Psalm 65 (Vulgate 64)

The voice of holy prophecy must be confessed in the very title of this Psalm. It is inscribed, Unto the end, a Psalm of David, a song of Jeremiah and Ezekiel, on account of the people of transmigration when they were beginning to go forth. How it fared with our fathers in the time of the transmigration to Babylon, is not known to all, but only to those that diligently study the Holy Scriptures, either by hearing or by reading. For the captive people Israel from the city of Jerusalem was led into slavery unto Babylon. But holy Jeremiah prophesied, that after seventy years the people wou^ return out of captivity, and would rebuild the very city Jerusalem, which they had mourned as having been overthrown by enemies. But at that time there were prophets in that captivity of the people dwelling in Babylon, among whom was also the prophet Ezekiel. But that people was waiting until there should be fulfilled the space of seventy years, according to the prophecy of Jeremiah. It came to pass, when the seventy years had been completed, the temple was restored which had been thrown down: and there returned from captivity a great part of that people. But whereas the Apostle saith, these things in figure happened unto them, but they have been written for our sakes, upon whom the end of the world hath come: we also ought to know first our captivity, then our deliverance: we ought to know the Babylon wherein we are captives, and the Jerusalem for a return to which we are sighing. For these two cities, according to the letter, in reality are two cities. And the former Jerusalem indeed by the Jews is not now inhabited. For after the crucifixion of the Lord vengeance was taken upon them with a great scourge, and being rooted up from that place where, with impious licentiousness being infuriated, they had madly raged against their Physician, they have been dispersed throughout all nations, and that land hath been given to Christians: and there is fulfilled what the Lord had said to them, Therefore the kingdom shall be taken away from you, and it shall be given to a nation doing justice. But when they saw great multitudes then following the Lord, preaching the kingdom of Heaven, and doing wonderful things, the rulers of that city said, If we shall have let Him^^ go, all men will go after Him, and there shall come the Romans, and shall take from us both place and nation. That they might not lose their place, the Lord they killed; and they lost it, even because they killed. Therefore that city, being one earthly, of a certain city everlasting in the Heavens did bear the figure: but when that which was signified began more evidently to be preached, the shadow, whereby it was being signified, was thrown down: for this reason in that place now the temple is no more, which had been constructed for the image of the future Body of the Lord. We have the light, the shadow hath passed away: nevertheless, still in a kind of captivity we are: So long as we are, he saith, in the* body, we are sojourning afar from the Lord.

2. And see ye the names of those two cities, Babylon and Jerusalem. Babylon is interpreted confusion, Jerusalem vision of peace. Observe now the city of confusion, in order that ye may perceive the vision of peace; that ye may endure that, sigh for this. Whereby can those two cities be distinguished? Can we anywise now separate them from each other? They are mingled, and from the very beginning of mankind mingled they run on unto the end of the world. Jerusalem received beginning through Abel, Babylon through Cain: for the buildings of the cities were afterwards erected. That Jerusalem in the land of the Jebusites was builded: for at28, first it used to be called Jebus, from thence the nation of the Jebusites was expelled, when the people of God was delivered from Egypt, and led into the land of promise. But Babylon was builded in the most interior regions of Persia, which for a long time raised its head above the rest of nations. These two cities then at particular times were builded, so that there might be shewn a figure of two cities begun of old, and to remain even unto the end in this world, but at the end to be severed. Whereby then can we now shew them, that are mingled? At that time the Lord shall shew, when some He shall set on the right hand, others on the left. Jerusalem the right hand shall be, Babylon on the left. Jerusalem is to hear, Come, ye blessed of My Father, receive the kingdom which for you hath been prepared from the beginning of the world. Babylon is to hear, Go ye into fire everlasting, that hath been prepared for the devil and his angels. Nevertheless, we can bring forward something, as far as the Lord alloweth, whereby may be distinguished the godly believers even at this time, citizens of Jerusalem, from the citizens of Babylon. Two loves make up these two cities: love of God maketh Jerusalem, love of the world maketh Babylon. Therefore let each one question himself as to what he loveth: and he shall find of which he is a citizen: and if he shall have found himself to be a citizen of Babylon, let him root out cupidity, implant charity: but if he shall have found himself a citizen of Jerusalem, let him endure captivity, hope for liberty. For many citizens of holy mother Jerusalem were being held corrupted by the lusts of Babylon, and by the very corruption of lusts were made as it were citizens of that city, and many still are so, and many that are to be after us on this earth will be so: but the Lord, the Builder of Jerusalem, knoweth what citizens of His He hath predestinated, whom He seeth under the dominion of the devil, and who must be redeemed with the blood of Christ: the Same knoweth them before they know themselves. Under this figure then is sung this Psalm. In the title of which are set even two Prophets, who at that time were in the captivity, Jeremiah and Ezechiel, and they were singing certain things when they were beginning to go forth. He beginneth to go forth, that is beginning to love. For there go forth many men secretly, and the feet of them going forth are the heart's affections: but they go forth from Babylon. What is, from Babylon? From confusion. How do men go forth from Babylon, that is, from confusion? They that at first were confounded together with like lusts, begin by charity to be distinct: being now distinct, they are not confounded. Even if yet in body they are mingled, yet by holy longing they are severed; and because of the corporal mingling not yet they have gone forth, because of the affection of the heart they have begun to go forth. Now therefore let us hear of, brethren, hear of, and sing of, and long for, that city whereof we are citizens. And what are the joys which are sung of to us? In what manner in ourselves is formed again the love of our city, which by long sojourning we had forgotten? But our Father hath sent from thence letters to us, God hath supplied to us the Scriptures, by which letters there should be wrought in us a longing for return: because by loving our sojourning, to enemies we had turned our face, and our back to our father-land. What then is here sung?

