Psalm 51 (Vulgate 50)

1. Neither must this multitude's throng be defrauded, nor their infirmity burthened. Silence we ask, and quiet, in order that our voice, after yesterday's labour, be able with some little vigour to last out. It must be believed, that your love hath met together in greater numbers to-day for nothing else, but that ye may pray for those whom an alien and perverse inclination doth keep away. For we are speaking neither of heathens nor of Jews, but of Christians: nor of those that are yet Catechumens, but of many that are even baptized, from the Laver of whom ye do no wise differ, and yet to their heart ye are unlike. For to-day how many brethren of ours we think of, and deplore their going unto vanities and lying insanities, to the neglect of that to which they have been called. Who, if in the very circus from any cause they chance to be startled, do immediately cross themselves, and stand bearing It on the forehead, in the very place, from whence they had withdrawn, if It in heart tbey had borne. God's mercy must be implored, that He may give understanding for condemning these things, inclination to flee them, and mercy to forgive. Opportunely, then, of Penitence a Psalm to-day has been chanted. Speak we even with the absent: there will be to them for our?oice your memory. Neglect not the wounded and feeble, but that ye may more easily make whole, whole ye ought to abide. Correct by reproving, comfort by addressing, set an example by living well, He will be with them That hath been with you. For now that ye have overpast these dangers, the fountain of God's mercy is not closed. Where ye hare come they will come; where ye have passed, they will pass. A grievous thing it is indeed, and exceeding perilous, nay ruinous, and for certain a deadly thing, that witting they sin. For in one way to these vanities doth he run that despiseth the voice of Christ; in another way, he that knoweth from what he is fleeing. But that not even of such men we ought to despair, this Psalm doth shew.

2. For there is written over it the title thereof, A Psalm <>f David himself, when there came to him Nathan the prophet, when he went in unto Bersabee. Bersabee was a woman, wife of another. With grief indeed we speak, and with trembling; but yet God would not have to be hushed what He hath willed to be written. I will say then not what I will, but what I am obliged; I will say not as one exhorting to imitation, but as one instructing you to fear. Captivated with this woman's beauty, the wife of another, the king and prophet David, from whose seed according to the flesh the Lord was to come, committed adultery with her. This thing in this Psalm is not read, but in the title thereof it appeareth; but in the book of Kings it is more fully read. Both Scriptures are canonical, to both without any doubt by Christians credit must be given. The sin was committed, and was written down. Moreover her husband in war he caused to be killed: and after this deed there was sent to him Nathan the prophet; sent by the Lord, to reprove him for so great an outrage.

3. What men should beware of, we have said; but what if they shall have fallen they should imitate, let us hear. For many men will to fall with David, and will not to rise with David. Not then for falling is the example set forth, but if thou shalt have fallen for rising again. Take heed lest thou fall. Not the delight of the younger be the lapse of the elder, but be the fall of the elder the dread of the younger. For this it was set forth, for this was written, for this in the Church often read and chanted: let them hear that have not fallen, lest they fall; let them hear that have fallen, that they may rise. So great a man's sin is not hushed, is proclaimed in the Church. There hear men that are ill hearers, and seek for themselves countenance for sinning: they look out for means whereby they may defend what they have made ready to commit, not how they may beware of what they have not committed, and they say to themselves, If David, why not I too? Thence that soul is more unrighteous, which, forasmuch as it hath done it because David did, therefore hath done worse than David. I will say this very thing, if I shall be able, more plainly. David had set forth to himself none for a precedent as thou hast: he bad fallen by lapse of concupiscence, not by the countenance of holiness: thou dost set before thine eyes as it were a holy man, in order that thou mayest sin: thou dost not copy his holiness, but dost copy his fall. That thou' dost love in David, which in himself David hated: thou makest thee ready to sin, thou inclinest to sin: the book of God in order that thou mayest sin thou consultest: the Scriptures of God for this thou hearest, that thou mayest do what displeaseth God: this did not David; he was reproved by a Prophet, he stumbled not over a Prophet. But others hearing to their health, by the fall of a strong man measure their weakness: and what God condemneth desiring to avoid, from careless looking do restrain their eyes: them they fix not upon the beauty of another's flesh, nor make themselves careless with perverse simpleness; they say not, 'With good intent I have observed, of kindness I have observed, of charity I have long looked.9 For they set before themselves the fall of David, and they see that this great man for this purpose hath fallen, in order that little men may not be willing to look on that whereby they may fall. For they restrain their eyes from wantonness, not readily do they join themselves in company, they do not mingle with strange women, they raise not complying eyes to strange balconies, to strange terraces. For from afar David saw her with whom he was captivated. Woman afar, lust near. Elsewhere was what he saw, in himself that whereby he fell. This weakness of the flesh must be therefore minded, the words of the Apostle recollected, Let not sin there/ore reign in your mortal body. He hath not said, let there not be; but, let there not reign. There is sin in thee, when thou takest pleasure; there reigneth, if thou shalt have consented. Carnal pleasure, especially if proceeding unto unlawful and strange objects, is to be bridled, not let loose: by government to be tamed, not to be set up for government. Look and be without care, if thou hast nothing whereby thou mayest be moved. Bat thou makest answer, " I contain with strong resolution." Art thou any wise stronger than David?

