Psalm 36 (Vulgate 35)

Attend, dearly Beloved, a little to the text and the mys-teries of this Psalm; and let us run through it, since in many places it is plain: but when the necessity of its obscurity compels us to dwell upon it, ye will endure it for the sake of the advantage of learning. (Ver. 1.) The t/n-godly hath said in himself that he will sin: there is no fear God before his eyes. Not of one man, but of a race of ungodly men he speaketh, who fight against their own selves, by not understanding, that so they may live well; not because they cannot, but because they will not. For it is one thing, when one endeavours to understand some thing, and through infirmity of the flesh cannot; as saith the Scripture a certain place, For the corruptible body presseth down the soul, and the earthly tabernacle weigheth down the mind that museth upon many things; but another when the human heart acts mischievously against itself, so that what it could understand, if it had but good will thereto, it understandeth not, not because it is difficult, but because the will is contrary. But so it is when men love their own sins, and hate God's Commandments. For the Word of God is thy adversary, if thou be a friend to thy ungodliness; but if thou art an adversary to thy ungodliness, the Word of God is thy friend, as well as the adversaryof thy ungodliness. If then thou hatest thy ungodliness, thou joinest thyself to the Word of God, and ye will be two against it, thou, and the Word of God, to destroy it. For thou indeed by thyself, of thy own strength, canst do nothing; but He helpeth thee Who hath sent to thee His Word, and so ungodliness is overcome. If thou hatest it, God also hath remitted it, and thou shalt be free: but if thou love it, it is contrary to thee to understand aught that is said against it. Suppose a man to ask how the Son can be equal to the Father: he hath believed it, he seeketh to understand it, as yet he cannot; for it is a great matter, and requireth greater powers that it may be comprehended; and it is the beginning of faith, which keepeth the soul until it be strengthened. With milk it is nourished, that it may arrive at the fitness and firmness for stronger meat; that it may be able to understand this, In the beginning was the Word; and the Word was with God; and the Word was God. Before it can do this, it is1* nourished in faith; and it endeavours to understand, that it may understand as much as God shall grant. Doth it with endeavours understand this also? What thou wouldest not to be done to thee, do not thou to another. That because thou wouldest not suffer iniquity, thou shouldest not do iniquity; because thou wouldest not suffer treachery and deceit, thou shouldest not contrive deceit against another? No, but this when thou wouldest not understand, it is attributed to thy will. Therefore, The ungodly hath said in himself, that he will sin; he hath purposed to sin.

2. But doth he who purposeth to sin, say this in public, and not rather in himself? Why in himself? Because no man seeth him. What then, because man seeth not in the heart, wherein he saith to himself that he will sin, doth not God see therein? God doth see therein. Bat what followeth? There is no fear of God before his eyes. There is fear of men before his eyes, for he dareth not in public to declare his iniquity, lest he be either reproved or condemned by men. But he departeth from the sight of men; whither? To himself: be betaketh himself within, and no man seeth him; where he meditateth treachery, and deceit, and sin, there no man seeth him. Even there he might not meditate with himself, if he thought that God seeth him: but since there is no fear of God before his eyes, when he hath departed from the sight of men to his own heart, whom should he fear there? Is not God present there? Yea, but there is no fear of God before his eyes.

3. Therefore he meditateth deceits, and then followeth, — (Doth it haply escape him that God seeth there? The very thing is declared which I was beginning to speak of: it doth escape him, but of his own will, because he wrought against himself, not willing to understand.) (Ver. 2.) For he hath wrought deceitfully in His sight. In whose sight? In His, Whose fear was not before thte eyes of him that did work deceitfully. To find out his iniquity, and hate it. He wrought so as not to find it. For there are men who as it were endeavour to seek out their iniquity, and fear to find it; because if they should find it, it is said to them, Depart from it: this thou didst before thou knewest; thou didst iniquity being in ignorance; God giveth pardon: now thou hast discovered it, forsake it, that to thy ignorance pardon may easily be given; and that with a clear face thou mayest say to God, Remember not the sins of my youth, and of my ignorance. Thus he seeketh it, thus he feareth lest he find it; for he seeketh it deceitfully. When saith a man, I knew not that it was sin? When he hath seen that it is sin, and ceaseth to do the sin, which he did only because he was ignorant: such an one in truth would know his sin, to find it, out, and hate it. But now many i work deceitfully to find out their iniquity:' they work not from their heart to find it out and hate it. But because in the very search after iniquity, there is deceit, in the finding it there will be defence of it. For when one hath found his iniquity, lo now it is manifest to him that it is iniquity. Do it not, thou sayest. And he who wrought deceitfully to find it out, now he hath found, hateth it not; for what saith he? How many do this! Who is there that doth it not? And will God destroy them all? Or at least he saith this: if God would not these things to be done, would men live who commit the same? Seest thou that thou didst work deceitfully to find out thy iniquity? For if not deceitfully but sincerely thou hadst wrought, thou wouldest now have found it out, and hated it; now thou hast found it out, and thou defendest it; therefore thou didst work deceitfully, when thou soughtest it.

