On the Psalms.

 Psalm II.

 A psalm of David, when he fled from the face of Abessalon his son.

 Psalm IV.

 Psalm V.

 Psalm VI.

 Psalm VII.

 Psalm VIII.

 Psalm IX.

 20. And because it is believed that he is to arrive at so great a pitch of empty glory, and he will be permitted to do so great things, both against a

 1. This title does not require a fresh consideration: for the meaning of, “to the end,” has already been sufficiently handled. Let us then look to the

 To the end, for the eighth, a psalm of David.

 Unto the end, a psalm of David.

 To the end, a psalm of David himself.

 A psalm of David himself.

 1. Our King in this Psalm speaks in the character of the human nature He assumed, of whom the royal title at the time of His passion was eminently set

 A prayer of David himself.

 To the end, for the servant of the Lord, David himself.

 To the end, a psalm of David himself.

 To the end, a psalm of David.

 To the end, a psalm of David himself.

 1. “To the end,” for His own resurrection, the Lord Jesus Christ Himself speaketh. For in the morning on the first day of the week was His resurrectio

 A psalm of David himself.

 1. A Psalm of David himself, touching the glorifying and resurrection of the Lord, which took place early in the morning on the first day of the week,

 1. Christ speaks, but in the person of the Church: for what is said has reference rather to the Christian People turned unto God.

 Of David himself.

 1. Christ’s young soldier speaketh, on his coming to the faith. “The Lord is my light, and my salvation: whom shall I fear?” (ver. 1). The Lord will g

 Of David himself.

 A psalm of David himself, of the consummation of the tabernacle.

 1. To the end, a Psalm of the joy of the Resurrection, and the change, the renewing of the body to an immortal state, and not only of the Lord, but al

 1. To the end a Psalm of David Himself, the Mediator strong of hand in persecutions. For the word ecstasy, which is added to the title, signifies a tr

 To David himself for understanding.

 1. “Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous:” rejoice, O ye righteous, not in yourselves, for that is not safe but in the Lord. “For praise is comely to

 A psalm of David, when he changed his countenance before Abimelech, and he sent him away, and he departed. [Translation absent until Because there wa

 1. …The title of it causeth us no delay, for it is both brief, and to be understood not difficult, especially to those nursed in the Church of God. Fo

 1. …“The ungodly hath said in himself that he will sin: there is no fear of God before his eyes” (ver. 1). Not of one man, but of a race of ungodly me

 On the first part of the psalm.

 A psalm to David himself, on the remembrance of the Sabbath.

 Psalm XXXIX .

 1. Of all those things which our Lord Jesus Christ has foretold, we know part to have been already accomplished, part we hope will be accomplished her

 To the people, on the Feast of the Martyrs.

 1. We have undertaken the exposition of a Psalm corresponding to your own “longings,” on which we propose to speak to you. For the Psalm itself begins

 1. This Psalm is a short one it satisfies the mental cravings of the hearers, without imposing too severe a trial on the hunger of those fasting. Let

 1. This Psalm is addressed “to the sons of Korah,” as its title shows. Now Korah is equivalent to the word baldness and we find in the Gospel that ou

 1. This Psalm, even as we ourselves have been singing with gladness together with you, we would beg you in like manner to consider with attention toge

 1. It is called, “A Psalm, to the end, for the sons of Korah, for things secret.” Secret is it then but He Himself, who in the place of Calvary was c

 1. The title of the Psalm goeth thus. “To the end: for the sons of Korah: a Psalm of David himself.” These sons of Korah have the title also of some o

 1. The title of this Psalm is, “A song of praise, to the sons of Korah, on the second day of the week.” Concerning this what the Lord deigneth to gran

 Psalm XLIX .

 1. How much availeth the Word of God to us for the correction of our life, both regarding His rewards to be expected, and His punishments to be feared

 1. Neither must this multitude’s throng be defrauded, nor their infirmity burthened. Silence we ask, and quiet, in order that our voice, after yesterd

 1. The title of the Psalm hath: “At the end, understanding of David, when there came Doeg the Edomite and told Saul, David hath come into the house of

 1. Of this Psalm we undertake to treat with you, as far as the Lord supplieth us. A brother biddeth us that we may have the will, and prayeth that we

 1. The title of this Psalm hath fruit in the prolixity thereof, if it be understood: and because the Psalm is short, let us make up our not having to

 1. Of this Psalm the title is: “At the end, in hymns, understanding to David himself.” What the “end” is, we will briefly call to your recollection, b

 1. Just as when we are going to enter into any house, we look on the title to see whose it is and to whom it belongeth, lest perchance inopportunely w

 1. We have heard in the Gospel just now, brethren, how loveth us our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, God with the Father, Man with us, out of our own s

 1. The words which we have sung must be rather hearkened to by us, than proclaimed. For to all men as it were in an assemblage of mankind, the Truth c

 The First Part.