3. Ver. 1. For Thee a hymn is meet, O God, in Sion. That fatherland is Sion: Jerusalem is the very same as Sion; and of this name the interpretation ye ought to know. As Jerusalem is interpreted vision of peace, so Sion 4 Beholding1,' that1 is, vision and contemplation. Some great inexplicable sightlati to us is promised: and this is God Himself that hath builded the city. Beauteous and graceful the city, how much more beauteous a Builder it hath! For Thee a hymn is meet, O God, be saith. But where? In Sion: in Babylon it is not meet. For when a man beginneth to be renewed, already with heart in Jerusalem he singeth, with the Apostle saying, Our conversation is in the Heavens. For in the Jiesh though walking, he saith, not after thejlesh we war. Already in longing we are there, already hope into that land, as it were an anchor, we have sent before, lest in this sea being tossed we suffer shipwreck. In like manner therefore as of a ship which is at anchor, we rightly say that already she is come to land, for still she rolleth, but to land in a manner she hath been brought safe in the teeth of winds and in the teeth of storms; so against the temptations of this sojourning, our hope being grounded iu that city Jerusalem causeth us not to be carried away upon rocks. He therefore that according to this hope singeth, in that city singeth: let him therefore say, For Thee a hymn is meet, O God, in Sion. In Sion, not in Babylon. But now there thou art yet in Babylon. There I am, saith that lover and that citizen: there I am; but in flesh, not in heart. But whereas of two things I have spoken, namely, that I am there in flesh not in heart, with the latter I sing, not with the former: for not in flesh I sing, but in heart. The flesh indeed sounding even the citizens of Babylon hear, but the heart's sound heareth the Builder of Jerusalem. \yhence Saith the Apostle, exhorting those same citizens to certain loving songs, and longings to return to that most fair city, the vision of peace, Singing, he saith, and chanting Psalms in your hearts to the Lord. What is, singing in your hearts? Sing not from thence where ye are, namely, in Babylon: but from thence sing, where above ye dwell. Therefore, For Thee a hymn is meet, O God, in Sion* In Sion for Thee a hymn is meet, not in Babylon. They that sing in Babylon are citizens of Babylon; even the hymn of God unmeetly they sing. Hear the voice of Scripture. * Praise is not seemly in the mouth of a sinner? For Thee a hymn is meet, O God, in Sion.

4. And to Thee shall there be paid a vow in Jerusalem. Here we vow, and a good thing it is that there we should pay. But who are they that here do vow and pay not? They that persevere not even unto the end in that which they have vowed. Whence saith another Psalm, Vow ye, and pay ye unto the Lord your God: and, to Thee shall it be paid in Jerusalem. For there shall we be whole, that is, entire in the resurrection of just men: there shall be paid our whole vow, not soul alone, but the very flesh also, no longer corruptible, because no longer in Babylon, but now a body heavenly and changed. What sort of change is promised? For we all shall rise again, saith the Apostle, but we shall not1 all be changed. But who shall be, himself hath U ^t€ iw^n^n9 °f an eVe9 ai ^st rumP > for there shall sound the trumpet, and the dead shall rise again incorrupt, (that is, entire,) and we shall be changed. But of what sort will be that change he continueth and saith: for it must needs be that this corruptible put on incorruption, and that this mortal put on immortality: but when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying which hath been written, Death Jtath been swallowed up in victory. Where is, O death, thy sting? For now while there begin in us the first-fruits of the mind, from whence is the longing for Jerusalem, many things of corruptible flesh do contend against us, which will not contend, when death shall have been swallowed up in victory. Peace shall conquer, and war shall be ended. But when peace shall conquer, that—?! city shall conquer which is called the vision of peace. On the part of death therefore shall be no contention. Now with how great a death do we contend! For thence are carnal pleasures, which to us even unlawfully do suggest many things: to which we give no consent, but nevertheless in giving no consent we contend. At first therefore the lust of the flesh hath led us following it, afterwards straggling against it hath dragged us; then after grace received it hath begun neither to lead nor to drag, but still to contend with us: after contention will be also victory. Now although it cometh against thee, let it not overcome thee: hereafter, when death shall have been swallowed up in victory, even from fighting it will desist. What hath been said? The last enemy shall be destroyed, even death. " I will pay my vow." What vow? As it were a holocaust. For a holocaust is then spoken of when fire consumeth the whole: a holocaust is a sacrifice where the whole is consumed: for oXov is translated whole, xouj<ri$ burning. Holocaust is a whole burned. Let there seize us then a fire, a fire divine in Jerusalem: let us begin to burn with love, until the whole mortal thing be consumed, and let that which may have been 1 against us, go for a sacrifice unto the Lord. Whence elsewhere is said, Deal kindly, 0 Lord, in Thy good will with Sion, that builded may be' the walls of Jerusalem: then Thou shalt accept the sacrifice of righteousness, oblations, and holocausts. For Thee a hymn is meet, O God, in Sion, and to Thee shall be paid a vow in Jerusalem. We ask here, whether perchance mention is made to us of the King of that same city; of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ; let us sing then until we arrive at more manifest tokens. For I could now say, that it is He to whom is said, For Thee a hymn is meet, O God, in Sion; and to Thee shall be rendered a vow in Jerusalem. But if I were to say it, I rather than the Scripture should be believed, and thus perchance I should not be believed. Let us hear the following words.

