grow up, nothing is withdrawn by immature
death, happiness wholly reigneth in thy house, and all things overflow
around thee; then shalt thou bless the Lord? No; but "at all times."
Therefore both then, and when according to the time, or according to
the scourges of our Lord God, these things are troubled, are taken
away, are seldom born to thee, and born pass away. For these things
come to pass, and thence followeth penury, need, labour, pain, and
temptation. But thou, who hast sung, "I will bless the Lord at all
times: His praise shall be ever in my mouth," both when He giveth them,
bless; and when He taketh them away, bless. For it is He that giveth,
it is He that taketh away: but Himself from him that blesseth Him He
taketh not away.
3. But who is it that blesseth the Lord at all times, except the humble
in heart. For very humility taught our Lord in His Own Body and Blood:
because when He commendeth His Own Body and Blood, He commendeth His
Humility, in that which is written in this history, in that seeming
madness of David, which we have passed by, "And his spittle ran down
over his beard." [704] When the Apostle was read, [705] Ye heard the
same spittle, but running down over the beard. One saith perhaps, What
spittle have we heard? Was it not read but now, where the Apostle
saith, "The Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom?" But
now it was read, "But we preach," saith he, "Christ crucified" (for
then He drummed), "unto the Jews a stumbling block, and unto the Greeks
foolishness; but unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks,
Christ the Power of God, and the Wisdom of God. Because the Foolishness
of God is wiser than men, and the Weakness of God is stronger than
men." [706] For spittle signifieth foolishness; spittle signifieth
weakness. But if the Foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the
Weakness of God is stronger than men; let not the spittle as it were
offend thee, but observe that it runneth down over the beard: for as by
the spittle, weakness; so by the beard, strength is signified. He
covered then His Strength by the body of His Weakness, and that which
without was weak, appeared as it were in spittle; but within His Divine
Strength was covered as a beard. Therefore humility is commended unto
us. Be humble if thou wouldest bless the Lord at all times, and that
His praise should be ever in thy mouth....
4. But wherefore doth man bless the Lord at all times? Because he is
humble. What is it to be humble? To take not praise unto himself. Who
would himself be praised, is proud: who is not proud, is humble.
Wouldest thou not then be proud? That thou mayest be humble, say what
is here written; "In the Lord shall my soul be praised: the humble
shall hear thereof and be glad" (ver. 2). Those then who will not be
praised in the Lord, are not humble, but fierce, rough, lifted up,
proud. Gentle cattle would the Lord have; be thou the Lord's jumentum;
that is, be thou humble. He sitteth upon thee, He ruleth thee: fear not
lest thou stumble, and fall headlong: that indeed is thy infirmity; but
consider Who sitteth upon thee. Thou art an ass's colt, but thou
carriest Christ. For even He on an ass's colt came into the city; and
that beast was gentle...."Be not ye as the horse or as the mule, which
have no understanding." [707] For horse and mule sometimes lift up
their neck, and by their own fierceness throw off their rider. They are
tamed with the bit, with bridle, with stripes, until they learn to
submit, and to carry their master. But thou, before thy jaws are
bruised with the bridle, be humble, and carry thy Lord: wish not praise
for thyself, but praised be He who sitteth upon thee, and say thou, "In
the Lord shall my soul be praised; the humble shall hear thereof, and
be glad."...
5. Now followeth, "O magnify the Lord with me" (ver. 3). Who is this
that exhorteth us, that we should magnify the Lord with him? Whoever,
Brethren, is in the body of Christ, ought for this to labour, that the
Lord may be magnified with him. For he loveth the Lord, whoever he is.
And how doth he love Him? So as not to envy his fellow-lover....Let
them blush who so love God as to envy others. Abandoned men love a
charioteer, and whoever loveth a charioteer or hunter, wisheth the
whole people to love with him, and exhorteth, saying, Love with me this
pantomime, love with me this or that shame. He calleth among the people
that shame may be loved with him; and doth not a Christian call in the
Church, that the Truth of God may be loved with him? Stir up then love
in yourselves, Brethren; and call to every one of yours, and say, "O
magnify the Lord with me." Let there be in you that fervour. Wherefore
are these things recited and explained? If ye love God, bring quickly
to the love of God all who are joined unto you, and all who are in your
house; if the Body of Christ is loved by you, that is, if the unity of
the Church, bring them quickly to enjoy, and say, "O magnify the Lord
with me."