4. Ver. 3. The words of Ms mouth are iniquity and deceit: he would not understand, that he might do good. Ye see that he attributeth that to the will: for there are men who would understand and cannot, and there are men who would not understand, and therefore understand not. He would not understand, that he might do good.

5. Ver. 4. He hath meditated iniquity on his bed. What said He, On his bed? The ungodly hath said in himself, that he will sin: what above he said, in himself, that here he said, On his bed. Our bed is our heart: there we suffer the tossing of an evil conscience; and there we rest when our conscience is good. Whoso loveth the bed of his heart, let him do some good therein. There is our bed, where the Lord Jesus Christ commands us to pray. Enter »foMatt.6, thy chamber, and shut thy door. What is, Shut thy door?6' Expect not from Gojl such things as are without, but such as are within; and thy Father which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly. Who is he that shutteth not the door? He who asketh much from God such things, and in such wise directeth all his prayers, that he may receive the goods that are of this world. Thy door is open, the multitude seeth when thou prayest. What is it to shut thy door? To ask that of God, which God alone knoweth how He giveth. What is that for which thou prayest, when thou hast shut the door? What eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, nor hath entered into the heart of man. And haply it hath not entered into thy very bed, that is, into thy heart. But God knoweth what He will give: but when shall it be? When the Lord shall be revealed, when the Judge shall appear. For what is plainer than that which He shall say to them that are set at His Right Hand? Come, ye blessed of My Father, inherit tne Kingdom prepared for you from the beginning of the world. This shall they hear who are on the left hand, and shall groan with fruitless repentance, because so living they would not repent with fruit. Why shall they groan? Because there is for them no place of recovery. But they also shall hear somewhat themselves: Depart from Me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels* That is an evil hearing. For the righteous at their good hearing shall rejoice; for so it is written, The righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance; he shall not be afraid from any evil hearing. From what evil hearing? That which they shall hear: Depart, ye cursed, into everlasting fire. God therefore, Who is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that ice ask or think, searcheth out our secret groaning, that in His sight we maybe pleasing, and not as it were of our own righteousness boast ourselves before men. For whoso by his own righteousness would please men, not to that end that they who see him may praise God, but with this intention that he may himself be praised, he shutteth not his door against noise; for the door is open to that noise, and God heareth not as He would hear. Our bed, then, pur heart, let us strive to cleanse, that it may be well with us there. Ye know, my Beloved, how many things many suffer in public, in the forum, in strifes, in contentions, in troublesome business: how a man, wearied with business abroad, runneth to his house that he may rest there, and striveth quickly to finish his business abroad, and to betake himself, for rest, to his own house. For therefore hath every one a home of his own, that he may rest therein. But if there also he suffer trouble, where can he rest? What then? It is good to have rest in his own house. But if abroad he suffer enemies, within perhaps a bad wife, he goeth forth into public: when he would rest from those troubles which are abroad, he entereth into his house: but when he neither resteth here, nor resteth abroad, where shall there be rest? At least in the closet of the heart, when thou betakest thyself to thine inmost conscience. If there thou hast haply found a wife that causeth thee no bitterness, even the Wisdom of God; with her join thyself; rest within in thy chamber; let not the smoke of an evil conscience drive thee thence. But it was to meditate deceits, that he, of whom the Scripture speaketh these things, betook himself thither where men see not; and such things did he there meditate to himself, that not even in his heart could he rest. He hath meditated iniquity on his bed.

