Psalm 22 (Vulgate 21)

First Exposition

To the end, for the taking up of the morning, a Psalm <>f David.

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 resurrection, whereby He was taken up, into eternal life, Over whom death shall have no more dominion. Now what follows is spoken in the person of The Crucified. For from the head of this Psalm are the words, which He cried out, whilst hanging on the Cross, sustaining also the person of the old man, whose mortality He bare. For our old man was nailed together with Him to the Cross.

2. Ver. 1. 0 God, my God, look upon me, why hast Thou forsaken me far from my salvation? Far removed from my salvation: for salvation is far from sinners. The words of my sins. For these are not the words of righteousness, but of my sins. For it is the old man nailed to the Cross that speaks, ignorant even of the reason why God hath forsaken him: or else it may be thus, The words of my sins are far from my salvation.

3. Ver. 2. My God, I will cry unto Thee in the day-time, and Thou wilt not hear. My God, I will cry unto Thee in the prosperous circumstances of this life, that they be not changed; and Thou wilt not hear, because I shall cry unto Thee in the words of my sins. And in the night-season, and not to my folly. And so in the adversities of this life will I cry to Thee for prosperity; and in like manner Thou wilt not hear. And this Thou doest not to my folly, but rather that I may have wisdom to know what Thou wouldest have me cry for, not with the words of sins out of longing for life temporal, but with the words of turning to Thee for life eternal

4. Ver. 3. But Thou dwellest in the holy place », 0 Thou praise of IsraeL But Thou dw ellest in the holy place, and therefore wilt not hear the unclean words of sins. The praise of him that seeth Thee; not of him, who hath sought his own praise in tasting of the forbidden fruit, that on the opening of his bodily eyes he should endeavour to hide himself from Thy sight.

5. Ver. 4. Our Fathers hoped in Thee. All the righteous, namely, who sought not their own praise, but Thine. They hoped in Thee, and Thou deliveredst them.

6. Ver. 5. They cried unto Thee, and were saved. They cried unto Thee, not in the words of sins, from which salvation is far; and therefore were they saved. They hoped in Thee, and were not confounded. They hoped in Thee, and their hope did not deceive them. For they placed it not in themselves.

7. Ver. 6. But I am a worm, and no man. But I, speaking now not in the person of Adam, but I in My own person, Jesus Christ, was born without human generation in the flesh, that I might be as man beyond men; that so at least human pride might deign to imitate My humility. The scorn of men, and outcast of the people. In which humility 1 was made the scorn of men, so as that it should be said, as a reproachful railing, Be thou His disciple: and that the people despise Me.

8. Ver. 7. All that saw Me laughed Me to scorn. All that saw Me derided Me. And spake with the lips, and shook the head. And they spoke, not with the heart, but39, with the lips.

9. For they shook their head in derision, saying, (ver. 8.) He trusted in the Lord, let Him deliver Him: let Him save**- Him, since He desireth Him. These were their words; but they were spoken with the lips.

10. Ver. 9. Since Thou art He Who drew Me out of the womb. Since Thou art He Who drew Me, not only out of that Virgin womb, (for this is the law of all men's birth, that they be drawn out of the womb,) but also out of the womb of the Jewish nation; by the darkness whereof he is covered, and not yet born into the light of Christ, whosoever places sa^vat^on *n tne carnal observance of the Sabbath, and of circumcision, and the like. My hope from My mother's breasts. My hope, O God, not from the time when I began to be fed by the milk of the Virgin's breasts; for it was even before; but from the breasts of the Synagogue, as I have said, out of the womb, Thou hast drawn Me, that I should not suck in the customs of the flesh.

11. Ver. 10. I have been strengthened in Thee from the womb. It is the womb of the Synagogue, which did not carry Me, but threw Me out: but I fell not, for Thou heldest me. From My mother's womb Thou art My Ood. From My mother's womb: My mother's womb did not cause that, as a babe, I should be forgetful of Thee.

12. Thou art My Ood, (ver. 11.) depart not from Me; for trouble is hard at hand. Thou art, therefore, My God, depart not from Me; for trouble is nigh unto Me; for it is in My body. For there is none to help. For who helpeth, if Thou helpest not?

13. Ver. 12. Many calves came about Me. The multitude of the wanton populace came about Me. " Fat bulls closed Me in. And their leaders, glad at My oppression, closed Me in.

14. Ver. 13. They opened their mouth upon Me. They opened their mouth upon Me, not out of Thy Scripture, but of their own lusts. As a ravening and roaring lion. As a lion, whose ravening is, that I was taken and led; and whose roaring, Crucify, Crucify.

15. Ver. 14. / was poured out like water, and all My bones were scattered. I was poured out like water, when My persecutors fell: and through fear, the stays of My body, that is, the Church, My disciples were scattered from Me. My heart became as melting wax, in the midst of my belly. My wisdom, which was written of Me in the sacred books, was, as if hard and shut up, not understood: but after that the fire of My Passion was applied, it was, as if melted, manifested, and entertained in the memory of My Church.

16. Ver. 15. My strength dried up as a potshercL My strength dried up by My Passion; not as hay, but a potsherd, which is made stronger by fire. And My tongue cleaved to My Jaws. And they, through whom I was soon to speak, kept My precepts in their hearts. And Thou broughtest Me down to the dust of death. And to the ungodly appointed to death, whom the wind casteth forth asP*. dust from the face of the earth, Thou broughtest Me down.