6. "And let us exalt His Name together." [708] What is, "let us exalt
His Name together"? That is, in one. For many copies so have it, "O
magnify the Lord with me; and let us exalt His Name in one." [709]
Whether it be said, "together," or "in one," it is the same thing.
Therefore bring quickly whom ye can, by exhorting, by transporting,
[710] by beseeching, by disputing, by rendering a reason, with
meekness, with gentleness. Bring them quickly unto love; that if they
magnify the Lord, they may magnify Him in one....
7. "I sought the Lord, and He heard me" (ver. 4). Where heard the Lord?
Within. Where giveth He? Within. There thou prayest, there thou art
heard, there thou art blessed. Thou hast prayed, thou art heard, thou
art blessed; and he knoweth not who standeth by thee: it is all carried
on in secret, as the Lord saith in the Gospel, "Enter into thy closet,
and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in
secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret, shall reward thee
openly." [711] When therefore thou enterest into thy chamber, thou
enterest into thy heart. Blessed are they who rejoice when they enter
into their heart, and find therein nought of evil....
8. "I sought the Lord, and He heard me." Who then are not heard, seek
not the Lord. Attend, Holy Brethren; [712] he said not, I sought gold
from the Lord, and He heard me; I sought from the Lord long life, and
He heard me; I sought from the Lord this or that, and He heard me. It
is one thing to seek anything from the Lord, another to seek the Lord
Himself. "I sought" (saith he) "the Lord, and He heard me." But thou,
when thou prayest, saying, Kill that my enemy, seekest not the Lord,
but, as it were, makest thyself a judge over thy enemy, and makest thy
God an executioner. [713] How knowest thou that he is not better than
thou, whose death thou seekest? In that very thing haply he is, that he
seeketh not thine. Therefore seek not from the Lord anything without,
but seek the Lord Himself, and He will hear thee, and while thou yet
speakest, He will say, "Lo, here I am." [714] ...
9. I have said who was the exhorter, namely, that lover who would not
alone embrace what he loveth, and saith, "Approach unto Him, and be ye
lightened" (ver. 5). For he saith what he himself proved. For some
spiritual person in the Body of Christ, or even our Lord Jesus Christ
Himself according to the flesh, the Head exhorting His Own Members,
saith; what? "Approach unto Him, and be ye lightened." Or rather some
spiritual Christian inviteth us to approach to our Lord Jesus Christ
Himself. But let us approach to Him and be lightened; not as the Jews
approached to Him, that they might be darkened; for they approached to
Him that they might crucify Him: let us approach to Him that we may
receive His Body and Blood. They by Him crucified were darkened; we by
eating and drinking The Crucified are lightened. "Approach unto Him,
and be ye lightened." Lo, this is said to the Gentiles. Christ was
crucified amid the Jews raging and seeing; the Gentiles were absent;
lo, they have approached who were in darkness, and they who saw not are
lightened. Whereby approach the Gentiles? By following with faith, by
longing with the heart, by running with charity. Thy feet are thy
charity. Have two feet, be not lame. What are thy two feet? The two
commandments of love, of thy God, and of thy Neighbour. With these feet
run thou unto God, approach unto Him, for He hath both exhorted thee to
run, and hath Himself shed His Own Light, as he hath magnificently and
divinely continued. [715] "And your faces shall not be ashamed."
"Approach" (saith he) "unto Him, and be ye lightened; and your faces
shall not be ashamed." No face shall be ashamed but of the proud.
Wherefore? Because he would be lifted up, and when he hath suffered
insult, or ignominy, or mischance in this world, or any affliction, he
is ashamed. But fear not thou, approach unto Him, and thou shalt not be
ashamed....
10. As the Prophet testifieth, "The poor man cried, and the Lord heard
him" (ver. 6). He teacheth thee how thou mayest be heard. Therefore art
thou not heard, because thou art rich. Lest haply thou say, thou
criedst and wast not heard, hear wherefore; "The poor man cried, and
the Lord heard him." As poor cry thou, and the Lord heareth. And how
shall I cry as poor? By not, if thou hast aught, presuming therefrom
upon thy own strength: by understanding that thou art needy; by
understanding that so long art thou poor, as thou hast not Him who
maketh thee rich. But how did the Lord hear him? "And saved him out of
all his troubles." And how saveth He men out of all their troubles?
