Psalm 35 (Vulgate 34)

Discourse L«

How that this Psalm, by command of my Brethren and fellow-Bishops, hath been laid on me to be handled, be your charity aware. They have willed that we all hear somewhat therefrom. For from Him do we all hear, from Whom we learn together, and in Whose school we are fellow-disciples. 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.) For so it is, To David himself. The Psalm then is to David himself: now David is interpreted, Strong in hand, or Desirable. The Psalm then is to the Strong in hand, and Desirable, to Him Who for us hath overcome death, Who unto us hath promised life: for in this is He Strong in hand, that He hath overcome death for us; in this is He Desirable, that He hath promised unto us life eternal. For what stronger than That Hand Which touched the bier, and he that was dead rose up? "What stronger than That Hand Which overcame the world, not armed with steel, bat pierced with wood? Or what more desirable than He, Whom not having seen, the Martyrs wished even to die, that they might be worthy to come unto Him? Therefore is the Psalm irnto Him: to Him let our heart, to Him our tongue sing worthily: if yet Himself shall deign to give somewhat to sing. None to Him singeth worthily, but who hath from Him received what to sing. Nay this which now we sing, was spoken by His Spirit through His Prophet, and in those words wherein we acknowledge both ourselves and Him. Neither do we wrong, because we say both ourselves and Him: since when He was in Heaven, He so cried, Why persecutest thou Mef when Him none touched, and we on earth were in trouble. His Voice then let us hear: now of the Body, now of the Head. For this is a Psalm calling on God, against enemies, amid the tribulations of this world. And surely He is the same Christ, then the Head being in tribulation, now the Body being in tribulation; yet through tribulations to all His Members giving life eternal, which by promising became He desirable.

2. Ver. 1. Judge Thou, O Lord, (saith he,) them that hurt me, and fight Thou against them that fight against me. " If God be for us, who can be against us?" And whereby doth God31, this for us? (Ver. 2.) Take hold (saith he) of arms and shield, and rise up to my help, A great spectacle is it, to see God armed for thee. And what is His Shield, what are His Arms? Lord, in another place saith the man who here alsoPs.5,12. speaketh, as with the shield of Thy good-will hast Thou compassed us. But His Arms, wherewith He may not only us defend, but also strike His enemies, if we have well profited, shall we ourselves be. For as we from Him have this, that we be armed, so is He armed from us. But He is armed from those, whom He hath made, we are armed with those things which we have received from Him Who made us. These our arms the Apostle in a certain place calleth, TJie shield of Faith, the helmet of Salvation, and the sword of16'17' the Spirit, which is the Word of God. He hath armed us with such arms as ye have heard, arms admirable, and unconquered, insuperable and shining; spiritual truly and invisible, because we have to fight also against invisible enemies. If thou seest thine enemy, let thine arms be seen. We are armed with faith in those things which we see not, and we overthrow enemies whom we see not. Nevertheless, dearly Beloved, think not that these arms are so that what is a shield is always a shield, or what is a helmet is always a helmet, or what is a breast-plate always a breast-plate. For in these arms corporal it is so, although even those which are made of steel may be changed, so that out of a sword may be made an axe: but the same Apostle we find to hare in one place, The breastplate of faith, and in another to have said, The shield of faith. Therefore the same faith can be both a breast-plate and a shield, a shield it is, because it receives and repels the darts of the enemies, a breast-plate because it suffers not thy inward parts to be pierced through. These are our arms; but what are God's? We read in a certain place, Deliver my soul from the ungodly, Thy Weapon from the enemies of Tliy Handb. What first he said, from the ungodly, that in the following verse is from the enemies of Thy Hand: and what above he called my soul, that in the following verse he called, Thy Weapon, that is, Thy Sword. His soul then he called the Weapon of God: Deliver (saith he) my soul from the ungodly, that is, deliver Tliy Weapon from the enemies of Thy Hand. For Thou takest hold of my soul, and warrest upon my enemies. And what is our soul, however splendid, however far reaching1, however sharpen^ however anointed, however with the light and gleam of Wisdom glistening? WhaVis our soul, or what can it do, unless God hold it and fight with it. For the best made weapon, unless it have a warrior, is useless. But I have said of our own arms, that nothing ought be taken as so fixed, that what is one thing, the same cannot be another: so also we find in God's arms. Lo, here he called the soul of the righteous the weapon of God: again he saith that the soul of the righteous is the seat of God, the soul of the righteous is the seat of Wisdom. Therefore whatever He will, He maketh of our soul. Since it is in His hand, let Him use it as He will.

3. Let Him then rise up, for so is He called on, let Him take hold of His Arms, let Him rise up for out help. Whence He should rise up, is said unto Him also in another place in these very words, Rise up: why steepest Thou, O Lord? And when He is said to sleep, we sleep; and when He is 23, said to rise up, we are awakened. For the Lord also slept in the ship; and therefore was the ship tossed, because Jesus slept. For if Jesus had watched therein, the ship had not been tossed. Thy ship is thy heart; Jesus in the ship, faith in the heart. If thou rememberest thy faith, thy heart is not tossed; if thou forgettest thy faith, Christ sleepeth; beware of shipwreck. Nevertheless do what remaineth, that if He sleep, He may be awakened; say unto Him, Lord, rise up, we perish; that He may rebuke the winds, and there be a calm in thy heart. For all temptations will retire, or surely will prevail nothing, when Christ, that is, thy faith, shall watch in thy heart. What then is, Rise up? Make Thyself known, apparent, felt. Rise up, therefore,/or my help.

4. Ver. 3. Pour forth the weapon, and si op the way against them that persecute me. Who are they that persecute thee? Haply thy neighbour, or he whom thou hast offended, or to whom thou hast done wrong, or who would take away what is thine, or against whom thou preachest the truth, or whose sin thou rebukest, or whom living ill by thy well living thou offendest. There are indeed even these enemies to us, and they persecute us: but other enemies we are taught to know, those against whom we fight invisibly, of whom the Apostle warneth us, saying, We wrestle not against flesh and blood, that is, against men; not against those whom ye6' see, but against those whom ye see not; against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the world, of this darkness. Now when he said the rulers of the world, as he spake of the devil and his angels, there was need to take care lest men should misunderstand, and think that the world is ruled by the devil and his demons. But because the world is said of this fabric which we see, and the world is said of sinners, and of those who love the world, of whom it was said, The world knew Him not, and of whom also, The whole world lieth in wickedness; therefore the Apostle! explained of what world they were rulers, he said, of ihis5>lddarkness. The rulers of this world, I say, are the rulers of this darkness. Again, he maketh us to understand what he of this darkness. Of what darkness are the devil and his angels rulers? Of all the unbelievers, of all the wicked, of whom it is said, The Light shineth in darkness, and the darkness comprehended It not. Lastly, out of the number of the same as many believe, what saith the same Apostle? Ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord. Wouldest thou not be ruled by the devil? Come to the light. And how shalt thou come to the Light, unless He pour forth the weapon, and deliver thee from thy enemies, and from them that persecute thee? How poureth He forth the weapon? for we have already heard what His weapon is; even the soul of the righteous. Let the righteous abound, so is the weapon poured forth, and the way is stopped against the enemies. For from the very pouring forth of the weapon the Apostle warning us to live righteously, in the sequel saith, That he that is of the contrary part, may have no evil thing to say of you. The way is stopped against him, because what to say against the saints he cannot find.