4. He admonisheth, moreover, by such an example, that no one ought to lift himself up in prosperous circumstances. For many fear adverse circumstances, fear not prosperous circumstances. Prosperity is more perilous to soul than adversity to body. First, prosperity doth corrupt, in order that adversity may find something to break. My brethren, against felicity stricter watch must be kept. Wherefore see ye after what manner the saying of God amid our own felicity doth take from us security: Serve ye, He saith, the Lord in /ear, and exult unto Him with trembling. In exultation, in order that we may render thanks; in trembling, lest we fall. This sin did not David, when he was suffering Saul for persecutor. When holy David was suffering Saul his enemy, when he was being vexed by his persecutions, when he was fleeing through divers places, in order that he might not fall into his bands, he lusted not for her that was another's, he slew not husband after committing adultery with wife. He was in the infirmity of his tribulation so much the more intimate with God as he seemed more miserable. Something useful is tribulation; useful the surgeon's lancet rather than the devil's temptation. He became secure when his enemies were overthrown, pressure was removed, swelling grew out. This example therefore doth avail to this end, that we should fear felicity. Tribulation, he saith, and grief I found, and on the name of the Lord I called.

5. But it was done; I would say these words to those that have not done the like, in order that they should watch to keep their uncorruptness, and that while they take heed how a great one has fallen, they that be small should fear. But if any that hath already fallen heareth these words, and that hath in his conscience any evil thing; to the words of this Psalm let him advert; let him heed the greatness of the wound, but not despair of the majesty of the Physician. Sin with despair is certain death. Let no one therefore say, If already any evil thing I have done, already I am to be condemned: God pardonetb not such evil things, why add I not sins to sins? I will enjoy this world in pleasure, in wantonness, in wicked cupidity: now hope of amendment having been lost, let me have even what I see, if I cannot have what I believe. This Psalm then, while it maketh heedftil those that have not believed, so doth not will them to be despaired of that have fallen. Whoever thou art that hast sinned, and hesitatest to do penance for thy sin, despairing of thy salvation, hear David groaning. To thee Nathan the prophet hath not been sent, David himself hath been sent to thee. Hear him crying, and with him cry: hear him groaning, and with him groan; hear him weeping, and mingle tears; hear him amended, and with him rejoice. If from thee sin could not be excluded, be not hope of pardon excluded. There was sent to that man Nathan the prophet, observe the king's humility He rejected not the woras of him giving admonition, he said not, Darest thou speak to me, a king? An exalted king heard a prophet, let His humble people hear Christ.

6. Hear therefore these words, and say thou with him: (ver. 1.) Have pity upon me, O God, after Thy great mercy. He that imploreth great mercy, confesseth great misery. Let them seek a little mercy of Thee, that have sinned in ignorance: Have pity, he saith, upon me, after Thy great mercy. Relieve a deep wound after Thy great healing. Deep is what I have, but in the Almighty I take refuge. Of my own so deadly wound I should despair, unless I could find so great a Physician. Have pity upon mey O God, after Thy great mercy: and after the multitude of Thy pities, blot out my iniquity. What he saith, Blot out my iniquity, is this, Have pity upon me, O God. And what he saith, After the multitude of Thy pities, is this, After Thy great mercy. Because great is the mercy, many are the mercies; and of Thy great mercy, many are Thy pityings. Thou dost regard mockers to amend tbem, dost regard ignorant men, to teach them, dost regard men confessing to pardon. Did he this in ignorance? A certain man had done some, aye many evil things he had done; Mercy, he saith, / obtained, because ignorant I did it in unbelief. This David could not say, Ignorant I did it. For he was not ignorant, how very evil a thing was the touching of another's wife, and how very evil a thing was the killing of the husband, who knew not of it, and was not even angered. They obtain therefore the mercy of the Lord that have in ignorance done it; and they that have knowing done it, obtain not any mercy it may chance, but great

7. Ver. 2. Mere and more wash me from mine unrighteousness. What is, More and more wash? One much stained. More and more wash the sins of one knowing. Thou that hast washed off the sins of one ignorant. Not even thus is it to be despaired of Thy mercy. 4nd from pty delinquency purge Thou me. According to the manner iu which He is physician, offer a recompense. He is God, offer sacrifice. What wilt thou give that thou inayest be purged i For see upon Whom thou callest; upon a Jus,t One thou callest He hateth sins, if He is just; He taketh vengeance upon sins, if He is just; thou wilt not be able to take away from the Lord God His justice: entreat mercy, but observe the justice: there is mercy to pardon the sinner, there is justice to punish the sin. What then? Thou askest mercy; shall sin unpunished abide? Let David answer, let those that have fallen answer, answer with David, and say, No, Lord, no sin of mine shall be unpunished; I know the justice of Him, Whose meircy I ask: it shall not be unpunished, but for this reason I will not that Thou punish me, because I punish my sin: for this reason 1 beg that Thou pardon, because I acknowledge.