5. Ver. 2. Hearken^ he saith, to my prayer, unto Thee every flesh shall come. And we have the Lord saying, that there was given to Him power over every flesh. That King therefore began even now to appear, when there was being said, Unto Thee every flesh shall come. To Thee, he saith, every flesh shall come. Wherefore to Him shall every flesh come? Because flesh He hath taken to Him. Whither shall there come every flesh? He took the first-fruits thereof out of the womb of the Virgin; and now that the first-fruits have been taken to Him, the rest shall follow, in order that the holocaust may be completed. Whence then every flesh? Every man. And whence every man? Have all been foretold, as going to believe in Christ? Have not many ungodly men been foretold, that shall be condemned also? Do not daily many men not believing die in their own unbelief? After what manner therefore do we understand, Unto Thee every flesh shall come? By every flesh he hath signified flesh of every kind; out of every kind of flesh they shall come to Thee. What is, out of every kind of flesh? Have there come poor men, and have there not come rich men? Have there come humble men, and not come lofty men? Have there come unlearned men, and not come learned men? Have there come men, and not come women? Have there come masters, and not come servants? Have there come old men? and not come young men; or have there come young men, and not come youths; or have there come youths, and not come boys; or have there come boys, and have there not been brought infants? In a word, have there come Jews8, (for thence were the Apostles, thence many thousands of men at first betraying, afterwards believing,) and have there not come Greeks; or have there come Greeks, and not come Romans; or have there come Romans, and not come Barbarians? And who could number all nations coming to Him, to Whom hath been said, Unto Thee every flesh shall come? Hearken unto my prayer, unto Thee every flesh shall come.