"The Angel of the Lord shall send [716] round about them that fear Him,
and shall deliver them" (ver. 7). So it is written, brethren, not as
some bad copies have it, "The Lord shall send His Angel round about
them that fear Him, and He shall deliver them:" but thus, "The Angel of
the Lord shall send round about them that fear Him, and shall deliver
them." Whom called He here the Angel of the Lord, who shall send r ound
about them that fear Him, and shall deliver them? Our Lord Jesus Christ
Himself is called in Prophecy, the Angel of the great Counsel, the
Messenger of the great Counsel; [717] so the Prophets called Him. [718]
Even He then, the Angel of the great Counsel, that is, the Messenger,
shall send unto them that fear the Lord, and shall deliver them. Fear
not then lest thou be hid: wheresoever thou hast feared the Lord, there
doth that Angel know thee, who shall send to succour thee, and shall
deliver thee.
11. Now will He speak openly of the same Sacrament, whereby He was
carried in His Own Hands. "O taste and see that the Lord is good" (ver.
8). Doth not the Psalm now open itself, and show thee that seeming
insanity and constant madness, the same insanity and sober inebriety of
that David, who in a figure showed I know not what, when in the person
of king Achis they said to him, How is it? [719] When the Lord said,
"Except a man eat My Flesh and drink My Blood, he shall have no life in
him"? [720] And they in whom reigned Achis, that is, error and
ignorance, said; what said they? "How can this man give us his flesh to
eat?" [721] If thou art ignorant, "Taste and see that the Lord is
good:" but if thou understandest not, thou art king Achis: David shall
change His Countenance and shall depart from thee, and shall quit thee,
and shall depart. [722]
12. "Blessed is the man that trusteth in Him." Why needeth this to be
explained at length? Whoever trusteth not in the Lord, is miserable.
Who is there that trusteth not in the Lord? He that trusteth in
himself....
13. "O fear the Lord, all ye His saints, for there is no want to them
that fear Him" (ver. 9). For many therefore will not fear God the Lord,
lest they suffer hunger. It is said to them, Defraud not; and they say,
Whence can I feed myself? No art can be without imposture; no business
can be without fraud. But fraud God punisheth: fear God. But if I
should fear God, I shall not have whence to live. "O fear the Lord, all
ye His saints, for there is no want to them that fear Him." He
promiseth plenty to him that trembleth, and doubteth, lest haply if he
should fear God, he should lose things superfluous. The Lord fed thee
despising Him, and will He desert thee fearing Him? Attend, and say
not, Such an one is rich, and I am poor. I fear the Lord, he by not
fearing how much has he gained, and I by fearing am bare! See what
follows; "The rich [723] do lack and suffer hunger, but they that seek
the Lord shall not want any good thing" (ver. 10). If thou receive it
according to the letter, He seemeth to deceive thee, for thou seest
that many rich men that are wicked die in their riches, and are not
made poor while they live; thou seest them grow old, and come even to
the end of life amid great abundance and riches. Thou seest their
funeral pomp celebrated with great profusion, the man himself brought
rich even to the sepulchre, having expired in beds of ivory, his family
weeping around; and thou sayest in thy mind, if haply thou knowest some
both sins and crimes done by him: I know what things that man hath
done; lo, he hath grown old, he hath died in his bed, his friends
follow him to the grave, his funeral is celebrated with all this pomp;
I know what he hath done; the Scripture has deceived me, and has spoken
falsely, where I hear and sing; "The rich do lack and suffer hunger."
When was this man in need? when did he suffer hunger? "But they that
seek the Lord shall not want any good thing." Daily I rise up to
Church, daily I bend the knee, daily I seek the Lord, and have nothing
good: this man sought not the Lord, and he hath died in the midst of
all these good things! Thus thinking, the snare of offence choketh him;
for he seeketh mortal food on the earth, and seeketh not a true reward
in heaven, and so he putteth his head into the devil's noose, his jaws
are tied close, and the devil holdeth him fast unto evil doing, that so
he may imitate the evil men, whom he seeth to die in such plenty.