6. He hath set himself in every way that is not good. What is, he hath set himself 7 He hath sinned perseveringly. Whence also of a certain pious and good man it is said, /fePs. hath not stood in the way of sinners. As this hath not stood, so that hath set himself. But wickedness hath he not hated. There is the end, there the fruit: if a man can not but have wickedness, let him at least hate it. For when thou hatest it, it scarcely occurs to thee to do any wickedness. For sin is in our mortal body, but what saith the Apostle? Let not sin reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. When beginneth it not to be therein? When that shall be fulfilled in us which he saith, When this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality. Before this come to pass, there is a delighting in sin in the body, but greater is the delighting and the pleasure in the Word of Wisdom, in the Commandment of God. Overcome sin and the lust thereof. Sin and iniquity do thou hate, that thou mayest join thyself to God, Who hateth it as well as thou. Now being joined in mind unto the Law of God, in mind thou servest the Law of God. And if in the flesh thou therefore servest * the law of sin, because there are in thee certain carnal delightings, then will there be25, none when thou shalt no longer fight. It is one thing, not to fight, and to be in true and lasting peace; another to fight and overcome; another to fight and to be overcome; another not to fight at all, but to be carried away. For there are men who do not fight at all, such as is he of whom He speaketh, when he saith, Wickedness hath he not hated; for how fighteth he against that which he hath not hated? He is carried off by wickedness, and doth not fight. But there are who begin to fight, but because they presume on their own strength, (that God may shew them that it is He that overcome th, if man ioineth himself to God.) both when they ' fight they are overcome, and when they begin after a sort to lay hold on righteousness, they become proud, and are confounded. These fight, but are overcome. But who is he that fighteth, and is not overcome? He who saith, / see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mindb. See- he fighteth, but not on his own strength presuraeth he, therefore he shall be conqueror. For what followeth, O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? The grace of God, through Jesus Christ our Lord. He presumeth on Him who commanded him to fight; and overcometh his enemy, assisted by Him that commanded. But as for this man, wickedness hath he not hated.

7. Ver. 5. Thy mercy, O Lord, is in the heavens, and Thy truth reacheth ev6n unto the clouds. I know not what Mercy of Him he meaneth, which is in the heavens. For the Mercy of the Lord is also in the earth. Thou hast it written, The earth is full of the Mercy of the Lord. Of what Mercy then speaketh He, when He saith, Thy Mercy, 0 Lord, is in the heavens? The gifts of God are partly temporal and earthly, partly eternal and heavenly. Whoso for this worshippeth God, that he may receive those temporal and earthly goods, which are open to all, is still as it were like the brutes: he enjoyeth indeed the Mercy of God, but not that which is excepted, which shall not be given, save only to the righteous, to "the holy, to the good. What are the gifts which abound to all? He maketh His sun' to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. Who hath not this Mercy of God, first that he hath being, that he is distinguished from the brutes, that he is a rational animal, so as to understand God; secondly, that he enjoys this light, this air, rain, fruits, diversity of seasons, and all the earthly comforts, health of body, the affection of friends, the safety of his family? All these are good, and they are God's gifts. Think not, Brethren, that any can give these, but God alone. Whoever then expecteth not these things but from the Lord, is very different from those who expect them even from devils, or from diviners, or from astrologers. For these are in two ways miserable, both because they desire only earthly goods, and because they ask not from Him Who giveth all goods. But they who desire these goods, and in these goods would be happy, and seek them only from God, in this indeed are better, that they seek them from God, but yet they are endangered. Saith one, How are they endangered? Because sometimes they consider human affairs, and see that all these earthly goods, which they desire, the ungodly and unrighteous have abundantly; and think that they have lost the reward of worshipping God, because the same which the wicked have they also have, though they worship God, Whom the others worship not- or because sometimes they who worship have not at all, and they have who blaspheme: therefore they are still in danger.