6. Ver. 3. The discourses of unjust men have prevailed over us, and our iniquities Thou shalt propitiate^. What is, the discourses of unjust men have prevailed over us, and our iniquities Thou shalt propitiate? For as much as we were born on this earth, we found those unjust men, whom we have heard speaking. If I be able to explain what I mean, let t * °jf ¥8SS ' I!ave there not come b propitiaberis. One Ms. here, and e* s> Vor &c0 or have there come Jews many below, ' propitiabis,' the attention of your Love aid me. Every man, in whatsoever place he is born, of that same land or region or city learneth the language, is habituated to the manners and life of that place. What should a boy do, born among Heathens, to avoid worshipping a stone, in as much as his parents have suggested that worship? from them the first.words he hath heard, that error with his milk he hath sucked in; and because they that used to speak were elders, and the boy that was learning to speak was an infant, what could the little one do but follow the authority of elders, and deem that to be good, which they recommended? Therefore nations that are converted to Christ afterwards, and taking to heart the impieties of their parents, and saying now what the prophet Jeremias himself said, Truly a lie our /others have worshipped, vanity^. which hath not profited them — when, I say, now they say this, they renounce the opinions and blasphemies of their unjust parents. But because, in being imbued with such-like opinions and blasphemies, they acted upon the persuasions of those men, who in proportion as in age they had precedence, so were thought to have precedeuce due to them in authority; now he desiring to return to Jerusalem from Babylon, confessed and saith, The discourses of unjust men have prevailed against us. There have led us away men teaching evil things, citizens of Babylon they have made us, we have left the Creator, have adored the creature: have left Him by whom we were made, have adored that which we ourselves have made. For the discourses of unjust men have prevailed over us: but nevertheless they have not crushed us. Wherefore? ' Our impieties Thou shalt propitiate? Let your Love observe. Our impieties Thou shalt propitiate, is not said except to some priest offering somewhat, whereby impiety may be expiated and propitiated. For impiety is then said to be propitiated, when God is made propitious to the impiety. What is it for God to be made propitious to impiety? It is, His becoming forgiving, and giving pardon. But in order that God's pardon may be obtained, propitiation is made through some sacrifice. There hath come forth therefore, sent from God the Lord, One our Priest; He took upon Him from us that which He might offer to the Lord; we are speaking of those same first-fruits of the flesh from the womb of the Virgin, This holocaust He offered to God. He stretched out His hands on the Cross, in order that He might say, Let My prayer be directed as incense in ' Thy sight, and the lifting up of My hands an evening sacrifice. As ye know, the Lord about eventide hung on tne Cross: and our impieties were propitiated; otherwise they had swallowed us up: the discourses of unjust men had prevailed over us; there had led us astray preachers of Jupiter, and of Saturn, and of Mercury: the discourses^ of ungodly men had prevailed over us. But what wilt Thou do? Our impieties Thou wilt propitiate. Thou art the priest, Thou the victim; Thou the offerer, Thou the offering. Himself is the Priest, that now having entered into the places within the vail, alone there of those that have borne flesh, maketh intercession for us. For a figure of which thing, in that first people, and in that first temple, one priest used to enter into the Holy of Holies, all the people without used to stand: and he that alone entered into the parts within the vail, offered sacrifice for the people standing without. If it be understood rightly, the Spirit maketh alive: if it be not understood, the letter killeth. But now when the Apostle was being read ye heard, The letter killeth, but the Spirit maketh alive. For what was being enacted in that people, the Jews knew not; nay, not even now do they know. For of them hath been said, So long as Moses is being read, a vail is upon their heart. There the vail is a figure: but there shall be taken away the figure, and there shall appear truth in themselves. But when shall the vail be taken away? Hear the Apostle: When thou shaH have passed over to the Lord, the vail shall be removed. Wherefore so long as they pass not over to the Lord, so long as they read Moses, a vail they have upon the heart. For this sacrament shone at that time the face of Moses, so as that the sons of Israel could not look stedfastly upon the face of him: (ye heard it but now when it was being read:) and a vail there was between the face of Moses speaking, and the people hearing the words. Through a vail they heard words, face they saw not. And what saith the Apostle? So that the sons of Israel could not look stedfastly upon the face of Moses. They looked not stedfastly, he saith, even unto the end. What is, even unto the end? Even until they perceived Christ. For, saith the Apostle, For the end of the law is Christ for righteousness unto every man believing. There Rom*tl0 is indeed splendour in the face of Moses, but only as in a 4. face carnal and mortal: could that be long-lasting or everlasting? For death supervening, straightway it will be taken away. But the splendour of the glory of our blessed Lord Jesus Christ is everlasting. But that was a figure temporal, but this, which by that figure was being signified, is truth. They read therefore ami perceive not Christ, they bring not down their stedfast looking even unto the end, because a vail set in the Way withholdeth from them the sight of the interior splendour. And see there under the vail Christ: Our Lord Jesus Christ Himself saith, If ye believed Moses, ye would believe also in Me, for of Me he wrote. But our46, sins and impieties being propitiated through that evening sacrifice, we pass over to the Lord, and the vail is taken away: for which reason also when the Lord had been crucified, the vail of the temple was rent. Hearken to my prayer, unto Thee every flesh shall come. The discourses51 of ungodly men have prevailed over us, and to our impieties Thou shall be propitious.

7. Ver. 4. Blessed is he whom Thou hast chosen, and hast taken to Thee. Who is he that is chosen by Him and taken to Him? Was any one chosen1 by our Saviour Jesu Christ, or was Himself after the flesh, because He is man, chosen and taken to Him? Thus it might be spoken as it were to the Word of God, that was in the beginning, as saith the Evangelist, In the beginning was the Word, and the Wordj0]m was with Qod, and the Word was Qod: because also the same Son of God is the Word of God, of Whom also he saith, All things through Him were made, and without Him there was not made any thing: wherefore there is said to that Son of God, because He is Himself our Priest, afterward when He had taken to Him flesh, Blessed is he whom Thou hast chosen, and hast taken to Thee: that is that Man wherewith Thou hast been invested, who had his beginning in time, being born of a woman, for a sort of temple of Him Who is alway for everlasting, and for everlasting hath been. Or hath not rather Christ Himself taken to Him some blessed one, and the same whom He hath taken to Him is not spoken of in the plural number but in the singular? For one man He hath taken to Him, because unity He hath taken to Him. Schisms He hath not taken to Him, heresies He hath not taken to Him: a multitude they have made of themselves, there is not one to be taken to Him. But they that abide in the bond of Christ and are the members of Him, make in a manner one man, of whom saith the Apostle, Until we all arrive at the acknowledging of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the age of the fulness of Christ. Therefore one man is taken to Him, to which the Head is Christ; because the Head of the man is Christ. The same is that blessed man that hath not departed in the counsel of ungodly men, and the like things which there are spoken of: the same is He that is taken to Him. He is not without us, in His own members we are, under one Head we are governed, by one Spirit we all live, one father-land we all long for. Let us see therefore what is spoken to Christ, whether to us it belong, and whether of ourselves it be said: let us question our consciences, that love let us search out diligently, and if as yet little is that love, and but lately born, (for perchance in some one lately it hath sprung up,) let him diligently root up the thorns springing beside it, that is, worldly cares, lest in growing they choke the holy seed. Blessed is He whom Thou hast chosen and taken to Thee. In Him let us be, and be taken to Him; in Him let us be, and chosen we shall be.