5. And whence shall these be righteous? Or what say the enemies who persecute us? Those invisible enemies, what say they? Say they nothing e? Most of all is it suggested to the human heart, by the enemies who invisibly fight against it, that God is not our helper; that so seeking other helps, we may be found weak, and be taken by those same enemies. This then is suggested. Against those voices ought we most of all to watch, which are shewn in another Psalm. Many are they that rise up against me. Many there be which say of my soul, there is no help for him in his God. Against these voices what is here said? Say unto my soul, 1 am thy Salvation. When thou hast said unto my soul, I am thy Salvation, then will it live righteously, so that I seek no helper beside Thee.

6. And what follows? (Ver. 4.) Let them be confounded and put to shame, that seek after my soul: for to this end they seek after it, to destroy it. For I would that they would seek it for good! for in another Psalm he blameth this in meu, that there was none who would seek after his soul: Refuge failed me: there was none that would seek after my soul. Who « al. i nothing else is so specially suggested/ &c. is this that saith, There was none that would seek after my soul*? Is it haply He, of Whom so long before it was predieted, They pierced My Hands and My Feet, they numbered all My Bones, they stared and looked upon Me, they have parted My Garments among them, and cast lots for My Vesture? Now all these things were done before their eyes, and there was none who would seek after His Soul. Let us then call upon Him, Brethren, that He may say unto our soul, / am thy Salvation; and may open its ears, that it may hear Him, saying, / am thy Salvation. For He saith it, but some are deaf, wherefore they hear rather those enemies that persecute them, being in tribulation. If aught is wanting, if the soul is in trouble, in need of temporal goods, it seeks aid for the most part from devils, it chooses to consult the possessed of devils, it seeks the diviners: its persecutors, the invisible enemies, have approached it, have entered into it, have fought against it, have taken it captive, have conquered it by saying, There is no salvation for him in his God. HePs.3,2. was deaf to the voice, saying, / am thy Salvation. Say unto my soul, I am thy Salvation, that they may be confounded and put to shame that seek after my soul, to which Thou sayest, I am thy Salvation. Let me hear Him saying unto me, / am thy Salvation: other salvation will I not seek after except the Lord my God. By some creature is salvation.suggested to me; it is from Him: and if I lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help, yet cometh not1, my help from the hills, but from the Lord, which made heaven and earth. In very temporal troubles God helpeth through man; He Himself is thy Salvation. Through His Angel God helpeth, He Himself is thy Salvation. All things to Him are subject, and for this temporal life He indeed helpeth one from this side, another from that: eternal life He giveth not but from Himself. Behold, when thou art in trouble, that is not before thee which thou seekest, but He is near thee Whom thou seekest. And seek thou Him, Who never can be wanting. Let those things be withdrawn, which He gave; is He therefore withdrawn, Who gave? Let those things be restored which He gave; is that true riches, when these things are restored, and not He Who with-drew them to prove thee, and restored them to console thee? For He consoleth us when these things are not wanting to us. He consoleth us in the way, but only if we understand the way. For the whole of this life, and all things which thou usest in this life, ought to be to thee as an inn to a traveller, not as a house to dwell in. Remember though thou hast performed somewhat, that somewhat remaineth, that thou hast stayed 1 for refection, not for defection.

7. There are who say, God the Good, the Great, the Most High, the Invisible, the Eternal, the Incorruptible, will indeed give unto us eternal life, and that incorruption which He hath promised in the resurrection; but these worldly and temporal things belong to devils, and to those rulers of the darkness of this world. By thus saying, when they are entangled in the love of these things, they abandon God, as though these things belonged not unto Him, and seek by wicked sacrifices, by I know not what remedies, and by I know not what unlawful persuasion of men, to provide for themselves that which is temporal, as money, wife and children, and whatever either comforts human life passing by, or hinders it going its way. Divine Providence watching against this opinion, that God might shew all these things to belong to Him, and to be in His Power, not only things eternal which He promiseth hereafter, but also things tern-, poral which on earth He giveth to whom He will, and when He will, in good time, knowing to whom He should give, to whom not give, as a physician his medicines, knowing better the sick man's disease than the sick man himself; God then, that He might shew this, divided the times of the Old and New Testament. In the Old Testament are promises of things earthly; but in the New, of a kingdom, the kingdom of heaven. Most of the Commandments, both of worshipping God, and of living well, are the same both in this and in that; but because the promise here seems of one kind, there of another; the command of Him that ordereth, and the obedience of him that serveth, is the same, but the wages, as it were, are not the same. For unto them it was said, Ye shall receive the land of promise; in it ye shall reign; your enemies ye shall conquer; ye shall not be subdued by them; all things shall abound to you in this land; in it ye shall beget children. These earthly things were^ promised, but yet in a figure. Suppose that some so received them as they were promised; and truly many so received31, them. For the land was given to the children of Israel, riches were given, children were given even to their barren and old women, who prayed unto God, and in Him alone presumed, and other helper sought not even for those things. They heard the voice of God in their heart, / am thy Salvation. If for things eternal, why not for things temporal. This did God shew in the case of that holy man Job; because even the devil himself had no power to take away these things, except when he had received it from that Most High Power. He would envy the holy man: could he also hurt him? He could accuse him, could he also condemn him? Could he take aught from him, could he hurt even a nail, could he a single hair, until he had said unto God, Put forth Thine Hand? What is, Put forth Thine Hand? Give11, me the power. He received it, he tempted him; he was tempted. Yet the tempted conquered, the tempter was conquered. For God, Who had permitted the devil to take those things, had not deserted His servant within, and to overcome the devil himself, of the soul of His servant had made to Himself a weapon. Whereunto tendeth this? I speak concerning man. Conquered was he in Paradise: a conqueror on the dunghill. There was he conquered by the devil through the woman, here he conquered the devil and the woman. Thou speakest, saith he, as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? Shall we receive good at the Hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? How well had he heard, / am thy Salvation.

