Psalm 58 (Vulgate 57)

1. The words which we have sung must be rather hearkened to by us, than proclaimed. For to all men as it were in an assemblage of mankind, the Truth crieth, (ver. 1.) If truly indeed justice ye speak, judge right things, ye sons of men. For to what unjust man is it not an easy thing to speak justice? or what man if about justice questioned, when he hath not a cause, would not easily answer what is just? In as much as the hand of our Maker in our very hearts hath written this truth, That which to thyself thou wouldest not have done, do not thou to another. Of this truth, even before that the Law was given, no one was suffered to be ignorant, in order that there might be some rule whereby might be judged even those to whom Law had not been given. But lest men should complain that something had been want- ing for them, there hath been written also in tables that which in their hearts they read not. For it was not that they had it not written, but read it they would not. There hath been set before their eyes that which in their conscience to see they would be compelled; and as if from without the voice of God were brought to them, to his owu inward parts hath man been thus driven, the Scripture saying, For in the thoughts of the ungodly man there will feWisd. questioning. Where questioning is, there law. But because9, men, desiring those things which are without, even from themselves have become exiles, there hath been given also a written law: not because in hearts it had not been written, but because thou wast a deserter from thy heart, by Him that is every where thou art seized, and to thyself within art called back. Therefore the writteu law, what crieth it, to those that have deserted the law written in their hearts? Return ye transgressors to the heart. For who hath taught thee that thou wouldest have no other man draw near thy8- wife? Who hath taught thee, that thou wouldest not have a theft committed upon thee? who hath taught thee, that thou wouldest not suffer wrong, and whatever other thing either universally or particularly might be spoken of? For many things there are, of which severally if questioned men with loud voice would answer, that they would not suffer. Come, if thou art not willing to suffer these things, art thou by any means the only man? dost thou not live in the fellowship of mankind? He that together with thee hath been made, is thy fellow; and all men have been made after the image of God, unless with earthly covetings they efface that which He huth formed. That which therefore to26, thyself thou wilt not have to be done, do not thou to another. For thou judgest that there is evil in that, which to suffer thou art not willing: and this thing thou art constrained to know by an inward law; that in thy very heart is written. Thou wast doing somewhat, and there was a cry raised in thy hands: how art thou constrained to return to thy heart when this thing thou sufferest in the hands of others? Is theft a good thing? No! I ask, is adultery a good thing? All cry, No! Is man-slaying a good thing? All cry, that they abhor it. Is coveting the property of a neighbour a good thing? No! is the voice of all men. Or if yet thou confessest not, there dravveth near one that coveteth thy property: be pleased to answer what thou wilt have. All men therefore, when of these things questioned, cry that these things are not good. Again, of doing kindnesses, not only of not hurting, but also of conferring and distributing, any hungry soul is questioned thus; " thou sufferest hunger, another man hath bread, and there is abundance with him beyond sufficiency, he knoweth thee to want, he giveth not: it displeaseth thee when hungering, let it displease thee when full also, when of another's hungering thou shalt have known. A stranger wanting shelter cometh into thy country, he is not taken in: he then crieth that inhuman is that city, at once among barbarians he might have found a home. He feeleth the injustice because he suffereth; thou perchance feelest not, but it is meet that thou imagine thyself also a stranger; and that thou see in what manner he will have displeased thee, who shall not have given that, which thou in thy country wilt not give to a stranger." I ask all men. True are these things? True. Just are these things? Just.

2. But hear ye the Psalm. If truly therefore justice ye speak, judge right things, ye sons of men. Be it not a justice of lips, but aho of deeds. For if thou actest otherwise than thou speakest, good things thou speakest, and ill thou judgest. For if thou actest as thou judgest; if asked which is better, gold or faith, thou art not so far perverse and erring from all truth as to answer that gold is better: thou preferrest therefore, when asked, to gold, faith; thou hast spoken justice. Hast thou heard the Psalm? If truly therefore justice ye speak, judge right things, ye sons of men. And where shall I prove thee not to judge as thou hast spoken? I already have got thine answer setting faith before gold. Behold from some place or other a friend hath come, and without witness gold he hath entrusted to thee; he alone knoweth this, and thou, as far as regardeth men. There is there another witness, that is not seen, and yet seeth: and the man to thee in a secret place and in thy closet perchance, in the absence of witnesses, gold hath entrusted; the witness that is present, not in a chamber of walls is present, but in the couches of your consciences. He hath entrusted and hath departed, to no one of his friends he hath made it known, hoping himself to return and to receive from his friend that which he had given: such is the uncertainty of things human, he is dead, he hath left an heir, hath left a son: the son knoweth not what his father had, what to thee he entrusted: return thou, return transgressor to the heart, there written the law is: That which to thyself thou wilt not have to be dune, to another do thou not. Suppose thyself to have entrusted, to none of thy friends to have told it, to have died, to have left a son; what wouldest thou wish to be rendered to him by thine own friend? Answer, judge the case, the judge's tribunal is in thy mind, there is sitting there God, there is at hand for accuser conscience, for torturer fear. Amid things of men thou art, in the fellowship of men thou art engaged: think what thou wouldest have to be rendered to thy son by thy friend. I know what answer thy thought maketh. So judge thou, as thou hearest judge, a voice there will be; the voice of truth holdeth not its peace; not with lips it crieth, but a cry is raised out of the heart: incline thine ear, there be thou with the son of thy friend. Thou seest perchance also a man in need wandering about, knowing not what his father had, where he hath placed it, to whom he entrusted it; think also of thy son, suppose that man to live whom thou despisest as dead, thyself deem dead in order that thou mayest live. But something else covetousness doth enjoin; doth enjoin contrary to God; God one thing, another thing covetousness: one thing in Paradise our Maker, another thing athwart it, the serpent, the deceiver. Let there come into thy mind first thy fall; for this reason mortal thou art, for this reason toiling, for this in the sweat of thy face eating bread, for this reason thorns and thistles for thee the earth beareth: by example learn that which thou wouldest not by precept. But cupidity prevaileth; why not rather truth? And where is that which thou wast speaking? Behold, thou art meditating to deny the deposit of gold; behold, thou art meditating from the heir of thy friend altogether to hide it. I had asked a little before which would be the more precious, and which would be the better, gold, or good faith. Wherefore one thing sayest thou, another thing doest? Fearest thou not this voice, If truly justice ye speak, judge right things, ye sons of men? Behold thou hast told me that better is good faith, and in thy judgment better thou hast considered gold to be. Thou hast not judged as thou hast spoken; true things thou hast spoken, and false things thou hast judged: therefore even when thou wast speaking justice, truly thou didst not speak. For if truly justice ye speak, judge right things, ye sons of men. When to me concerning justice thou wast making answer, it was for shame, not with openness thou wast speaking.