8. And to us He will give what? He shall inhabit, he saith, in Thy courts., Jerusalem, that is, to which they sing that begin to go forth from Babylon: He shall inhabit in Thy courts: we shall be filled with the good things of Thy House. What are the good things of the House of God? Brethren, let us set before ourselves some rich house, with what numerous good things it is crowded, how abundantly it is furnished, how many vessels there are there of gold and also of silver; how great an establishment of servants, how many horses and animals, in a word, how much the house itself delights us with pictures, marble, ceilings, pillars, recesses, chambers: — all such things are indeed objects of desire, but still they are of the confusion of Babylon. Cut off all such longings, O citizen of Jerusalem, cut them off; if thou wilt return, let not captivity delight thee. But hast thou already begun to go forth? Do not look back, do not loiter on the road. Still there are not wanting foes to recommend thee captivity and sojourning: no longer let there prevail against thee the discourses of ungodly men. For the House of God long thou, and for the good things of that House long thou: but do not long for such things as thou art wont to long for either in thy house, or in the house of thy neighbour, or in the house of thy patron. Other is the good thing of that House. What need is there that we declare what are the good things of that House? Let that same man point them out, that singeth going out of Babylon. We shall be filled, he saith, with the good things of Thy House. What are those good things? We had lifted up perchance the heart to gold, to silver, and other precious things: do not seek such things, they weigh down, they lift not up. Here therefore now upon those good things of Jerusalem, upon those good things of the House of the Lord, upon those good things of the temple of the Lord, let us meditate: because the House of the Lord, is the very same as the Temple of the Lord. We shall be filled with the good things of Tliy House: Thy holy Temple is (ver. 5.) marvellous in righteousness. These are the good things of that House. He hath not said, Thy holy Temple is marvellous in pillars, marvel-lous in marbles, marvellous in gilded ceilings; but is marvellous in righteousness. Without thou hast eyes wherewith thou mayest see marbles, and gold: within is an eye wherewith may be seen the beauty of righteousness. If there is no beauty in righteousness, why is a righteous old man loved? What bringeth he in body that may please the eyes? Crooked limbs, brow wrinkled, head blanched with grey hairs, dotage every where full of plaints. But perchance because thine eyes this decrepit old man pleaseth not, thine ears he pleaseth: with what words? with what song? Even if perchance when a young man he sang well, all with age hath been lost. Doth perchance the sound of his words please thine ears, that can hardly articulate whole words for loss of teeth? Nevertheless, if righteous he is, if another man's goods he coveteth not, if of his own that he possesseth he distributed to the needy, if he giveth good advice, and soundly judgeth, if he belie veth the entire faith, if for bis - belief in the faith he is ready to expend even those very shattered limbs, for many Martyrs are even ©Id men; why do we love him? What good thing in him do we see with the eyes of the flesh? Not any. There is therefore a kind of beauty in righteousness, which we see with the eye of the heart, and we love, and we kindle with affection: how much men found to love in those same Martyrs, though beasts tare their limbs! Is it possible but that when blood was staining all parts, when with the teeth of monsters their bowels gushed out, the eyes had nothing but objects to shudder at? What was there to be loved, except that in that hideous spectacle of mangled limbs, entire was the beauty of righteousness? These are the good things of the House of God, with these prepare thyself to be satisfied. But in order that with them thou mayest be satisfied, when thou shalt have arrived there, for this it behoveth thee to hunger and thirst while thou art sojourning: for this thirst thou, for this hunger thou; because those same will be the good things of God. Hear thou that king to whom these things are said, Who hath come that He may bring thee back, and for thy sake hath made Himself the Way. He saith what? " Blessed which hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled" Thy Iidly Temple is marvellous in righteousness. And that same temple, brethren, do not imagine to be ought but yourselves. Love ye righteousness, and ye are the Temple of God.