8. Let them be confounded and put to shame, that seek after my soul. Look to men. Pray (saith He) for your enemies. But here it is a prophecy: and those things which44, are said under the figure of wishing are to be explained in the sense of prophesying. Let this be done, or that be done, is nothing more than, this or that will be done. So then understand the prophecy: Let them be confounded and put to shame, that seek after my life. What is, Let them be confounded and put to shame f They shall be confounded and put to shame. For even so was it done. Many have been "confounded to their health: many, put to shame, have passed over from the persecution of Christ to the society of His members with devoted piety; and this would not have been, had they not been confounded and put to shame. Therefore he wished well to them. But because there are two kinds of those who are conquered; for in two ways are they conquered, either to this end they are conquered that they may be converted unto Christ, or to this, that they be condemned by Christ; here also are explained the same two kinds, obscurely indeed, but wanting only an understanding hearer. Of those who ' are converted, hear what is said. Let them be confounded and put to shame that seek after my soul: let them be turned back. Let them not go before, but follow; let them not give counsel, but take it. For Peter would go before the Lord, when the Lord spake of His future Passion: he would to Him as it were give counsel for His health. The sick man to the Saviour give counsel for His health! And what said he to the Lord, affirming that His future Passion? Be it far from Thee, Lord. Be gracious to Thyself. This shall not be to Thee. He would go before that the Lord might follow; and what said He? Get thee behind Me, satan. By going before thou art satan, by following thou wilt be a disciple. The same then is said to these also, Let them be turned back and brought to confusion that think evil against me. For when they have begun to follow after, now they will not think evil against me, but desire my good.

9. What of others? For all are not so conquered as to be converted and believe: many continue in obstinacy, many preserve in heart the spirit of going before, and if they exert it not, yet they labour with it, and finding opportunity bring it forth. Of such, what followeth? (Ver. 5.) Let them be as dust before the wind. Not so are the ungodly, not so; but as the dust which the wind driveth away from the face of the earth The wind is temptation; the dust are the ungodly. ' When temptation cometh the dust is raised, it neither standeth nor resisteth. Let them be as dust before the wind, and let the Angel of the Lord trouble them. (Ver. 6.) Let their way be darkness and slipping. A horrible way! Darkness alone who feareth not? A slippery way alone who avoids not? In a dark and slippery way bow shalt thou go? where set foot? These two ills are the great punishments of men: darkness, ignorance; a slippery way, luxury. Let their way be darkness and slipping; and let the Angel of the Lord persecute them; that they be not able to stand. For any one in a dark and slippery way, when he seeth that if he move his foot he will fall, and there is no light before his feet, haply resolveth to wait until light come; but here is the Angel of the Lord persecuting them. These things he predicted would come upon them, not as though he wished them to happen. Although the Prophet in the Spirit of God so speaketh these things, even as God doth the same, with sure judgment, with a judgment good, righteous, holy, tranquil; not moved with wrath, not with bitter jealousy, not with desire of wreaking enmities, but of punishing wickedness with righteousness; nevertheless, it is a prophecy,

10. But wherefore these so great evils? By what desert? Hear by what desert. (Ver. 7.) For without cause have they hid for me the corruption of their trap. For Him that is our Head, observe, the Jews did this: they hid the corruption of their trap. For whom hid they their trap? For Him, Who saw the hearts of those that hid. But yet was He among them like one ignorant, as though He were deceived, whereas they were in that deceived, that they thought Him to be deceived. For therefore was He as though deceived, living among them, because we among such as they were so to live, as to be without doubt deceived. He saw His betrayer, and chose him the more to a necessary work. By his evil He wrought a great good: and yet among the twelve was he chosen, lest even the small number of twelve should be without one evil. This was an example of patience to us, because it was necessary that we should live among the evil: it was necessary that we should endure the evil, either knowing them or knowing them not: an example of patieuce He gave thee lest thou shouldest fail, when thou hast begun to live among the evil. And because that School of Christ in the twelve failed not, how much more ought we to be firm, when in the great Church is fulfilled what was predicted of the mixture of the evil. For neither did the same SchooLsee rendered to the Seed of Abraham what had been promised, and that very threshing floor, whence the grain that shall fill the garner must proceed. Wherefore then, when the threshing is, is not the chaff justly endured therein, until it be purged by the last winnowing? For this will surely come upon the evil, which ye have heard.

11. But yet what is to be done? Without a cause have they hid for me the corruption of their trap. What meaneth, Without a cause f J have done them no evil, I have hurt them not at all. Vainly have they reviled my soul. What is, Mainly? Speaking falsely, proving nothing. (Ver. 8.) Let a trap come upon them which they know not of A magnificent retribution, nothing- more just! They have hidden a trap that I might know not: let a trap come upon them which they know not of. For I know of their trap. But what trap is coming upon them? That" which they know not of. Let us hear, lest haply he speak of that. Let a trap come upon them, which they know not of. Perhaps that is one which they hid for him, that another which shall come upon themselves* Not so: but what? The wicked shall be holden with the cords of his own sins. Thereby are they deceived, whereby they would deceive. Thence shall come mischief to them, whence they endeavoured mischief. For it follows, And let the net which they have hidden catch themselves. As if any one should prepare a cup of poison for another, and forgetting should drink it up himself: or as if one should dig a pit, that his enemy might fall thereinto in the darkness; and himself forgetting what he had dug, should first walk that way, and fall into it. Verily, Brethren, thus believe, thus be assured; thus, if there be in you any more excellent reason or prudence, thus observe and know; there is no wicked man who hurts not himself first. For so think of wickedness as of fire. Thou wouldest burn something: that which thou appliest is first burned; if it be not burned, it burnetii not. Thou hast a torch; this torch thou appliest to something to burn it: is not the torch itself which thou appliest first burned, that it may be able to burn any thing? Wickedness then proceedeth from thee, and whom doth it first waste but thyself? Doth it hurt the bough to which it is put forth 1; and where it hath root doth it not hurt? And I verily say, that thy wickedness should not hurt another, it is possible; that it should not hurt thee, it is not possible. For what hurt was done to holy Job, of whom I have spoken above? As it is said in another Psalm, Like a sharp razor thou hast wrought deceit. What is done with a sharp razor? Hairs, things superfluous, are cut off. What then dost thou to him whom thou wouldest hurt? If a worthless man, whom thou wouldest hurt, consent with thee to do ill, not thy wickedness will be hurtful to him, but his own; but if he be inwardly free from wickedness, and can present a clean heart to the voice that saith, / am thy salvation, outwardly thou fightest against him, the inner man thou takest not Yet thy wickedness proceeds from thy inner man: thee first it maketh empty. Thou art corrupt within, whence that worm proceeded; within it hath left nothing sound. And let the net which they have hidden catch themselves, and let them fall into their own trap. Not that which haply thou thoughtest of just before when thou heardest, Let a trap come upon them, which they know not o/y that is, as though it were some other one, secret and inevitable. In what then fall they? In the same iniquity which they have hidden for me. Was not this done to the Jews? The Lord conquered their iniquity, they by their own iniquity were conquered. He rose for us: they died in themselves.