 1. David the king was one man, but not one man he figured sometimes to wit he figured the Church of many men consisting, extended even unto the ends

 1. The title of it doth not detain us. For it is “Unto the end, in hymns, to David himself. “In hymns,” to wit in praises. “Unto the end,” to wit unto

 1. The title of it is, “Unto the end, in behalf of Idithun, a Psalm to David himself.” I recollect that already to you hath been explained what Idithu

 1. This psalm hath the title, “For David himself, when he was in the desert of Idumæa.” By the name of Idumæa is understood this world. For Idumæa was

 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 suff

 1. The voice of holy prophecy must be confessed in the very title of this Psalm. It is inscribed, “Unto the end, a Psalm of David, a song of Jeremiah

 Psalm LXVI .

 1. Your Love remembereth, that in two Psalms, which have been already treated of, we have stirred up our soul to bless the Lord, and with godly chant

 1. Of this Psalm, the title seemeth not to need operose discussion: for simple and easy it appeareth. For thus it standeth: “For the end, for David hi

 1. We have been born into this world, and added to the people of God, at that period wherein already the herb from a grain of mustard seed hath spread

 1. Thanks to the “Corn of wheat,” because He willed to die and to be multiplied: thanks to the only Son of God, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, who

 1. In all the holy Scriptures the grace of God that delivereth us commendeth itself to us, in order that it may have us commended. This is sung of in

 1. “For Salomon” indeed this Psalm’s title is fore-noted: but things are spoken of therein which could not apply to that Salomon king of Israel after

 1. This Psalm hath an inscription, that is, a title, “There have failed the hymns of David, the son of Jesse. A Psalm

 1. This Psalm’s Title is, “Of the Understanding of Asaph.” Asaph in Latin is translated congregation, in Greek Synagogue. Let us see what this Synagog

 1. …The Title of this Psalm thus speaketh: “At the end, corrupt not.” What is, “corrupt not?” That which Thou hast promised, perform. But when? “At th

 1. The Jews are wont to glory in this Psalm which we have sung, saying, “Known in Judæa is God, in Israel great is the name of Him:” and to revile the

 1. This Psalm’s lintel is thus inscribed: “Unto the end, for Idithun, a Psalm to Asaph himself.” What “Unto the end” is, ye know. Idithun is interpret

 1. This Psalm doth contain the things which are said to have been done among the old people: but the new and latter people is being admonished, to bew

 1. Over the title of this Psalm, being so short and so simple, I think we need not tarry. But the prophecy which here we read sent before, we know to

 1. …If perchance things obscure demand the office of an interpreter, those things which are evident ought to require of me the office of a reader. The

 1. For a Title this Psalm hath, “Unto the end for the presses, on the fifth of the Sabbath, a Psalm to Asaph himself.” Into one title many mysteries a

 1. This Psalm, like others similarly named, was so entitled either from the name of the man who wrote it, or from the explanation of that same name, s

 1. Of this Psalm the title is, “A song of a Psalm of Asaph.” We have already often said what is the interpretation of Asaph, that is, congregation. Th

 1. This Psalm is entitled, “For the winepresses.” And, as you observed with me, my beloved (for I saw that you attended most closely), nothing is said

 1. …Its title is, “A Psalm for the end, to the sons of Core.” Let us understand no other end than that of which the Apostle speaks: for, “Christ is th

 1. No greater gift could God have given to men than in making His Word, by which He created all things, their Head, and joining them to Him as His mem

 1. The Psalm which has just been sung is short, if we look to the number of its words, but of deep interest in its thoughts. …The subject of song and

 1. The Title of this eighty-seventh Psalm contains a fresh subject for enquiry: the words occurring here, “for Melech to respond,” being nowhere else

 1. Understand, beloved, this Psalm, which I am about to explain, by the grace of God, of our hope in the Lord Jesus Christ, and be of good cheer, beca

 1. This Psalm is entitled, “The prayer of Moses the man of God,” through whom, His man, God gave the law to His people, through whom He freed them fro

 1. This Psalm is that from which the Devil dared to tempt our Lord Jesus Christ: let us therefore attend to it, that thus armed, we may be enabled to

 1. …We are not Christians, except on account of a future life: let no one hope for present blessings, let no one promise himself the happiness of the

 1. …It is entitled, “The Song of praise of David himself, on the day before the Sabbath, when the earth was founded.” Remembering then what God did th

 1. As we listened with much attention, while the Psalm was in reading, so let us listen attentively, while the Lord revealeth the mysteries which He h

 1. I could wish, brethren, that we were rather listening to our father: but even this is a good thing, to obey our father. Since therefore he who deig