3. But now to the present case let us come, if ye please. For the voice is that sweet voice, so well known to the ears of the Church, the voice of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the voice of His Body, the voice of the Church toiling, sojourning upon earth, living amid the perils of men speaking evil and of men flattering. Thou wilt not fear a threatener, if thou lovest not a flatterer. He therefore, of whom this is the voice, hath observed and hath seen, that all men speak justice. For what man doth dare not to speak it, lest he be called unjust? When, therefore, as though he were hearing the voices of all men, and were observing the lips of all men, he cried out to them, If truly indeed justice ye speak,-* if not falsely justice ye speak, if not one thing on lips doth sound, whilst another thing is concealed in hearts— judge right things, ye sons of men. Hear out of the Gospel His own voice, the very same as is in this Psalm: Hypocrites, saith the Lord to the Pharisees, how are ye able good things to speak, when ye are evil men? Either make the tree good, and the fruit thereof good; or make the tree evil and the fruit thereof evil. Why wilt thou whiten thee, wall of mud? I know thy inward parts, I am not deceived by thy covering: I know what thou holdest forth, I know what thou coverest. For there was no need for Him, that any one to Him should bear testimony of man; for He knew Himself what was in man. For He knew what was in man, Who had made man, and Who had been made Man, in order that HeJ might seek man. See, therefore, if these words do not follow one another. ' Ye hypocrites, how are ye able good tilings to speak, when ye are evil men V If truly, therefore, justice ye speak, judge right things, ye sons of men. Have ye not justice spoken of, when ye said, Master, we know that just Tlwu art, and accepiest the person of no man?16' Wherefore guile in heart did ye conceal? Wherefore the image of Caesar to your Creator did ye shew, and His image in your hearts did efface? Hath not the thing which ye spake been heard, and how ye would judge been tried? Have ye not crucified Him, Whom to be just ye had pronounced? If truly, therefore, justice ye speak, judge right things, ye sons of men. Why do I hear your speaking, we know that just Thou art, when I foresee your judgment, Crucify, Crucify? If truly, therefore, justice ye speak, judge right things, ye sons of men. For what have ye done by raging against God That was Man, and by slaying your King? For was He no King to be, because He was slain by you, when He was to rise again? In the title whereon had been written, King of the Jews, set upon the Cross of the Lord, in three tongues, in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin,37, a human judge knew how to say, What I have written, / have written: and did not God know how to say, Wliat / have written, 1 have written,? In any wise, your King He is; while alive, your King He is; when slain, your King He is: behold, He hath risen again, and in Heaven your King He is: behold, to come He is; woe unto you, for your King He is. Go to now, and speak justice, and do not judge right things, sons of men. Ye will not rightly judge, rightly ye shall be judged. For He liveth That is your King, and He dieth no more, and death over Him shall no longer have dominion. Behold, He cometh; * return ye?;.46>8, transgressors to the heart.' Behold, He shall come, be amended before that He come; ' come ye before His face in confession.' Behold, He shall come, your King He is. Ye remember the title upon the Cross: but ye see it not written: nevertheless it abideth; on earth it is not read, but in Heaven it is kept. For do ye suppose that this inscription hath been corrupted? And what saith the title of this Psalm? At the end, for David himself, corrupt not, for the inscription of the title. Not, therefore, corrupted is that inscription of the title. Your King is Christ, because of all things Christ is King: for His is the kingdom, and He shall Himself have dominion of the nations. If therefore King He is, behold before He come, He saith to you, I am still speaking, He saith, Not yet am I judging: I that do so cry with menacing, am unwilling to smite with the Judgment. If truly therefore justice ye speak, judge right things, sons of men.

4. But now ye do what? Why these things to you do I speak? (Ver. 2.) Because in heart iniquities ye work on earth. Iniquities perchance in heart alone? Hear what followeth: both their heart hands do follow, and their heart hands do serve, the thing is thought of, and it is done; or else it is not done, not because we would not, but because done God doth count it. For in heart iniquities ye work on earth. What next? iniquities your hands knit together.

What is, knit together? From sin, sin, and to sin, sin, because of sin. What is this? A theft a man hath committed, a sin it is: he hath been seen, he seeketh to slay him by whom he hath been seen: there hath been knit together sin with sin: God hath permitted him in His hidden judgment to slay that man whom he hath willed to slay: he perceiveth that the thing is known, he seeketh to slay a second also; he hath knit together a third sin: while these things he is planning, perchance that he may not be found out, or that he may not be convicted of having done it, he consulteth an astrologer; there is added a fourth sin the astrologer answereth perchance with some hard and evil responses, he runneth to a soothsayer, that expiation may be made; the soothsayer maketh answer that he is not able to expiate: a magician is sought. And who could enumerate those sins which are knit together with sins? Iniquities Ver. your hands do knit together. So long as thou knittest together, thou bindest sin upon sin. Loose thyself from sins But I am not able, thou sayest. Cry to Him. Unhappy man I, who shall deliver me from the body qffom. this death? For there shall come the Grace of God, so that righteousness shall be thy delight, as much as thou didst delight in iniquity; and thou, a man that out of bonds hast been loosed, shalt cry out to God, Thou hast broken Ps. asunder my bonds. < Thou hast broken asunder my bonds; is what else but, < Thou hast remitted my sins?' Hear why chains they are: the Scripture maketh answer, with the ^ chains of his sins each one is bound fast. Not only bonds, ^ but chains1 also they are. Chains are those which are made ^g«ni-by twisting in: that is, because with sins sins thou wast knitting together. Woe to them that draw sins like a long1*-6*18' rope. °Isaias crieth, Woe to them that draw sins like a long rope: what is it else but, Woe to them whose hands knit together iniquity? And because each one with his sins is bound fast, as also with his sins he is smitten, the men that were wickedly trading in the Temple the Lord drove out with a whip made of small cords. But thou wilt not have now thy bonds to be broken, because thou feelest not thy bonds, they even delight thee, and a pleasure they are: thou shalt feel at the end, when it shall be said, Bind him hands and feet, and cast him forth into outer darkness, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Thou dost shudder, dost fear, dost beat the breast, thou sayest Evil things are sins, a good thing righteousuess is.

If truly therefore justice ye speak, judge right things ye sons deeds let there be known your lips. Do not therefore knit together iniquity: because unto you for a binding shall be applied whatsoever ye knit together. They hear not, not all however: and they that hear not are fore-known.