14. Therefore understand it not so....When thou art filled with
spiritual riches, canst thou be poor? And was he therefore rich,
because he had a bed of ivory; and art thou poor who hast the chamber
of thy heart filled with such jewelry of virtues, justice, truth,
charity, faith, endurance? Unfold thy riches, if thou hast them, and
compare them with the riches of the rich. But such an one has found in
the market mules of great value, and has bought them. If thou couldest
find faith to be sold, how much wouldest thou give for that, which God
willeth that thou shouldest have gratis, and thou art ungrateful? Those
rich then lack, they lack, and what is heavier, they lack bread....For
He hath said, "I am the Living Bread which came down from Heaven."
[724] And again, "Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after
righteousness: for they shall be filled." [725] "But they that seek the
Lord shall not want any good thing:" but what manner of good, I have
already said.
15. "Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of
the Lord" (ver. 11). Ye think, [726] brethren, that I say this: think
that David saith it; think that an Apostle saith it; nay think that our
Lord Jesus Christ Himself saith it; "Come, ye children, hearken unto
Me." Let us hearken unto Him together: hearken ye unto Him through us.
For He would teach us; He the Humble, He that drummeth, He that
affecteth, would teach us....
16. "What man is he that desireth life, and loveth to see good days?"
(ver. 12). He asketh a question. Doth not every one among you answer,
I? Is there any man among you that loveth not life, that is, that
desireth not life, and loveth not to see good days? Do ye not daily
thus murmur, and thus speak; How long shall we suffer these things?
Daily are they worse and worse: in our fathers' time were days more
joyful, were days better. O if thou couldest ask those same, thy
fathers, in like manner would they murmur to thee of their own days.
Our fathers were happy, miserable are we, evil days have we: such an
one ruled over us, we thought that after his death might some
refreshing be given to us; worse things have come: O God, show unto us
good days! "What man is he that desireth life, and loveth to see good
days?" Let him not seek here good days. A good thing he seeketh, but
not in its right place doth he seek it. As, if thou shouldest seek some
righteous man in a country, wherein he lived not, it would be said to
thee, A good man thou seekest, a great man thou seekest, seek him
still, but not here; in vain thou seekest him here, thou wilt never
find him. Good days thou seekest, together let us seek them, seek not
here....Read the Scriptures....
17. Let not a Christian then murmur, let him see whose steps he
followeth: but if he loveth good days, let him hearken unto Him
teaching and saying, "Come, ye children, hearken unto Me; I will teach
you the fear of the Lord." What wouldest thou? Life and good days.
Hear, and do. "Keep thy tongue from evil" (ver. 13). This do. I will
not, saith a miserable man, I will not keep my tongue from evil, and
yet I desire life and good days. If a workman of thine should say to
thee, I indeed lay waste this vineyard, yet I require of thee my
reward; thou broughtest me to the vineyard to lop and prune it, I cut
away all the useful wood, I will cut short also the very trunks of the
vines, that thou have thereon nothing to gather, and when I have done
this, thou shalt repay to me my labour. Wouldest thou not call him mad?
Wouldest thou not drive him from thy house or ever he put his hand to
the knife? Such are those men who would both do evil, and swear
falsely, and speak blasphemy against God, and murmur, and defraud, and
be drunken, and dispute, and commit adultery, and use charms, and
consult diviners, and withal see good days. To such it is said, thou
canst not doing ill seek a good reward. If thou art unjust, shall God
also be unjust? What shall I do, then? What desirest thou? Life I
desire, good days I desire. "Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips
that they speak no guile," that is, defraud not any, lie not to any.
18. But what is, "Depart from evil"? (ver. 14). It is little that thou
injure none, murder none, steal not, commit not adultery, do no wrong,
speak no false witness; "Depart from evil." When thou hast departed,
thou sayest, Now I am safe, I have done all, I shall have life, I shall
see good days. Not only saith he, "Depart from evil," but also, "and do
good." It is nothing that thou spoil not: clothe the naked. If thou
hast not spoiled, thou hast declined from evil; but thou wilt not do
good, except thou receive the stranger into thine house. So then depart
from evil, as to do good. "Seek peace, and ensue it." He hath not said,
Thou shalt have peace here; seek it, and ensue it. Whither shall I
ensue it? Whither it hath gone before. For the Lord is our peace, hath
risen again, and hath ascended into Heaven. "Seek peace, and ensue it;"
because when thou also hast risen, this mortal shall be changed, and
thou shalt embrace peace there where no man shall trouble thee. For
there is perfect peace, where thou wilt not hunger....
