Psalm 92 (Vulgate 91)

A Sermon to the people, preached on Saturday.

1. Listen to the Psalm: may the Lord grant to us to open the mysteries herein contained: whiles that, for remedy of weariness, they are diversely and variously explained. For God teacheth us no other hymn but that of faith, hope, and charity: that our faith may be firm in Himself, as long as we do not see Him, believing in Him Whom we do not see, that we may rejoice when we see Him, and the appearance of His light may succeed to our faith, when it will no longer be said to us, Believe what thou seest not; but, rejoice that thou seest. Let our hope also be immutable, and fixed in Him, let it not totter and fluctuate, let it not be tossed about; as God Himself, in Whom it is fixed, cannot be tossed. For now it is called hope: but then it will not be hope, but reality. For as long as that which is hoped is not seen, is it called hope, in the Apostle's words, But hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth9 why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see noty then do we with patience wait for it. Patience then only is needful, until what is promised shall come. But no one is patient in a good estate. When patience is required of a man, he is in adversity: when it is said, Be patient, endure, sustain: it is trouble, under which God wills thee to be courageous, enduring, of long suffering, patient. But does He Who has promised deceive in ought? The physician draws his knife to cut the wound, and says to him whom he is about to cut, Be patient, sustain, endure: in pain he demands patience, but after it he promises health. And he who endures pain under the physician's knife, unless he sets before his mind the health which he has not yet, fails under the paiu which he suffers. There are therefore many evils in this world, within, and without: they never cease: stumbling-blocks abound: no one feels them, except he who treads the path of God. He is told in all the pages of divine Scripture to endure the present, hope for the future, love Whom he seeth not, that he may embrace Him when he seeth Him. For charity, which is joined in the third place to faith and hope, is above faith and hope: because faith is of things which are not seen; but it will be sight, when they shall be seen: and hope is of what is not possessed: which, when the thing itself reaches us, will not be any longer hope, because we shall possess it, not hope for it: but charity knoweth not but to increase more and more. For if we love Whom we see not, how shall we love when we see Him? Let then our longing increase. We are not Christians, except on account of a future life: let no one hope for present blessings, let no one promise himself the happiness of the world, because he is a Christian: but let him use the happiness he hath, as he may, in what manner he may, when he may, as far as he may. When it is present, let him give thanks for the consolation The Jewish and the Christian Sabbath. of God: when it is wanting, let him give thanks to the Divine justice. Let him always be grateful, never ungrate fill: let him be grateful to his Father, Who soothes and caresses him: and grateful to his Father when He chasteneth him with the scourge, and teacheth him: for He ever loveth, whether He caress or threaten: and let him say what ye have heard in the Psalm: (ver. 1.) It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord; and to sing praises unto Thy Name, Thou Most Highest.

2. This Psalm is entitled, a Psalm to be sung on the Sabbath day. Lo, this day is the Sabbath, which the Jews at this period observe by a kind of bodily rest, languid and luxurious. They abstain from labours, and give themselves up to trifles; and though God ordained the Sabbath, they spend it in actions which God forbids. Our rest is from evil works, theirs from good; for it is better to plough than to dance. They abstain from good, but not from trifling, works. God proclaims to us a Sabbath. What sort of Sabbath? First consider, where it is. It is in the heart, within us; for many are idle with their limbs, while they are disturbed in conscience. Every bad man cannot have a Sabbath: for his conscience is never at rest, he must needs live in turmoil; but he who has a good conscience, is tranquil; and that very tranquillity is the Sabbath of the heart. For it listeneth to the promises of the Lord: and if it toils in the present time, it expands in the hope of the future, and every cloud of sorrow is calmed; as the Apostle saith, Rejoicing in hope. That very joy in the tranquillity of our hope, is our Sabbath. This is the subject of praise and of song in this Psalm, how a Christian man is in the Sabbath of his own heart, that is, in the quiet, tranquillity, and serenity of his conscience, undisturbed; hence he tells us here, whence men are wont to be disturbed, and he teaches thee to keep Sabbath in thine own heart.