5. Ver. 3. Alienated are sinners from the womb, they have gone astray from the belly, they have spoken false things. And when iniquity they speak, false things they speak: because deceitful is iniquity: and when justice they speak, false. things they speak: because one thing with mouth they profess, another thing in heart they conceal. Alienated are sinners from the womb. What is this? Let us search more diligently: for perhaps he is saying this, because God hath foreknown men that are to be sinners even in the wombs of their mothers. For whence when Rebecca was yet pregnant, and in womb was bearing twins, was it said, Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated? For it was said, The elder shall serve the younger. Hidden at that time was the judgment of God: but yet from the womb, that is, from the very origin, alienated are sinners. Whence alienated? From truth. Whence alienated? From the blessed country, from the blessed life. Perchance alienated they are from the very womb. And what sinners have been alienated from the womb? For what men would have been born, if therein they had not been held? Or what men to-day would be alive to hear these words to no purpose, unless they were born? Perchance therefore sinners have been alienated from a certain womb, wherein that charity was suffering pains, which speaketh through the Apostle, Of whom again 1 am in labour, until Christ be formed in you. Expect thou therefore; be formed: do not to thyself ascribe a judgment which perchance thou knowest not. Carnal thou art as yet, conceived thou hast been: from that very time when thou hast received the name of Christ, by a sort of sacrament thou hast been born in the bowels of a mother. For not only out of bowels a man is born, but also in bowels. First he is born in bowels, in order that he may be able to be born of bowels. Wherefore it hath been said even to Mary, For that which is bom in thee, is of the Holy Spin*- Not yet of Her It had been born, but already in Her It had been born. Therefore there are born within the bowels of the Church certain little ones, and a good thing it is that being formed they should go forth, so that they drop not by miscarriage. Let the mother bear thee, not miscarry. If patient thou shalt have been, even until thou be formed, even until in thee there be the sure doctrine of truth, the maternal bowels ought to keep thee. But if by thy impatience thou shalt have shaken the sides of thy mother, with pain indeed she expelleth thee out, but more to thy loss than to hers.

6. Alienated are sinners from the womb, they have gone astray from the belly, they have spoken false things. For^-j-this reason therefore have they gone astray from the belly, because they have spoken false things? Or rather have they not for this reason spoken false things, because they have gone astray from the belly? For in the belly of the Church truth abideth. Whosoever from this belly of the Church separated shall have been, must needs speak false things: must needs, 1 say, speak false things; whoso either conceived would not be, or whom when conceived the mother hath expelled. Thence heretics exclaim against the Gospel, (to speak in preference of those, whom expelled we lament.) We repeat to them: behold Christ hath said,// behoved Christ to suffer, and from the dead to rise again the third day.46' " I acknowledge there our Head, I acknowledge there our Bridegroom: acknowledge thou also with me the Bride: see what followeth; That there be preached in His wa#i£Luke24> repentance and remission of sins throughout all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. " Hither come, hither come." Behold the Church throughout all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. I say not, Hither come, Herself to thee doth come. But they making them deaf against the Gospel, and not permitting us to read the words of God, which they boast themselves to have kept from flame and would destroy with tongue, speak their own words, speak empty words: " Such an one was a traditor, and such an one was a traditor." Aye,^37' I too say, " Such an one was a traditor, and such an one was a traditor:" and a true thing I say. But what is that to me? Neither thou of those men whom thou namest to me in the Gospel dost read, nor I of those men whom I name in the Gospel do read. Let there be put aside out of the way our papers, let there come forth into the midst the writing of God: hear Christ speaking, hear the Truth speaking: That there be preached in His name, He saith, repentance and remission of sins throughout all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. " No," they say: " but what we say, hear thou, what saith the Gospel we will not hear." Alienated are tinners from the womb, they have gone astray from the belly, they have spoken false things. We speak true things, because we have heard true things; that which the Lord saith, not that which man saith. It may be that man lie: it cannot be that Truth lie. Out of the mouth of truth I acknowledge Christ, the Truth itself: out of the mouth of truth I acknowledge the Church, the partaker of Truth. Let no one speak to me false things, of him that hath gone astray from the womb in the bowels of the Church, 1 should at first see what he would wish to teach ine. I see him alienated from the womb, I see him to have gone astray from the belly, and I am to hear from him what, but false things? They have gone astray from the belly, they have spoken false things.

7. Ver. 4. Indignation to them after the similitude of a serpent A great thing ye are to hear. Indignation to them after the similitude of a serpent. As if we had said, What is that which thou hast said? there followeth, As if of a deaf asp. Whence deaf? And closing its ears. Therefore deaf, because it closeth its ears. And closing its ears. Which will not hearken to the voice of men charming, and of the medicine medicated by the wise man, A s we have heard, because even men speak who have learned it with such research as they were able, but nevertheless it is a thing which the Spirit of God knoweth much better than any men. For it is not to no purpose that of this he hath spoken, but because it may chance that true is even that which we have heard of the asp. When the asp beginneth to be affected by the Marsian charmer, who calleth it forth with certain peculiar incantations, hear what it doeth — But meanwhile unto this give heed, brethren, (for this thing must be first mentioned, lest any one should hear as it were with hesitation:) the thing itself, from whence a simile is taken, by the Scriptures is not commended; but only thence a simile is drawn. For He did not commend the unjust judge, who would not hear that widow, and neither feared God nor regarded men; and nevertheless from thence a simile the Lord derived: nor did He commend that sluggard, who gave three loaves to one asking him, not because of friendship, but being overcome with importunity; and yet from thence a simile He gave. And therefore from things not to be commended are derived in a manner a few similes. Or else if ye think we ought to countenance the Marsians, because of this thing ye hear in the Scripture of God; we must go also to the shows in the Theatre, because the Apostle saith, Not so I box, as if smiling the air. For to box is to perform the pancratium. Now because from hence hath been taken a simile, ought these shows to delight us? Or because he hath said, He that in a contest striveth, in all things is abstemious: for this reason ought a Christian to attach himself to these vain and absurd contentions? Give heed what is spoken to thee for a simile's sake, what is noted thee for avoidance. So therefore here also there hath been given a certain simile derived from the Marsian, who maketh incantation to bring forth the asp from the dark cavern; surely into light he would bring it: but it loving its darkness, wherein coiled up it hideth itself, when it will not choose to come forth, nevertheless refusing to hear those words whereby it feeleth itself to be constrained, is said to press one ear against the ground, and with its tail to stop up the other, and therefore as much as possible escaping those words, it cometh not forth to the charmer. To this as being like, the Spirit of God hath spoken of certain persons hearing not the Word of God, and not only not doing, but altogether, that they may not do it, refusing to hear.

8. This thing hath been done even in the first times of the faith. Stephen the Martyr was preaching the Truth, and to minds as though dark, in order to bring them forth into light, was making incantation: when he came to make mention of Christ, Whom they would not hear at all, of them the Scripture saith what? of them relateth what? They shut, he saith, their ears. But what they did afterwards,57, the narrative of the passion of Stephen doth publish. They were not deaf, but they made themselves deaf. For because ears open in heart they had not, but because the might of the word through the ears of the flesh rushing in, even to the very ears of the heart was doing violence; they closed even the ears of the body, and took to stones. Behold the deaf asps, harder than the stones wherewith their charmer they stoned: they heard not the voice of him charming, and of the medicine medicated by the wise man. What is ' the medicine medicated by the wise man?' Perchance ' medicine mixed' he may be calling c medicine medicated.' Do we not there seek some other thing, how that if already a medicine it be, it is also medicated? Medicines there were in the Prophets, medicines there were in the Law, all the very precepts were medicines, and this medicine not yet had been medicated: by the coming of the Lord medicated was the medicine: this thing they could not bear. For because they were not being healed by the medicine, medicated was the very medicine by the coining of the Lord. Now was Stephen a medicated medicine chanting; this they would not hear: whence the medicine was medicated, against this the ears they shut. For this thing they did at the point where was named Christ. The indignation of these men, was as the indignation of a serpent. Why your ears do ye shut? Wait, hear, and if ye shall be able, rage. Because they chose not to do aught but rage, they would not hear. But if they had heard, perchance they would have ceased to rage. The indignation of them was as the indignation of a serpent.