9. Ver. 5. Hearken to us, O God, our Saviour. He hath disclosed now Whom he nameth as God. The Saviour specially is the Lord Jesus Christ, It hath appeared now more openly of Whom he had said, " Unto Thee every flesh shall come" Hearken to us, O God, our Saviour. That One Man that is taken unto Him into the Temple of God, is both many and is One. In the person of One he hath said, Hearken, O God, to my hunger: and because the same One of many is composed, now he saith, Hearken to us, O God, our Saviour. Hear Him now more openly preached: Hearken to us, O God, our Saviour, the Hope of all the ends of the earth and in the sea afar. Behold wherefore hath been said, Unto Tliee every flesh shall come. From every quarter they come. Hope of all the ends of the earth, not hope of one corner, not hope of Judaea alone, not hope of Africa aloue, not hope of Pannonia, not hope of East or of West: but Hope of all the ends of the earth, and in the sea afar: of the very ends of the earth. And in the sea afar: and because in the sea, therefore afar. For the sea by a figure is spoken of this world, with saltness bitter, with storms troubled; where men of perverse and depraved appetites have become like fishes devouring one another. Observe the evil sea, bitter sea, with waves violent, observe with what sort of men it is filled. Who desireth an inheritance except through the death of another? Who desireth gain except by the loss of another? By the fall of others how many men wish to be exalted? How many, in order that they may buy, desire for other men to sell their goods? How they mutually oppress, and how they that are able do devour! And when one fish hath devoured, the greater the less, itself also is devoured by some greater. O evil fish, prey thou wilt have of a little fish, prey thou wilt be made to a great fish. Daily those things happen, before our faces they are; we see them, let us shudder at them. Let us not do these things, brethren, because the hope He is of the ends of the earth. If He were not the hope, and in the sea afar, He would not have said to His disciples, / will make you fishers of men. Now in the sea being taken by the nets of the Faith, we rejoice that we there are swimming yet within the nets; because this sea yet is raging with storms, but the nets, which have taken us, will be drawn out to shore. The shore is the end of the sea. Therefore the landing will be at the end of the world. Meanwhile within those same nets, brethren, let us live righteously: let us not by breaking the nets go forth without. For many have broken the nets, and have made schisms, and have gone forth without, Because evil fishes that were taken within the nets they said they would not eudure; they themselves have become more evil than they whom they said1 they could not endure. For those nets did take fishes both good and evil. The LoTdtendea saith, The kingdom of Heaven is like to a sein cast into theM*t.\3, sea, which gathereth of every kind, which, when it had been47~49' filled, drawing out, and sitting on the shore, they gathered the good into vessels, but the evil they cast out: so it shall he, He saith, in the consummation of the world. He sheweth what is the shore, He sheweth what is the end of the sea. The angels shall go forth, and shall sever the evil from the midst of the just, and shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Ha! ye citizens of Jerusalem that are within the nets, and are good fishes; endure the evil, the nets break ye not: together with them ye are in a sea, not together with them will ye be in the vessels. For Hope He is of the ends of the earth, Himself is Hope also in the sea afar. Afar, because also in the

10. Ver. 6. Preparing mountains in His strength. Not in their strength. For He hath prepared great preachers, and those same He hath called mountains; humble in themselves, exalted in Him. Preparing mountains in His strength. What saith one of those same mountains? We ourselves in our own selves have had the answer of death, in order that in ourselves we should not trust, but in God that raiseth the dead. He that in himself doth trust, and in Christ trusteth not, is not of those mountains which He hath prepared in His strength. Preparing mountains in His strength: girded about in power. Power, I understand: girded about, is what? They that put Christ in the midst, girded about they make Him, that is on all sides begirt. We all have Him in common, therefore in the midst He is: all we gird Him about that believe in Him: and because our faith is not of our strength, but of His power; therefore girded about He is in His power; not in our own strength.

11. Ver. 7. That troublest the bottom of the sea. He hath done this: it is seen what He hath done. For He hath prepared mountains in His strength, hath sent them to preach: girded about He is by believers in power: and moved is the sea, moved is the world, and it beginneth to persecute His saints. Girded about in power: that troublest the bottom of the sea. He hath not said, that troublest the sea; but the bottom of the sea. The bottom of the sea is the heart of ungodly men. For just as from the bottom more thoroughly all things are stirred, and the bottom holdeth firm all things: so whatsoever hath gone forth by tongue, by hands, by divers powers for the persecution of the Church, from the bottom hath gone forth. For if there were not the root of iniquity in the heart, all those things would not have gone forth against Christ. The bottom He troubled, perchance in order that the bottom He might also empty: for in the case of certain evil men He emptied the sea from the bottom, and made the sea a desert place. Another Psalm saith this, That turneth sea into dry land. All ungodly and heathen men that have believed were sea, have been made land; with salt waves at first barren, afterwards with the fruit of righteousness productive. That troublest the bottom of the sea: the sound of its waves who shall endure? Who shall endure9 is what? What man shall endure the sound of the waves of the sea, the behests of the high powers of the world? But whence are they endured? Because He prepareth mountains in His strength. In that therefore which he hath said wlto shall endure? he saith thus; We ourselves of our own selves should not be able to endure those persecutions, unless He gave strength. That troublest the bottom of the sea: the sound of its waves who shall endure?