17. Ver. 16. For many dogs came about Me. For many came about Me barking, not for truth, but for custom. The council of the malignant came about Me. [The council ofOxf. the malignant besieged Me.] They pierced My hands and feet. They pierced with nails My hands and feet.

18. Ver. 17. They numbered distinctly all My bones. They numbered distinctly all My bones, while extended on the wood of the Cross, Yea, these same regarded, and beheld Me. Yea, these same, that is, unchanged, regarded and beheld Me.

19. Ver. 18. They divided My garments for themselves, and cast the lot upon My vesture.

20. Ver. 19. But Thou, O Lord, withhold not Thy help far from Me. But Thou, O Lord, raise Me up again, not as the rest of men, at the end of the world, but immediately. Look to My defence. Look, that they in no wise hurt Me. •

21. Ver. 20. Deliver My soul from the sword. Deliver My soul from the tongue of dissension. And My only One from the hand of the dog. And from the power of the people, barking after their custom, deliver My Church.

22. Ver. 21. Save Me from the lion's mouth: save Me from the mouth of the kingdom of this world: and my humility from the horns of the unicorns. And from the loftiness of the proud, exalting themselves to special preeminence, and enduring no partakers, save My humility.

23. Ver. 22. / will declare Thy name to My brethren. I will declare Thy name to the humble *, and to My Brethren that love one another as they have been beloved by Me. In the midst of the Church will I sing of Thee. In the6,21, midst of the Church will I with rejoicing preach Thee.

24. Ver. 23. Ye that fear the Lord, praise Him. Ye that fear the Lord, seek not your own praise, but praise Him. All ye seed of Jacob, magnify Him. All ye seed of him whom the elder shall serve, magnify Him.

25. Let all the seed of Israel fear Him. Let all who have been born to a new life, and restored to the vision of God fear Him. (Ver. 24.) Since He hath not despised, nor disregarded the prayer of the poor man. Since He hath not despised the prayer, not of him who, crying unto God in the words of sins was loath to overpass a vain life, but the prayer of the poor man, not swollen up with transitory pomps. Nor hath He turned away His face from Me. As from him, who said, I will cry unto Thee, but Thou wilt not hear. And when I cried unto Him He heard Me.

26. Ver. 25. With Thee is My praise. For I seek not Mine own praise, for Thou art My praise, Who dwellest in the holy place; and, praise of Israel, Thou hearest The Holy One now beseeching Thee. In the great Church I will confess Thee. In the Church of the whole world / will confess Thee. I will offer My vows in the sight of them that fear Him. I will offer the sacraments of My Body and Blood in the sight of them that fear Him.

27. Ver. 26. The poor shall eat, and be filled. The humble and the despisers of the world shall eat, and imitate Me. For so they will neither desire this world's abundance, nor fear its want. And they shall praise the Lord, who seek Him. For the praise of the Lord is the pouring out of that fulness. Their hearts shall live for ever and ever. For that food is the food of the heart.

28. Ver. 27. All the borders of the earth shall remember tliemselves, and be turned to the Lord. They shall remember themselves: for, by the Gentiles, born in death and bent on outward things, God had been forgotten; and then shall all the borders of the earth be turned to the Lord. And all the kindreds of the nations shall worship in His sight. And all the kindreds of the nations shall worship in their own consciences.

29. Ver. 28. For the kingdom is the Lord's, and He shall rule over the nations. For the kingdom is the Lord's, not proud men's: and He shall rule over the nations.

30. Ver. 29. All the rich of the earth have eaten, and worshipped. The rich of the earth too have eaten the Body of their Lord's humiliation, and though they have not, as the poor, been filled even to imitation, yet they have worshipped.

In His sight shall fall all that descend to earth. For He alone seeth how all they fall, who abandoning a heavenly conversation, make choice, on earth, to appear happy to men, who see not their fall.

31. And My Soul shall live to Him. And My Soul, Which in the contempt of this world seems to men as it were to die, shall live, not to itself, but to Him. And My seed shall serve Him. (Ver. 30.) And My deeds, or they who through Me believe on Him, shall serve Him.

32. Ver. 31. The generation to come shall be declared to the Lord. The generation of the New Testament shall be declared to the honour of the Lord. And the heavens shall declare His righteousness. And the Evangelists shall declare His righteousness. To a people that shall be born, whom the Lord hath made. To a people that shall be born to the Lord through faith.