9. Such men are these also whom we are suffering. At the first tney tnougnt lnat tne7 alone neld tne trutn: God was not inactive, He held not His peace: in His Church was preached the Truth, in the bowels of the Mother were disclosed their lies: there was laid open that wn^c^ g^vetn ^gnt3 there was displayed the City upon a hill set, and the candle was placed upon a candlestick, which giveth light to all that are in the house. For where lieth hid the Church of Christ, where lieth hid the Truth of Christ? Is not the same the Mountain that hath grown1 oat °^ a verv sma^ stone, and hath filled the whole face of the earth? Hence they are convinced, they have nought to say against the Church. And what for them hath remained? " Wherefore seek ye us?" " What would ye have of us?" They say, " Depart from us." But they say also to their own people, " Let no one with them speak, no one with them be united, no one hear them." The indignation of them is the indignation of serpents: as of a deaf asp and closing its ears; which will not hearken to the voice of men charming; and of the medicine, that is, the voice of the medicine, medicated by the wise man. Is there not from hence understood what sort of medicine it is, when of voice he speaketh? Hath anywise medicine a voice? There is a certain medicine which hath voice. A medicine we carry, the voice of it hear ye, not after the manner of deaf asps. Jf truly therefore of justice ye speak, judge right things, sons of men. There is a voice of medicine, and that too medicated by the wise man. For now hath come Christ to fulfil the Law and the Prophets, to establish the truth itself*, on which two commandments the whole Law hangeth and the Prophets.

10. Do we not perchance look for something even in the fact, that the asp is said so to shut the ears, as that one of them upon the earth it presseth, the other with its tail closeth up? What meaneth this? In the tail let the things behind certainly be understood; in fact, past things, upon which now it behoveth us to turn our back, in order that we may aim at those things which are promised to us: therefore neither with our past nor with our present life ought we to be delighted. For to this the Apostle admonisheth us, saying, What fruit at any titne have ye had in those things wherein now ye blush? He is21, weaning them from remembering with pleasure things past, with a certain lust for enjoyment; lest we return in heart into Egypt. What of things present? * How doth he bid us that even these things should be despised? Not regarding, he saith, the things which are seen, but the things which are notif seen. For the things which are seen are temporal: but the things which are not seen are eternal. Also of the present life, he saith, If in this life only in Christ we are hoping, more miserable we are than all men. Forget thou therefore things past, wherein ill thou hast lived; despise things present, wherein temporally thou livest; lest by entangling thee, things present suffer thee not to attain unto things future. For if present life delighteth thee, ear upon earth thou hast laid: if with thy past things, even now that they have glided by, thou art delighted, ear with tail thou hast closed up. Thou oughtest therefore to go into light, to go forth from darkness, at hearing the voice of the medicine medicated by the wise man: in order that now in light perhaps the true reading may be 4 qui on which, &c.' veritate ipsa firmaret,' « to establish by walking, and exulting, thou mayest say, The things which behind I have forgotten, unto the things which are before I am reaching forth. He hath not said, The things which are behind I have forgotten, and with things present I am delighted. When he saith, The things which are behind I have forgotten, he hath not closed up ear with tail: when he saith, Unto the things which are before I am reaching forth, with these and things present he hath not grown deaf, with reason hearing, with reason preaching, with reason exulteth the tongue of him, preaching the Truth in new light, the old service being now laid aside. For for this purpose availeth the subtlety of the serpent, to imitate which the Lord ex-ho rteth us. For He saith, Be ye subtle, as serpents. What is, subtle as serpents? Offer all thy limbs to the sniiter, provided only the Head thou keep entire. The Head of the man is Christ. But there is weighing us down something like the weight of a sort of hide, and as it were the old age of the man. Hear the Apostle saying, You stripping off the old man, and putting on the new. And how do I put off, thou sayest, the old man? Imitate the subtlety of the serpent. For what doth the serpent, in order to put off from itself the old coat? It squeezeth itself through a narrow hole. And where, thou sayest, do I find this narrow hole -? Hear: Strait and narrow is the way which leadeth to life, and few there are that enter in through it. Dost thou shrink back from it, and art thou not willing to walk therein, because few there are? There must the old coat be laid aside, and at another place laid aside it caunot be. Or, if thou art willing with thine oldness to be impeded, weighed down, oppressed, do not go through the narrow way. But if thou art weighed down with a sort of oldness of thy sin, and of thy past life; pass along it thou canst not. Because therefore the body, which is corruptible, weigheth down the soul: either let desires corporal not oppress thee, or let the lusts of the flesh be put off. Whence are they put off, except thou shalt have gone through the narrow way, unless thou shalt have been subtle as the serpent?

11. Ver. 6. God hath broken utterly the teeth of them in their own mouth. Of whom? Of them to whom indignation is as the similitude of a serpent, and of an asp closing up its ears, so that it heareth not the voice of men charming, and of medicine medicated by the wise man. The Lord hath — done to them what? Hath broken utterly the teeth of them in their own mouth. It hath been done, this at first hath been done, and now is being done. But it would have sufficed, my brethren, that it should have beeu said, God hath broken utterly the teeth of them. Wherefore, in their own mouth? The Pharisees would not hear the Law, would Dot hear the precepts of truth from Christ, being like to that serpent and asp. For in their past sins they took delight, and present life they would not lose, that is, joys earthly for joys heavenly. One ear they were shutting with delight in things past, another with delight in things present, therefore they would not hear. For whence is this, If we shall have let Him go, there will come the Romans, and take away48* both our place and nation? They were unw illing indeed to lose their place, to earth they had pressed down their ear, and therefore they would not hear those words medicated by the wise man. It was said of them, that both covetous they were, and lovers of money: and all the life of them, even the past, was described by the Lord in the Gospel. He that diligently readeth the Gospel, findeth whence those men were closing up both ears. Let your love give heed: the Lord hath done what? Hath broken utterly the teeth of them in their own mouth. What is, in their own mouth? In such sort, that with their own mouth against themselves they should make declaration: He hath compelled them with their mouth against themselves to give sentence. They would have slandered Him, because of the tribute: He said not, It is lauful to pay tribute, or, it is not lawful to pay tribute. And He willed to break utterly their teeth, wherewith they were gaping in order to bite; but in their own mouth He would do it. If He said, Let there be paid to Caesar tribute, they would have slandered Him, because He had spoken evil to the nation of the Jews, by making it a tributary. For because of sin they were paying tribute, having been humbled, as to them in the Law had been foretold. We have Him, say they, a maliguer of our nation, if He shall have bidden us to pay tribute: but if He say, Do not pay, we have Him for saying that we should not be under allegiance to Caesar. Such a double noose as it were I catch the Lord they laid. But to whom had they come? I To Him that knew how to break utterly the teeth of them in a their own mouth. Shew to Me the coin, He saith. Why I tempt ye Me, ye hypocrites? Of paying tribute do ye think? p To do justice are ye willing? the counsel of justice do ye s seek? If truly justice ye speak, judge right things, ye sons j II of men. But now because in one way ye speak, in another n way judge, hypocrites ye are: Why tempt ye Me, ye hypo- & crites? Now I will break utterly your teeth in your mouth: il shew to Me the coin. And they shewed it to Him. And He saith not, Caesar's it is: but asketh, Whose it is? in bi order that their teeth in their own mouth might be utterly to broken. For on His inquiring, of whom it had the image and i inscription, they said, of Caesar. Even now the Lord shall a break utterly the teeth of them in their own mouth. Now fa ye have made answer, now have been broken utterly your fi teeth in your mouth. Render unto C<e$ar the things which Ji are of C<Bsar, and unto God the things which are of God* * Caesar seeketh his image; render it: God seeketh His image; I render it. Let not Caesar lose from you his coin: let not p God lose in you His coin. And they found not what they ti might answer. For they had been sent to slander Him: \ and they went back, saying, that no one to Him could make t answer. Wherefore? Because broken utterly had been the I teeth of them in their own mouth.!