8. But this man rightly understood what mercy he should pray for from God. Thy Mercy, OLord, is in the Heavens; and Thy Truth reacheth even to the clouds. That is, the Mercy which Thou givest to Thy Saints, is Heavenly, not earthly; is Eternal, not temporal. And how couldest Thou declare it unto men? Because, Thy Truth reacheth even unto the clouds. For who could know the Heavenly Mercy of God, unless God should declare it unto men? How did He declare it? By sending His truth even unto the clouds. What are the clouds? The Preachers of the Word of God. By whom in a certain place God was wroth with a certain vineyard. For I suppose, My Beloved, ye have understood, as well as heard the Prophet Isaiah, where He saith of a certain Vineyard, / looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes. And lest any should think that He spake of a visible vineyard, he so concluded. The Vineyard of the Lord of Hosts is the House of Israel, and the men of Judah His pleasant plant. Therefore He reproved the Vineyard, which He looked should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes. And what said He? I will command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it.^^ And verily it came ta pass. For the Apostles were sent to be Preachers. We find in the Acts of the Apostles that the Apostle Paul wished to preach to the Jews, and he found in them no grapes but wild grapes. For they began for his good to render evil, and to persecute him, and he, fulfilling what is written, 1 will command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it, said, Unto you were we sent, but since ye reject the Word of God, loy we turn to the Gentiles. Therefore was this fulfilled, / will command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it. Truth reached even to the clouds: therefore unto us could be declared the Mercy of God, which is in Heaven and not in earth. And truly, Brethren, the clouds are the Preachers of the Word of Truth. When God threateneth through His Preachers, He thunders through the clouds. When God worketh miracles through His Preachers, He lightneth through the clouds, He terrifieth through the clouds, and watereth by the rain. Those Preachers then, by whom is preached the Gospel of God, are the clouds of God. Let us then hope for Mercy, but for that which is in the Heavens.

9. Ver. 6. Thy Righteousness is like the mountains of God: Thy Judgments are a great deep. Who are the mountains of God. Those who are called clouds, the same are also the mountains of God. The great Preachers are the mountains of God. And as when the sun riseth, he first clothes the mountains with light, and thence the light descends to the lowest parts of the earth: so our Lord Jesus Christ, when He came, first irradiated the height of the Apostles, first enlightened the mountains, and so His Light descended to the valley of the world. And therefore saith He in a certain Psalm, I lifted up mine eyes unto the mountains, from whence cometh my help. But think not that the mountains themselves will give thee help: for they' receive what they may give, give not of their own. And if thou remain in the mountains, thy hope will not be strong: but in Him, Who enlighteneth the mountains, ought to be thy hope and presumption. Thy help indeed will come to thee through the mountains, because the Scriptures are administered to thee through the mountains, through the great Preachers of the Truth: but fix not thy hope in them. Hear what He saith next following: / lifted up mine eyes unto the mountains, from whence cometh my help. What then? Do the mountains give thee help? No; hear what follows, My help cometh from the Lord, Which made Heaven and earth. Through the mountains cometh help, but not from the mountains. From whom then? From the Lord, Which made Heaven and earth. There have been other mountains, by whom whosoever would guide his ship has made shipwreck. For there have risen up leaders of heresies, who have been mountains. Arius was a mountain, Donatus was a mountain, Maximianus 1 even now was like a mountain. Many looking to those mountains and desiring land, when they would be freed from the waves, were driven on the rocks, and made shipwreck on the land. By such mountains was not he seduced, who said, In the Lord put I my trust. How say ye to my soul, Flee as a bird to your mountain. I would not my hope should be in Arius, I would not in Donatus. My help cometh from the Lord, Which made Heaven and earth. Learn ye how far ye may presume upon God, and how much ye may attribute to men, for Cursed is the man that trusteth in man. Most meekly and humbly, the holy Apostle Paul, being truly jealous of the Church, but for the Bridegroom, not for himself, and fearing those who would say, / am of Paul, and I am of Apollos, chose rather hisiCor.3, own person to tread upon and despise, that he might glorify Christ. Was Paul crucified for you, or were ye baptized in the name of Paul? He repels them from himself; but that he may send them to Christ. Even the friend of the Bridegroom would not to be loved by the Bride for the Bridegroom. For the Apostles are the friends of the Bridegroom. For the same Bridegroom, the humble John also, who was thought the Christ, was jealous. Wherefore he said, I am not the Christ: but there cometh One mightier than I after me, the latchet of Whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose. And so humbling himself, he truly shewed that he was not the Bridegroom, but the Bridegroom's friend; and therefore he said, He that hath the Bride is the Bridegroom: but the friend of the Bridegroom, which29' standeth and heareth Him, rejoiceth greatly because of the Bridegroom's voice. And if the friend of the Bridegroom is a mountain, yet hath not the mountain light from itself: but he heareth and rejoiceth greatly because of the Bridegroom's voice. JJ re, saith he,haveallreceived of His fulness. Ofwhose fulness? Of His, Who was the True Light Which lighlenelh16'9' every man that cometh into* the world. For Him then the Apostle also was jealous of the Church, saying, Let a man 80 Gccount of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God. That is, / lifted up mine eyes unto the mountains, from whence eometh my help. Let a man so account of us as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God. But lest thy hope be again fixed on the mountains and not on God, hear this, I have planted, Apollos watered; and God gave the increase; and this, So then, neither is he that planteth any thing, nor he that watereth, but God that giveth the increase. Now then thou hast said, / lifted up mine eyes unto the mountains, from whence cometh my help: but because neither is he that planteth any thing, nor. he that watereth; say, My help cometh from the Lord, Which made Heaven and earth; and, Thy Righteousness is like the mountains of God: that is, the mountains are filled with Thy Righteousness.