Second Exposition

1. What God would not have passed over in silence in His Scripture, must not either by us be passed over in silence, and by you must be heard. The Lord's Passion, as we know, happened once: for once hath Christ died, the Just for the unjust. And we know, and are sure, and hold fast with faith unshaken, that Christ rising from the dead diethsLom. no more, and death shall have no more dominion over Him.^ These are the Apostle's words: yet that we may not forget what once occurred, it is transacted in our memory every year. Does Christ die as often as the Easter celebration comes round? but yet the yearly memorial does as it were represent what occurred long since, and causes in us such emotions as if we saw the Lord hanging on the Cross, not of course as mocking, but believing in Him. For as He hung on the Cross He was mocked, as He sitteth in heaven He is worshipped. Or haply is He mocked still, and now we must not be angry with the Jews, who mocked Him at all events as He was dying, not as He was reigning? And who there, who mocks Christ still? Would it were one, would were two, would that they could be numbered. All the of His threshing-floor mocks Him, and the wheat for the mocking of the Lord. This I would sigh for you. For it is the season of sorrow. The Lord's is in course of celebration: it is the season of sighing, season of weeping, the season of confession and supplication. And which of us is sufficient for shedding tears to the just demands of so great sorrow? But now saith the Prophet? Who will give my head and mine eyes a fountain of tears? If there were a fountain of tears in our eyes, even this would not suffice Christ mocked in a matter that is clear, in a matter wherein no one can say, " I understood it not." For to Him who possesses the whole world a part is offered; and to Him who sitteth at the right hand of the Father it is said, " See what Thou hast here and for the whole earth Africa alone is shewn Him.

2. The words which we have just heard, brethren, where shall we place them? O that they could be written with our tears. Who was the woman who came in with the ointment? Of what was she the type? was she not of the Church? Whereof was that ointment the figure? was it not of that sweet savour, of which theN Apostle says, We are a sweet savour of Christ in every place? For the Apostle too was speaking in the person of this same Church. And the words, we are, he said to1 the faithful. And what said he? We are a sweet savour of Christ in every place. In every place, Paul said that all the faithful are a sweet savour of Christ; and he is contradicted, and it is said, Africa alone has a sweet savour, all the world besides stinketh. Who says, We are a sweet savour of Christ in every place? The Church. This sweet savour that box of ointment figured, with which the Lord was anointed. Let us see if the Lord Himself do not also bear witness to it. When some who sought their own things, covetous, thieves, that is, that Judas, said of the ointment, To what purpose is this loss? the costly thing might be sold, and benefit the poor. F°r he wished to sell the sweet savour of Christ. What was the Lord's answer? Why trouble ye the woman? She hath wrought a good work upon Me. And what shall I say more? when He Himself said, And wheresoever this Gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there shall also this, that this woman hath done, be told. Is there aught to add to this? Is there aught to take away? Is there any reason why we should lend our ears to revilers? Has the Lord spoken this falsely, or been deceived? Let them make their choice which to say, let them say eitjher that the Truth hath spoken falsely, or let them say that the Truth was deceived. Wheresoever this Gospel shall be preached. And as if thou wouldest ask Him; "But where shall it be preached?" He answers, in the whole world. Let us listen to the Psalm; let us see, if it say the same; Let us listen to that which is sung in lamentation, and truly a matter it is worthy of plaint, when it is sung to the deaf. I wonder, brethren, if this psalm is read to-day among the party of Donatus too, I ask you, my brethren, I confess to you, Christ's mercy knoweth that I wonder thus, as though they were made of stone, and can not hear. What thing more plain can be spoken to the deaf? Christ's Passion is set forth as clearly as the Gospel, and it was written, I know not how many years before the Lord was born of the Virgin Mary: it was a herald announcing the future Judge. Let us peruse it, as far as the stress of time permits, not as the promptings of our sorrow would move us; but, as I said, as far as the stress of time permits.

3. Ver, 1. O God, My God, look upon Me: why hast Thou forsaken Me? This first verse we heard on the Cross, where the Lord said, Eli, Eli, that is, My God, My God, lama sabachthani? which is, why hast Thou forsaken Me? The46* p]vangelist hath interpreted this, and said that He spoke in the Hebrew tongue, My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me? What did the Lord intend to say? For God had not forsaken Him, forasmuch as He was Himself God; of course as the Son of God, God; of course as the Word of God, God. Hear, at the very commencement1, that Evangelist, who poured forth what helacaPite had drunk in from the Lord's Breast: let us see, whether Christ be God: In the beginning teas the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The very Word then that was God, was made Flesh, and dwelt in us. And when the Word, God, was made Flesh, He was hanging on the Cross, and said, My God, My God, look upon Me: why hast Thou forsaken Me? why is it said, but because we were there, but because the Church is the Body of Christ? Wherefore said He, My God, My God, look upon Me: why hast Thou forsaken Me? unless in some sort as rousing our attention, and saying, " Was this Psalm written concerning Me?" Far from my salvation are the words of my sins. What sins in Him, of Whom it is said, Who did no sin, neither was guile found in His mouth? How then saith He, My sins; unless that He prayeth for our sins, and made our sins His sins, that He might make His righteousness our righteousness?