12. Of that sort is also the following; In what power doest 1 Thou these things? I also will ask of you one question, answer me. And He asked them of John, whence was the Baptism of John, from heaven, or of men? so that whatever they might answer might tell against themselves. They would not say out, of men, fearing men, lest they should be stoned by them; because John for a prophet they counted; to say, from heaven, they dreaded still more, lest they should confess Christ Himself; because John had preached of | Christ. Straitened on both sides, on the one hand and on the other, they that were preparing to lay a charge gave an answer of ignorance: they said, We know not. For a slander they were preparing, when they said, In what power dost Thou these things? so that if He said, Christ I am, as being arrogant, proud, a blasphemer, they would have assailed Him. He would not say, The Christ I am: but He enquired about John, who had said that He was the very Christ But they dared not find fault with John, fearing lest by the people they should be slain: they dared not to say, A true saying John hath spoken, lest it should be said to them, Believe him. They were dumb, they said that they knew not: now to bite they were not able. Whence were not able? At once your thoughts run upon, Broken had been the teeth of them in their own mouth.

13. The Lord displeased that Pharisee, who to dinner had bidden Him, because a woman that was a sinner drew near to His feet, and he murmured against Him, saying, If this man were a prophet, He would know what woman drew near to His feet. O thou that art no prophet, whence knowest thou that He knew not what woman drew near to His feet? Because indeed He kept not the purifying of the Jews, which outwardly was as it were kept in the flesh, and was afar from the heart, this thing he suspected of the Lord. And in order that I may not speak at length on this point, even in his mouth He willed to break utterly the teeth of him. For He set forth to him: " A certain usurer had two debtors, one was owing five hundred pence, the4 other fifty: both had not wherewithal to pay, he forgave both. Which loved him the more?" To this end the one asketh, that the other may answer: to this end he answereth, that the teeth of him in his mouth may be broken utterly. He answered confounded, shut out he was: admitted she was to receive mercy, she that had burst into a strange habitation, but had not drawn near to a strange God: The Lord hath broken utterly the teeth of them in their own mouth.

14. The jaw-bones of lions the Lord hath broken utterly, v. Not only of asps. What of asps? Asps treacherously desire to throw in their venom, and scatter it, and hiss. Most openly raged the nations, and roared like lions. Wherefore P«. have raged the nations, and the peoples meditated empty things? When they were lying in wait for the Lord. Is it Mat. lawful to give tribute to Caesar, or is it not lawful? Asps17' they were, serpents they were, broken utterly were the teeth of them in their own mouth. Afterwards they cried out, Crucify, Crucify. Now is there no tongue of asp, but roar 'of lion. But also the jaw-bones of lions the Lord hath firofcen uiterly. Perchance here there is no need of that which he hath not added, namely, in the mouth of them. For men lying in wait with captious questions, were forced to be conquered with their own answer: but those men that openly were raging, were they by any means to be confuted with questions? Nevertheless, even their jaw-bones were broken utterly: having been crucified, He rose again, ascended into heaven, was glorified as the Christ, is adored by all nations, adored by all kings. Let the Jews now rage, if they are able. They rage not: The jaw-bones of lions the Lord hath broken utterly.

15. We have also in the case of heretics this as a warning an<* precedent, because themselves also we find to be serpents with indignation made deaf, not choosing to hear the c medicine medicated by the wise man and in their own mouth the Lord hath broken utterly the teeth of them. How were they raging against us, accusing us as being persecutors, for excluding them from the Basilicas? Now question them: ought heretics to be excluded from the Basilicas, or ought they not? Let them answer now, let them say that they ought not: the Maximianists demand back the Basilicas. But in order that the Maximianists may not recover the Basilicas, they say that heretics ought to be excluded. What is it therefore that ye were saying against us? Are not your teeth utterly broken in your own mouth? What have we to do with kings? say they. What have we to do with emperors? Ye on emperors do rely! I ask also, What have ye to do with proconsuls, whom emperors have sent? What have ye to do with laws, which against you emperors have given? The emperors of our communion against all heretics have given laws: those men, in fact, they call heretics, who are not of their communion, among whom certainly you also are: if true are the laws, let them hold good even against you heretics; if false are the laws, wherefore do they hold good against your heretics? Brethren, for a little space give heed, and understand what we have said: when they were pleading their causes against the Maximianists, in order that they might expel those that were by themselves condemned, and their schismatics, from places which they held of old, and where bishops had succeeded their predecessors; wishing to exclude these men from thence, they pleaded public laws, before the judges they came, said that they were themselves catholics, in order that they might be able to exclude heretics. Wherefore dost thou call thyself a catholic, in order to have a heretic excluded; and wilt not rather be a catholic, that thou mayest not be excluded as a heretic? Now a catholic thou art, in order that thou mayest have power to exclude a heretic. For a judge could not judge otherwise than by his laws. They called themselves catholics, they were admitted to plead: they called the others heretics, he enquired whereby it might be proved: there was read the Council of Bagai1, whereby the Maximianists were condemned, it was inserted in the ActaXXxvii. Proconsularia, it was proved that they having been con-Ser,iidemned ought not to hold the Basilicas, and the proconsul gave judgment according to law. According to what law? That which was passed against heretics. If against heretics, also against thee. Wherefore, saith he, against me? For I am not a heretic. If heretic thou art not, false are those laws: for by those emperors they were passed, that are not of thy communion: all that are not of their communion, by their laws they call heretics. I enquire not whether true they are, or false; let that question be set aside, if still a question it is: meanwhile after thy account now I ask, True laws are they, or false laws are they? If true they are, let them be believed: if false they are, wherefore usest thou them? Thou hast said to the proconsul, A catholic I am, exclude thou a heretic. He enquired whence a man should be proved a heretic: thou producedst thy Council, shewedst that thou hadst condemned him. He, either conniving, or not understanding, nevertheless used the law in the capacity of judge; and thou hast done by means of the judge that which by thyself thou art not willing to do; for if the judge used the law of the emperor at thy instigation, why dost thou not use it for thy own correction? Lo, he hath expelled thy heretic according to the law of his emperor: wherefore according to the same law wilt thou not have him expel thee too? We repeat what ye have done: behold, the Basilicas were held by the Maximianists, now by you they are held: there have been excluded from them the Maximianists: there are extant the orders of the proconsuls, are extant the minutes of the proceedings, guards are accepted, cities stirred, men expelled from their places. Wherefore? Because heretics they are. Expelled by what law? Answer: let us see whether yet your teeth are not broken utterly in your mouth. False is the law? let it not hold good against thy heretic. True is the law? let it hold good also against thee. There is nothing which they can answer, God hath broken utterly the teeth of them in their own mouth. And therefore, wherever they cannot with slimy guile twine like asps, with open violence they roar like lions. There rush forth and rage armed bands of Circumcelliones, make havoc as much as they can, as much as ever they can. But also the jawbones of lions the Lord hath broken utterly.