19. "The Eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous:" fear not then;
labour; the eyes of the Lord are upon thee. "And His Ears are open unto
their prayers" (ver. 15). What wouldest thou more? If an householder in
a great house should not hearken to a servant murmuring, he would
complain, and say, What hardship do we here suffer, and none heareth
us. Canst thou say this of God, What hardships I suffer, and none
heareth me? If He heard me, haply, sayest thou, He would take away my
tribulation: I cry unto Him, and yet have tribulation. Only do thou
hold fast His ways, and when thou art in tribulation, He heareth thee.
But He is a Physician, and still hast thou something of putrefaction;
thou criest out, but still He cutteth, and taketh not away His Hand,
until He hath cut as much as pleaseth Him. For that Physician is cruel
who heareth a man, and spareth his wound and putrefaction. How do
mothers rub their children in the baths for their health. Do not the
little ones cry out in their hands? Are they then cruel because they
spare not, nor hearken unto their tears? Are they not full of
affection? And yet the children cry out, and are not spared. So our God
also is full of charity, but therefore seemeth He not to hear, that He
may spare and heal us for everlasting.
20. Haply say the wicked, I securely do evil, because the Eyes of the
Lord are not upon me: God attendeth to the righteous, me He seeth not,
and whatever I do, I do securely. Immediately added the Holy Spirit,
seeing the thoughts of men, and said, "But the Face of the Lord is
against them that do evil; to cut off the remembrance of them from the
earth" (ver. 16).
21. "The righteous cried, and the Lord heard them, and delivered them
out of all their troubles" (ver. 17). Righteous were the Three
Children; out of the furnace cried they unto the Lord, and in His
praises their flames cooled. The flame could not approach nor hurt the
innocent and righteous Children praising God, and He delivered them out
of the fire. [727] Some one saith, Lo, truly righteous were those who
were heard, as it is written, "The righteous cried, and the Lord heard
them, and delivered them out of all their troubles:" but I have cried,
and He delivereth me not; either I am not righteous, or I do not [728]
the things which He commandeth me, or haply He seeth me not. Fear not:
only do what He commandeth; and if He deliver thee not bodily, He will
deliver thee spiritually. For He who took out of the fire the Three
Children, did He take out of the fire the Maccabees? [729] Did not the
first sing hymns in the flames, these last in the flames expire? The
God of the Three Children, was not He the God also of the Maccabees?
The one He delivered, the other He delivered not. Nay, He delivered
both: but the Three Children He so delivered, that even the carnal were
confounded; but the Maccabees therefore He delivered not so, that those
who persecuted them should go into greater torments, while they thought
that they had overcome God's Martyrs. He delivered Peter, when the
Angel came unto him being in prison, and said, "Arise, and go forth,"
[730] and suddenly his chains were loosed, and he followed the Angel,
and He delivered him. Had Peter lost righteousness when He delivered
him not from the cross? Did He not deliver him then? Even then He
delivered him. Did his long life make him unrighteous? Haply He heard
him more at last than at first, when truly He delivered him out of all
his troubles. For when He first delivered him, how many things did he
suffer afterwards! For thither He sent him at last, where he could have
suffered no evil.
22. "The Lord is nigh unto them that have broken their heart; and
saveth such as be lowly in spirit" (ver. 18). God is High: let a
Christian be lowly. If he would that the Most High God draw nigh unto
him, let him be lowly. A great mystery, Brethren. God is above all:
thou raisest thyself, and touchest not Him: thou humblest thyself, and
He descendeth unto thee. "Many are the troubles of the righteous" (ver.
19): doth He say, "Therefore let Christians be righteous, therefore let
them hear My Word, that they may suffer no tribulation? He promiseth
not this; but saith, "Many are the troubles of the righteous." Rather,
if they be unrighteous they have fewer troubles, if righteous they have
many. But after few tribulations, or none, these shall come to
tribulation everlasting, whence they shall never be delivered: but the
righteous after many tribulations shall come to peace everlasting,
where they shall never suffer any evil. "Many are the tribulations of
the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of all."