.8. Yer. 8. For mine iniquity I acknowledge, and my delinquency is before me ever. I have not put behind my back what 1 have done, I loqk not at others, forgetful of myself, I pretend not to pull out a straw from my brother^ eye, when there is a beam in my eye; my sin is before me,6* not behind me. For it was behind me when to me was sent the Prophet, and set before me the parable of the poor man's2 sheep. For saith Nathan the Prophet to David, " There was a certain rich man having very many sheep; but a poor man his neighbour had one little ewe sheep, which in his bosom and of his own food he was feeding: there came a stranger to the rich man, nothing from his flock he took, for the little ewe sheep of the poor man his neighbour he lusted; her he slew.for the stranger: what doth he deserve?" But the other being angry doth pronounce sentence: then the &ng, evidently knowing not wherein he bad been taken b, mercy. ^ec^are<^ man deserving of death, and that the sheep be restored fourfold. Most sternly and most justly. But his sin was not yet before him, behind his back was what he had done: his own iniquity he did not yet acknowledge, and therefore another's he did not pardon. But the Prophet, being for this purpose sent, took from his back the sin, and before his eyes placed it, so that he might see that sentence so stern to have been pronounced against himself. For cutting and healing bis heart's wound, he made a lancet of his tongue. This did the Lord to the Jews, when to Him they brought an adulterous woman, setting forth a snare of temptation, and into that which they had set forth themselves falling. In adultery, say they, this woman was taken, Moses hath commanded/or such to be stoned; of this woman what dost Thou say? As though in a double trap they were trying to catch the Wisdom of God, so that if He should command to be killed, He should lose the character of gentleness; but if He should command to be let go, He should incur a charge as being a reviler of the law. What answered He then? He saith not, Kill: He saith not, Let go: but He saith, He that knoweth himself to be without sin, let him first cast a stone at her. Just is the law, which commandeth an adulteress to be killed: but let this just law have ministers innocent. Ye heed whom ye bring to Me, heed also what ye are. They, when they had heard this, one after another went out. Remained the adulteress and the Lord; remained she wounded and He Physician; remained great misery and great mercy. They that brought blushed, but asked not pardon; she that was brought was confounded, and was healed. The Lord saith to her, Woman, hath no man condemned thee? And she, No man, Lord. And He, Neither will I condemn thee: go, now henceforward sin not. Did Christ ought against His law? No, for the Father had not without His Son given law. If heaven and earth, and all thin gs that therein are, by Himself were made, how was law written without the Word of God? God did not then contrary to His law, because neither doth an emperor ought against his laws, when to them that have confessed he givetb a reprieve. Moses the minister of the Law, Christ the publisher of the Law. Moses stoneth as judge, Christ as King. God then had pity on him after His mercy, as here he asketh, as here he beggeth, as he out and grievetb; what they bringing forth an would not do; their wounds at the shewing of

Physician they perceived, medicine from the Physician not. So there are many men that are not ashamed to to do penance are ashamed. O incredible madness! the wound itself thou dost not blush, at the bandage of wound tbou dost blush! When bare, is it not more foul and stinking? Take refuge then in the Physician, do penance, Mine iniquity I acknowledge, and my sin is before me

9. Ver. 4. Against Thee alone have I sinned, and before Thee an evil thing have I done. What is this? For before men was not another's wife debauched and husband slain? Did not all men know what David had done? What is, Against Thee alone have I sinned, and be/ore Thee an evilu'iulb' thing have I done. Because Thou alone art without sin. He is a just punisher that hath nothing in Him to be punished: He is a just reprover that hath nothing in Him to be reproved. Against Thee alone, he saith, have I sinned, and before Thee an evil thing have I done, that Thou mayest be justified in Thy sayings, and conquer when Thou art judged. To whom he speaketh, brethren, to whom he speaketh, is difficult to understand. To God surely he speaketh, and it is evident that God the Father is not judged. What is, Against Thee alone have I sinned, and before Thee an evil thing have I done, that Thou mayest be justified in Thy sayings, and conquer when Thou art judged? He seeth the future Judge to be judged, one just by sinners to be judged, and therein conquering, because in Him was nothing to be judged. For alone among men could truly say the God-Man, * If ye have found in Me sin, say.' But perchance there was what escaped men, and they found not what was really there,46, but was not manifest. In another place He saith, Behold, there cometh the Prince of the world, being an acute observer30, of all sins; Behold, He saith, there cometh the Prince of this world, with death afflicting sinners, presiding over death: for, By the malice of the devil death came into the world. Behold, He saith, there cometh the Prince of this world: (He said these words close upon His Passion:) and in Me he shall find nothing, nothing of sin, nothing worthy of death, nothing worthy of condemnation. And as if it were said to Him, Why then dost Thou die? He eontinueth and saith, But that all men may know that I do the will qf My Father, arise, let us go hence. I suffer, He saith, undeserving, for men deserving, in order that them I may make deserving of My Life, for whom I undeservedly suffer their death. To Him then, having no sit*, saith on the present occasion the Prophet David, Against Thee only have I sinned, and be/ore Thee an evil thing have I done, that Thou mayest he justified in Thy sayings, and conquer when Tltou art judged. For Thou overcomest all men, all judges; and he that deemeth himself just, before Thee is unjust: Thou a]one justly judgest, having been unjustly judged, That bast power to lay down Thy life, and hast power again to take it Thou conquerest, then, when Thou art judged. All men Thou overcomest, because Thou art more than men, and by Thee were men made.