12. Ver. 8. The nations shall be troubled. At first they shall be troubled: but those mountains prepared in the strength of Christ, are they troubled? Troubled is the sea, against the mountains it dasheth: the sea breaketh, unshaken the mountains have remained. The nations shall be troubled, and all men shall fear. Behold now all men fear: they that before have been troubled do now all fear. The Christians feared not, and now the Christians are feared. All that did persecute do now fear. For He hath overcome That is girded about with power, to Him hath come every flesh in such sort, that the rest by their very minority do now fear. And all men shall fear, that inhabit the ends of the earth, because of Thy signs. For miracles the Apostles wrought, and thence all the ends of the earth have feared and have believed.

13. Outgoings in morning and in evening Thou shalt delight: that is, Thou makest delightful. Already in this life what is there being promised to us? Outgoings thou shalt delight in morning and in evening. There are outgoings in morning, there are outgoings in the evening. By the morning signifieth the prosperity of the world, by the evening he signifieth the trouble of the world. Let your Love give heed, (for in both a human soul is tried, both in prosperity lest it be corrupted, and in adversity lest it be crushed) — The morning signifieth prosperity, because the morning is glad, the sadness, as it were, of the night being overpast. But sad is the darkness, when the evening cometh on: therefore when the evening, as it were, of the world came, He offered an evening sacrifice. Let each one therefore not fear the evening; neither in the morning let him be corrupted. Behold, some one or other, in order that thou mayest do some evil thing, hath promised gain; it is morning: there sraileth upon thee a large sum of money, morning to thee it become th. Do not be bribed, and thou wilt have an outgoing in the morning. For if thou hast an outgoing, thou wilt not be caught. For the promise of gain is like a bait in a trap; thou art squeezed close, and there is no way of going out, thou art caught in the trap. But the Lord thy God hath given to thee an outgoing, lest with gain thou be caught, when He saith to thee in heart, / am thy riches. Do not give heed to what the world promiseth, but to what the Maker of the world promiseth. Thou miudest what God hath promised to thee doing righteousness, thou despisest what man promiseth thee to draw thee away from righteousness. Heed not then what the world promises, but what the Maker of the world, and thou wilt have an outgoing in the morning through the Lord's word saying, What doth it profit a man, if the wlwle world he gain, but to his soul suffer loss. But he that could not with promised gain corrupt and allure thee to iniquity, will menace penalties, and will resort to hostility, and will begin to say to thee, If thou wilt not do this thing, I will shew thee, I will be doing, thou shalt have me for an enemy. At first when he was promising gain, it was morning to thee: but now evening draweth on, sad thou hast become. But He that hath given thee an outgoing in the morning, will give one also in the evening. In the same manner as thou hast contemned the morning of the world by the light of the Lord, so contemn the evening also by the sufferings of the Lord, in saying to thy soul, What more will this man do to me, than my Lord hath suffered for me? May I1 hold fast justice, not consent to iniquity, Let him vent his rage on the flesh, the trap will be broken, and I will fly to my Lord, That saith to me, Do not fear them that kill the body, but the soul are not able to till.^^ And for the body itself He hath given security, saying, A hair of your head shall not perish. Nobly here he hatb set down, Thou wilt delight outgoings in morning and in evening. For if thou take not delight in the very outgoing, thou wilt not18, labour to go out thence. Thou runnest thy head into the promised gain, if thou art not delighted with the promise of the Saviour. And again thou yieldest lo one tempting and terrifying, if thou find no delight in Him that suffered before thee, in order that He might make an outgoing for thee* Outgoings in morning and in evening Thou wilt delight.

14. Ver. 9. Thou hast visited the earthy and hast inebriated it. Whence hast inebriated the earth? Thy cup inebriating?^^ how glorious it is! Thou hast visited the earth, and hast inebriated it. Thou bast sent Thy clouds, they have rained down the preaching of the truth, iuebriated is the earth. Thou hast multiplied to enrich it. Whence hast thou 'multiplied to enrich it V The river qf God is filled with water. What is the river of God? The people of God. The first people was filled with water, wherewith the rest of the earth might be watered. Hear Him promising water: If any man thirst, let Him come to Me and drink: he that believeth on Me, rivers of living water from His belly shall flow: if rivers, one river also; for in respect of unity many are one. Many Churches and one Church, many faithful and one Bride of Christ: so many rivers and one river. Many Israelites believed, and were fulfilled with the Holy Spirit; from thence they were scattered abroad through the nations, they began to preach the truth, and from the river of God that was filled with water, was the whole earth watered. Thou hast prepared food for them; because thus is Thy preparing. Not because they have deserved of Thee, whom Thou hast forgiven sins: the merits of them were evil, but Thou for Thy mercy's sake, because thus is Thy preparing, thus Thou hast prepared food for them.

