Psalms 142–143 (Vulgate 141–142)

This festival of the martyrs, as it claimeth from you the devotion of a crowded attendance, so doth it also claim a discourse from me, your servant. But ye ought to remember, beloved, how much was said yesterday. For we ought not, because, through the eagerness of your inward appetite, ye were present throughout the whole discourse as though ye had just arrived, therefore to forget our common weakness, first because we ought also to treat with honour excellent words, as it is written, 4 Excellent are the words of the wisdom of the Lord God.' By us, as by earthen vessels, they are ministered to you: but, if the vessels be earthen, yet is the bread from heaven. The Apostle saith, We have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of Qod. But that which is the treasure, the same is also the bread: for, were not the treasure and the bread the same, it would not elsewhere be said of this very treasure, A treasure to be desired resteth in the mouth ofProv. the wi^, but the foolish man swalloweth it up. Wherefore we exhort you, beloved, that what by hearing, ye store, so to speak, in the stomach of your memory, that by again /evolving and meditating ye in a manner ruminate. For this is, A treasure to be desired resteth in the mouth of the wise, but a foolish man swalloweth it up. What he said is in brief, A wise man ruminateth, a fool doth not ruminate. And what is this in plain and downright language? The wise thinketh on that which he heareth, but the fool committeth what he hath heard to oblivion. For neither was it for any other reason that in the Law those animals are called clean which ruminate, those which do not ruminate unclean: for every creature of God is clean. To God the Creator the swine is as clean as the lamb. For He created all things very good; and every creature of Qod is good, saith thefjj Apostle; and, to the pure all things are pure. Since then •by nature both are clean, but in signification the larab^'1' signifieth something clean, the swine something unclean, the lamb signifieth the innocence of wisdom that ruminateth, the swine signifieth the uncleanness of folly that forgetteth. A brief Psalm hath been said for the festival, let us see whether it can also be briefly handled.

2. With my voice have I cried unjp the Lord. It werever. enough to say, with voice: not for nothing perhaps has my added. For many cry unto the Lord, not with their own voice, but with the voice of their body. Let the inner man then, in whom Christ hath begun to dwell by faith, cry unto the Lord, not with the din of his lips, but with the affection of his heart. God heareth not, where man heareth: unless thou criest with the voice of lungs and side and tongue, man heareth thee not: thy thought is thy cry to the Lord. With my voice have I cried unto the Lord: with my voice have I prayed unto the Lord. What he meant by, / have cried, he explained when he said, / have praye(i por iOQ w^0 blaspheme, cry unto the Lord. In the former part he set down his crying, in the latter he explained what it was. As though it were demanded, With what cry hast thou cried unto the Lord? Unto the Lord, saith he, I have prayed. My cry is my prayert not reviling, not murmuring, not blaspheming.

3. / u>m p0Ur out before Him my prayer. Wkat is, before Him? In His sight. What is, in His sight? Where He seeth. But where doth He not see? For so do we say, where He seeth, as though somewhere He seeth not. But in this assemblage of bodily substances men too see, auimals too see: He seeth where man seeth not. For thy thoughts no man seeth, but God seeth. There then pour out thy prayer, where He alone seeth, Who rewardeth. For the Lord Jesus Christ bade thee pray in secret: but if thou knowest what thy closet is, and cleansest it, there thou pray est to God. When ye pray, saith He, be not as the hypocrites, who stand praying in the roads and streets, that they may be seen of men. Bat thou, uhen thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and shut the door, and pray to thy Father in secret, and He Who seeth in secret shall reward thee. If men are to reward thee, pour out thy prayer before men: if God is to reward thee, pour out thy prayer before Him; and close the door, lest the tempter enter. For the tempter ceaseth not to knock, that he may break in; if he find it shut, he passeth on. Therefore the Apostle, because it is in our power to shut the door, the door of our hearts, not of our walls, for in it is our closet, — because it is in our power to shut^his door, saith, neither give place to the devil. For if he have entered and taken possession, observe that thou hast either negligently closed, or neglected to close it.