23. "The Lord keepeth all their bones: not one of them shall be broken"
(ver. 20): this also, Brethren, let us not receive carnally. Bones are
the firm supports of the faithful. For as in flesh our bones give
firmness, so in the heart of a Christian it is faith that gives
firmness. [731] The patience then which is in faith, is as the bones of
the inner man: this is that which cannot be broken. "The Lord keepeth
all their bones: not one of them shall be broken." If of our Lord God
Jesus Christ he had said this, "The Lord keepeth all the bones of His
Son; not one of them shall be broken;" as is prefigured of Him also in
another place, when the lamb was spoken of that should be slain, and it
was said of it, "Neither shall ye break a bone thereof:" [732] then was
it fulfilled in the Lord, because when He hung upon the Cross, He
expired before they came to the Cross, and found His Body lifeless
already, and would not break His legs, that it might be fulfilled which
was written. [733] But He gave this promise to other Christians also,
"The Lord keepeth all their bones; not one of them shall be broken."
Therefore, Brethren, if we see any Saint suffer tribulation, and haply
either by a Physician so cut, or by some persecutor so mangled, that
his bones be broken; let us not say, This man was not righteous, for
this hath the Lord promised to His righteous, of whom He said, "The
Lord keepeth all their bones; not one of them shall be broken."
Wouldest thou see that He spoke of other bones, those which we called
the firm supports of faith, that is, patience and endurance in all
tribulations? For these are the bones which are not broken. Hear, and
see ye in the very Passion of our Lord, what I say. The Lord was in the
middle Crucified; near Him were two thieves: the one mocked, the other
believed: the one was condemned, the other justified: the one had his
punishment both in this world, and that which shall be, but unto the
other said the Lord, "Verily I say unto thee, To-day shalt thou be with
Me in Paradise;" [734] and yet those who came brake not the bones of
the Lord, but of the thieves they brake: as much were broken the bones
of the thief who blasphemed, as of the thief who believed. Where then
is that which is spoken, "The Lord keepeth all their bones; not one of
them shall be broken"? Lo, unto whom He said, "To-day shalt thou be
with Me in Paradise," could He keep all his bones? The Lord answereth
thee: Yea, I kept them: for the firm support of his faith could not be
broken by those blows whereby his legs were broken.
24. "The death of sinners is the worst" (ver. 21). Attend, Brethren,
for the sake of those things which I said. Truly Great is the Lord, and
His Mercy, truly Great is He who gave to us to eat His Body, wherein He
suffered such great things, and His Blood to drink. How regardeth He
them that think evil and say, "Such an one died ill, by beasts was he
devoured: he was not a righteous man, therefore he perished ill; for
else would he not have perished." Is he then righteous who dieth in his
own house and in his own bed? This then (sayest thou) it is whereat I
wonder; because I know the sins and the crimes of this same man, and
yet he died well; in his own house, within his own doors, with no
injury of travel, with none even in mature [735] age. Hearken, "The
death of sinners is worst." What seemeth to thee a good death, is worst
if thou couldest see within. Thou seest him outwardly lying on his bed,
dost thou see him inwardly carried to hell? Hearken, Brethren, and
learn from the Gospel what is the "worst death" of sinners. Were there
not two in that age, [736] a rich man who was clothed in purple and
fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day; another a poor man who lay
at his door full of sores, and the dogs came and licked his sores, and
he desired to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's
table? Now it came to pass that the poor man died (righteous was that
poor man), and was carried by Angels into Abraham's bosom. He who saw
his body lying at the rich man's door, and no man to bury it, what
haply said he? So die he who is my enemy; and whoever persecutes me, so
may I see him. His body is accursed with spitting, his wounds stink;
and yet in Abraham's bosom he resteth. [737] If we are Christians, let
us believe: if we believe not, Brethren, let none feign himself a
Christian. Faith bringeth us to the end. As the Lord spake these
things, so are they. Doth indeed an astrologer [738] speak unto thee,
and it is true, and doth Christ speak, and it is false? But by what
sort of death died the rich man? What sort of death must it not be in
purple and fine linen, how sumptuous, how pompous! What funeral
ceremonies were there! In what spices was that body buried! And yet
when he was in hell, being in torments, from the finger of that
despised poor man he desired one drop of water to be poured upon his
burning tongue, and obtained it not. Learn then what meaneth, "The
death of sinners is worst;" and ask not beds covered with costly
garments, and to have the flesh wrapped in many rich things, friends
exhibiting a show of lamentation, a household beating their breasts, a
crowd of attendants going before and following when the body is carried
out, marble and gilded memorials. For if ye ask those things, they
answer you what is false, that of many not light sinners, but
altogether wicked, the death is best, who have deserved to be so
lamented, so embalmed, so covered, so carried out, so entombed. But ask
the Gospel, and it will show to your faith the soul of the rich man
burning in torments, which was nothing profited by all those honours
and obsequies, which to his dead body the vanity of the living did
afford.