12. This then for the wicked that would hurt me: what for me? (Ver. 9.) But my soul shall rejoice in the Lord; as in Him from Whom it hath heard, / am thy salvation; as not seeking other riches from without; as not seeking to abound in pleasures and good things of earth; but loving freely the true Spouse, not from Him wishing to receive aught that may delight, but Him alone proposing to itself, by Whom it may be delighted. For what better than God will be given unto me? God loveth me: God loveth thee. See He hath proposed to thee, Ask what thou wilt. If the emperor should say to thee, Ask what thou wilt, what commands1, what dignities2, wouldest thou burst forth with! Wbat great things wouldest thou propose to thyself, both to^mi, receive and to bestow. When God saith unto thee, Asktivas« what thou wilt, what wilt thou ask? Empty thy mind, exert thy avarice, stretch forward as far as possible, and enlarge thy desire: it is not any one, but Almighty God that said, Ask what thou wilt. If of possessions thou art a lover, thou wilt desire the whole earth, that all who are born may be thy husbandmen, or thy slaves. And what when thou hast possessed the whole earth? Thou wilt ask the sea, in which yet thou canst not live. In this greediness the fishes will have the better of thee. But perhaps thou wilt possess the islands. Pass over these also; ask the air, although thou canst not fly; stretch thy desire even unto the heavens, call thine own the sun, the moon, and the stars, because He Who made all said. Ask what thou wilt: yet nothing wilt thou find more precious, nothing wilt thou find better, than Himself Who made all things. Him seek, Who made all things, and in Him and from Him shalt thou have all things which He made. All things are precious, because all are beautiful; but what more beautiful than He. Strong are they; but what stronger than He. And nothing would He give thee rather than Himself. If aught better thou bast found, ask it. If thou ask aught else, thou wilt do wrong to Him, and harm to thyself, by preferring to Him that which He made, when He would give to thee Himself Who made. jn this love said a certain soul unto Him, Art not Thou my portion, O Lord? that is, JTbou art my portion. Let those who will choose for themselves what they shall possess, let them make for themselves portions of other things: Thou art my portion, Thee have I chosen for me. And again, The Lord is the portion of my inheritance. Let Him possess ihee, that thou mayest possess Him: thou shalt be His property, thou shalt be His house. He possesseth that He may profit, He is possessed that He may profit. Is it that thou mayest profit Him at all? / have said unto the Lord, Thou art my God, for my goods thou wantest not.

But my soul shall be joyful in the Lord; it shall rejoice in His salvation. The salvation of God is Christ: For mine eyes have seen Thy salvation.

13. Ver. 10. All my bones shall say, Lord, who is like unto Thee? Who can speak any thing worthily of these words? I think them only to be pronounced, not to be expounded. Why seekest thou this or that? What is like unto thy Lord? Him hast thou before thee. All my bones shall say, Lord, who is like unto Thee? The unrighteous have declared unto me delights, but not after Thy law, O Lord! Persecutors have been who have said, Worship Saturn, worship Mercury. I worship not idols: (saith he.) Lord, who is like unto Thee? They have eyes, and see not; ears have they, but they hear not. Lord, who is like unto6' Thee, Who hast made the eve to see, the ear to hear? But I (saith he) worship not idols, for them a workman made. Worship a tree or mountain; did a workman make them also? Here too, Lord, who is like unto Thee? Earthly things are shewn unto me; Thou art Creator of the earth. And from these haply they turn to the higher creation, and say to me, Worship the Moon, worship this Sun, who with his light, as a great lamp in the Heavens, maketh the day. Here also I plainly say, Lord, ivho is like unto Tliee? The Moon and the Stars Thou hast made, the Sun to rule the day hast Thou kindled, the Heavens hast Thou framed together. There are many invisible things better. But haply here also it is said to me, Worship Angels, adore Angels. And here also will I say, Lord, who is like unto Tliee f Even the Angels Thou hast created. The Angels are nothing, but by seeing Thee. It is better with them to possess Thee, than by worshipping them to fall from Thee.

14. All my bones shall say, Lord, who is like unto Thee? O Body of Christ, Holy Church, let all thy bones say, Lord, who is like unto Thee? And if the flesh under persecution hath fallen away, let the bones say, Lord, who is like unto Thee? For of the righteous it is said, The Lord keepelh all?** their bones; not one of them shall be broken. Of how many20, righteous have the bones under persecution been broken? Finally, The just shall live by faith* and Christ j us lifielh the ungodly. But how justifieth He any except believing and confessing? For with the heart man believeth unto5* righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. Therefore also that thief, although from His theft led to the judge, and from the judge to the cross, yet on the very cross was justified: with his heart he believed, with his mouth he confessed. For neither to a man unrighteous and not already justified, would the Lord have said, To-day shall thou be with Me in Paradise, and yet his bones were23' broken. For when they came to take down the bodies, by reason of the approaching Sabbath, the Lord was found already dead, and His Bones were not broken. Bnt of those ^at J61 lfred, that they might be taken down, the legs were broken, that so from this pain having died, they might be buried. Were then of the one thie£ who persisted in his ungodliness on the cross, the bones broken, and not also of the other who with bis heart believed, and with his mouth made confession unto salvation? Where then is that which was said, The Lord keepeth all his bones; not one of them shall be broken; except that in the Body of the Lord the name of bones is given to all the righteous, the firm in heart, the strong, to no persecutions, no temptations, yielding, so as to consent unto evil? And whence should they be able to yield to no temptations, except when the persecutors say, Behold this god, behold what a god! let him come to thee, let him charm1 thee: behold, here is in the mount some great priest: haply therefore thou art poor because this god helpeth thee not; entreat him and he will help thee: haply therefore thou art sick, because thou entreatest him not; entreat him and thou shalt be well: haply therefore thou hast no children, entreat him and thou shalt have. But if in the Lord's Body he be one of the bones, he repelleth all these words, and saith, Lord, who is like unto Thee? Give, if Thou wilt give, even in this life, what I ask; but if Thou wilt not, be Thou my Life, Whom I seek always. Shall -I depart hence unto Thee with a clear face, if I worship another, and offend Thee? To-morrow perhaps I shall die: with what face shall I see Thee? Great is His Mercy; and therefore hath He admonished us to live well, and hath bidden from us the last day of our life, lest we should promise ourselves aught from the future. To-day I work and live: to-morrow I work not. What if to-morrow find thee not? Say then, among the bones of Christ, Lord, who is like unto Thee? All my bones shall say. Lord, who is like unto Thee?