 1. My lord and brother Severus still defers the pleasure we shall feel in his discourse, which he oweth us for he acknowledgeth, that he is held a de

 1. …This Psalm is entitled, “A Psalm of David’s, when his land was restored.” Let us refer the whole to Christ, if we wish to keep the road of a right

 1. “O sing unto the Lord a new song” (ver. 1). The new man knoweth this, the old man knoweth it not. The old man is the old life, and the new man the

 1. Beloved brethren, it ought already to be known to you, as sons of the Church, and well instructed in the school of Christ through all the books of

 1. Ye heard the Psalm, brethren, while it was being chanted: it is short, and not obscure: as if I had given you an assurance, that ye should not fear

 1. In this Psalm, we ought to seek in the whole body of it what we find in the first verse: “Mercy and judgment will I sing unto Thee, O Lord” (ver. 1

 1. Behold, one poor man prayeth, and prayeth not in silence. We may therefore hear him, and see who he is: whether it be not perchance He, of whom the

 1. …“Bless the Lord, O my soul! and all that is within me, His holy Name” (ver. 1). I suppose that he speaketh not of what is within the body I do no

 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). Wher

 1. This Psalm is the first of those to which is prefixed the word Allelujah the meaning of which word, or rather two words, is, Praise the Lord. For

 1. This Psalm also hath the title Allelujah prefixed to it: and this twice. But some say, that one Allelujah belongeth to the end of the former Psalm,

 1. This Psalm commendeth unto us the mercies of God, proved in ourselves, and is therefore the sweeter to the experienced. And it is a wonder if it ca

 1. I have not thought that the CVIII th Psalm required an exposition since I have already expounded it in the LVII th th th th th th th[4899] d th th

 1. Every one who faithfully readeth the Acts of the Apostles, acknowledgeth that this Psalm containeth a prophecy of Christ for it evidently appearet

 1. …This Psalm is one of those promises, surely and openly prophesying our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ so that we are utterly unable to doubt that

 Psalm CXI .

 1. I believe, brethren, that ye remarked and committed to memory the title of this Psalm. “The conversion,” he saith, “of Haggai and Zechariah.” These

 1. …When ye hear sung in the Psalms, “Praise the Lord, ye children” (ver. 1) imagine not that that exhortation pertaineth not unto you, because havin

 1. The river Jordan, when they were entering across it into the land of promise, when touched by the feet of the priests who bore the Ark, stood still

 1. “Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto Thy Name give the praise” (ver. 1). For that grace of the water that gushed from the rock (“now that ro

 1. “I have loved, since the Lord will hear the voice of my prayer” (ver. 1). Let the soul that is sojourning in absence from the Lord sing thus, let t

 1. “O praise the Lord, all ye heathen: praise Him, all ye nations” (ver. 1). These are the courts of the Lord’s house, this all His people, this the t

 1. …We are taught in this Psalm, when we chaunt Allelujah, which meaneth, Praise the Lord, that we should, when we hear the words, “Confess unto the L

 Aleph.

 1. The Psalm which we have just heard chanted, and have responded to with our voices, is short, and very profitable. Ye will not long toil in hearing,

 1. …Let them “lift up their eyes to the hills whence cometh their help” (ver. 1). What meaneth, The hills have been lightened? The San of righteousnes

 1. As impure love inflames the mind, and summons the soul destined to perish to lust for earthly things, and to follow what is perishable, and precipi

 1. …Let this singer ascend and let this man sing from the heart of each of you, and let each of you be this man, for when each of you saith this, sin

 1. Ye already well know, dearest brethren, that a “Song of Degrees,” is a song of our ascent: and that this ascent is not effected by the feet of the

 1. This Psalm, belonging to the number of the Songs of Degrees, teacheth us, while we ascend and raise our minds unto the Lord our God in loving chari

 1. …How man had come into captivity, let us ask the Apostle Paul.…For he saith: “For we know that the Law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under si

 1. Among all the Songs entitled the Song of degrees, this Psalm hath a further addition in the title, that it is “Solomon’s.” For thus it is entitled,

 Psalm CXXVIII .

 1. The Psalm which we have sung is short: but as it is written in the Gospel of Zacchæus that he was “little of stature,” but mighty in works as it i

 1. “Out of the deep have I called unto Thee, O Lord: Lord, hear my voice” (ver. 1). Jonas cried from the deep from the whale’s belly. He was not only

 1. In this Psalm, the humility of one that is a servant of God and faithful is commended unto us, by whose voice it is sung which is the whole body o

 1. It was right indeed, most beloved, that we should rather hear our Brother, my colleague, when present before all of us. And just now he refused not

 1. This is a short Psalm, but one well known and quoted. “Behold, how good and how pleasant is it, that brethren should dwell together in unity” (ver.