10. Against TJtee alone have I sinned, and before Tfiee tin evil thing have I done, that Thou mayest be justified in Thy sayings, and conquer when Thou art judged. (Ver. 5.) For, behold, in iniquities I was conceived. As though hd were saying, They are conquered that have done what thoa also David: for this is not a little evil and little sin, to wit, adultery and man-slaying. What of them that from the day that they were born of their mother's womb, have done no such thing? even to them dost thou ascribe some sins, in order that He may conquer all men when He beginneth to be judged. David hath taken upon him the person <>f mankind, and hath heeded the bonds of all men, hath considered the offspring of death, hath adverted to the origin of iniquity, and he saith, For$ behold, in iniquities I was conceived. Was David bora of adultery; being born of Jesse, a righteous man, and his own wife? What is it that he saith himself to have been in iniquity conceived, except that iniquity is drawn from Adam? Even the very bond of death, with iniquity itself is engrained. No man is born without bringing punishment, bringing desert of punishment. A Prophet saith also in another place, No one is clean in Thy sight, not even an infant, whose life is of one day upon the earth. For we know both by the Baptism of Christ that Ag^jMt sins are loosed, and that the Baptism of Christ availeth for the remission of sins. If infants are every way innocent, whylaglanjl* do mothers run with them when sick to the Church? What by that Baptism, what by that remission is put away? An innocent one I see that rather weeps than is angry. What doth Baptism wash off P what doth that Grace loose? There is loosed the offspring of sin. For if that infant could speak to thee, it would say, and if it had the understanding which David had, it would answer thee, Why heedest thou me, an infant? Thou dost not indeed see my actions: but I in iniquity have been conceived, And in sins hath my mother nourished me in the womb. Beside this bond of mortal4 concupiscence was Christ born without a male, of a virgin conceiving by the Holy Ghost. He cannot be said to have been conceived in iniquity, it cannot be said, In sins His mother nourished Him in the womb, to whom was said, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the Virtue of the Highest shall overshadow thee. It is not therefore that men are conceived in iniquity, and in sins nourished in the womb by their mother, because it is sin to have to do with wives; but because that which is made is surely made of flesh deserving punishment. For the punishment of the flesh is death, and surely there is in it liability to death itself. Whence the Apostle spoke not of the body as if to die, but as if dead: The body indeed is dead, be saith, because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. How then without bond of sin is born that which is conceived and sown of a body dead because of sin? This chaste operation in a married person hath not sin, but the origin of sin draweth with it condign punishment. For there is no husband that, because he is an husband, is not subject to death, or that is subject to death for any other reason but because of sin. For even the Lord was subject to death, but not on account of sin: He took upon Him our punishment, and so looseth our guilt. With reason then, In Adam all die, but in Christ shall all be made alive. For, Through one man, saith the Apostle, sin hath entered into this world, and through sin death, and so hath the sentence: In Adam, he saith, all have sinned. Alone then could such an, infant be innocent, as hath not been bom of the work of Adam.

11. Ver. 6. For, behold, truth Thou hast loved: uncertain and hidden things of Thy wisdom, Thou hast manifested to me. " Truth thou hast loved that is, unpunished Thou hast not left even the sins of those whom Thou dost pardon. Truth Thou hast loved: so mercy Thou hast granted first1, as that Thou shouldest also preserve truth. Thou pardonest one confessing, pardonest, but only if be punisheth himself: so there are preserved mercy and truth: mercy because man is set free; truth, because sin is punished. For, behold, truth Thou hast loved: uncertain and hidden things of Thy wisdom Thou hast manifested to me. What hidden things? What uncertain things? Because God pardoneth even such. Nothing is so hidden, nothing so uncertain11. For this uncertainty the Ninevites did penance, for they said, though after the threatenings of the Prophet, though after that cry, Three days and Nineve shall be overthrown: tbey said to themselves, Mercy must be implored; they said in this sort reasoning among themselves, " Who knoweth whether God may turn for the better His sentence, and have pity?" It was c uncertain,' when it is said, Who knoweth? on an uncertainty they did penance, certain mercy they earned: they prostrated them hi tears, in fastings, in sackcloth and ashes they prostrated them, groaned, wept, God spared. Nineve stood: was Nineve overthrown? One way indeed it seemeth to men, and another way it seemed to God. But I think that it was fulfilled that the Prophet had foretold. Regard what Nineve was, and see how it was overthrown; overthrown in evil, builded in good; just as Saul the persecutor was overthrown, Paul the preacher builded. Who would not say that this city, in which we now are, was happily overthrown, if all those madmen leaving their triflings were to run together to the Church with contrite heart, and were to call upon God's mercy for their past doings? Should we not say, Where is that Carthage? Because there is not what there was, it is overthrown: but if there is what there was not, it is builded. So is said to Jeremiah, Behold, I will give to thee to root up, to dig under, to overthrow, to destroy, and again, to build, and to plant. Thence is that voice of the Lord, / will smile and I will heal. He smiteth the***1^ rottenness of the deed, He healeth the pain of the wound. Physicians do thus when they cut; they smite and heal; they arm themselves in order to strike, they carry steel, and come to cure. But because great were the sins of the Ninevites, they said, Who knoweth? This uncertainty had God disclosed to His servant David. For when he had said, before the Prophet standing and convicting him, I have sinned: straightway he heard from the Prophet, that is, from the Spirit of God Which was in the Prophet, ' Thy sin is put away from thee' Uncertain and hidden things of His wisdom He manifested to him.