25. But because there are many kinds of sinners, and not to be a sinner
is difficult, or perhaps in this life impossible, he added immediately,
of what kind of sinners the death is worst. "And they that hate the
righteous one" (saith he) "shall perish." What righteous one, but "Him
that justifieth the ungodly"? [739] Whom, but our Lord Jesus Christ,
who is also "the propitiation for our sins"? [740] Who then hate Him,
have the worst death; because they die in their sins, who are not
through Him reconciled to our God. "For the Lord redeemeth the souls of
His servants." But according to the soul is death to be understood
either the worst or best, not according to bodily either dishonour, or
honours which men see. "And none of them which trust in Him shall
perish" (ver. 22); this is the manner of human righteousness, that
mortal life, however advanced, because without sin it cannot be, in
this perisheth not, while it trusteth in Him, in whom is remission of
sins. Amen.
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
__________________________________________________________________
[701] Lat. XXXIII.
[702] [1 Sam. xxi. 13. He follows the Septuagint, which differs from
the Vulgate.--C.]
[703] Matt. xxvi. 26.
[704] 1 Sam. xxi. 13.
[705] [This expression, so frequent in St. Augustin, refers to the
Epistle for the day. As the Law and Prophets in the synagogue, so also
the Evangelists and Apostles were read ceremonially in the Church.--C.]
[706] 1 Cor. i. 22-25.
[707] Ps. xxxii. 9.
[708] In idipsum.
[709] In unum. [In the Septuagint epi to auto, as in Acts ii. 1.--C.]
[710] Al. "by working."
[711] Matt. vi. 6.
[712] [He makes the same exhortation to a brother bishop who was
present: attendat, Sanctitas Vestra.--C.]
[713] Quaestionarium.
[714] Isa. lxv. 24.
[715] So our mss. and others, as Ed. Ben. says, magno consensu. Sicut
magnifice et divine secutus est. Ben. however reads, "so that ye may be
able magnificently and divinely to follow Him." Sic, ut magnifice et
divine se sequi possitis. See on Ps. xxii. Exp. ii. S: 16. "Gloriously
expressed." The word is magnifice.
[716] Immittet. LXX. parembalei, "shall encamp."
[717] Isa. ix. 6, LXX.; Mal. iii. 1.
[718] [See Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. i. p. 223, note 7; also vol. v. p.
628, note 2, and passim.--C.]
[719] Al. "when those wretched ones before king Achis said, How is it?"
[720] John vi. 53.
[721] John vi. 52.
[722] [Luther's doctrine, and even Calvin's, admits of this language.
Rhetorically, even Zwinglians might use the same. For the primitive
doctrine see Justin Martyr and Irenaeus, A.N.F. vol. i. p. 185, note 6,
and 528, note 4. Observe also the fragment (xiii.) on p. 570.--C.]
[723] E.V. "The young lions do lack," etc.
[724] John vi. 51.
[725] Matt. v. 6; Luke i. 53; 1 Sam. ii. 5.
[726] Most mss. "Think," imperative, as in the other clauses.
[727] Dan. iii. 28.
[728] Al. "and do not."
[729] 2 Macc. vii. 3.
[730] Acts xii. 7.
[731] ["Let us not receive carnally" is language which reflects light
upon ver. 8, p. 75, supra. Note also what is here said of faith.--C.]
[732] Exod. xii. 46.
[733] John xix. 33.
[734] Luke xxiii. 43.
[735] Al. "even at no premature."
[736] Al. "in this world."
[737] Luke xvi. 19-22.
[738] Mathematicus.
[739] Rom. iv. 5.
[740] 1 John ii. 2.
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