 1. “Behold, now, bless ye the Lord, all ye servants of the Lord” (ver. 1), “who stand in the house of the Lord, in the courts of the house of our God”

 1. Very pleasant ought it be to us, and we should rejoice because it is pleasant, to which this Psalm exhorteth us. For it says, “Praise the name of t

 1. “Give thanks unto the Lord, for He is good, for His mercy endureth for ever” (ver. 1). This Psalm contains the praise of God, and all its verses fi

 1. …But to-day we have sung, “By the waters of Babylon we sat down and wept, when we remembered Sion” (ver. 1).…

 1. The title of this Psalm is brief and simple, and need not detain us since we know whose resemblance David wore, and since in him we recognise ours

 1. …Our Lord Jesus Christ speaketh in the Prophets, sometimes in His own Name, sometimes in ours, because He maketh Himself one with us as it is said

 1. Our Lords have bidden me, brethren, and in them the Lord of all, to bring this Psalm to your understanding, so far as God giveth me to. May He help

 1. …The Psalm which we have just sung is in many parts somewhat obscure. When by the help of the Lord what has been said shall begin to be expounded a

 1. …“With my voice have I cried unto the Lord” (ver. 1). It were enough to say, “with voice:” not for nothing perhaps has “my” been added. For many cr

 1. …The title of the Psalm is, “To David himself, when his son was pursuing him.” We know from the Books of Kings that this happened:…but we must reco

 1. The title of this Psalm is brief in number of words, but heavy in the weight of its mysteries. “To David himself against Goliath.” This battle was

 1. …The title is, “Praise, to David himself.” Praise to Christ Himself. And since He is called David, who came to us of the seed of David, yet He was

 1. …Behold the Psalm soundeth it is the voice of some one (and that some one are ye, if ye will), of some one encouraging his soul to praise God, and

 1. It is said to us, “Praise the Lord” (ver. 1). This is said to all nations, not to us alone. And these words, sounded forth through separate places

 1. The subject of our meditation in this present life should be the praises of God for the everlasting exaltation of our life hereafter will be the p

 1. Let us praise the Lord both in voice, and in understanding, and in good works and, as this Psalm exhorteth, let us sing unto Him a new song. It be

 1. Although the arrangement of the Psalms, which seems to me to contain the secret of a mighty mystery, hath not yet been revealed unto me, yet, by th

Psalm XCIX.4502    Lat. XCVIII. A sermon to the people.

1. Beloved brethren, it ought already to be known to you, as sons of the Church, and well instructed in the school of Christ through all the books of our ancient fathers, who wrote the words of God and the great things of God, that their wish was to consult for our good, who were to live at this period, believers in Christ; who, at a seasonable time came unto us, the first time, in humility; at the second, destined to come in exaltation.…For thus it is said in the Psalms: “Truth shall flourish out of the earth: and righteousness hath looked down from heaven.”4503    Ps. lxxxv. 11. Now, therefore, our whole design is, when we hear a Psalm, a Prophet, or the Law, all of which was written before our Lord Jesus Christ came in the flesh, to see Christ there, to understand Christ there. Attend therefore, beloved, to this Psalm, with me, and let us herein seek Christ; certainly He will appear to those who seek Him, who at first appeared to those who sought Him not; and He will not desert those who long for Him, who redeemed those who neglected Him. Behold, the Psalm beginneth concerning Him: of Him it is said:—

2. “The Lord is King, be the people angry” (ver. 1). For our Lord Jesus Christ began to reign, began to be preached, after He arose from the dead and ascended into heaven, after He had filled His disciples with the confidence of the Holy Spirit, that they should not fear death, which He had already killed in Himself. Our Lord Christ began then to be preached, that they who wished for salvation might believe in Him; and the peoples who worshipped idols were angry. They who worshipped what they had made were angry, because He by whom they were made was declared. He announced, in fact, through His disciples, Himself, who wished them to be converted unto Him by whom they were made, and to be turned away from those things which they had made themselves. They were angry with their Lord in behalf of their idols, they who even if they were angry with their slave on their idol’s account, were to be condemned. For their slave was better than their idol: for God made their slave, the carpenter made their idol. They were so angry in their idol’s behalf, that they feared not to be angry with their Lord. But the words, “be they angry,” are a prediction, not a command; for in a prophecy it is that this is said, “The Lord is King, be the people angry.” Some good resulteth even from the enraged people: let them be angry, and in their anger let the Martyrs be crowned.…Ye heard when Jeremiah was being read before the reading of the Apostle,4504    [The Lesson from the prophet, and the Epistle for the day.—C.] if ye listened; ye saw therein the times in which we now live. He said, “The gods that have not made the heavens and the earth, let them perish from the earth, and from under the heaven.”4505    Jer. x. 11. He said not, The gods that have not made the heavens and earth, let them perish from the heaven and from the earth; because they never were in heaven: but what did he say? “Let them perish from the earth, and from under the heaven.” As if, while the word earth was repeated, the repetition of the word heaven were wanting (because they never were in heaven): he repeateth the earth twice, since it is under heaven. “Let them perish from the earth, and from under the heaven,” from their temples. Consider if this be not now taking place; if in a great measure it hath not already happened: for what, or how much, hath remained? The idols remained rather in the hearts of the pagans, than in the niches of the temples.