4. Ver. 2. My God, I will cry unto Thee in the day-time, and Tliou wilt not hear: and in the night-season, and not to my folly. He spake of course of me, of thee, of such an one. For He bare His Body, that is, the Church. Unless haply ye think, brethren, that when the Lord said, Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from Me, He was afraid to die. The soldier is not braver than the captain; It is enough for the servant, that he be as his lord. Paul, a soldier of Christ the King, says, I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to be dissolved, and to be with Christ, He wishes for death, that he may be with Christ, and is Christ Himself afraid of death? But what bare He but our weakness, and in behalf of those who, having a place in His body, yet fear death, did He speak thus? Henpe came that voice, it was the voice of His members, not of the Head; and so also in these words, I have cried by day, and by night-season, and Thou wilt not hear. Fbr many cry in tribulation, and are not heard: but unto salvation, not to folly. Paul cried that the thorn in the flesh might be taken away from him, and he was not heard for it to be taken away; and it was said to him, My grace is sufficient for thee; for strength is made perfect in weakness. Therefore was he not heard; but not to folly> but to wisdom: to the end that man may understand that God is a Physician, and that tribulation is a remedy for salvation, not a punishment for condemnation. While under treatment thou art cauterized, cut, criest out; the physician heeds not for thy wish, but he heeds for thy health. &

5. Ver. 3. But Thou dwellest in the holy place, O Thou praise of Israel. Thou dwellest in them, whom Thou hast sanctified, and whom Thou makest to understand, that some31, to their profit Thou hearest not, and some to their condemnation Thou hearest. To his profit, Paul was not heard; to condemnation, the devil was heard. He asked to tempt Job, and it was granted. The devils asked to go into the swine, and they were heard. Devils are heard, an Apostle is not heard: but they are heard unto condemnation, the Apostle is not heard, unto salvation; for not to my folly. But Thou dwellest in the holy place, O Tfiou praise of Israel. Why dost Thou not hear even Thine own? Why say I this? Remember that it is always said, " Thanks be to God;" and there is a great concourse here, and those, who are not in the habit of coming, have come. I say to all, that the Christian when under tribulation is tried, whether he have not forsaken his God. For when it is well with a man, the Christian is left to himself. The lire is brought to the furnace; and the refiner's furnace is a thing of high mysterious meaning1. There is'magm gold there, there is chaff, there is fire working in a confined space. This fire is not diverse, yet its effects are diverse: it turns chaff into ashes, from gold it takes away its impurities. Now they in whom God dwelleth, are assuredly made better in tribulation, proved as gold. And if perchance the adversary, the devil, ask (to prove any), and it be granted him, whether by some bodily pain, or some loss, or bereavement, let him keep his heart fixed on Him, Who withdraweth not Himself, and if He seem to withdraw His ear from his lamentations, yet He sheweth mercy to his supplications. He who made us knoweth what to do, He knoweth how to re-make us. He is a good builder Who built the house; and if any thing therein hath fallen to decay, He knoweth how to repair it.

6. And see what he says: (ver. 4.) Our fathers hoped in Thee, they hoped, and Thou didst deliver them. We know, and read how many of our fathers God hath delivered who hoped in Him. He delivered the whole people of Israel out of the land of Egypt; He delivered the three children °^ tne ^eiT furnace; He delivered Daniel out of the den of lions; He delivered Susanna from a false accusation: tney a^ ca^e<i upon Him, and were delivered. What? was He wanting to His Own Son, that He should not hear Him when hanging on the Cross? But why is He not delivered forthwith, Who said, Our fathers hoped in Thee, and Thou didst deliver them?

7. Ver. 6. But I am a worm, and no man. A worm, and nb man; for man is a worm also: but He is a worm and no man. How no man? Because God. Why then did He so abase Himself as to say, a worm? Is it because a worm is born of the flesh without coition, as Christ of the Virgin Mary? Both a worm even, and yet no man. Why a worm? Because mortal, because born of the flesh, because born without coition. Why not a man? Because the Word was in the beginning, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

8. A scorn of men, and the outcast of the people. Consider how great things He suffered. Now that we may speak of the Passion, and that we may approach it with the greater grief, consider first how great things He suffers, and then consider wherefore. For what was the fruit thereof? Lo, our fathers hoped, and were delivered out of the land of Egypt. And as I said, so many called upon God, and immediately at the time, not in the life to come, but forthwith, were delivered. Job himself was given up to the devil at his request, corrupted with worms: yet he recovered his health in this life, and received twice as much as he had lost. But the Lord was scourged, and there was none to help; He was defiled with spittle, aud there was none to help; He was smitten with buffetings, and there was none to help; He was crowned with thorns, there was none to help; He was raised on the tree, there was none to deliver; He crieth out, My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me? there is no help. Wherefore, my Brethren? Wherefore? What the recompense of so great sufferings? All these His sufferings are a price. What so great sufferings are the price of, let us repeat, let us see what He says. Let us first inquire what He suffered, after that, wherefore: and let us see how much they are Christ's enemies, who confess that He endured so great sufferings, and take away the wherefore. Hence let us hear the whole in this Psalm, both what He suffered, and wherefore. Keep to these two, the what and the wherefore. At present let me explain the what. Let us not dwell at length on this, so the very words of the Psalm will come to you the better. See what the Lord suffers, take heed ye Christians: The scorn of men, and the outcast qf the people.

9. Ver. 7. All that saw Me laughed Me to scorn; they spake with the lips, and shook the head. (Ver. 8.) He trusted in the Lord, let Him deliver Him; let Him save Him, since He desireth Him. But why said they this? Because He was made man, they said it as against a man. « 10. Ver. 9. Since Thou art He Who drew Me out qf the womb. Would they ever say this to That, Which in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God? For that Word, by Which all things were made, was not drawn out of the womb, save that the Word was made flesh, and dwelt in us. Since Thou hast drawn Me out qf the womb: My God from My mother's breasts. For before the worlds, My Father; from My mother's breasts, My God.