10. Thy Judgments are like the great abyss. The abyss he calleth the depth of sin, whither every one cometh by despising God; as in a certain place it is said, God gave them over to their own hearts* lusts, to do the things which are not convenient. Attend, my Beloved. This is a great matter; a great matter is before us. What meaneth this, God gave them over to their own hearts* lusts, to do the things that are not convenient? If then God has given them over to their own hearts' lusts, to do those things which are not convenient, is it therefore they do such wickednesses? Suppose one should propose this question; if God maketh them to do the things which are not convenient, what have they done? The secret is that which thou heardest, God gave them over to their own hearts' lusts. Therefore it was lust which they would not overcome, to which they were delivered by the Judgment of God. But that they should be held worthy to be delivered, see what of them he said before, Because that when they knew God, they glorified Him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Whereby? By their pride; for, Professing themselves wise, they became fools. And thereupon followeth, God gave them over to their own hearts' lusts. Because then they were proud and ungrateful, they were held worthy to be delivered up to the lusts of their own Tiearts, and became a great abyss, so that they not only sinned, but also worked craftily, lest they should understand their iniquity, and hate it. That is the depth of wickedness, to be unwilling to find it out and to hate it. But how one cometh to that depth, see; Thy Judgments are the great abyss. As the mountains are by the Righteousness of God *, who through His Grace become great: so also through His Judgments come they unto the depth, who sink lowest. By this then let the mountains delight thee, by this turn away from the abyss; and turn thyself unto that, of which it is said, My help cometh from the Lord. But whereby? / have lifted up mine eyes unto the mountains. What meaneth this? I will speak plainly lIn the Church of God thou findest an abyss, thou findest also mountains; thou findest there but few good, because the mountains are few, the abyss broad; that is, thou findest many living ill after the wrath of God, because they have so worked that they are delivered up to the lusts of their own heart; so now they defend their sins and confess them not; but say, Why? What have I done? Such an one did this, and such an one did that. Now will they even defend what the Divine Word reproves. This is the abyss. Therefore in a certain place saith the Scripture, (hear this abyss,) The sinner when he cometh unto the depth of sin despiseth. See, Thy Judgments are like the great abyss. But yet not art thou a mountain; not yet art thou in the abyss; fly from the abyss, tend towards the mountains; but yet remain not on the mountains. For thy help cometh from the Lord, Which made Heaven and earth.

11. O Lord, Thou shalt save man and beast, (ver. 7.) as Thy Mercy is multiplied, O God. Because he said, Thy Mercy is in the Heavens, that it may be known to be also on earth, he said, O Lord, Thou savest man and beast, as Thy Mercy is multiplied, O God. Great is Thy Mercy, and manifold is Thy Mercy, O God; and that shewest Thou both to man and beast. For from whom is the saving of men? From God. Is not ttm saving of beasts also from God? For He Who made man, made also beasts; He Who made both, saveth both; but the saving of beasts is temporal. But there are who as a great thing ask this of God, which He hath given to beasts. Thy Mercy, O God, is multiplied, so that not only unto men, but unto beasts also is given the same saving which is given to men, a carnal and temporal saving.