3. “He who sitteth between the cherubims:” thou dost understand, “He is King: let the earth be stirred up.”…The Cherubim is the seat of God, as the Scripture showeth us, a certain exalted heavenly throne, which we see not; but the Word of God knoweth it, knoweth it as His own seat: and the Word of God and the Spirit of God hath Itself revealed to the servants of God where God sitteth. Not that God doth sit, as doth man; but thou, if thou dost wish that God sit in thee, if thou wilt be good, shalt be the seat of God; for thus is it written, “The soul of the righteous is the seat of wisdom.”4506    Prov. xii. 23. For a throne is in our language called a seat. For some, conversant with the Hebrew tongue, have interpreted cherubim in the Latin language (for it is a Hebrew term) by the words, fulness of knowledge. Therefore, because God surpasseth all knowledge, He is said to sit above the fulness of knowledge. Let there be therefore in thee fulness of knowledge, and even thou shalt be the throne of God.…He knoweth all things: for our hairs are numbered before God. 4507    Matt. x. 30. But the fulness of knowledge which He willed man to know is different from this; the knowledge which He willed thee to have, pertaineth to the law of God. And who can, thou mayest perhaps say unto me, perfectly know the Law, so that he may have within himself the fulness of the knowledge of the Law, and be able to be the seat of God? Be not disturbed; it is briefly told thee what thou hast, if thou dost wish to have the fulness of knowledge, and to become the throne of God: for the Apostle saith, “Love is the fulfilling of the Law.”4508    Rom. xiii. 10. What followeth then? Thou hast lost the whole of thine excuse. Ask thine heart; see whether it hath love. If there be love there, there is the fulfilment of the Law there also; already God dwelleth in thee, thou hast become the throne of God. “Be the people angry;” what can the angry people do against him who hath become the throne of God? Thou givest heed unto them who rage against thee: Who is it that sitteth within thee, thou givest not heed. Thou art become a heaven, and fearest thou the earth? For the Scripture saith in another passage, that the Lord our God doth declare, “The heaven is My throne.”4509    Isa. lxvi. 1. If therefore even thou by having the fulness of knowledge, and by having love, hast been made the throne of God, thou hast become a heaven. For this heaven which we look up to with these eyes of ours, is not very precious before God. Holy souls are the heaven of God; the minds of the Angels, and all the minds of His servants, are the heaven of God.

4. “The Lord is great in Sion, and high above all people” (ver. 2).…He whom I spoke to thee of as above the Cherubims, is great in Sion. Ask thou now, what is Sion? We know Sion to be the city of God. The city of Jerusalem is called Sion; and is so called according to a certain interpretation, for that Sion signifieth watching, that is, sight and contemplation; for to watch is to look forward to, or gaze upon, or strain the eyes to see. Now every soul is a Sion, if it trieth to see that light which is to be seen. For if it shall have gazed upon a light of its own, it is darkened; if upon His, it is enlightened. But, now that it is clear that Sion is the city of God; what is the city of God, but the Holy Church? For men who love one another, and who love their God who dwelleth in them, constitute a city unto God. Because a city is held together by some law; their very law is Love; and that very Love is God: for openly it is written, “God is Love.”4510    1 John iv. 8. He therefore who is full of Love, is full of God; and many, full of love, constitute a city full of God. That city of God is called Sion; the Church therefore is Sion. In it God is great.…

5. Do ye imagine, brethren, that they whose instruments re-echoed yesterday, are not angry with our fastings? But let us not be angry with them, but let us fast for them. For the Lord our God who sitteth in us hath said, He hath Himself commanded us to pray for our enemies, to pray for them that persecute us:4511    Matt. v. 44. and as the Church doth this, the persecutors are almost extinct.…The drunken man doth not offend himself, but he offendeth the sober man. Show me a man who is at last happy in God, liveth gravely, sigheth for that everlasting peace which God hath promised him; and see that when he hath seen a man dancing to an instrument, he is more grieved for his madness, than for a man who is in a frenzy from a fever. If then we know their evils, considering that we also have been freed from those very evils, let us grieve for them; and if we grieve for them, let us pray for them; and that we may be heard, let us fast for them. For we do not keep our own fasts in their holidays. Different are the fasts which we celebrate through the days of the approaching Passover, through different seasons which are fixed for us in Christ: but through their holidays we fast for this reason, that when they are rejoicing, we may groan for them. For by their joy they excite our grief, and cause us to remember how wretched they are as yet. But since we see many freed thence, where we also have been, we ought not to despair even of them. And if they are still enraged, let us pray; and if still a particle of earth that hath remained behind be stirred up against us, let us continue in lamentation for them, that to them also God may grant understanding, and that with us they may hear those words, in which we are at this moment rejoicing.