3. The first thing is, that thou thyself, if thou hast made any advancement, praise God for that wherein thou hast advanced, because it is His gift, and not thy deserving. Hence begin the Sabbath, by not attributing these gifts to thyself, as if thou hadst not received what thou hast received: nor excusing thyself for the evil that thou doest, 316 God forces not to evil, nor does Satan. because it is thy own. For perverse and agitated men, who do not keep Sabbath, ascribe their evil deeds to God, their good ones to themselves. If he hath done ought of good, he saith, I did it: if of evil, he seeketh whom he may accuse, that he may not confess to God. And what is this? He seeketh whom he may accuse? If he is not very wicked, he hath Satan at hand to accuse: he saith, Satan did it, he persuaded me: as if Satan had the power of compelling him. He hath indeed cunning in persuading. But if Satan were speaking, and God were silent, thou wouldest have an occasion for self-excuse: but thy ears are between God admonishing, and the serpent suggesting. Why are they turned in one direction, and turned away from the other? Satan ceaseth not to persuade evil: but neither doth God cease to admonish us to good d. But Satan doth not compel thee against thy will: it is in thy power to consent, or not to consent. If thou hast done any thing wrong by Satan's persuasion, dismiss Satan, accuse thyself, that by thy self-accusation thou mayest deserve the mercy of God. Dost thou wish to accuse one who hath no pardon? Accuse thyself, and thou receivest indulgence. Besides, many do not accuse Satan, but their fate. My fate led me, saith one: when you ask him, why did you do it? why did you sin? he replies, by my evil fate. Lest he should say, I did it; he points to God as the source of his sin: with his tongue he blasphemes. He saith not this indeed openly as yet, but listen, and see that he saith this. You ask of him, what is fate: and he replies, evil stars. You ask, who made, who appointed the stars; he can only answer, God. It follows, then, that whether he doth so directly or indirectly*, still he accuseth God, and when God punisheth sins, he maketh God the author of his own sins. It cannot be that God punishes what He hath wrought: He punisheth what thou doest, that He may set free what He hath wrought. But sometimes, setting aside every thing else, they attack God directly: and when they sin, they say, God willed this; if God had not willed it, I should not have sinned. Does He not heard, what good things He grants, nam longam, sive per proximum. warn thee for this, that not only He may not be listened to, to keep thee from sin, but even be accused because thou dest sin? What then doth this Psalm teach us? It is a good thing to confess1 unto the lord. What is to confess unto the Lord? In both cases: both in thy sins, because thou hastterl" done them; and in thy good works, confess unto the Lord, because He hath done them. Then shalt thou sing unto the Name of God, the Most Highest: seeking the glory of God, not thine own; His Name, not thine. For if thou seekest the Name of God, He also seeketh thy name; but if thou hast neglected the Name of God, He also doth blot out thine. But how did I say, He seeketh thy name? As He said to His disciples when they came, after He sent them to preach the Gospel. After they had wrought many miracles, and had cast out devils in the Name of Christ, they said on their return, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us in Thy Name, They said, indeed, in Thy Name; but He saw in them that they were rejoicing in their glorification, and were puffing up themselves with pride, because they had power given them to drive out devils. He saw that they were seeking their own glory, and said to them, seeking and indeed keeping in store their names in Himself, In this rejoice not; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven. Behold, where thou hast a name, if thou neglect not the Name of God. Sing, therefore, on the psaltery, unto the Name of God, that thy name may be stablished before God. But what is a psaltery, my brethren? It is a kind of instrument, which has strings. Our work is our song: whoever does good works, playeth with a psaltery unto God: whoever confesses with the mouth, singeth unto God. Sing therefore with thy mouth: play unto him with thy works. For what purpose?