16. Ver. 7. They shall be despised like water running down. Be not terrified, brethren, by certain streams* which are called torrents: with winter waters they are filled up; do not fear: after a little it passeth by, that water runneth down; for a time it roareth, soon it will subside: they cannot hold long. Many heresies now are utterly dead: they have run in their channels as much as they were able, have run down, dried are the channels, scarce of them the memory is found, or that they have been. They shall be despised like water running down. But not they alone; the whole of this age for a time is roaring, and is seeking whom it may drag along. Let all ungodly men, all proud men resounding against the rocks of their pride as it were with waters rushing along and flowing together, not terrify you, winter waters they are, they cannot alway flow: it must needs be that they run down unto their place, unto their end. And nevertheless of this torrent of the world the Lord hath drunk. For He hath suffered here, the very torrent He hath drunk, but in the way He hath drunk, but in the passage over: because in way of sinners He hath not stood. But of Him saith the Scripture what? Of the torrent in the way He shall drink, therefore He shall lift up His Head: that is, for this reason glorified He hath been, because He hath died; for this reason hath risen again, because He hath suffered. If He would not have drunk in the way of the torrent, He would not have died; if He had not died, He would not have risen again; if He had not risen again, He would not have been glorified. Therefore, Of the torrent in the way He shall drink, for this cause He shall lift up His Head. Exalted is now our Head: let His members follow Him. TJiey shall be despised like water running down. He hath bended His bow, until they be made weak. The menaces of God cease not: the bow of God are the menaces of God. The bow is bended, not yet it striketh. He hath bended His bow, until they be made weak. And many men have been made weak, terrified by the bending of that same bow. For hence was made weak he that said, What dost Thou bid me to do? I am, lie saith, Jesus of Nazareth, Whom thou persecutest. He that was6, crying out from heaven, was bending the bow. Many men therefore that have been enemies, have been made weak; and having been converted, would not for long lift up their necks against the continuance of the bended bow. For in like manner also was he made weak that saith, in order that we might not fear to be made weak, When I am made weak, then mighty I am. And when he was praying that from him should be taken the thorn of the flesh, what had he for answer? " Virtue in weakness is made perfect." He hath bended His bow, until they be made weak.

17. Ver. 8. Like wax melted they shall be taken away. For thou wast about to say, all men are not so made weak, like myself, in order that they may believe: many men do persevere in their evil, and in their malice. And of the same fear thou nothing: Like wax melted they shall be taken away. Against thee they shall not stand, they shall not continue: with a sort of fire of their own lusts they shall perish. For there is here a kind of hidden punishment, of it the Psalm is about to speak now, to the end of it. There are but a few verses; be attentive. There is a certain punishment future, fire of hell, fire everlasting. For future punishment hath two kinds: either of the lower places it is, where was burning that rich man, who was wishing for himself a drop of water to be dropped on his tongue off the finger of the poor man, whom before his gate he had spurned, when he saitb, For I am tormented in this flame. And the second is that at the end, whereof they are to hear, that on the left hand are to be set: Go ye into fire everlasting, that been prepared for the devil and Ms angels. Those punishments shall be manifest at that time, when we shall have departed out of this life, or when at the end of the world men shall have come to the resurrection of the dead. Now therefore is there no punishment, and doth God suffer sins utterly unpunished even unto that day? There is even here a sort of hidden punishment, of the same he is treating now. This the Spirit of God would commend to our notice: this let us understand, of this beware, this avoid, and into those very terrible punishments we shall not fall. Perchance some one will say to me, There are even here punishments, prisons, banishments, tortures, deaths, divers kinds of pains and tribulations. There are indeed even these, and by God's judgment they are dispensed: but to many men for probation, to many men for condemnation. We see nevertheless sometimes with these punishments just men to be afflicted, and to these punishments unjust men to be strangers: for which reason did totter the feet of him that afterwards rejoicing saitb, How good is the God of Israel to men right in heart! But my own feet have been almost shaken, because I have been jealous in the case of sinners, beholding the peace of sinners. For he had seen the felicity of evil men, and well-pleased he had been to be an evil man, seeing evil men to reign, seeing that it was well with them, that they abounded in plenty of all things temporal, such as he too, being as yet but a babe, was desiring from the Lord: and his feet did totter, even until he saw what at the end is either to be hoped for or to be feared. For he saith in the same Psalm, This thing is a labour before me, until I enter into the sanctuary of God, and understand unto the last things. It is not therefore the punishments of the lower places, not the punishments of that fire everlasting after the resurrection, not those punishments which as yet in this world are common to just men and unjust men, and ofttimes more heavy are those of just men than those of unjust men; but some punishment or other of the present life the Spirit of God would recommend to our notice. Give heed, hear ye me about to speak of that which ye know: but a more sweet thing it is when it is declared in a Psalm, which, before it was declared, was deemed obscure. For behold I bring forth that which already ye knew: but because these things are brought forth from a place where ye have never yet seen them, it cometh to pass that even known things, as if they were new things, do delight you. Hear ye the punishment of ungodly men: Like wax, he saith, melted they shall be taken away. I have said that through their lusts this thing to them is done. Evil lust is like a burning and a fire. Doth fire consume a garment, and doth not the lust of adultery consume the soul? Of meditated adultery when the Scripture was speaking it saith, Shall one bind Jire in his bosom, and his garments shall he not burn up? Thou bearest in thy bosom live coals; burned through is thy vest; thou bearest in thought adultery, and whole then is thy soul?