6. All these very people, over whom Thou art great in Sion, “Let them confess unto Thy Name, which is great” (ver. 3). Thy Name was little when they were enraged: it hath become great; let them now confess. In what sense do we say, that the Name of Christ was little, before it was spread abroad to so great an extent? Because His report is meant by His Name. His Name was small; already it hath become great. What nation is there that hath not heard of the Name of Christ? Therefore let now the people confess unto Thy Name, which is great, who before were enraged with Thy little Name. Wherefore shall they confess? Because it is “wonderful and holy.” Thy very Name is wonderful and holy. He is so preached as crucified, so preached as humbled, so preached as judged, that He may come exalted, that He may come living, that He may come to judge in power. He spareth at present the people who blaspheme Him, because “the long-suffering of God leadeth to repentance.”4512    Rom. ii. 4. For He who now spareth, will not always spare: nor will He, who is now being preached that He may be feared, fail to come to judge. He will come, my brethren, He will come: let us fear Him, and let us live so that we may be found on His right hand. For He will come, and will judge, so as to place some on the left hand, some on the right.4513    Matt. xxv. 31–33. And He doth not act in an uncertain manner, so as to err perchance betwixt men, so that he who should be set on the right hand, be set on the left; or that he who ought to stand on the left, by a mistake of God should stand on the right: He cannot err, so as to place the evil where He ought to set the good; nor to place the good, where He should have set the evil. If He cannot err, we err, if we fear not; but if we have feared in this life, we shall not then have what to fear for. “For the King’s honour loveth judgment.”…

7. “Thou hast prepared equity; Thou hast wrought judgment and righteousness in Jacob.” For we too ought to have judgment, we ought to have righteousness; but He worketh in us judgment and righteousness, who created us in whom He might work them. How ought we too to have judgment and righteousness? Thou hast judgment, when thou dost distinguish evil from good: and righteousness when thou followest the good, and turnest aside from the evil. By distinguishing them, thou hast judgment; by doing, thou hast righteousness. “Eschew evil,” he saith, “and do good; seek peace, and ensue it.”4514    Ps. xxxiv. 14. Thou shouldest first have judgment, then righteousness. What judgment? That thou mayest first judge what is evil, and what is good. And what righteousness? That thou mayest shun evil, and do good. But this thou wilt not gain from thyself; see what he hath said, “Thou hast wrought judgment and righteousness in Jacob.”

8. “O magnify the Lord our God” (ver. 5). Magnify Him truly, magnify Him well. Let us praise Him, let us magnify Him who hath wrought the very righteousness which we have; who wrought it in us, Himself. For who but He who justified us, wrought righteousness in us? For of Christ it is said, “who justifieth the ungodly.”4515    Rom. iv. 5.…“And fall down before4516    Adorate. See p. 477, n. 2. His footstool: for He is holy.” What are we to fall down before? His footstool. What is under the feet is called a footstool, in Greek ὑποπόδιον, in Latin Scabellum or Suppedaneum. But consider, brethren, what he commandeth us to fall down before. In another passage of the Scriptures it is said, “The heaven is My throne, and the earth is My footstool.” 4517    Isa. lxvi. 1. Doth he then bid us worship the earth, since in another passage it is said, that it is God’s footstool? How then shall we worship the earth, when the Scripture saith openly, “Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God”?4518    Deut. vi. 13. Yet here it saith, “fall down before His footstool:” and, explaining to us what His footstool is, it saith, “The earth is My footstool.” I am in doubt; I fear to worship the earth, lest He who made the heaven and the earth condemn me; again, I fear not to worship the footstool of my Lord, because the Psalm biddeth me, “fall down before His footstool.” I ask, what is His footstool? and the Scripture telleth me, “the earth is My footstool.” In hesitation I turn unto Christ, since I am herein seeking Himself: and I discover how the earth may be worshipped without impiety,4519    2 Sent. Dist. 9, c. aliis autem. how His footstool may be worshipped without impiety. For He took upon Him earth from earth; because flesh is from earth, and He received flesh from the flesh of Mary. And because He walked here in very flesh, and gave that very flesh to us to eat for our salvation; and no one eateth that flesh, unless he hath first worshipped: we have found out in what sense such a footstool of our Lord’s may be worshipped, and not only that we sin not in worshipping it, but that we sin in not worshipping. But doth the flesh give life? Our Lord Himself, when He was speaking in praise of this same earth, said, “It is the Spirit that quickeneth, the flesh profiteth nothing.”…But when our Lord praised it, He was speaking of His own flesh, and He had said, “Except a man eat My flesh, he shall have no life in him.”4520    John vi. 54. Some disciples of His, about seventy,4521    Septuaginta fermè. It is difficult to know whence this number comes, unless it is that of the Seventy. But they can hardly be supposed identical with these. One might think it a gloss but for the mention of “twelve.” were offended, and said, “This is an hard saying, who can hear it?” And they went back, and walked no more with Him. It seemed unto them hard that He said, “Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of Man, ye have no life in you:” they received it foolishly, they thought of it carnally, and imagined that the Lord would cut off parts from His body, and give unto them; and they said, “This is a hard saying.” It was they who were hard, not the saying; for unless they had been hard, and not meek, they would have said unto themselves, He saith not this without reason, but there must be some latent mystery herein. They would have remained with Him, softened, not hard: and would have learnt that from Him which they who remained, when the others departed, learnt. For when twelve disciples had remained with Him, on their departure, these remaining followers suggested to Him, as if in grief for the death of the former, that they were offended by His words, and turned back. But He instructed them, and saith unto them, “It is the Spirit that quickeneth, but the flesh profiteth nothing; the words that I have spoken unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.”4522    John vi. 63. Understand spiritually what I have said; ye are not to eat this body which ye see; nor to drink that blood which they who will crucify Me shall pour forth. I have commended unto you a certain mystery; spiritually understood, it will quicken. Although it is needful that this be visibly celebrated, yet it must be spiritually understood.4523    [A clear exposition of the Catholic doctrine against the modern Roman, which was unknown to antiquity. See the treatise of Ratramn. ed. (Lat. and Eng.) Oxford, 1838.—C.]