15. Which deliverest the poor from him that is too strong for him; yea, the poor and needy from him that spoileth him. Thus far has the Psalm been read to-day; thus far is l « liget tibi.> al. < npget tibi,' 1 deny to thee/ perhaps meaning that He will not. it to be bandied; lest that come to disgust, which hath been said, while we wish to say other things. Let this then suffice for to-day, Which deliverest the poor from him that is too strong for him. Who that deliverest, but He Who is Strong in hand? Even that David shall deliver the poor from him that is too strong for him. For the devil was too strong for thee, and held thee, because he conquered thee, when thou consentedst unto him. But what hath the Strong in hand done? No man entereth into a strong man's house, to spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man. By His own Power, most Holy, most Magnificent, hath He bound the devil by pouring forth the weapon to stop the way against him, that He may deliver the poor and needy, toPs. whom there was no helper. For who is thy helper but the Lord to whom thou sayest, O Lord, My Strength, and My Redeemer. If thou wilt presume of thy own strength, thereby wilt thou fall, whereof thou hast presumed: if of another's, he would lord it over thee, not succour thee. He then alone is to be sought, Who hath redeemed them, and made them free, and hath given His Blood to purchase them, and of His servants hath made them His Brethren.

Discourse Ii

To the rest of the Psalm let us apply our minds, and to the Lord our God let us pray, both for soundness of understanding, and for the quiet of well-doing. As far as yesterday was discoursed, I trust that ye remember, dearly Beloved: from the same place to-day let us take our beginning. Now we understand here the words of Christ, the words, namely, both of the Head and of the Body of Christ. When thou hearest Christ, do not separate the Bridegroom from the Bride, but understand that great Sacrament, And they two shall be one flesh. If two in one flesh, why not also in one^- voice? For neither the Head alone suffered here temptations, and the Body suffereth not; nor indeed was there any cause of suffering to the Head, but that He might give an example to the Body. For the Lord suffered of free will, we of necessity; He out of commiseration, we out of our condition. Moreover, His voluntary Passion is our necessary consolation; so that when we haply suffer like things, we may look upon our Head, that being warned by His example we may say unto ourselves, If He did so, what must we? and, Even as He was, so let us also be. For however much raged the enemy, to the death of the Body could he only approach; which Body yet could he not destroy in the Lord, because on the third day It rose again. What in Him was done on the third day, that in ours shall be at the end of the world. The hope of our resurrection is put off, is it therefore put away? Here then, most dearly Beloved, let us acknowledge the Words of Christ, and let us distinguish them from the words of the ungodly. For they are the voices of the Body, suffering persecutions and troubles and temptations in this world, but since many suffer here, also for their sins, and for their crimes, with great vigilance must we discern the cause, not the punishment. For a criminal can have like punishment with a Martyr, but yet a cause unlike. Three were there on the Cross, one the Saviour, another to be saved, another to be dammed: of all the punishment was equal, but the cause unequal.

2. Let then our Head say, (ver. 11.) False witnesses did rise up, they laid to My charge things that I knew not. But let us say to our Head, Lord, what knewest Thou not? Didst Thou indeed know not any thing? Didst Thou not know the hearts of them that charged Thee? Didst Thou not foresee their deceits? Didst Thou not give Thyself into their hands knowingly? Hadst Thou not come that Thou mightest suffer by them? What then knewest Thou not? He knew not sin, and thereby He knew not sin, not by not judging, but by not committing. There are phrases of this kind also in daily use, as when thou sayest of any one, He knoweth not to stand, that is, he doth not stand; and, He knoweth not to do good, because he doth not good; and, He knoweth not to do ill, because he doth not ill. That which is alien from operation, is alien from conscience; that which is alien from conscience, seems alien also from science. So God is said to know not, as art knoweth not faults, and yet by art faults are discovered and discerned. This then to our intevrogatories out of the very truth of His own Gospel doth our Head answer; when we have said, Lord, what knewest Thou not? Wherewith couldest Thou be charged which Thou knewest not? He answereth, Ungodliness I knew not, with ungodliness I was charged. Thou hast in the Gospel, if thou believe not that I knew not ungodliness, that even the ungodly themselves 1 know not, unto whom at the end I shall say, / know you not; depart from Me, ye that work ungodliness. Did He not know those whom He condemned? or can any condemn justly, but a good cognizant? And yet a good cognizant lied not in saying, I know you not: that is, ye are not joined to My Body, ye cleave not to My Rules, ye are vicious, but I am that very Art which haveth no vice, and in which a man learneth not save not to do vice. False tvitnesses did rise up; they laid to My charge things that I knew not. What knew not Christ so much, as to blaspheme? Thereof was He called in question by His persecutors, and because He spake truth, He was judged to have spoken blasphemy. But by whom? By them of whom it26>65, followeth, (ver. 12.) They rewarded Me evil for good, and barrenness to My Soul. 1 gave unto them fruitfulness, they rewarded Me barrenness; 1 gave life, they death; I honour, they dishonour; I medicine, they wounds; and in all these which they rewarded Me, was truly barrenness. This barrenness in the tree He cursed, when seeking fruit He found none. Leaves there were, and fruit there was not: words21' there were, and deeds there were not. See of words abundance, and of deeds barrenness. Thou that preachest a man should not steal, slealest: thou that sayest a man21'22* should not commit adultery, committest adultery. Such were they who charged Christ with things that He knew not.