12. Ver. 7. Thou shall sprinkle me, he saitb, with hyssop, and I shall be cleansed. Hyssop we know to be a herb humble but healing: to the rock it is said to adhere with roots. Thence in a mystery the similitude of cleansing the heart has been taken. Do thou also take hold, with 1 the root of thy love, on thy Rock: be humble in thy humble God, in order that thou mayest be exalted in thy glorified God. Thou shalt be sprinkled with hyssop, the humility of Christ shall cleanse thee. Despise not the herb, attend to the efficacy of the medicine. Something further I will say, which we are wont to hear from physicians, or to experience in sick persons. Hyssop, they say, is proper for purging the lungs. In the lung is wont to be noted pride: for there is inflation, there breathing. It was said of Saul the persecutor as of Saul the proud, that he was going to bind Christians, breathing slaughter: he was breathing out slaughter, breathing out blood, his lung not yet cleansed.1- Hear also in this place one humbled, because with hyssop purged: Thou shalt sprinkle me with hyssop, and I shall be cleansed: Thou shalt wash me, that is, shalt cleanse me: and above snow I shall be whitened. Although, he saitb, your sins shall have been like scarlet, like snow I will whiten. Out of such men Christ doth present to Himself a vesture without spot and wrinkle. Further, His vesture on the*j^j7 mount, which shone forth like whitened snow, signified the Church cleansed from every spot of sin.

13. But where is humility from hyssop? Hear what folio weth: (ver. 8.) To my hearing Thou shalt give exultation and gladness, and bones humbled shall exult. To my hearing, he saith; TJwu shalt give exultation and gladness: I will rejoice in hearing Thee, not in speaking against Thee. Thou hast sinned, why defendest thou thyself? Thou wilt speak: suffer thou; hear, yield to divine words, lest thou be put to confusion, and be still more wounded: sin hath been committed, be it not defended: to confession let it come, not to defence. Thou engagest thyself as defender of thy sin, tbou art conquered: no innocent patron hast thou engaged, tby defence is not profitable to thee. For who art thou that defendest thyself? Thou art meet to accuse thyself. Say not, either, / have done nothing; or, What great thing have I done? or, Other men a* well have done. If in doing sin thou sayest thou hast done nothing, thou wilt be nothing, thou wilt receive nothing: God is ready to give indulgence, thou closest the door against thyself: He is ready to give, do not oppose die bar of defence, but open the bosom of confession* To my hearing Thou shalt give exultation and gladness. May He graut me Himself to say what I think. More happy are they that hear than they that speak. For he that learneth is humble, but be that teacheth laboureth that he be not proud, lest the inclination to please men to their hurt steal over him, lest he displease God that would please men* There is great dread in one teaching, my brethren, great is our trembling over these our words. Believe our heart which ye cannot see: Himself knoweth — Who, I pray, be merciful to us, Who be favourable to us! — with how much of that trembling we speak to you. But when we hear Himself suggesting any thing, and teaching within, we are without concern, without concern we rejoice: for we are under a Master; His glory we seek, Him teaching we laud: His truth delightcth us within, where no one maketh or heareth sound: there he said was his gladness and his exultation. To my hearing, he saith, lliou shalt give exultation and gladness. And therefore, because humble, he heareth. He that heareth, that heareth truly, and heareth well, heareth bumble; for the glory is in Him from Whom he heareth what he heareth. After that he hath Said, To my hearing Thou shall give exultation and gladness, immediately he hath declared what hearing doth, Bones humbled shall exult. Humbled are the bones, the bones of one hearing have not haughtiness, have not swelling, which he that speaketh doth scarce conquer in himself. Thence also that great man was humble, than whom among those born of women no one greater hath arisen, he that so humbled himself, that he pronounced himself unworthy to loose the latchet of his Lord's shoe j that John Baptist, giving glory to his Master, and thus to his Friend; he saith, when he was thought to be Christ, and of this thing might have been proud, and have enlarged himself: (for he had not himself said he was Christ; but he might have accepted the mistake of men so thinking, of themselves willing to confer this honour;) but he voided the false honour, in order that he might find true glory1: and see the humility of the hearing:™™* he saith, He that hath the Bride is the Bridegroom, but the1 friend of the Bridegroom standeth and heareth Him. He made himself one standing and hearing, not one falling and speaking. He standeth, he saith, and heareth Him. Ye have beard the healing; where is the exultation and gladness? Immediately he continued), " Standeth and heareth Him, and with joy rejoicelh, because of the voice of the Bridegroom"

To my hearing Thou shall give exultation and gladness, and bones humbled shall exult.