9. “Moses and Aaron among His priests, and Samuel among such as call upon His Name: these called upon the Lord, and He heard them” (ver. 6). “He spake unto them out of the cloudy pillar” (ver. 7).…Of Moses it is not there stated that he was a priest. But if he was not this, what was he? Could he be anything greater than a priest? This Psalm declareth that he also was himself a priest: “Moses and Aaron among His priests.” They therefore were the Lord’s priests. Samuel is read of later in the Book of Kings: this Samuel is in David’s times; for he anointed the holy David. Samuel from his infancy grew up in the temple.…He mentioneth these: and by these desireth us to understand all the saints. Yet why hath he here named those? Because we said that we ought here to understand Christ. Attend, holy brethren. He said above, “O magnify the Lord our God: and fall down before His footstool, for He is holy:” praising some one, that is, our Lord Jesus Christ; whose footstool is to be worshipped, because He assumed flesh, in which He was to appear before the human race; and wishing to show unto us that the ancient fathers also had preached of Him, because our Lord Jesus Christ is Himself the True Priest, he mentioned these, because God spake unto them out of the cloudy pillar. What meaneth, “out of the cloudy pillar”? He was speaking figuratively. For if He spoke in some cloud, those obscure words predicted some one unknown, yet to be manifest. This unknown one is no longer unknown; for He is known by us, our Lord Jesus Christ.…He who first spoke out of the cloudy pillar, hath in Person spoken unto us in His footstool; that is, on earth, when He had assumed the flesh, for which reason we worship His footstool, for He is holy. He Himself used to speak out of the cloud, which was not then understood: He hath spoken in His own footstool, and the words of His cloud have been understood. “They kept His testimonies, and the law that He gave them.”…“Thou heardest them,” he saith, “O Lord our God: Thou wast forgiving to them, O God” (ver. 8). God is not said to be forgiving toward anything but sins: when He pardoneth sins, then He forgiveth. And what had He in them to punish, so that He was forgiving in pardoning them? He was forgiving in pardoning their sins, He was also forgiving in punishing them. For what followeth? “And punishedst all their own affections.” Even in punishing them Thou wast forgiving toward them: for not in remitting, but also in punishing their sins, hast Thou been forgiving. Consider, my brethren, what he hath taught us here: attend. God is angry with him whom, when he sinneth, He scourgeth not: for unto him to whom He is truly forgiving, He not only remitteth sins, that they may not injure him in a future life; but also chasteneth him, that he delight not in continual sin.