10. Ver. 10. I was cast upon Thee from the womb. That is, that Thou only shouldest be My hope, now as man, now as weak, now the Word made Flesh. From My mother's womb Thou art My God. Not from Thyself My' God, for from Thyself My Father; but from My mother's womb My God.

11. Ver. 11. Depart not from Me; for trouble is hard at hand, for there is none to help. See Him forsaken; and woe to us, if He forsake us, for there is none to help.

12. Ver. 12. Many calves came about Me; fat bulls closed Me in. The people, and their leaders: the people, many calves; the leaders, fat bulls.

1 4. Ver. 1 3. They opened their mouth upon Me, as a ravening and roaring lion. Let us hearken to their roaring in the Gospel, Crucify, Crucify.

15. Ver. 14. / was poured out like water, and all My Bones were scattered. He calleth His strong ones His Bones, For bones are strong in the body. When did He scatter His Bones? When He said to them, Behold I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves. Then scattered He His strong ones, and He was poured out like water. For when water is poured out, it either cleanses, or waters. Christ was poured out like water, the filthy were cleansed, minds were watered. My heart beeame as melting wax, in the midst of My Belly. He calls the weak ones in His Church His Belly. How did His Heart become as wax? His Heart is His Scripture, that is, His wisdom which was in the Scriptures. For the Scripture was closed, no one understood it: the Lord was crucified, and the Scripture was melted like wax, that all the weak ones should understand it. For hence too the veil of the temple was rent: because what was veiled hath been unveiled.

16. Ver. 15. My strength dried up as a potsherd. Gloriously expressed; for, My name has been made stronger by tribulation. For as a potsherd is before the fire soft, after the fire hard; so the Lord's name was before the Passion despised, after the Passion it is honoured. And My tongue cleaved to My jaws. As that member in us is of use only for speaking; so He said that His preachers, His tongue, cleaved to His jaws, that from His inward parts they might derive wisdom. And Thou broughtest Me down to the dust of death.

17. For many dogs came about Me: the council of the malignant ones came about Me. See here the very Gospel. They pierced My hands and My feet. Then were the wounds ma(jej tne scars whereof the doubting disciple handled, the same who said, Unless I shall put my fingers into the scars of His wounds, I will not believe: whereupon He said to him, Come, thou hard of belief put thy hand: and he put his hand, and cried out, My Lord, and my God. And He answered, Because thou hast seen Me, thou hast believed; blessed are they that see not, and believe. They pierced My hands and My feet

18. (Ver. 17.) They numbered distinctly all My Bones. When He was hanging extended on the tree. The extension of His Body on the tree could not be better described than by the words, They numbered distinctly all My Bones.

19. Yea, they regarded, and beheld Me. They regarded, and understood not: they beheld, and saw not. They lifted up their eyes to the flesh, not their heart unto the Word. (Ver. 18.) They divided My garments for themselves. His garments, His Sacraments. Mark, brethren, His garments, His Sacraments, could be divided by heresies: but there was there a garment which no one divided. And cast the lot upon My vesture. There was there, says the Evangelist, a coat woven from above. From heaven therefore, from the ^hnl9» Father therefore, from the Holy Ghost therefore. What is this coat, but love, which no man can divide? What is this coat, but unity? Upon it is the lot cast; no man divideth it. The Sacraments heretics have been able to divide for themselves; they have not divided love. And because they could not divide it, they withdrew: but it abideth entire. It falls by lot to some. Whoso hath it, is safe. No one moves him from the Church Catholic: and if being without lie begin to have it, he is received within, as the olive branch by the dove.

20. Ver. 19. But Thou, O Lord, withhold not Thy help far from Me. And it was so: after three days He rose again. Look to My defence.

21. Ver. 20. Deliver My soul from the sword {framea): that is, from death. For framea is a sword, and by a sword He would have us understand death. And Thine Only One from the hand of the dog. My soul, Mine Only One, the Head, and the Body. By Only One, He meant, the Church. From the hand, that is, from thfc power, of the dog. Who are dogs? They that bark like dogs, and understand not against whom. Nothing is done to them, and they bark. What will a man do to a dog, when he is going on his way? Yet he barks. They that bark with blinded eyes, not discerning against whom, or for whom, are dogs.

22. Ver. 21. Save Me from the lion's mouth. You know who is the roaring lion going about, and seeking whom hei may devour. And My humility from the horns of the8' unicorns. By unicorns, He ftould mean only the proud; therefore He added, My humility.

23. You have heard what His sufferings were, and what

He prayed, that He might be delivered from them: let us now give heed to the wherefore He suffered. Now then, brethren, consider: whoso is not in that lot, for which Christ suffered, wherefore is he a Christian? Lo, we know what He suffered: His bones were numbered distinctly, He was mocked, His garments were divided, moreover the lot was cast upon His vesture, men in furiousness and raging stood around Him, and all His bones were scattered: we hear it here, and we read it in the Gospel. Let us see wherefore. O Christ, Son of God, if Thou hadst not willed Thou couldest not suffer; O shew us the fruit of Thy Passion. " Hear," saith He, " the fruit: I am not silent, but men are deaf. Hear," saith He, " the fruit, wherefore I suffered all these things."