14. Ver. 9. Turn Thou away Thy face from my sins, and all mine iniquities blot out. For now bones humbled exult, now with hyssop cleansed, humble 1 have become. Turn Tlwu away Tliy face, not from me, but from my sins. For in another place praying he saith, Turn not away Thy face from me. He that would not that God's face be turned away from himself, would that God's face be turned away from his sins. For to sin, when God turneth not Himself away, he adverteth: if he adverteth, he animadverteth: Turn away T7ty face from my sins, and all mine iniquities blot out. He is busied * with that capital sin: he reckonetb on more, he would have all his iniquities to be blotted out: he relieth on the Physician's hand, on that great mercy, upon which he bath called in the beginning of the Psalm: All mine iniquities blot out. God turneth away His face, and so blotteth out, by ' turning away* His face, sins He blotteth out, by ' turning towards,' He writeth them. Thou hast heard of Him blotting out by turning away, hear of Him by turning towards, doing what? But the countenance of the Lord is upon men doing evil things, that He may destroy the earth the remembrance of them: He shall destroy the remembrance of themb, not by c blotting out their sins.' But. here he doth ask what? Turn away Thy face from my sins. Well he asketh. For he doth not himself turn away his face from his sins, saying, For my sin I acknowledge. With reason thou askest and well askest, that God turn away from thy sin, if thou from thence dost not turn away face: but if thou settest thy sin at thy back, God doth there set His face. Do thou turn sin before thy face, if thou wilt that God thence turn away His face; and then safely thou askest, and He heareth.

15. Ver. 10.-4 clean heart create in me, O God. Create he meant" to say, ' as it were begin something new;* but, because repentant he was praying, that had committed some sin, which before he had committed, he was more innocent, he sheweth after what manner he hath said, ' create.' And a right spirit renew in my inner parts. By my doing, be saith, the uprightness of my spirit hath been made old and bowed. For he saith in another Psalm, Jltey have bowed my soul. And when a man doth make himself stoop unto earthly lusts, he is i bowed' in a manner, but when he is made erect for things above, upright is his heart made, in order that God may be good to him. For, How good is the God of Israel to the upright of heart/ Moreover, brethren, listen. Sometimes God chastiseth in this world for his sin him that He pardoneth in the world to come. For even to b Oxf. Mbs. add, * perdet de terra culty. David himself, to whom it had been already said by the Prophet, Thy sin is put away, there happened certain things which God had threatened for that very sin. For his son Abessalom against him waged bloody war, and many ways^8*™* humbled his father. He was walking in grief, in the tribulation of his humiliation, so resigned to God, that, ascribing to Him all that was just, he confessed that he was suffering nothing undeservedly, having now an heart upright, to which God was not displeasing. A slanderous person and one throwing in his teeth harsh curses he patiently heard, one of the soldiers on the opposite side, that were with his unnatural son. And when he was heaping curses upon the king, one of the companions of David, enraged, would have gone and smitten him; but he is kept back by David. And he is kept back how? For that he said, God sent him to curse me. Acknowledging his guilt he embraced his penance, seeking glory not his own, praising the Lord in that good which he had, Praising the Lord in that which he was suffering, ' blessing the Lord alway, ever His praise was in his mouth.9 Such are all the upright in heart: not those crooked persons who think themselves upright and God crooked: who when they do any evil thing, rejoice; when they suffer any evil thing, blaspheme; nay, if set in tribulation and scourging, they say from their distorted heart, " O God, what have I done to Thee?" Truly it is because they have done nothing to God, for they have done all to themselves. And an upright spirit, renew in my inner parts.

16. Ver. 11. Cast me not forth from Thy face. Turn away Thy face from my sins: and cast me not forth from Thy face. Whose face he feareth, upon the face of the Same he calleth. Cast me not forth from Thy face, and Thy Holy Spirit take not away from me. For there is the Holy Spirit in one confessing. Even now to the gift of the Holy Spirit it belongeth, that what thou hast done displeaseth thee. The unclean spirit sins do please, the Holy One they displease. Though then thou still implore pardon, yet thou art joined to God on the other part, because the evil thing that thou hast committed displeaseth thee: for the same thing displeaseth both thee and Him. Now ye are two to assail thy fever, thou and the Physician. For the reason that there cannot be confession of sin, and punishment of sin, in a man of himself: when one is angry with himself, and is displeasing to himself, then it is not without the gift of the Holj Spirit, nor doth he say, Thy Holy Spirit give to me, but, Take not away from me. ' And, Thy Holy Spirit take not away from me'

17. Ver. 12. Give back to me the exultation of Thy salvation. Give back what I bad, what by sinning I had lost: Give back to me the exultation of Thy salvation: to wit, of Thy Christ. For who without Him can be made whole? Because even before that He was Son of Mary, In the beginning He was the Word, and the Word wai with God, and the Word was God; and so by the holy fathers this is believed to have been the dispensation of flesh taken upon Him, which was to be, as is believed by us to have been done. Times are changed, not faith. Give back to me the exultation of Thy salvation: and with Principal Spirit confirm me. Some have here understood the Trinity in God, Itself God, the dispensation of Flesh being excepted therefrom: since it is written, God is a Spirit. For that which is not body, and yet is, seemeth to exist in such sort as that it is spirit. Therefore some understand here the Trinity spoken of, In upright Spirit, the Son, in Holy Spirit, Ghost, in Principal Spirit, Father. Whether then this be so, or whether upright Spirit He would have to be taken of man himself, when He saith, An upright spirit renew in my inner parts, which I have bowed and distorted by sin-ning, so that in that case the Holy Spirit be Himself the Principal Spirit; which also he would not have to be taken away from him, and thereby would have himself to be confirmed therein, it is not any heretical opinion.