10. Come, my brethren; if we ask how these were punished, the Lord will aid me to tell you. Let us consider these three persons, Moses, Aaron, and Samuel: and how they were punished, since he said, “Thou hast punished all their own affections:” meaning those affections of theirs, which the Lord knew in their hearts, which men knew not. For they were living in the midst of the people of God, without complaint from man. But what do we say? That perhaps the early life of Moses was sinful; for he fled from Egypt, after slaying a man.4524    Exod. ii. 12–15. The early life of Aaron also was such as would displease God; for he allowed a maddened and infatuated people to make an idol to worship;4525    Exod. xxxii. 1–4. and an idol was made for God’s people to worship. What sin did Samuel, who was given up when an infant to the temple? He passed all his life amid the holy sacraments of God: from childhood the servant of God. Nothing was ever said of Samuel, nothing by men. Perhaps God knew of somewhat there to chasten; since even what seemeth perfect unto men, unto that Perfection is still imperfect. Artists show many of their works to the unskilful; and when the unskilful have pronounced them perfect, the artists polish them still further, as they know what is still wanting to them, so that men wonder at things they had imagined already perfect having received so much additional polish. This happeneth in buildings, and in paintings, and in embroidery, and almost in every species of art. At first they judge it to be already in a manner perfect, so that their eyes desire nothing further: but the judgment of the inexperienced eye is one, and that of the rule of art another. Thus also these Saints were living before the eyes of God, as if faultless, as if perfect, as if Angels: but He who punished all their own affections, knew what was wanting in them. But He punished them not in anger, but in mercy: He punished them that He might perfect what He had begun, not to condemn what He had cast away. God therefore punished all their affections. How did He punish Samuel? where is this punishment?…What was said unto Moses was a type, not a punishment. What punishment is death to an old man? What punishment was it, not to enter into that land, into which unworthy men entered? But what is said of Aaron? He also died an old man: his sons succeeded him in the priesthood: his son afterwards ruled in the priesthood: how did He punish Aaron also?4526    Numb. xx. 24–28, xxxiii. 38. Samuel also died a holy old man, leaving his sons as his successors.4527    1 Sam. viii. 1, xxv. 1. I seek for the punishment inflicted upon them, and according to men I find it not: but according to what I know the servants of God suffer every day, they were day by day punished. Read ye, and see the punishments, and ye also who are advanced bear the punishments. Every day they suffered from the obstinate people, every day they suffered from the ungodly livers; and were compelled to live among those whose lives they daily censured. This was their punishment. He unto whom it is small hath not advanced far; for the ungodliness of others tormenteth thee in proportion as thou hast departed far from thine own.…

11. “O magnify the Lord our God!” (ver. 9). Again we magnify Him. He who is merciful even when He striketh, how is He to be praised, how is He to be magnified? Canst thou show this unto thy son, and cannot God? For thou art not good when thou dost caress thy son, and evil when thou strikest him. Both when thou dost caress him thou art a father, and when thou strikest him, thou art his father: thou dost caress him, that he may not faint; thou strikest him, that he may not perish. “O magnify the Lord our God, and worship Him upon His holy hill: for the Lord our God is holy.” As he said above, “O magnify the Lord our God and fall down before His footstool:”4528    Ps. xcix. 5. now we have understood what it is to worship His footstool: thus also but now after he had magnified the Lord our God, that no man might magnify Him apart from His hill, he hath also praised His hill. What is His hill? We read elsewhere concerning this hill, that a stone was cut from the hill without hands, and shattered all the kingdoms of the earth, and the stone itself increased. This is the vision of Daniel which I am relating. This stone which was cut from the hill without hands increased, and “became,” he saith, “a great mountain, and filled the whole face of the earth.”4529    Dan. ii. 34, 35. Let us worship on that great mountain, if we desire to be heard. Heretics4530    Donatists. do not worship on that mountain, because it hath filled the whole earth; they have stuck fast on part of it, and have lost the whole. If they acknowledge the Catholic Church, they will worship on this hill with us. For we already see how that stone that was cut from the mountain without hands hath increased, and how great tracts of earth it hath prevailed over, and unto what nations it hath extended. What is the mountain whence the stone was hewn without hands? The Jewish kingdom, in the first place; since they worshipped one God. Thence was hewn the stone, our Lord Jesus Christ.…That stone then was born of the mountain without hands: it increased, and by its increase broke all the kingdoms of the earth. It hath become a great mountain, and hath filled the whole face of the earth. This is the Catholic Church, in whose communion rejoice that ye are. But they who are not in her communion, since they worship and praise God apart from this same mountain, are not heard unto eternal life; although they may be heard unto certain temporal things. Let them not flatter themselves, because God heareth them in some things: for He heareth Pagans also in some things. Do not the Pagans cry unto God, and it raineth? Wherefore? Because He maketh His sun to rise over the good and the bad, and sendeth rain upon the just and the unjust.4531    Matt. v. 45. Boast not therefore, Pagan, that when thou criest unto God, God sendeth rain, for He sendeth rain upon the just and the unjust. He hath heard thee in temporal things: He heareth thee not in things eternal, unless thou hast worshipped in His holy hill. “Worship Him upon His holy hill: for the Lord our God is holy.”…