3. Ver. 13. But I, when they troubled me, clothed myself with sackcloth, and humbled my soul with fasting, and my prayer shall return into mine own bosom. We are taught indeed, Brethren, that we belong to the Body of Christ, that we are members of Christ; and we are admonished in all our tribulations to consider not how we may answer our enemies, but how by praying we may propitiate God, and chiefly to pray that we be not overcome by temptation; then, that even those who persecute us may be converted to soundness and righteousness. There is no greater, no better employment in tribulation, than to retire from the noise which is without, and to go into the inner closet of the tnere ^ ca]j up0n God, where none seeth thee groaning, and Him succouring; that chamber-door to close against every invading trouble; to humble thyself in confession of sin, to magnify and praise God, both chastising and consoling: this must by every means be held firm. But of the Body must we say this; that is, of ourselves: of our Lord Jesus Christ, what such as this do we find? The Gospel being looked through and most diligently searched, we find not that the Lord in any passion or tribulation clothed Himself with sackcloth. That He fasted indeed we read, after He was baptized: sackcloth there we hear of none, read of none; but that He fasted, the Jews not yet persecuting, but the devil tempting Him. At that time I say that the Lord fasted not, when they charged Him with things which He knew not, and when they regarded Him evil for good, by railing, by persecuting, by holding fast, by scourging, by wounding, by slaying: but yet in all these, Brethren, if for some little space with pious curiosity we lift the veil, and search with the iutent eye of the heart the inner part of this Scripture, we find that even this the Lord did. Sackcloth, haply He calleth His mortal flesh. Wherefore Sackcloth? For the likeness of sinful flesh. For the Apostle Qod sent His Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, that through sin He might condemn sin in the flesh: that is, He clothed His Own Son with sackcloth, that through sackcloth ' He might condemn the goats. Not that there was sin, I say not in the Word of God, but not even in that Holy Soul and Mind of a Man, which the Word and Wisdom of God had so joined to Himself as to be One Person. Nay, nor even in His very Body was any sin, but the likeness of sinful flesh there was in the Lord; because death is not but by sin, and surely that Body was mortal. For had It not been mortal, It had not died; had It not died, It had not again; had It not risen again, It had not shewed us an of eternal life. So then death, which is caused by is called sin, as we say the Greek tongue, the Latin tongue, meaning not the very member of flesh, but that which is done by the member of flesh. For the tongue in our members is one among others, as the eyes, nose, ears, and the rest: but the Greek tongue is Greek words, not that the tongue is words, but that words are by the tongue. Thou sayest of one, 1 know his face, speaking of a member of his body; and thou sayest also, 1 know his hand though he is absent, not the hand of his body, but the writing which was made by the hand of his body. So then the sin of the Lord, is that which was caused by sin; because He assumed flesh, of the same lump which had deserved death by sin. For to speak more briefly, Mary who was of Adam died for sin, Adam died for sin, and the Flesh of the Lord which was of Mary died to put away sin. With this sackcloth the Lord clothed Himself, and therefore was He not known, because He lay hid under sackcloth. When they, saith He, troubled Me, I clothed Myself with sackcloth: that is, they raged, I lay hid. For had He not willed to lie hid, neither could He have died, since in one moment of time one drop only of His Power, if indeed it is to be called a drop, He put forth, when they wished to seize Him, and at His one question, Whom seek ye? they all went back and fell to the ground. Such power could He not have humbled in passion, if He had not lain hid under sackcloth.

4. I clothed Myself with sackcloth, and humbled My Soul with fasting. Again, if we have understood the sackcloth, how understand we the fasting? Wished Christ to eat, when He sought fruit on the tree, and if He had found, would He have eaten? Wished Christ to drink, when He said to the woman of Samaria, Give Me to drink? when He said on the Cross, I thirst? For what hungered, for what thirsted Christ, but our good works? Because in them that28* crucified and persecuted Him He had found no good works, He fasted; for they rewarded barrenness to His soul. For what a fast was His, Who found barely one thief, whom on the Cross He might taste! For the Apostles had fled, and had hidden themselves in the multitude. And even Peter, who even to the death of his Lord had promised to persevere, had now thrice denied Him, had now wept, and still lay hid in the multitude, still feared lest He should be known. Lastly, haying seen Him dead, all of them despaired of their own safety; and despairing He found them, after His resurrection, and when He spake with them, found them grieving and mourning, no longer hoping any thing. For so also did certain of them who spake with Him. When He said, What talk ye between yourselves? (for they were talking of Him;) Art Thou only, they said, a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known what things our priests and rulers have done concerning Jesus of Nazareth, Who was a man mighty in word and deed; how they have crucified and slain Him? But we trusted that it should have been He that should have redeemed Israel. In great fasting had the Lord remained, had He not refreshed them that He might feed on them. For He refreshed them, He comforted them, He confirmed them, and into His Own Body converted them. In this manner then was our Lord also in fasting.

5. And My prayer shall return into Mine Own Bosom. In the bosom of this verse is plainly a great depth, and may the Lord grant that it be fathomable by us. For in the 6 bosom' a secret is understood. And we ourselves, Brethren, are here well admonished to pray within our own bosom, where God seeth, where God heareth, where no human eye penetrateth, where none seeth but He Who succoureth; where Susanna prayed, and her voice though it was not heard by meu, yet by God was heard. Of this indeed we are well admonished, but of our Lord ought we to understand something more, because He Himself also prayed. And, indeed, His sackcloth we find not in the Gospel according to the letter, nor His fasting at the time of His Passion according to the letter; and these therefore I have explained to be spoken by au allegory or similitude, as I could. But His prayer even from the Cross have we heard, My God9 My ®od> why ***** Thou forsaken Me! But there also were we. For when did the Father forsake Him, from Whom He never departed? We read also that in the mount Jesus Prayed alone, we read that He passed the night in prayer, even at the time of His Passion. What then? And My prayer shall return into Mine Own Bosom. I know not W^at ketter to understand concerning the Lord: take meanwhile what now occurs; perhaps something better will occur hereafter, either to me or to some better: My prayer shall return into Mine Own Bosom: this I understand to be said, because in His Own Bosom He had the Father. ForzCor.b, God was in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself. In Himself He had Him to Whom He prayed. He was not far from Him, for Himself had said, / am in the Father ', and the Father in Me. But because prayer rather belongeth to very Man, (for according as Christ is the Word, He prayeth not, but heareth prayer; and seeketh not to be succoured for Himself, but with the Father succoureth all:) what is, My prayer shall return into Mine Own Bosom, but in Me My Manhood invoketh in Me My Godhead.