15. Ver. 10. The furrows thereof inebriate Thou. Let there be made therefore at first furrows to be inebriated; let the hardness of our breast be opened with the share of the word of God, The furrows thereof inebriate Thou: multiply the generations thereof. We see, they believe, and by them believing other men believe, and because of those others believe; and it is not sufficient for one man, that having become himself a believer, he should gain one. So is multiplied seed too: a few grains are scattered, and fields spring up. The furrows thereof inebriate Tfiou, multiply the generations thereof: in the drops thereof it shall rejoice, when it shall rise up. That is, before it be perchance enlarged to the bulk of a river, when it shall rise up, in its drops, that is, in those meet for it, it shall rejoice. For upon those that are yet babes, and upon the weak, are dropped some portions of the sacraments, because they cannot receive the fulness of the truth. Hear in what manner he droppetb upon babes, while they are rising up, that is, in their recent rising having small capacities: the Apostle saith, To you I could not speak as if to spiritual, but as if to carnal, as if to babes in Christ. When he saith, to babes in Christ, he speaketh of them as already risen up, but not yet meet to receive that plenteous wisdom, whereof he saith, Wisdom we speak among perfect men. Let it rejoice in its drops, while it is rising up and is growing, when strengthened it shall receive wisdom also: in the same manner as an infant is fed with milk, and becometh fit for meat, and nevertheless at first out of that very meat for which it was not fit, for it milk is made. In its drops it shall rejoice, when it shall rise up.

16. Ver. 1 1. Thou shall bless the crown of the year of Thy goodness. Seed is now sowing, that which is sown is growing, there will be the harvest too. And now over the seed the enemy hath sown tares; and there have risen up evil ones among the good, false Christians, having like leaf, but not fruit. For those are properly called Hares, which spring up in the manner of wheat, for instance darnel, for instance wild oats, and all such as have the first leaf the same. Therefore of the sowing of the tares thus saith the Lord: There hath come an enemy, and hath sown over them tares; but what hath he done to the grain? The wheat is not choked by the tares, nay, through endurance of the tares the fruit of the wheat is increased. For the Lord Himself said to certaiu workmen desiring to root up the tares, Suffer ye both to grow unto the harvest, lest perchance while ye desire to root up the tares, ye root up at the same time the wheat also: but in time of harvest I will say to the reapers. Gather together first the tares, and bind in bundles for burning, but the wheat store ye in the barn. This is the end of the year, the harvest of the world. Thou shalt bless the crown of the year of Tliy goodness. Of crown when thou nearest, the glory of victory is implied. Conquer the devil, and thou wilt have a crown. Thou shalt bless the crown of the year of Thy goodness. Again he maketh reference to the goodness of God, lest any one boast of his own merits.

17. Thy plains shall be filled with abundance: (ver. 12.) the ends of the desert shall grow fat, and the hills shall be encircled with exultation. Plains, hills, ends of the desert, the same are also men. Plains, because of the equality: because of equality, I say, from thence just peoples have been called plains. Hills, because of lifting up: because God doth lift up in Himself those that humble themselves. Ends of the desert are all nations. Wherefore ends of the desert? Deserted they were, to them no Prophet had been sent: they were in like case as is a desert where no man passelh by. No word of God was sent to the nations: to the people Israel alone the Prophets preached. We came to the Lord1; the wheat believed among that same1 people of the Jews. For He said at that time to the disciples, Ye say, far off is the harvest; look back, and see how white ffi1™* are the lands to harvest. There hath been therefore a first Domiharvest, there will be a second in the last age. The first f harvest was of Jews, because there were sent to them Prophets Lord proclaiming a coming Saviour. Therefore the Lord said to johlJ'4 His disciples, See how white are the lands to harvest: the 35« lands, to wit, of Judaea. Other men, He saith, have laboured, ^hn and into their labours ye have entered. The Prophets laboured to sow, and ye with the sickle have entered into their labours. There hath been finished therefore the first harvest, and thence, with that very wheat which then was purged, hath been sown the round world; so that there ariseth another harvest, which at the end is to be reaped. In the second harvest have been sown tares, now here there is labour* Just as in that first harvest the Prophets laboured until the Lord came: so in that second harvest the Apostles laboured, and all preachers of the truth labour, even until at the end the Lord send unto the harvest His Angels. Aforetime, I say, a desert there was, but the ends of the desert shall grow fat. Behold where the Prophets had given no sound, the Lord of the Prophets hath been received, The ends of the desert shall grow fat, and with exultation the hills shall be encircled.

18. Yer. 13. Clothed have been the rams of the sheep: ' with exultation' must be understood. For with what exultation the hills are encircled, with the same are clothed the rams of the sheep. Rams are the very same as hills. For hills they are because of more eminent grace; rams, because they are leaders of the flocks. Therefore those rams, the Apostles, were clothed with exultation, they rejoice over their fruits, not without cause they have laboured, not without cause they have preached. Clothed have been the rams of the sheep: and the valleys shall abound in wheat. And the humble peoples shall bring forth much fruit. They shall shout: thence they shall abound with wheat, because they shall shout. What shall they shout? For a hymn they shall say. For one thing it is to shout against God, another thing to say a hymn; one thing to shout iniquities, another thing to shout the praises of God. If thou shout in blasphemy, thorns thou hast brought forth: if thou shoutest in a hymn, thou aboundest in wheat.