4. Ver. 2. To tell of Thy mercy early in the morning, and of Thy truth in the night season. What is the meaning of this; that the mercy of God is to be told us in the morning, and in the night the truth of God? The morning is, when it is well with us; the night, the sadness of tribulation. What then did he say in brief? When thou art prosperous, rejoice in God, for it is His mercy. Now, perhaps thou wouldest say, If I rejoice in God, when I am prosperous, because it is His mercy; what am I to do when I am in sorrow, in tribulation? It is His mercy, when I am prosperous; is it then His cruelty, when I am in adversity? If I praise His mercy when it is well with me, am I then to exclaim against His cruelty when it is ill? No. But when it is well, praise His mercy: when ill, praise His truth: because He scourgeth sins, He is not unjust. Daniel was in the night-season, when he was praying: for he was in the captivity of Jerusalem, he was in the power of enemies. Then the Saints suffered many evils: then he himself was cast into the den of lions; then the Three Children were thrown into the fire. The people of Israel suffered these evils in the captivity: it was the night-season. During the night Daniel confessed the truth of God: he said in his prayer, We have sinned, and committed iniquity, and have done wickedly. O Lord, righteousness belongeth unto Thee: but unto us confusion of face. He told of the truth of God during the night-season. What is it to tell of the truth of God in the night-season? Not to accuse God, because thou sufferest aught of evil: but to attribute it to thy sins, His correction: to tell of His lovingkindness early in the morning, and of His truth in the night-season. When thou dost tell of His loving-kindness early in the morning, and of His truth in the night-season, thou dost always praise God, always confess to God, and sing unto His Name.

5. Ver. 3. Upon a psaltery of ten strings, with a song, and upon the harp. Ye have not heard of the psaltery of ten strings for the first time: it signifies the ten commandments of the Law. But we must sing upon that psaltery, and not cany it only. For even the Jews have the Law: but they carry it: they sing not. Who are they who sing? Those who work. This is but little: those who work in a sullen spirit, do not yet sing. Who are they who sing? Those who do well with cheerfulness: for there is 9, cheerfulness in singing. And what saith the Apostle? For

God loveth a cheerful giver. Whatever thou doest, do with cheerfulness: then thou dost a good work and well.

But if thou doest it in sullenness, it is done with thee, thou dost it not: and thou rather earliest the instrument, thou dost not sing. Upon a psaltery of ten strings, with a song, and upon the harp. This means, in word and deed; ' with a song,' in word; * upon the harp,' in work. If thou speakest words alone, thou hast, as it were, the song only, and not the harp: if thou workest, and speakest not, thou hast the harp only. On this account both speak well and do well, if thou wouldest have the song together with the harp.

6. (Ver. 4.) For Thou, Lord, hast made me glad through Thy works; and I will rejoice in giving praise for the operations of Thy hands. Ye see what he saith. Thou hast made me living well, Thou hast formed me: if by chance I do aught of good, I will rejoice in the work of Thy hands: as the Apostle saith, For we are His workmanship, created unto good works. For unless He formed thee to good works, thou wouldest not know any works but evil. Be who speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: this the Gospel saith. Every sin is a lie; for every thing that is44, against the law, and against truth, is called a lie. What then doth He say? He that speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own; that is, he that sinneth, sinnetb of his own. Observe the sentence in converse. For if he who speaketh a lie, speaketh of his own: it follows that he who speaketh the truth, speaketh from God. Therefore it is said in another place, let God be true, but every man a liar. Thou art not told in this passage, Go, lie without fear, as thou art a man: nay, behold thyself a man, because thou liest; and that thou mayest be true, drink in truth, that thou mayest break forth 1 of God, and that thou mayest be true. Because thou canst not have truth from thy own self, it remains that thou drink it thence, whence it floweth: as if thou hast gone back from the light, thou art in darkness: as a stone glows not with its own heat, but either from the sun or fire, and if thou withdraw it from the heat, it cools: there it appears, that the heat was not its own; but it became heated either by the sun or by fire: thus thou also, if thou withdraw from God, wilt become cold; if thou approach God, thou wilt warm: as the Apostle saith, fervent in spirit. Also what^m', saith he of the light? If thou approach Him, thou wilt bep8.34,5. in light; therefore saith the Psalm, Look upon Him, and lightened i and your faces shall not be ashamed. Because therefore thou canst do no good, unless lightened by the light of God, and warmed by the Spirit of God; when thou shalt see thyself working well, confess unto God, and say what the Apostle saith; say unto thyself, that thou be not puffed up, For what hast thou that thou didst not receive? Now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it? Here therefore he praiseth God, and teacheth us a good confession: Thou, Lord, hast made me glad through Thy works; and I will rejoice in giving praise for the operations of Thy hands.