18. But see what he annexeth: With Spirit, he saith, Principal confirm Thou me- Wherein confirm? Because Thou hast pardoned me, because I am secure, that what Thou hast forgiven is not to me ascribed, on this being made secure and with this grace confirmed, therefore I am not ungrateful. But I shall do what? (Ver. 13.) 1 would teach unrighteous men Thy ways. I would teach unrigh- eous men> being of unrighteous9, that is, one that was myself an unrighteous man, now no longer unrighteous; the Holy Spirit not having been taken away from me, and I being confirmed with Principal Spirit, / would leach unrighteous men Thy way. What ways wilt thou teach unrighteous men? And ungodly men to Thee shall be converted. If David's sin is counted for ungodliness, let not ungodly men despair of themselves, forasmuch as God hath spared an ungodly man; but let them take heed that to Him tbey be converted, that His ways they learn: but if David's deed is not counted for ungodliness, but this is properly called ungodliness, namely, to apostatise from God, not to worship one God, or never to have worshipped, or to have forsaken Him Whom one did worship, then what he saith hath the force of superabundance, And ungodly men shall to Thee be converted. So full art thou of the fatness of mercy, that for those converted to Thee, not only sinners of any sort, but even ungodly, there is no cause for despair. Wherefore? That believing on Him that justifieth an ungodly man, their faith may be counted for righteousness.

19. Ver. 14. Deliver me from bloods, O God, God of my health. The Latin translator hath expressed, though by a word not Latin, yet an accuracy from the Greek. For we all know that in Latin, ' sanguines1 (bloods) are not spoken of, nor yet ' sanguina' (bloods in the neuter), nevertheless because the Greek translator hath thus used the plural number, not without reason, but because he found this in the original language the Hebrew, a godly translator hath preferred to use a word not Latin, rather than one not exact. Wherefore then hath he said in the plural number, From bloods? In many bloods, as in the origin of the sinful flesh, many sins he would have to be understood. The Apostle having regard to the very sins which come of the corruption of flesh and blood, saith, Flesh and blood shall not possess the kingdom of God. For doubtless, after the true faith of the same Apostle, that flesh shall rise again and shall itself gain incorruption, as He saith Himself, This corruptible must} put on incorruption, and this mortal put on immortality. Because then this corruption is of sin, by the name thereof sins are called: in like manner as both that morsel of flesh and member which playeth in the mouth when we articulate words is called a tongue, and that is called a tongue which by the tongue is made, as we call one tongue the Greek, another the Latin; for the flesh is not diverse, but the sound. In the same manner, then, as the speech which is made by the tongue is called a tongue; so also the iniquity which is made by blood is called blood. Heeding, then, many iniquities, as1 in the expression above, (ver. 9.) And all my iniquities blot out, and ascribing them to die corruption of flesh and blood, Free me, he saith,yrom bloods: that is, free me from iniquities, cleanse me from all corruption. For incorruption he desireth, who saith, Deliver me from bloods: because ' flesh and blood shall not possess the kingdom of God, nor corruption incorruption. * Deliver me from bloods, O God, Qod of my health. He sheweth that when there hath been perfect health in that body, corruption in it there shall not be, which is implied in the name of flesh and blood: for thus is the perfect soundness of the body. For after what sort is that sound which slippeth, which hath need, which hath a kind of perpetual sickness of hunger and of thirst? These things then shall not be: because Meat is for the belly, and the belly for meats: but Qod shall make void both it and them. There shall be a form of body made perfect out of God, ^eat^ fwwnO been swallowed up into victory, no corruption remaining, no defect creeping over, being changed by no ages, by no toil wearied, so as that it be to be supported by food or any meat But we shall not be without meat and drink: God Himself shall be our food and our drink. Such food alone restoreth, and faileth not. Deliver me from bloods, O Qod, Qod of my health. For in a mauner now we are m that same health. Hear the Apostle: For by hope we have been made whole. And observe that he was speaking of actual health of body: In our own selves, he saith, we groan, awaiting the adoption, the redemption qf our body: for by hope we have been made whole: but hope which is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he hope for? But if for what we see not we hope, we by patience wait for it. Of him that shall have persevered unto the end is that very patience: he shall be made whole, this is the health which we have not yet, but are to have. Not yet is the substance, but certain hope. And my tongue shall exult of Thy righteousness.

20. Ver. 15. 0 Lord, my lips Thou shalt open, and my mouth shall tell of Thy praise. Thy praise, because a I have been created: Thy praise, because sinning I have not been forsaken: Thy praise, because I have been admonished to confess: Thy praise, because in order that I might be secured I have been cleansed. My lips Thou shalt open, and my mouth shall tell of Thy praise.