Ver. 22. 1 will declare Thy Name to My brethren. Let us see whether He declareth God's Name to His brethren in any separate part* I will declare Thy Name to My brethren: in the midst of the Church will I sing of Thee. So is it accomplished now. But let us see what the Church is. For He said, In the midst of the Church will I sing of Thee. Let us see the Church, for which He suffered.

24. Ver. 23. Ye that fear the Lord, praise Him. Wheresoever God is feared and praised, there is the Church of Christ. See, my brethren, whether in these days throughout the whole world it is said without a cause, Amen and Hallelujah. Is not God feared there? Is not God praised there? Donatus has gone out, and says, " He is altogether not feared, the whole world is lost." Without any reason thou sayest, The whole world is lost. Has then a small portion only remained in Africa? Doth Christ then say nothing, whereby to stop these men's mouths? doth He say nothing, whereby to pluck out the tongues of such as speak thus? Let us see, if haply we may find. Still it is said to us, In the midst of the Church: He speaketh of our Church. Ye that fear the Lord, praise Him: let us see, whether they praise the Lord; and let us understand, whether He speaketh of them, and whether in the midst of. their Church \He be praised. How do they praise Christ, who say, " He hath lost the whole world, the devil hath taken all from Him, and He hath remained in a part only?" But let us look farther; let Him declare Himself more openly, let Him speak more openly: let it not be a matter for interpretation, or conjecture. All ye seed of Jacob, magnify Him. Perhaps they still say, " We are the seed of Jacob." Let us see, whether they be.

25. Let all the seed of Israel fear Him. Let them still say, " We are the seed of Israel:" let us allow them, let them say it. (Ver. 24.) Since He hath not despised nor disregarded the prayer of the poor. What poor? Not they that rely upon themselves. Let us see, whether they be poor, who say, " We are the righteous." Christ crieth out, Far My salvation are the words of My sins. But let them still say what they will. Nor hath turned away His face Me; and when I cried.unto Him, He heard Me. Wherefore heard He? to what purpose?

26. Ver. 25. With Thee is My praise. With God He hath put His praise: He hath taught us not to rely on man. Ijet them still say what they will. Already indeed they begin to burn, the fire begins to draw nigh: there is none hide himself from the heat thereof. But let them still say, " We too have put our praise with Him, we too rely not on ourselves,-' let them still say so* In the great Church will 1 confess Thee. Now here I suppose He has begun to touch the quick1. The great Churchy Brethren, what is it? Is a scanty portion of the earth the great Church? The great Church is the whole world. Now if one would wish to gainsay Christ, " Tell us, Thou hast said, In the great Church I will confess Thee: what great Church? Thou art reduced to a morsel of Africa', the whole world Thou hast lost: Thou hast shed Thy Blood for the whole, but Thou hast suffered from the invader." Thus have we spoken to the Lord as if by way of inquiry; yet knowing what we are about to say. Let us suppose that we do not know what He would say: doth not He answer us? a Peace, I will yet say what no one can raise a doubt about;" Let us await then what He is about to say. I would wish at once to pass sentence, and not admit men to give any other explanation, forasmuch as Christ saith, In the great Church. And you say, that He hath continued in an extreme part. And they still dare to say, " And ours is the great Church: what think you of Bagai and Tamugadeb?" If He say not something to stop their mouths, let them still say, that the great Church is Numidia only.

27. Let us see, let us hear the Lord further: / will offer my vows in the sight of them that fear Him. What are His vows f The sacrifice which He offered to God. Know ye what sacrifice? The faithful know the vows which He offered in the sight of them that fear Him. For there follows, (ver. 26.) The poor shall eat, and be filled. Blessed poor, who eat to the end that they may be filled. For it is the poor that eat. But they that are rich are not filled, because they are not hungry. The poor shall eat. From tnem came1 Peter the fisherman, from them came the other fishermen, John and James his brother, from them* came too Matthew the publican. These were of the poor, who ate and were filled: having suffered such things as they ate. He gave His Supper8, He gave His Passion: he is filled, wno imitates it. The poor imitated it: for they so suffered as to follow Christ's footsteps. The poor shall eat. But why poor? And they shall praise the Lord, who seek Him* The rich praise themselves; the poor praise the Lord. Why are they poor? Because they praise the Lord, and seek the Lord. The Lord is the riches of the poor. For therefore is the house empty, that the heart may be full of riches. Let the rich seek wherewith to Jill their chest; the poor seek wherewith to fill their heart: and when they have filled it, they praise the Lord, who seek Him. And see, Brethren, wherein they, that are truly poor, are rich: that it is not in the chest, not in the garner, not in the storehouse: Their hearts shall live for ever and ever.