7. What are we to say of those who live bad but prosperous lives? For hence he who loveth the Sabbath hath a disturbed mind; he seeth himself daily engaged in good works, and toiling in narrow circumstances, perhaps in family poverty, perhaps in hunger, thirst, and nakedness, perhaps doing good works in prison, and the man who sent him into prison living a wicked life, and glorying in it; a most wicked thought against God entereth his heart, and he saith, God, wherefore do I serve Thee? why do I obey Thy words? 1 have not seized another's goods, 1 have not committed theft, I have not slain a man, I have not coveted any man's possession, I have not borne false witness against any one, I have not done disrespect to my father or mother, I have not bowed down before idols, I have not taken the Lord's Name in vain: I have kept myself from sin. He enumerates the ten strings, that is, the ten precepts of the Law, and questioneth himself in each, and seeth that he hath not sinned, not in one: and he is sorrowful that he suffereth such evils. And those who, I do not say, touch some of the strings, but touch not even the psaltery itself, and work no good, consult idols, and perhaps then appear Christians, when their family suffereth no evil, but when there is any tribulation there, they run to some soothsayer, diviner, or astrologer? Christ's name is repeated before him: he sneers, and screws his mouth. It is said to him, Believer, dost thou consult an astrologer? He replieth, Begone from me: he discovered to me my goods, which I had otherwise lost, and remained in wailing. Good man, dost thou not sign thyself with the cross of Christ? Even the law prohibits all these things. Rejoicest thou that thou hast found thy goods: art thou not sad that thou art thyself lost? How much better would it be that thy coat should perish than thy soul? He sneers at all this: he is insulting to his parents, he hateth his enemy, he pursueth him even unto death: he stealeth when he hath found opportunity, or ceaseth not to bear false witness; he layeth wait against his neighbour's wife, he coveteth his neighbour's goods: he doeth all these things, and flourisheth in riches, in honours, in the good things of this world. That wretched man who doeth good, and suffereth evils, seeth him, becometh disturbed, and saith, O God, the wicked, I imagine, please Thee, and Thou hatest the good, and lovest those who work iniquity. If he is excited, and consenteth to this thought, he will lose the Sabbath from his heart: he now beginneth not to listen to this psaltery; he hath departed thence, he singeth without reason, It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord; and to sing praises unto Thy Name, O Most Highest. The Sabbath being now lost in the inner man, and the tranquillity of his heart being shut out, and good thoughts repelled, he now beginneth to imitate him whom he seeth flourishing amid his evil deeds; and turneth himself also to evil works. But God is long-suffering, because He is eternal, and He knoweth the day of His own judgment, where He weigheth all things.