21. Ver. 16. Because if Thou hadst willed sacrifice, I would have given it surely. David was living at that time when sacrifices of victim animals were offered to God, and he saw these times that were to be. Do we not perceive ourselves in these words? Those sacrifices were figurative, foretelling the One Saving Sacrifice. Not even we have been left without a Sacrifice to offer to God. For hear what he saith, having a concern for his sin, and wishing the evil thing which he hath done to be forgiven him: If Thou hadst vnlled, he saith, sacrifice, I would have given it surely. With holocausts Thou wilt not be delighted. Nothing shall we therefore offer? So shall we come to God? And whence shall we propitiate Him? Offer; certainly in thyself thou hast what thou mayest offer. Do not from without fetch frankincense, but say, In me are, O God, Thy vows, which I will render of praise to Thee. Do not from without seek cattle to slay, thou hast in thyself what thou mayest kill. (Ver. 17.) Sacrifice to God is a spirit troubled, a heart contrite and humbled God despiseth not. Utterly he despiseth bull, he-goat, ram: now is not the time that these should be offered. They were offered when they indicated something, when they promised something; when the things promised come, the promises are taken away. A heart contrite and humbled God despiseth not. Ye know that God is high: if thou shalt have made thyself high, He will be far from thee; if thou shalt have humbled thyself, He will draw near to thee.

22. See who this is: David as one man was seeming to implore; see ye here our image and the type of the Church.

Ver. J 8. Deal kindly, O Lord, in Thy good will with Sion. With this Sion deal kindly. What is Sion? A city holy. What is a city holy? That which cannot be hidden, * Most Mss. ' whereby' throughout. being upon a mountain established. Sion in prospect, because it hath prospect of something which it hopeth for. For Sion is interpreted * prospect,' and Jerusalem, ' vision of peace.' Ye perceive then yourselves to be in Sion and is Jerusalem, if being sure ye look for hope that is to be, and if ye have peace with God. And be the walls of Jerusalem builded. Deal kindly, O Lwd, in Tlty good will with Siom, and be the walls of Jerusalem builded. For not to herself let Sion ascribe her merits: do Thou with her deal kindly, Be the ualls of Jerusalem builded: be the battlements of our immortality laid, in faith and hope and charity.

23. Ver. 19. Then Thou shall accept the sacrifice qf righteousness. But now sacrifice for iniquity, to wit, a spirit troubled, and a heart humbled; then the sacrifice of righteousncss, praises alone. For, Blessed they that dtceU in Thy house, for ever and ever they shall praise Tltee: for this is the sacrifice of righteousness. Oblations and holocausts. What are holocausts f A whole victim by fire consumed. When a whole beast was laid upon the altar with fire to be consumed, it was called a holocaust May divine fire take us up whole, and that fervor catch us whole. What fervor? Neither is there that hidelh himself from the heat thereof What fervor? That whereof speaketh the Apostle; In spirit fervent. Be not merely our soul taken up by that divine fire of wisdom, but also our body; that* it may earn there immortality; so be it lifted up for a holocaust, that death be swallowed into victory. Oblations and holocausts. Then shall they lay upon Thine altar calves. Whence calves? What shall He therein choose? Will it be the innocence of the new age, or necks freed from the yoke of the law?

24. The Psalm, in the name of Christ, is ended, though perchance not as we would, yet as we could. It remaineth in few words to address you, brethren, because of the many evil things amid which we live. For living in things human, we cannot withdraw from things human. With forbearance we must live amid evil men: because when we were evil, with forbearance good men have lived amid us. Not forgetting what we have been, we shall not despair of those that now are what we have been. Nevertheless, dearly beloved, in so great diversity of morals and so detestable a corruption, rule your houses, rule your children, rule your families. In like manner as to us it belongeth in the Church to speak with yon, so to yon it belongeth so to do in your houses, thai ye may give a good account of them that have been com* mitted to your charge. God loveth discipline. But it is a perverse and false harmlessneas to give the rein to sins. Very mnch without profit, very destructively doth the son experience leniency in his father, to the end that hereafter from God he may experience severity: aud that not alone, but together with his careless father. But why! If he sinneth not himself, and doth not what bis son doth: for that reason ought he not to restrain his son from that very wickedness? Is it perchance in order that the son may think that the father also would do such things, if he bad not grown old? Sin which to thee is not displeasing in thy son, doth delight thee: but the age hath left thee, not the concupiscence. Most of all, my brethren, take heed to your sons that believe, for whom ye have engaged that they should be baptized, but perchance an evil son despiseth both the warnings of bis father, and reproof, and severity; do thou fulfil thy parf^ God of him doth exact his.

25. The Psalm of which we have undertaken to speak to your Love is short: but hath a title somewhat operose. Patiently therefore bear with us, until we unravel it, as best we may, as far as the Lord shall have aided us. For these titles must not in every case be omitted: since indeed it hath seemed good to the brethren, that the words which we say should be taken down not only with ear and heart, but also with pen: so that we are obliged to consider not only hearer, but also reader. Occasion was given to this Psalm