28. Now then give heed. The Lord hath suffered; all that ye have heard hath the Lord suffered. We ask, why He suffered? and He begins to declare it: J will declare Thy name to My brethren; in the midst of the Church will I sing of Thee. But they still say, " This is the Church." Let all the seed of Israel fear Him. They say, « We are the seed of Israel." Since He hath not despised, nor disregarded the prayer of the poor. Still they say, " We are they." Nor hath He turned away His face from Me. Christ the Lord Himself hath not turned away His face from Himself, that is, from His Church, which is His Body. With Thee is My praise. Ye would praise yourselves. But they answer, " Nay, without a doubt we too praise Him." I will offer My vows unto the Lor d,in thesight of them that/ear Him. The sacrifice of peace, the sacrifice of love, the sacrifice of His Body the faithful know: on this I cannot now enlarge. I will offer My vows in the sight of them that fear Him. Liet the publicans eat, let the fishermen eat, let them feed, let them imitate the Lord, let them suffer, let them be filled. The Lord Himself hath died, the poor die also; and the death of the disciples is added to the death of the Master. Wherefore? Give Me the fruit (Ver. 27.) All the borders of the earth shall remember themselves, and be turned to the Lord. See here, Brethren! Why ask ye of me, what answer: we should give to Donatus' party? Look at the Psalm: both among us it is read to-day, and among them it is read to-day. Let us write it on our foreheads, let us go forth with it, let not our tongue keep silence, let it repeat the words: " See, Christ hath suffered; see, the Merchant displayeth His gains; see, the price which He gave, His Blood was shed. In a scrip He bare our price: He was smitten with a spear, the scrip was rent, and the price of the whole world flowed forth. What answerest thou, O heretic? Is it not the price of the whole world? Hath Africa only been redeemed? Thou darest not say, * The whole world was redeemed, but is lost/ From what spoiler's hand hath Christ so suffered, as to lose His own possession? Lo, All the borders of the earth shall remember themselves, and be turned to the Lord." Let this satisfy theec, and let Him speak. Had he said the ends of the earth, and not all the borders of the earth: they had been able to say, " Lo, we have the ends of the earth in Mauritania." He said, All the borders of the earth, O heretic, he said, all. What outlet is there for thee to escape the difficulty? Outlet hast thou none, but thou hast whereby to enter.

29. I appeal to you: I am unwilling to enlarge upon this, lest it should be said, that my words are of any influence: attend to the Psalm, read the Psalm. Lo, Christ hath suffered, His Blood hath been shed: lo, our Redeemer; lo, out Price. Let me be told, what hath He bought? Why do we ask? What if one say to me, " why, 0 foolish man, dost thou ask? Thou hast the volume in thine hands: thou hast therein wherewith He bought, seek therein what He bought. Lo, there thou hast, All the borders of the earth shall remember themselves, and be turned to the Lord" For the borders of the earth shall remember themselves. But heretics have forgotten, and therefore do they hear it every year. Do they give ear to this, think ye, when their reader says, All the borders of the earth shall remember themselves, and turn to the Lord? Well, perchance it is but one verse: thy thoughts were elsewhere, thou wast talking idly with thy brother, when he spoke thus: mark, how he repeats it, and knocks at deaf men's ears: And all the kindreds qf the nations shall worship in His sight. He is still deaf, he does not hear: let the knocking be repeated. (Ver. 28.) For the kingdom is the Lord's, and He shall rule over the nations. Remember these three verses, Brethren. To-day have they been sung even among them; or it may be they have erased them. Believe me, my Brethren, I am so embarassed, I am so pressed, that I am astonished at this strange deafness and hardness of their hearts, that I sometimes doubt, whether they have it in their copies. All run to-day to the Church, all to-day attentively listen to this Psalm, all listen with uplifted heart. But suppose that they are not attentive: is it one verse only, All the borders of the earth shall remember themselves, and be turned to the Lord? Thou art awaking, but art still rubbing thine eyes: And all the kindreds of the nations shall worship in His sight Shake off sleep, thou art still drowsy; listen: For the kingdom is the Lord's, and He shall rule over the nations.

30. Whether they have any thing yet to allege, I know not: let them contend with the Scriptures, not with us. See the volume itself, let them contend against it. Where is their saying , " We preserved the Scriptures from being burnt?" They have been preserved, whereby thou mayest be burnt9. What did ye preserve? Open, read: thou didst preserve, and thou dost impugn them. Why preserve<kt ^ou ^rom A&mes, what thou wouldest destroy with the tongue? I do not believe, I do not believe, that thou preservedst them; I do not at all believe it; thou didst not preserve them. Most truly do our party say, that thou didst deliver them up. He is proved to be the deliverer oftraditor them up, who when on reading the Testament doth not follow it See, it is read, and I follow; it is read, and thou refusest to follow. Whose hand hath cast them into the flames? He that believes and follows, or he that grieves that there is aught to be read? I do not wish to know who may have preserved them: in what place soever the volume hath been found, from what cave soever, our Father's testament hath come to light, for some thieves or other wished to take it away, some persecutors or other wished to burn it: from what place soever it hath been brought forth, let it be read. Why dost thou quarrel? We are Brethren, why do we quarrel? The Father hath not died intestate. He hath made a Testament, and so died: He died, and rose again. So long does the dispute touching the inheritance of the dead last, until the Testament is publicly produced; and when the Testament has been publicly produced, all are silent, that the instrument may be opened and read: the judge listens with attention, the advocates hold their peace, the heralds procure silence, every body is in suspense that the words of the deceased, unconscious in the tomb, may be read. He lies without consciousness in the tomb, and his words have force. Christ sitteth in heaven; and is His Testament gainsaid? Open, let us read. We are Brethren, why do we contend together? Let us calm our temper, the Father hath not left us without a Testament. He Who made the Testament, liveth for ever: He heareth our words, He recogniseth His own K Let us read; why do we quarrel? When the whole inheritance shall have been found, let us hold to it. Open the Testament, read in the very beginning of the Psalter itself, Ask of Me. But who speaketh? Peradventure not Christ. You have there, The Lord said unto\h.7. Me, Thou art My Son, this day have I begotten Thee. The Son of God then speaketh, or the Father speaketh to His Son. What then saith He to His Son? Ask of Me, and I will give Thee the heathen for Thine inheritance, and the bounds of the earth for Thy possession. It is usual, Brethren, when there is a question of possession, for the borderers to sought. Between this and that borderer, the heir is sought out, either to whom it is given, or who has bought it. Between what borderers is he sought? Between b this and that man in possession. He who hath left all borders, hath left no borderers. Wheresoever thou turnest thyself, Christ is. Thou hast the borders of the earth for thine inheritance; come hither, with me possess the whole. Why by quarrel-ling dost thou call to a part only? Come hither; to thine own good thou shalt be conquered, thou shalt have the whole. Dost thou wrangle still? I have already read the Testament, and thou wranglest. Art thou still wrangling, because He said, the borders of the earth, and not, all the borders of the earth? Let us read on then. How does it stand? All the borders of the earth shall remember themselves, and turn to the Lord. And all the kindreds of the nations shall worship in His sight For the kingdom is the Lords, and He shall rule over the nations. His it is, not yours. Acknowledge ye the Lord: acknowledge the Lord's possession.