8. Teaching us this, what saith he? (ver, 5.) O Lord9 how glorious are Thy works: Thy thoughts are made very deep. Verily, my brethren, there is no sea so deep as these thoughts of God, Who maketh the wicked flourish, and the good suffer: nothing so profound, nothing so deep: therein every unbelieving soul is wrecked, in that depth, in that profundity. Dost thou wish to cross this depth? Remove not from the wood of Christ's Cross: thou shalt not sink: hold thyself fast to Christ What do I mean by this, hold fast to Christ? It was for this reason that He chose to suffer on earth Himself. Ye have heard, while the prophet was being read, how He did not turn away His back from the smiters9 and His face from the spittings of men9 how He turned not His cheek from their hands; wherefore chose He to suffer all these things, but that He might console the suffering? He could have raised His flesh at the last day: but then thou wouldest not have had thy ground of hope, since thou hadst not seen Him. He deferred not His resurrection, that thou mightest not still be in doubt. Suffer then tribulation in the world with the same end as that which thou hast observed in Christ: and let not those who do evil, and flourish in this life, move thee. Thy thoughts are very deep. Where is the thought of God? Rejoice not as the fish who is exulting in his bait: the fisherman hath not drawn his hook: the fish hath as yet the hook in his jaws. And what seemeth to thee long, is short; all these things pass over quickly. What is the long life of man to the eternity of God? Dost thou wish to be of long-suffering? Consider the eternity of God. For thou regardest thy few days, and in thy few days thou dost wish all things to be fulfilled. What things? The condemnation of all the wicked: and the crowning of all the good: dost thou wish these things to be fulfilled in thy days? God fulfilleth them in His own time. Why dost thou suffer weariness? He is eternal: He waiteth: He is of long-suffering: but thou sayest, I am not of long-suffering, because I am mortal. But thou hast it in thy power to become so: join thy heart to the eternity of God, and with Him thou shalt be eternal. For what is said of temporal things? All flesh is grass: and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field: the grass wither ethy and the flower fadeth. All things, then, wither and fade: but not that Word: for the Word of our God shall stand for ever. The grass passeth away, the glory of the grass passeth away, but thou hast where to hold thyself fast: " The Word of the Lord abideth for ever." Say then unto Him, Thy thoughts are very deep. Thou hast laid hold of the wood, thou art crossing that depth. Seest thou auy thing there? understandest thou any thing there? I understand, thou sayest. If thou art a Christian, and well instructed, thou sayest: God reserveth all things for His own judgment. The good suffer, because they are chastened as sons: the wicked exult, because they are condemned as strangers. A man hath two sons: the one he chasteneth, the other he dismisseth: the one doeth ill, and he is not punished by his father: the other, as soon as he moves, is beaten with the hand, and scourged. Why is the one dismissed, the other scourged, except because for the one who is beaten, the heritage is preserved, while he who is dismissed is disinherited? He seeth that he hath no hope, and therefore letteth him go that he may do as he pleaseth, but the boy who is punished, if he hath no heart, and is imprudent and foolish, congratulateth his brother who is not beaten: and groaneth for himself, saying in his heart, " My brother doeth so many wicked acts, whatever he pleaseth he doeth against the command of my father, and no one giveth him a hard word: I, as soon as I move, am beaten!" He is foolish, unwise; he attendeth to what he suflereth, but not to what is reserved for the other.

9. For this reason, after saying, (ver. 6, 7.) Thy thoughts are very deep, he at once subjoins: An unwise man doth not well consider this, and a fool doth not understand it. What are the things which an unwise man doth not well consider, and which a fool doth not understand? When the ungodly are green as the grass. What is, as the grass? They flourish when it is winter, but they will wither in the summer. Thou observes! the flower of the grass? What more quickly passeth by? What is brighter? What is greener? Let not its verdure delight thee, but fear its withering. Thou hast heard of the ungodly being green as the grass: hear also of the righteous: For lo. In the mean while, consider the ungodly; they flourish as the grass; but who are they who understand it not? The foolish and unwise. When the ungodly are green as the grass, and all men look upon the workers of iniquity. All who in their heart think not aright of God, look upon the ungodly when they are as green as grass, that is, when they flourish for a time. Why do they look upon them? That they may be destroyed for ever. For they regard their momentary bloom, they imitate them, and wishing to flourish with them for a time, perish for evermore: this is, That they may be destroyed for ever.

10. Ver. 8. But Thou, Lord, art the Most Highest for evermore. Waiting above in Thy eternity until the season of the wicked be past, and that of the just come. For lo. Listen, brethren. Already he who speaketh (for he speaketh in our person, in the person of Christ's body, for Christ speaketh in His own body, that is, in His Church,) hath joined himself unto the eternity of God: as I a little before was saying unto you, God is longsuffering and patient, and aJloweth all those evil deeds which He seeth to be done by wicked men. Wherefore? because He is eternal, and seeth what He keepeth for them. Dost thou also wish to be long-suffering and patient? Join thyself to the eternity of God: together with Him wait for those things which are beneath thee: for when thy heart shall have cleaved unto the Most Highest, all mortal things will be beneath thee: say then what follows, For lo, thine enemies shall perish. Those who now flourish, shall afterwards perish. Who are the enemies of God? Brethren, perhaps ye think those only enemies of God who blaspheme? They indeed are so, and those wicked men who neither in tongue nor in thought cease to injure God. And what do they do to the eternal, most high God? If thou strike with thy fist upon a pillar, thou art hurt: and thinkest thou that where thou strikest God with thy blasphemy, thou art not thyself broken? for thou doest nothing to God. But the enemies of God are openly blasphemers, and daily they are found hidden. Beware of such enmities of God. For the Scripture revealeth some such secret enemies of God: that because thou knowest them not in thy heart, thou mayest know in God's Scriptures, and beware of being found with them. James saith openly in his Epistle, Know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Thou hast heard. Dost thou wish not to be an enemy of God? Be not a friend of this world: for if thou art a friend of this world, thou wilt be an enemy of God. For as a wife cannot be an adulteress, unless she be an enemy to her own husband: so a soul which is an adulteress through its love of worldly things, cannot but be an enemy to God. It feareth, but loveth not: it feareth punishment, but is not delighted with righteousness. All lovers of the world, therefore, are enemies of God, all the curious after trifles, all consulters of diviners, astrologers, and evil spirits. Let them enter, or not enter, Churches: they are enemies of God. They may flourish for a season like grass, but they will perish, when He beginneth to visit Glory of the Church in Her old age. 325 them, and pronounce His sentence upon all flesh. Join thyself to the Scripture of God, and say with this Psalm, (ver. 9.) For lo9 thine enemies shall perish. Be not found there, where they shall perish. And all the workers of iniquity shall be destroyed.