12. Have not men then somewhat reserved with God, which beasts deserve not, and whereunto beasts arrive not? They have evidently. And where is that which they have. The children of men put their trust under the shadow of Thy wings. Attend, my Beloved, to this most pleasant sentence: Thou savest man and beast. First, he spake of man and beast, then of the children of men; as though men were one, the children of men other. Sometimes in Scripture children of men is said generally of all men, sometimes in some proper manner, with some proper signification, so that not all men are understood; chiefly when there is a distinction. For not without reason is it here put; O Lord, Thou savest man and beast: but the children of men; as though setting aside the first, he keepeth separate the children of men. Separate from whom? Not only from beasts, but also from men, who seek from God the saving of beasts, and desire this as a great thing. Who then are the children of men? Those who put their trust under the shadow of His wings. For those men together with beasts rejoice in possession, but the children of men rejoice in hope: those follow after present goods with beasts, these hope for future goods with Angels. Why then are those with a distinction called men, and these called the children of men? For in a certain place also saith the Scripture, What is man, that Thou art mindful of him? and the Son of Man, that Thou visitest him? What is man, that Thou art mindful of him? Thou art mindful of him, as of one absent; but the Son of Man Thou visitest as present. What is, Thou art mindful of man? O Lord, Thou savest man and beast. For even to the evil Thou givest saving,.and to them who desire not the kingdom of Heaven. For He regardeth them, and deserteth them not after their manner, as they their cattle: He deserteth them not, but as of the absent, is mindful of them. But He Whom he visiteth is the Son of Man; and of Him it is said, The children of men put their trust under the shadow of Thy wings. And if ye would discern these two kinds of men, first consider the two men, Adam and Christ. Hear the Apostle, For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. We are born of Adam, that we may die: we rise again through Christ, that we may Jive for ever. When we bear the image of the earthly man, we are men: when we bear the image of the Heavenly Man, we are children of men: for Christ was called the Son of Man. For AdamMatt«8> was a man, but not a son of man: therefore to Adam belong those who desire carnal goods and that temporal saving. We exhort them to become the children of men, to put their trust under the shadow of His wings, and to desire that Mercy which is in the Heavens, and which was declared by the clouds. But if as yet they cannot, in the mean while even temporal goods let them not desire, but from God alone. So even let them serve after the Old Testament, that at the New they may arrive.

13. For that people also desired earthly goods; the kingdom of Jerusalem, the subjection of their enemies, abundance of fruits, their own health, their childrens' health. Such things they desired, and such things they received; under the Law were they kept. They desired from God goods which He gives even to beasts, because not yet had the Son of Man • come to them, that they might be the children of men: yet they had already ' clouds' declaring the Son of Man. Unto them came Prophets, and declared Christ; and there were of them some who understood, and had hope of the future, to receive the Mercy which is in the Heavens. There were also of them some who desired but carnal things, and earthly and temporal felicity. The same men's feet slipped away to make and to worship idols. For when He warned them, and scourged them in those things in which they delighted, and took them away, they suffered famine, wars, pestilences, diseases, and so they turned themselves to idols. Those goods which as a great thing they ought to have desired of God, they desired from idols, and abandoned God. For they observed that those goods, which they sought, abounded to the ungodly and wicked, and they thought that they worshipped God in vain, because He gave them not their hire on earth. O man, thou art God's workman; hereafter is the time of receiving thy hire: why askest thou now thy hire, before thou hast wrought? If thy workman come up to thy house, wilt thou give him his hire, before that he has finished his work? Thou wilt think him perverse, if he say; First, let me receive my hire, and then I will work. Thou wilt be angry* But why wilt thou be angry? Because he trusted not a deceitful man. How will not God be angry, when thou trustest not Truth Itself? What He promised thee, He will give thee: He deceiveth not, because He is Truth, Who promised. But fearest thou, lest haply He have nothing to give? He is Omnipotent: fear not, lest He be not, to give thee; He is Immortal: fear not, lest He be succeeded. He is everlasting: be secure. If thou wouldest thy workman to rely on thee the whole day, trust thou also in God, thy whole life; for thy life is a moment of time with God. And thou shalt be, what? But the children of men put their trust under the shadow of Thy wings.