6. Ver. 14. As a Neighbour, as our Brother, so I pleased Him: as one mourning and sorrowful, so I humbled myself Now looketh He back to His Own Body: let us now look to this. When we rejoice in prayer, when our mind is calmed, not by the world's prosperity, but by the light of Truth: (who perceiveth this light, knoweth what I say, and he seeth and acknowledgeth what is said, As a Neighbour, as our Brother, so I pleased Him:) even then our soul pleaseth God, not placed afar off, for, In Him, saith one, we live and move and have our being, but as a Brother, as a Neighbour, as a Friend. But if it be not such that it can so rejoice, so shine, so approach, so cleave unto Him, and seeth itself far off thence, then let it do what followeth, As one mourning and sorrowful, so I humbled Myself. As our Brother, so I pleased Him, said He, drawing near; As one mourning and sorrowful, so I humbled myself, said He, removed and set afar off. For what mourneth any one, but that which he desireth, and hath not? And sometimes in one man happen both, that at one time he should draw near, at another be far off; draw near by the light of Truth, be far off by the cloud of the flesh. For neither, Brethren, unto God, Who is every where, and is contained in no place, do we through place draw near, or from Him through place remove. To draw near unto Him, is to become like unto Him; to remove from Him, to become unlike unto Him. Dost not thou, when thou seest two things nearly alike, say, This comes near to that? and when things unlike are shewn to thee, though in one place, and though they be held often in one hand, say, This kind is far off from that? Thou holdest both, joinest both, and sayest, This thing is far from that, not forsooth in place, but in unlikeness. If then thou wouldest draw near to Him, be like unto Him: if thou wilt not be like, thou wilt be far off. But when thou art like, rejoice; when unlike, groan; that groaning may excite desire, nay that desire may excite groaning, and that through groaning thou mayest draw near, who hadst begun to be afar off. Did not Peter draw near, when He said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the Living God? And yet the same man became afar off by saying, Be it far from Thee, Lord; this shall not be unto Thee. Lastly, what said He, his Neighbour, as it were, to him drawing near? Blessed art thou, Simon, Barjona. To him afar off, as it were, and unlike, what said He? Get thee behind Me, Satan. To him drawing near, Flesh and blood, saith He, hath not revealed it unto Thee, but My Father, which is in Heaven. His Light is shed over Thee, in His Light Thou shinest. Butwhenhaving become afar off, he spake against the Lord's Passion, which should be for our Salvatiou, Thou savourest not, said He, the things that be of God, but those that be of men. One rightly placing together both of these saith in a certain Psalm, I said in my ecstasy, I am cast off from before Thine Eyes. In my ecstasy, would he not have said, had he not drawn near; for ecstasy is the transporting of the mind. He poured over himself his own soul, and drew near unto God; and through some cloud and weight of the flesh being again cast down to earth, and recollecting where he had been, and seeing where he was, he said, / am cast off from before Thine Eyes. This then, As a Neighbour, as our Brother, so I pleased Him, may He grant to be done in us; but when that is not, let even this be done, As one mourning and sorrowful, so I humbled myself

7. Ver. 15. And against Me they rejoiced, and gathered themselves together*, against Me only: they rejoicing, I sorrowful. But we heard just now in the Gospel, Blessed are they that mourn. If they are blessed that mourn, miserable are they that laugh. Against Me they rejoiced, and gathered themselves together: scourges were gathered

» E. V. But in mine adversity they rejoiced and gathered themselves together. together against Me, and they knew noth. Because they laid to My charge things that I knew not, they also knew not Whom they charged.

8. Ver. 16. Tftey tempted Me, and mocked Me with mocking*. That is, they derided Me, they insulted Me; this of the Head, this of the Body. Consider, Brethren, the glory of the Church which now is; remember its past dishonours, remember how once were Christians every where put to flight, and wherever found, mocked, beaten, slain, exposed to beasts, burned, men rejoicing against them. As it was to the Head, so it is also to the Body. For as it was to the Lord on the Cross, so has it been to His Body in all that persecution which was made but now: nor even now cease the persecutions of the same. Wherever men find a Christian, they are wont to insult, to persecute, to deride him, to call him dull, senseless, of no spirit, of no knowledge. Do they what they will, Christ is in Heaven; do they what they will, He hath honoured His punishment, already hath He fixed His Cross in the foreheads of all; the ungodly is permitted to insult, to rage he is not permitted; but yet from that which the tongue uttereth, is understood what he beareth in his heart: They gnashed upon Me with their teeth.

9. Ver. 17. Lord, when wilt Thou look on f Rescue My Soul from their deceits. My Darling from the lions. For to us the time is slow; and in our person is this said, When wilt Thou look on? that is, when shall we see vengeance upon those who insult us? When shall the Judge, overcome by weariness, hear the widow? But our Judge, not from weariness, but from love, delay eth our salvation; from reason, not from need; not that He could not even now succour us, but that the number of us all may be filled up even to the end. And yet out of our desire, what do we say? Lord, when wilt Thou look on? Rescue My Soul from their deceits, My Darling from the lions: that is. My Church from raging powers.

10. Lastly, wouldest thou know what is that Darling? b E. V. Yea, the objects gathered themselves together against me, and I feasts, they gnashed upon Me with their Read the words following: (ver. 18.) / will confess unto Thee, O Lord, in the great Congregation; in a weighty1 people will I praise Thee. Truly saith He, / will confess unto Thee in the great Congregation; in a weighty people will I praise Thee: for confession is made in all the multitude, but not in all is God praised: the whole multitude heareth our confession, but not in all the multitude is the praise of God. For in all the whole multitude, that is, in the Church which is spread abroad in the whole world, is chaff, and wheat: the chaff flieth, the wheat remaineth; therefore, in a weighty people will I praise Thee. In a weighty people, which the wind of temptation carries not away, in such is God praised. For in the chaff He is ever blasphemed. When our chaff is considered, what is meant? See how Christians live, see what Christians do; and it is fulfilled, which is written, Through you is My Name blasphemed 1 among the Gentiles. Wickedly, grudgingly beholdest thou the threshing-floor, who art all on the chaff; not easily appeareth the grain to thee; seek and thou shalt find a weighty people in which thou may est praise God. Wouldest thou find? Be thou such; for if thou be not such, it is hard but that all should appear to thee such as thou art: Comparing (saith the Apostle) themselves among themselves, they understand not. In a weighty people will I praise Thee.

11. Ver. 19. Let not them that are Mine enemies wrongfully rejoice over Me: for they rejoice over Me because of My chaff. Who hate Me without a cause; that is, whom I never hurt; winking with their eyes: that is, pretending hypocrites, (ver. 20.) For they spake indeed peace to Me. What is, winking with their eyes? Declaring by their looks, what they carry not in their heart. And who are these winking with their eyes? (ver. 20.) For they spake indeed peace to Me; and with wrath devised craftily. (Ver. 21.) Yea they opened their mouth wide against Me. First winking with their eyes, those lions sought to ravish and devour; first fawning they spake peace, and then with wrath devised craftily. What peace spake they? Master, we know that Thou acceptest not man's person, and teaches t the way of God in truth. Is it lawful to give tribute unto Cmsar, or not? They spake indeed peace unto Me. What then? Didst not Thou know them, and deceived they Thee, winking with their eyes? Truly He knew them; therefore said He, Why tempt ye Me, ye hypocrites? Afterward, they opened their mouth wide against Me, crying, Crucify Him, Crucify Him! and said. Aha, Aha, our eyes have seen it. This, when they insulted Him, Aha, Aha, Prophesy unto w*>^at^ Thou Christ. As their peace was pretended, when they tempted Him concerning the money, so now insulting was their praise. They said, Aha, Aha, our eyes have seen it: that is, Thy deeds, Thy miracles. This Man is the Christ. If He be the Christ, let Him come down from the Cross, andMutt we will believe Him. He saved others, Himself He cannot save. Our eyes have seen it. This is all whereof He23>35« boasted Himself, when, He called Himself the Son of Ood. But the Lord was hanging patient upon the Cross: His power had He not lost, but He shewed His patience. For what great thing was it for Him to come down from the Cross, Who could afterward rise again from the sepulchre? But He seems to have yielded to His insulteis; and this behoved, that having risen again He should shew Himself to His own, and not to them, and this is a great mystery; for His resurrection signified the New Life, but the New Life is known to His friends, not to His enemies.