31. But ye again because ye would possess your goods privately, and not in common unity, and with Christ, (for ye wish to rule on earth yourselves, not to reign with Him in heaven,) ye have your own houses. And sometimes we come to them, saying, " Let us seek the truth, let us find the truth." They answer, " Keep what you have: thou hast thy sheep, I have mine; forbear to meddle with my sheep, for I do not meddle with thine." Thanks be to God; the sheep are mine; the sheep are His! What hath Christ bought? Nay, let them be neither mine, nor thine; but His Who hath bought them, His Who hath marked them. Neither is he that plantelh any thing, nor he that water eth; but Qod Who giveth the increase. Why have I mine, and thou thine? If Christ be there, let mine go thither, for they are not mine: if Christ be here, let thine come hither, for they are not thine. Let us kiss head and hands for possessions, and let the strange children perish*. " It is not my possession," he says..What is this? Let us see whether it be not thy possession, let us see whether thou dost not claim it for thyself. I labour for the name of Christ, thou for the name of Donatus. For if thou look to Christ, Christ is every where. Thou sayest, Lo, here is Christ: I say, He is throughout the world. Praise the Lord, ye servants; praise the^ Name of the Lord. Wherefrom do they praise? Whereunto do they praise? From the rising of the sun unto the going down thereof, praise ye the Name of the Lord. See the Church which 1 shew to you, see what Christ hath bought, see what He hath redeemed, see for what He hath given His blood. But what sayest thou? " I gather for Him too." He that gathereth not with Me, Christ saith,Mat.ia, scattereth. Thou dividest unity, thou seekest thine own30, possessions. And why have they Christ's Name? Because for the defence of thine own possession thou hast affixed Christ's titles. Do not some do the same with their own houses? Lest some powerful person should attack his house, he affixes thereon the title of some powerful one, a false title. He would be himself the owner, and would have the front of.his house protected by another man's title: that on reading the title one may be scared at the power of the name, and abstain from attacking the house. This they did when they condemned the. Maximianists d. They pleaded before j udges, and adduced their own council; as it were, shewing their titles, that they might appear to be Bishops. Then the judged asked, " Who is the other Bishop here, of the party of Donatus?" The official answered, " We know none but Aurelius the Catholic." In fear of the laws they made answer of one Bishop only. But they, that they might gain the ear of the judge, affixed Christ's Name: on their own possession they affixed His title. Gracious is the Lord to spare them, and claim that for His own possession, wheresoever He findeth His title. Powerful is His mercy, Who doeth that for them, Who gathereth together, whomsoever

6 ' Propter possessions osculentur is obscure, ^e ^n(^et^ bearing the name of Christ. And consider, 1 Brethren, when any powerful one findeth his title, doth he not justly claim it for his own and say, " He would not affix my title, unless it were my property? He hath affixed my title, it is my property: that, whereon I find my name, is mine." Does he change the title? The title is the very same as before: the owner is changed, the title is not changed. So also with those that have the baptism of Christ, if they return to unity, we do not change or destroy their title; but we acknowledge the title of our King, the title of our Captain. But what do we say? O wretched house, may He own thee, Whose title thou bearest: thou bearest Christ's title; be not the possession of Donatus.

32. We have spoken at great length, Brethren; but let not that, which is read to-day, depart from your recollection. Lo, I repeat it, and often must it be repeated: by this very day, that is, by the mysteries of this day, I adjure you that it go not out of your hearts, All the borders of the earth shall remember themselves, and be turned to the Lord. And all the kindreds of the nations shall worship in His sight For the kingdom is the Lord's, and He shall rule over the nations. Against so clear and so manifestly proven a possession of Christ, listen not to the words of the wrangler. Whatever they say to gainsay it, they are men that say it; but this God saith.