18. But these punishments few men do see: therefore them the Spirit of God doth exceedingly recommend to our notice. Hear the Apostle saying, God halh given them up unto the lusts of their heart. Behold, the fire from the face of which like wax they are melting. For they loose themselves from a certain continence of chastity: therefore even these same men, going unto their lusts, as loose and melting are spoken of. Whence melting? whence loose? From the fire of lusts. God hath given them up unto the lusts of their hearty so that they do those things which beseem not, being Jilled full of all iniquity. And he enumerateth many things which are sins, and saith they are the punishments of sinners. For he saith that the first punishment is pride: nay, no punishment, but the first sin is pride. The first sin is pride: the last punishment is fire everlasting, or fire infernal; for hereafter it will be the punishment of men condemned. Between that first sin and this last punishment, the things which are intermediate are both sins and punishments. For of so many things speaketh the Apostle as being done by them which are execrable sins; and nevertheless punishments he calleth them; For this cause, he saith, God hath given up them unto the lusts of their heart, unto uncleanness, so that they do those things which beseem not. And lest any oDe might think that he is afflicted only with those very punishments wherewith now he is delighted, and that he should not fear that which is to come at the end; he hath made mention of the last punishment; Who, though they had known the justice of God, perceived not, he saith, that they that do these things, are worthy of death, not only they that do them, but also they that consent to men doing them. They that do those things are worthy of death. What things? Those that above he hath enumerated to be in the number of punishments. For God hath given them up, he hath said, unto the lusts of their heart, so that they do those things which beseem not. For a man to be an adulterer, is at once a punishment: for a man to be a liar, covetous, fraudulent, a man-slayer, are even now punishments. Of what sins are they the punishments? Of former apostasy, of that pride. The beginning of the sin of a man is to apostatise from God: and the beginning of all sin is pride. Therefore of sin itself first he hath spoken. Who though they had known God, glorified Him not as God, nor gave thanks, but were empty in their thoughts, and their unwise heart was darkened. Now this darkening of heart is punishment. But whence doth it chance to them? For saying themselves to be wise men, they became fools. Because, of themselves they used to say they had that, which from God they had received: or if they knew from whom they received it, Him they glorified not, from whom they knew themselves to have received: this is, saying themselves to be wise men, and there forthwith followed punishment: fools they became, and their unwise heart was darkened, saying themselves to be wise, they became fools. Is this a small punishment? To speak of these punishments alone; is darkening of heart, blindness of mind, a little punishment? If any one committing a theft, immediately had lost an eye: all men would say that God being present had taken vengeance. The eye of the heart he hath lost, and is God supposed to have spared him? Like wax melted they shall be taken away.

19. Ver. 7. There hath fallen upon them fire, and they have not seen the sun. Ye see in what manner he speaketh of a certain punishment of darkening. Fire hath fallen upon them, fire of pride, a smoky fire, fire of lust, fire of wrath. How great a fire is it? He upon whom it shall have fallen, shall not see the sun. Therefore hath it been said, Let not the sun go down upon your wrath* Therefore, brethren, fire of evil lust fear ye, if ye will not to melt like wax, and to perish from the face of God. For there falleth upon you that fire, and the sun ye shall not see. What sun? Not that which together with thee see both beasts and insects, and good men and evil men: because He maketh His sun to rise upon good men and evil men. But there is another sun, whereof those men are to speak, And the sun hath not risen to us, passed away are all those things as it were a shadow. Tlierefore we have strayed from the way of truth, and the light of righteousness hath not shone to us, and the sun hath not risen to us. Wherefore, but because there hath fallen upon them fire, and they have not seen the sun. There hath conquered them the lust of the flesh. And this lust hath come whence? Give heed. From propagation thou hast been born together with that sin which thou mayest conquer: do not to thyself add enemies, conquer that with which thou hast been born. Into the arena of this life with it thou hast come, engage with that which together with thee hath gone forward. When this same hath not been conquered, wherefore dost thou challenge troops of lusts? For carnal pleasure, brethren, together with man is born. But he that is well trained quickly seeth his enemy, and assaileth, and striveth, and quickly conquereth: for he is prepared for enemies that are not yet increasing. But he that maketh light of conquering that lust, with which by the propagation of sin he hath been born, and still stirreth up and advanceth many lusts; with difficulty overcometh them, and against himself being himself divided, with his own fire is burned up* Do not therefore hope as though there should be only those future punishments; see them present. There hath fallen upon them fire, and they have not seen the sun.

20. Ver. 8. Before that the bramble1 bringeth forth yourlRhamthorns: as though living, as though in anger, it shall drinknu8' them up. What is the bramble? Of prickly plants it is a kind, upon which there are said to be certain of the closest thorns. At first it is a herb; and while it is a herb, soft and fair it is: but thereon there are nevertheless thorns to come forth. Now therefore sins are pleasant, and as it were they do not prick. A herb is the bramble; even now nevertheless there is a thorn. Before that the bramble bringeth forth thorns: is before that of miserable delights and pleasures the evident tortures come forth. Let them question themselves that love any object, and to it cannot attain; let them see if they are not racked with longing: and when tbey have attained to that which unlawfully they long for, let them mark if they are not racked with fear. Let them see therefore here their punishments; before that there cometh that resurrection, when in flesh rising again they shall not be changed. For all we shaU rise again, but not a all we shall be changed. For they shall have the corruption of the flesh wherein to be pained, not that wherein to die: otherwise even those pains would be ended. Then the thorns of that bramble, that is, all pains and piercings of tortures shall be brought forth. Such thorns as they shall suffer that are to say, These are they whom sometimes we had in derision: thorns of the piercing of repentance, but of one too late and without fruit like the barrenness of thorns. The repentance of this time is pain healing: repentance of that time is pain penal. Wouldest thou not suffer those thorns? here be thou pierced with the thorns of repentance; in such sort that thou do that which hath been spoken of, Turned I have been in sorrow, when ine thorn was piercing1: my sin I have known, and mine iniquity I have not covered: I have said, I will declare against me my shortcoming to the Lord, and Thou hast remitted the ungodliness of my heart. Now do so, now be pierced through, be there not in thee done that which hath been said of certain execrable men, They have been cloven sunder, and have not been pierced through b. Observe them that have Deeil cloven asunder and have not been pierced through. Ye see men cloven asunder, and ye see them not pierced through. Behold beside the Church they are, and it doth not repent them, so as they should return whence they have been cloven asunder. The bramble here-reading. after shall bring forth their thorns. They will not now have a healing piercing through) they shall have hereafter one penal. But even now before that the bramble produceth thorns, there hath fallen upon them fire, that suffereth them not to see the sun, that is the wrath of God is drinking up them while still living: fire of evil lusts, of empty honours, of pride, of their covetousness: and whatsoever is weighing them down, that they should not know the truth, so that they seem not to be conquered, so that they be not brought into subjection even by truth herself. For what is a more glorious thing, brethren, than to be brought in subjection and to be overcome by truth? Let truth overcome thee willing: for even unwilling she shall of herself overcome thee. Therefore that fire of evil desires, that hath fallen upon them, so that they see not the sun, hath drunk up the bramble, before that it produceth their thorns: that is, it hideth their evil life, before that the same life bringeth forth evident rackings at the end; but in the anger of God that fire is concealing the bramble. For it is no little punishment that now they see not the sun, nor believe that thorns of punishment out of this evil life hereafter shall come forth. For ye, he saith, are a bramble, which bramble, that is, your own selves, living, that is, still set in this life, before that it bring forth in future judgment the evident thorns of your punishments, now in anger it drinketh up, that is, as if by sucking up suffereth it not to appear. The order of these words then, as far as I think, more perspicuously can be put together thus. There hath /alien upon them fire, and they have not seen the sun: which fire as though in anger, you as though living, a bramble it drinketh up, before that it bringeth forth your thorns: that is, you yourselves whom a bramble it findeth, it drinketh up before death, before that the same bramble bringeth forth your thorns, that is, after death in that penal resurrection. But wherefore hath he not spoken of living, but as though living, except because unreal is this life of ungodly men? For they do not live, but seem to themselves to live. And wherefore not, in anger, but as though in anger, except because undisturbed God doeth this thing? For this also hath been written: But Thou, O Lord of virtues, urith gentleness judges t. HeWisd. therefore even when He threateneth is not angry. For He is not perturbed, but is as though angry, because He punisheth and avengeth. And they that amended will not be, as it were live, but do not live. For the vengeance for the first sin, and that for those which they have added, abideth upon them; and the same is called the anger of God, because of the judgment of God it cometh. Whence the Lord of one not believing saith, But the anger of God abideth upon him. For with the anger of God we mortal men are born. Whence saith the Apostle, We also have been sometime by nature sons of wrath, as also the rest. What is, by nature sons of wrath, except that we bear with us the punishment of the first sin? But if we turn ourselves, wrath is taken away, there is granted grace. Thou wilt not be turned, thou art adding even upon that thou wert born: as though in wrath thou art drunk up in the present time.