12. Ver. 22. This Thou hast seen, O Lord; keep not silence. What is, keep not silence? Judge Thou. For of judgment is it said in a certain place, I have kept silence; shall I keep silence for ever? And of the delaying of judg-jgept. ment it is said to the sinner, These things hoist thou done, and I kept silence; Thou thoughtest that I was altogether21' such an one as thyself How keepeth He silence, Who speaketh by the Prophets, Who speaketh with His own mouth in the Gospel, Who speaketh by the Evangelists, Who speaketh by us, when we speak the truth? What then? He keepeth silence from judgment, not from precept, not from doctrine. But this His judgment the Prophet in a manner invoketh, and predicteth: Thou hast seen, O Lord: keep not silence; that is, Thou wilt not keep silence, needs must that Thou wilt judge. O Lord, be not far from Me. Until Thy judgment come, be not far from Me, as Thou hast promised, Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.

13. Ver. 23. Arise, Lord, and attend to My judgment. what judgment? That Thou art in tribulation; that Thou art tormented with labours and pains? Do not even many wicked men suffer the same? To what judgment? Therefore art Thou righteous, because Thou sufferest these things? No: but what? To My judgment. What followeth? Attend to My judgment; even to My cause, My God, and My Lord. Not to My punishment, but to My cause: not to that which the robber hath in common with Me, but to that whereof is said, Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake. For this cause is distinguished. For punishment is equal to good and bad. Therefore Martyrs, not the punishment, but the cause maketh, for if punishment made Martyrs, all the mines would be full of Martyrs, every chain would drag Martyrs, all that are executed with the sword would be crowned. Therefore, let the cause be distinguished; let none say, because I suffer, I am righteous. Because He Who first suffered, suffered for righteousness' sake, therefore He added a great exception, Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness* sake. For many having a good cause do persecution, and many having a bad cause suffer persecution. For if persecution could not be done rightly, it had not been said in a certain Psalm, Whoso privily slandereth his neighbour, him did I persecute. Then, Brethren, doth not a good and righteous father persecute a prodigal son? His vices he persecuteth, not himself: not that which he begat, but that which the other added. The surgeon truly, who is called in to give health, is not he mostly armed with a knife? but against the wound, not against the man: he cuts that he may cure: and yet when he cuts the sick man, he is pained, cries out, resists, and if haply by fever he hath lost his senses, even strikes the surgeon: nor yet does not he desist from seeking the health of the sick man; what he knoweth right he doth, him cursing and reviling he regardeth not. Are not all lethargies roused, lest from heavy sleep they may sink down to death? And this they suffer from their own sons whom they have begotten most dear to them, and the son is not dear unless he hath been troublesome to his sleeping Father. The lethargic are roused, the frenzied are bound, but yet both are loved. Let none then say, I suffer persecution: let him not sift the punishment, but prove the cause: lest if he prove not the cause, he be numbered with the ungodly. Therefore how watchfully, how excellently hath This Man recommended Himself, O Lord, attend to My judgment, not to My punishments; even to My cause, My God, and My Lord.

14. Ver. 24. Judge me, 0 Lord, according to My righteousness; that is, attend to My cause. Not according to My punishment, but according to My righteousness, O Lord, My God, that is, according to this judge Thou Me.

15. And let them not rejoice over Me; that is, Mine enemies. (Ver. 25.) Let them not say in their heart, Aha, aha, so would we have it; that is, We have done what we could', we have slain him, we have taken him away. Let them not say: shew them that they have done nothing. Let them not say, We have swallowed him up. Whence say those Martyrs, If the Lord had not been on our side, then they had swallowed us up quick. What is, had swallowed us up? Had passed into their own body. For that thou swallowest up, which thou passest into thy own body. The world would swallow thee up; swallow thou the world, pass it into thy own body: kill and eat. As it was said to Peter, Kill and eat; do thou kill in them what they are, make them what Thou art. But if they on the other hand persuade thee to ungodliness, thou art swallowed up by them. Not when they persecute thee art thou swallowed up by them, but when they persuade thee to be what they axe. Let them not say, We have swallowed him up. Do thou swallow up the body of Pagans. Why the body of Pagans? It would swallow thee up. Do thou to' it, what it would* to thee. Therefore perhaps that calf, being ground to powder, was cast into the water and given to the children of Israel to drink, that so the body of ungodliness might be swallowed up by Israel. (Ver. 26.) Let them be ashamed and brought to confusion together that rejoice at mine hurt: let them be clothed with shame and dishonour; so that we may swallow up them ashamed and brought to confusion. Who speak evil against me: let them be ashamed, let them be brought to confusion.

16. What sayest thou now, the Head with the Members? 27.) Let them shout for joy and ' be glad that favour My righteous cause: who cleave to My Body. Yea, let them say continually Let the Lord be magnified, Which hath pleasure in the prosperity of His servant. (Ver. 28.) And My Tongue shall speak of Thy righteousness, and qf Thy praise all the day long. And whose tongue endureth to speak the praise of God all the day long? See now I have made a discourse something longer; ye are wearied. Who endureth to praise God all the day long? I will suggest a remedy, whereby thou mayest praise God all the day long if thou wilt. Whatever thou dost, do well, and thou hast praised God. When thou singest an hymn, thou praisest God, but what doth thy tongue, unless thy heart also praise Him? Hast thou ceased from singing hymns, and departed, that thou mayest refresh thyself? Be not drunken, and thou hast praised God. Dost thou go away to sleep? Rise not to do evil^ and thou hast praised God, Dost thou transact business? Do no wrong, and thou hast praised God. Dost thou till thy field? Raise not strife, and thou hast praised God. In the innocency of thy works prepare thyself to praise God all the day long.