11. But thou, who now art in toil, what will be thy hope, when God's enemies shall perish, and all the workers of iniquity shall be destroyed? Thou who among these stumbling-blocks, among men's wickednesses dost groan, who art troubled in the flesh, but rejoicest in heart: what will then be thy hope, O Thou Body of Christ? O Christ, Thou Who in heaven sittest on the Father's right hand, but with Thy feet and Thy hands dost toil on earth, and sayest, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou Met What hope wilt Thou have, when God's enemies shall perish, and all who work4, iniquity shall be destroyed? What lot will be Thine? (Ver. 10.) But mine horn shall be exalted like the horn of an unicorn. Why did he say, like the horn of un unicorn? Sometimes an unicorn signifies pride, sometimes it means the lifting up of unity; because unity is lifted up, all heresies shall perish with the enemies of God. And mine horn shall be exalted like an unicorn. When will it be so? and mine old age shall be in the fatness of mercy. Why did he say, my old age? He means, my last days; as our old age is the last season in our lives, so the whole of what the body of Christ at present suffereth in labours, in cares, in watchings, in hunger, in thirst, in stumbling-blocks, in wickednesses, in tribulations, is its youth: its old age, that is, its last days, will be in joy. And beware, beloved, that ye think not death meant also, in that he hath spoken of old age: for man groweth old in the flesh for this reason, that he may die. The old age of the Church will be white with good works, but it shall not decay through death. What the head of the old man is, that our works will be. Ye see how the head groweth old, and whiteneth, as fast as old age approacheth. Thou sometimes dost seek in the head of one who groweth old duly in his own course a black hair, yet thou findest it not: thus when our life shall have been such, that the blackness of sins may be sought, aud none found, that old age is youthful, is green, and ever will be green. Ye have Glory of the Righteous at the end, and on high. heard of the grass of sinners, hear ye of the old age of the righteous: My old age shall be in the fatness of mercy.

12. Ver. 1 L And Mine eye hath beheld on mine enemies. Whom doth he call his enemies? All the workers of iniquity. Do not observe whether thy friend be wicked: let an occasion come, and then thou provest him. Thou beginnest to go contrary to his iniquity, and then thou shalt see that when he was flattering thee, he was thy enemy; but thou hadst not yet knocked, not to raise in his heart what was not there, but that what was there might break out. Mine eye also hath looked upon mine enemies: and mine ear shall hear his desire of the wicked that rise up against me. When? In my old age. What is, in old age? In the last times. And what shall our ear hear? Standing on the right hand, we shall hear what shall be said to them that are on the left: Depart into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels. The righteous shall not fear for the dreadful hear-Ye know that it is said in a Psalm, The righteous shall be had in everlasting remembrance; He will not be afraid of any evil hearing. What evil hearing? Depart into everlasting fire j prepared for the devil and his angels.

And mine ear shall hear upon the wicked that rise up against me.