14. Ver. 8. They shall be drunken with the fulness of Thy House. He promiseth us some great thing. He would speak it, and He speaketh it not. Can He not, or do not we receive it? I dare, my Brethren, to say, even of holy tongues and hearts, by which Truth is declared to us, that it can neither be spoken, which they declared, nor even thought of For it is a great thing, and ineffable; and even they saw through a glass darkly, as saith the Apostle, For now we see through a glass darkly; but then face to face. Lo, they who saw through a glass darkly, thus burst forth. What then shall we be, when we shall see face to face? That with which they travailed in heart, and could not with their tongue bring forth, that men might receive it. For what necessity was there that he should say, They shall be drunken with the fulness of Thy House? He sought a word whereby to express from human things what he would say; and because he saw that men drowning themselves in drunkenness receive indeed wine without measure* but lose their senses, he saw what to say; for when shall have been received that ineffable joy, then shall be lost in a manner the human soul, it shall become Divine, and be drunken with the fulness of God's House. Wherefore also in another Psalm it is said, Thy cup inebriating, how excellent is it! With this cup were the Martyrs drunken when going to their passion, they knew not their own. What so drunken as not to know a wife weeping, not children, not parents? They knew them not, they thought not that they were before their eyes. Wonder not: they were drunken. Wherewith were they drunken? Lo, they had received a cup wherewith they were drunken. Wherefore he also gives thanks to God, saying, What shall I render unto the Lord for all His benefits towards me? I will take the cup of Salvation, and call12'13' upon the Name of the Lord, Therefore, Brethren, let us be i children of men,' and let us trust under the shadow of His wings, and be drunken with the fulness of His House. As I could, I have spoken; and as far as I can, I see; and how far I see, I cannot speak. They shall be drunken with the fulness of Thy House; and of the torrent of Thy Pleasure Shalt Thou give them to drink. A torrent we call water coming with a flood. There will be a flood of God's Mercy to overflow and inebriate those, who now put their trust under the shadow of His wings. What is that Pleasure? As it were a torrent inebriating the thirsty. Let him then who thirsts now, lay up hope: whoso thirsts now, let him have hope; when inebriated, he shall have possession: before he have possession, let him thirst in hope. Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall5' be filled.

15. With what fountain then wilt thou be overflowed, and whence runneth such a torrent of His Pleasure? (Ver. 9.) For with Thee, saith he, is the fountain of Life. What is the fountain of Life, but Christ? He came to thee in the flesh, that He might bedew thy thirsty lips: He will satisfy thee trusting, Who bedewed thee thirsting. For with Thee is the fountain of Life; in Thy Light shall we see light Here a fountain is one thing, light another: there not so. For that which is the Fountain, the same is also Light: and whatever thou wilt thou callest It, for It is not what thou callest It: for thou canst not find a fit name: for It remaineth not in one name. If thou shouldest say, that It is Light only, it would be said to thee, Then without cause am I told to hunger and thirst, for who is there that eateth light? It is said to me plainly, directly, Blessed are theM&tt.5, pure in heart; for they shall see God. If It is Light, my6, eyes must I prepare. Prepare also lips; for That Which is: Light is also a Fountain: a Fountain, because It satisfieth the thirsty: Light, because It enlighteneth the blind. Here sometimes, light is in one place, a fountain in another. For sometimes fountains run even in darkness; and sometimes in the desert thou sufferest the sun, findest no fountain: here then can these two be separated: there thou shalt not be wearied, for there is a Fountain; there thou shalt not be darkened, for there is Light.

16. Ver. 10. Shew forth Thy Mercy unto them that know Thee; Thy Righteousness to them that are of a right heart As I have said, Those are of a right heart, who follow in this life the Will of God. The Will of God is sometimes that thou shouldest be whole, sometimes that thou shouldest be sick. If when thou art whole God's Will be sweet, and when thou art sick God's Will be bitter; thou art not of a right heart. Wherefore? Because thou wilt not make right thy will according to God's Will, but wilt bend God's Will to thine. That is right, but thou art crooked: thy will must be made right to That, not That made crooked to thee; and thou wilt have a right heart. It is well with thee in this world; be God blessed, Who comforteth tbee: it goeth hardly with thee in this world; be God blessed, because He* chasteneth and proveth thee; and so wilt thou be of a right heart, saying, / will bless the Lord at all times: His Praise shall be ever in my mouth.