21. Acknowledge therefore that punishment!, and rejoice ^e are ^ other, all ye that are advancing and all ye that understand and love the truth, all ye that in yourselves desire more the victory of truth than your own, that close not against the truth your ears, because of delight in present things and remembrance of past things: be not ye a dog returned to its own vomit. All ye that are of such sort, see ye the punishments of those that are not of such sort, and rejoice. As yet the punishments of the lower places have not come, as yet fire everlasting hath not come: let him that is growing in God compare himself now with an ungodly man, a blind heart with an enlightened heart: compare ye two men, one seeing and one not seeing in the flesh. And what so great thing is vision of the flesh? Did Tobias means kave flesnly eyes? His own son had, and he had not; and the way of life a blind man to one seeing did shew. Therefore when ye see that punishment, rejoice, because in it ye are not. Therefore saith the Scripture, (ver. 9.) The just man shall rejoice when he shall have seen vengeance. Not that future punishment; for see what followeth: his hands he shall wash in the blood of the sinner. What is this? Let your love attend. When man- * slayers are smitten, ought anywise innocent men to go thither and wash their hands? But what is, in the blood of the sinner he shall wash his hands? When a just man seeth the punishment of a sinner, he groweth himself; and the death of one is the life of another. For if spiritually blood runneth from those that within are dead, do thou, seeing such vengeance, wash therein thy hands; for the future more cleanly live. And how shall he wash his hands, if a just man he is? For what hath he on his hands to be washed, if just he is? But the just man of faith shall live. Just men therefore he hath called believers: and from the time that thou hast believed, at once thou beginnest to be called just. For there hath been made a remission of sins. Even if out of that remaining part of thy life some sins are thine, which cannot but flow in, like water from the sea into the hold; nevertheless, because thou hast believed, when thou shalt have seen him that altogether is turned away from God to be slain in that blindness, there falling upon him that fire so that he see not the sun — then do thou that now through faith seest Christ, in order that thou mayest see in substance, (because the just man liveth of faith,) observe the ungodly man dying, and purge thyself from sins. So thou shalt wash in a manner thy hands in the blood of the sinner. Therefore his hands he shall wash in the blood of the sinner,

22. Ver. 10. And a man shall say, If therefore there is fruit to a just man. Behold, before that there cometh that which is promised, before that there is given life everlasting, before that ungodly men are cast forth into fire everlasting, here in this life there is fruit to the just man. What fruit? In hope rejoicing, in tribulation enduring. What fruit to the just man? We glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation worketh patience, but patience probation, but pro-3—5- baiion hope: but hope confoundetli not: because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts through the Holy Spirit, that hath been given to us. Doth he rejoice that is a drunkard; and doth he not rejoice that is just? In love there is fruit to a just man. Miserable the one, even when he maketh himself drunken: blessed the other, even when he hungereth and thirsteth. The one wine-bibbing doth gorge, the other hope doth feed. Let him see therefore the punishment of the other, his own rejoicing, and let him think of God. He that hath given even now such joy of faith, of hope, of charity, of the truth of His Scriptures, what manner of joy is He making ready against the end? In the way thus He feedeth, in his home how shall He fill him? And a man shall say, If therefore tltere is to the just man. Let them that see believe, and see, and perceive. Rejoice shall the just man when he shall have seen vengeance. But if he hath not eyes whence he may see vengeance, he will be made sad, and will not be amended by it. But if he seeth it, he seeth what difference there is between the darkened eye of the heart, and the eye enlightened of the heart: between the coolness of chastity and the flame of lust, between the security of hope and the fear there is in crime. When he shall have seen this, let him separate himself, and wash his hands in the blood of the same. Let him profit by the comparison, and say, Therefore there is fruit to the just man: therefore there is a God judging them in the earth. Not yet in that life, not yet in fire eternal, not yet in the lower places, but here in earth. Behold, that rich man yet is clothed with purple and fine linen, and yet feasteth every day sumptuously. Not yet the bramble hath brought forth thorns, not yet he saith, J am tormented in this flame: but even now there is blindness of mind, even now the eye of the mind hath been quenched. If blind in eyes of flesh he were to sit down to his table, however rich it be, miserable thou wouldest call him: blind within, the bread of Christ he seeth not, and blessed is he? This no one saith but one alike blind. Therefore there is fruit to the just man; therefore there is a God judging them in the earth.

23. If somewhat too prolix we have been, pardon us. We exhort you in the name of Christ, to meditate profitably on those things which ye have heard. Because even to preach the truth is nought, if heart from tongue dissenteth; and to hear the truth nothing profiteth, if a man upon the rock build not. He that buildeth upon a Rock, is the same that heareth and doeth: but he that heareth and doeth not, buildeth upon sand: he that neither heareth nor doeth, buildeth nothing. But in like manner as he that buildeth upon sand, ruin for himself buildeth; so he that buildeth not upon a rock, the flood coming, without house is carried away. It is not possible to do any thing without both building, and upon a rock building: that is, both to hear and to do. And let not another man say, Why do I go forth to the Church? for they that daily to the Church go forth, do not what they hear. They do it, nevertheless, in order that they may hear: thus they may come so to do it, as both to hear and to do: but thou, how very far thou art from doing, that so far art fleeing from hearing? But 1, he saith, build not upon sand. Upon thee naked the flood will come: will it therefore not take thee off? will therefore the rain not slay thee? will, for this reason, the winds not sweep thee away? Therefore I will come and will hear. But when thou shalt have heard, do. For if thou shalt have heard and shalt not have done, thou hast build ed indeed, but upon sand. Because therefore without building standing, naked we are, but in a building planted upon sand, under ruin we are: it remaineth that upon a Rock we build, and what we have heard, that we do.