13. The grass withereth, the flower of sinners dieth away: what of the righteous? (Ver. 12.) The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree. The ungodly are green as grass; The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree. By the palm tree he signifieth height. Possibly he had also this meaning in the palm, that in its extremities it is beautiful: so that thou mayest trace its beginning from the earth, its end in its\topmost branches, wherein its whole beauty dwelleth. The rough root appeareth in the earth, the beautiful foliage toward the sky. Thy beauty too, then, shall be in the end. Thy root is fixed fast: but our root is upward. For our root is Christ, Who hath ascended into heaven. Humbled, he shall be exalted; he shall spread abroad like a cedar in Libanus. See what trees he spoke of: the righteous shall flourish like a palm-tree: and shall spread abroad like a cedar in Libanus. When the sun hath gone forth, doth the palm-tree wither? Doth the cedar die? But when the sun Quietness and patience witness God's Righteousness. 327 hath been glowing for some hours, the grass drieth up. The judgment, therefore, shall come, that sinners may wither, and the faithful flourish. He shall spread abroad like a cedar in Libanus.

14. Ver. 12, 13. Such as are planted in the house of the Lord, shall flourish in the courts of the house of our God. They shall be yet more increased in fruitful old age, and shall be quiet, that they may shew it forth. Such is the sabbath, which but a little while ago I commended unto you, whence the Psalm hath its title. They shall be quiet, that they may shew it forth. Wherefore are they quiet that shew it forth? The grass of sinners moveth them not: the cedar and palm-tree not even in tempests are bent. They are therefore quiet, that they may shew it forth: and with reason, since at present they must shew it forth even unto men who mock at it, O wretched men, who are lovers of the world! Those who are planted in the house of the Lord, shew it to you: those who praise the Lord with song and lute, in word and deed, shew it forth to you, and tell you. Be not seduced by the prosperity of the wicked, admire not the flower of grass: admire not those who are happy only for a season, but miserable unto eternity. That happiness which now appeareth outwardly is not true; they are not happy in heart, because they are tortured by a bad conscience. But be thou quiet, trusting in the promises of the Lord thy God. For what wilt thou shew forth in thy quietness? How true the Lord my strength is: and that there is no unrighteousness in Him. Listen, my brethren, if ye are planted in the house of the Lord; if ye wish to flourish like a palm-tree, and to spread abroad like a cedar in Libanus, and not to wither like grass when the sun is hot; as those who appear to flourish when the sun is absent. If then ye wish not to be as grass, but as the palm-tree and the cedar, what will ye shew forth? How true the Lord my strength is: and that there is no unrighteousness in Him. How is it there is no unrighteousness? A man committeth so great crimes; he is well, he hath sons, a plentiful house, he is full of pride, is exalted by his honours, is revenged on his enemies, and doeth every evil deed; another man, inno- 328 Wait for God's judgment, and it shall appear. cent, attending to his own affairs, not robbing another's goods, doing nothing against any one, suffereth in chains, in prison, tosseth and sigheth in poverty. How is it that there is no unrighteousness in Him? Be quiet, and thou shalt know: for thou art disturbed, and in thy chamber thou dost darken thy light. The eternal God doth wish to shine upon thee: do not then make thee cloudy weather from thy own disturbed mind. Be quiet within thyself, and see what I say unto thee. Because God is eternal, because for the present He spareth the bad, bringing them to repentance: He scourgeth the good, instructing them in the way unto the kingdom of heaven: There is no unrighteousness in Him: fear not. Behold, I have been so much scourged, it is clear, I confess, I have sinned: for I do not call myself righteous. For this is what most say; when any one is by chance in any misery, in pain, thou goest in to console him: and he replieth, 1 have sinned, I confess, there are sins which I confess to be mine; but have 1 sinned as deeply as this man hath? I know how great sins he committed: I have sinned, I confess unto God, but less than he hath; and, behold, he suffereth no evil. Be not disturbed, be quiet, that thou mayest know how true the Lord is: and that there is no unrighteousness in Him. What if He now scourgeth thee, because He is not keeping for thee the flame everlasting? What, if He leaveth this man unpunished now, because he is doomed to hear, Depart into everlasting fire. But when? when thou shalt be placed at the right hand, then shall it be said to those placed on the left, Depart into the everlasting fire, which is prepared for the devil and his angels. Let not therefore those things move thee: Be quiet, keep sabbath, and shew how true the Lord my strength is: and that there is no unrighteousness in Him.