17. Ver. 11. Let not the foot qf pride come against me. But now he said, The children of men shall put their trust under the shadow of Thy wings: they shall be drunken with the fulness of Thy House. When one hath begun to be plentifully overflowed with that Fountain, let him take heed lest he grow proud. For the same was not wanting to Adam, the first man: but the foot of pride came against bim, and the hand of the sinner removed him, that is, the proud hand of the devil. As he who seduced him, said of himself, Twill sit in the sides of the north; so he persuaded him, by saymg, Taste, and ye shall be as Gods. By pride then have we so fallen as to arrive at this mortality. And because pride had wounded us, humility maketh us whole. God came humbly, that from such great wound of pride He might heal man. He came, for, The Word was made Flesh, and dwelt among us. He was taken by the Jews; He was reviled of them. Ye heard when the Gospel was read, what they said, and to Whom they said, Thou hast a devil: and He said not, Ye have a devil, for ye are still in your sins, and the devil48, possesseth your hearts. He said not this, which if He had said, He had said truly: but it was not meet that He should say it, lest He should seem not to preach Truth, but to retort evil speaking. He let go what He heard as though He heard it not. For a Physician was He, and to cure the madman had He come. As a Physician careth not what he may hear from the madman; but how the madman may recover and become sane; nor even if he receive a blow from the madman, careth he; but while he to him giveth new wounds, he cureth his old fever: so also the Lord came to the sick man, to the madman came He, that whatever He might hear, whatever He might suffer, He should despise; by this very thing teaching us humility, that being taught by humility, we might be healed from pride: from which he here prayeth to be delivered, saying, Let not the foot of pride come against me; neither let the hand of the sinner remove me. For if the foot of pride come, the hand of the sinner removeth. What is the hand of the sinner? The working of him that adviseth ill. Hast thou become proud? Quickly he corrupteth thee who adviseth ill. Humbly fix thyself in God, and care not much what is said to thee. Hence is that which is elsewhere spoken, From my secret sins eleanse Thou me; and from others' sins also keep Thy12' servant. What is, From my secret sins? Let not the foot of pride come against me. What is, From other men's sins also keep Thy servant? Let not the hand of the wicked remove me. Keep that which is within, and thou shalt not fear from without.

18. But wherefore so greatly fearest thou this?. Because it is said, (ver. 12.) Thereby have fallen all that work iniquity; so that they have come into that abyss, of which it is said, Thy judgments are like the great abyss: so that they have come even to that deep wherein sinners who despise have fallen. Have fallen. Whereby did they first fall? By the foot of pride. Hear the foot of pride. When they knew God, they glorified Him not as Qod. Therefore ' came against them the foot of pride, whereby they came into the depth. Ood gave them over to their own hearts1 lusts, to do those things which are not convenient. The root of sin, and the head of sin feared he who said, Let not the foot of pride come against me. Wherefore said he, the foot? Because by walking proudly man deserted God, and departed from Him. His foot, called he his affection. Let not the foot of pride come against me: let not the hand of the wicked remove me: that is, let not the works of the wicked remove me from Thee, that I should wish to imitate them. But wherefore said he this against pride, Thereby have fallen all that work iniquity? Because those who now are ungodly, have fallen by pride. Therefore when the Lord would caution His Church, He said, It shall watch thy head, and thou shall watch1 his heel. The serpent watcheth when the *°ot °^ P™*e raav come against thee, when thou mayest fall, that he may cast thee down. But watch thou his head: the beginning of all sin is pride. Thereby have fallen all that work iniquity: they are driven out, and are not able to stand. He first, who in the Truth stood not, then, through him, they whom God sent out of Paradise. Whence he, the humble, who said that he was not worthy to unloose His-shoe's latchet, is not driven out, but standeth and heareth Him, and rejoiceth greatly because of the Bridegroom's voice; not because of his own, lest the foot of pride come against him, and he be driven out, and be not able to stand.

And now if with all my pains I have been tedious to any of you, I have finished the Psalm, the tediousness has passed away, and I will congratulate you that the whole Psalm is expounded. In the very middle of it, fearing lest I should burden you, I was about to let you go: but I thought that our attention would be broken off, and that we should not so return to the half remaining, as if we should now run through the whole; and I was willing rather to be burdensome to you, than, leaving the subject unfinished, to keep the rest. For there is due to you also to-morrow's sermon: pray ye for me, that I may be able to render it; and do ye bring hungry mouths and devout hearts.