4. But what is to shut the door? This door hath as it were two leaves, desire and fear. Either thou desireth something earthy, and he enter by this; or thou fearest something earthly, and he enters by that Close then the door of feaj and desire against the devil, open it to Christ How dost thou open these folding doors to Christ? By desiring the kingdom of heaven, by fearing the fire of hell. By desire of this world the devil entereth, by desire of eternal life Christ entereth; by fear of temporal punishment the devil entereth, by fear of everlasting fire Christ entereth. Behold, the martyrs closed the door agaiust the devil, opened it to Christ. Many things this world promised them: they laughed; they closed the leaf of desire against the devil. The world threatened them with wild beasts, with fire, with the cross; they faired not; they closed the leaf of fear against the devil. Let us see whether they opened them to Christ. He Mai confesseth Me, saith He, before men, him mill I confess also32' before My Father Which is in heaven. They loved then the kingdom of heaven, where Christ will confess them. How shall He confess them? Come, ye blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of3*' the world. He will confess them when they are set on the right baud. Let us see whether they opened also to Christ the leaf of fear, which they closed to the devil. In one and the same place doth the Lord bid us both close it to the devil and open it to Him. Fear not, saith He, them that kill the body, but cannot kill the soul. He bade the door of fear be closed in the face of the devil. Is there nothing to be feared? Is not the approach of fear opened to Christ, which is shut to the devil? He added at once, as though He would say, Thou hast shut out him, open to me; fear Him, Who hath power to kill both soul and body in hell fire. Now then, if thou hast believed and opened to Christ, and closed it against the devil, Christ is within; there He dwelleth: pour out before Him thy prayer; seek not that He hear thee from afar. For not far off is the wisdom of God, which reacheth from one end to the other, ami mightily and sweetly ordereth all things. Within then, in thyself, before Him1, pour out thy prayer: there are His ears. For neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the desert mountains; for Ood is the Judge. But, if He be the Judge, take heed what cause thou bearest in thine heart.

5. / will pour out before Him my prayer; my tribulation I will proclaim in His sight. There is a repetition, both in the two preceding sentences, and in these which follow: the sentiments are two, but both twice expressed. One is, with my voice have I cried unto the Lord; with my voice have I prayed unto the Lord; the other is, I will pour out before Him my prayer; my tribulation will I proclaim in His sight. For, in His sight, is the same as before Him; I will proclaim my tribulation, is the same as, I will pour out my prayer. When doest thou this? Being set in the midst of persecution, he saith, while my spirit failed from me. Wherefore hath thy spirit failed, 0 martyr, set in tribulation? That I may not claim my strength as mine own, that^ may know that Another worketh in me the goodness I have. But when they shall deliver you up to judges, (so warned the Lord those whom He wished to make martyrs,) take no thought what ye shall speak; for it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father that speaketh in you. Let then thy spirit fail, let the Spirit of God speak. Rightly willed He to make them poor in spirit: Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed then are they that are poor in their own spirit, rich in the Spirit of God. For every man who followeth his own spirit is proud. Let him subdue his own spirit, that he may receive the Spirit of God. He clomb to the top, let him settle down in the valley. If he climb to the top, the water flows down from him: if he settle down in the valley, he shall be filled with it, and become that belly whereof is said, Out of his belly shall flow rivers of living waters. Therefore, while my spirit failed from me, in Thy sight did I- proclaim my tribulation, being humbled, confessing to Thee with mine own spirit failing, while I am full of Thy Spirit.

6. And men perhaps have heard that my spirit hath failed within me, and have despaired of me, and have said, 'we have taken him capti^, we have overpowered him;' and Thou hast known my paths. They thought me cast down, Thou didst see me standing upright. They who persecuted me and had seized me, thought my feet entangled, but their feet were entangled, and they fell, but we are risen, and stand upright. For mine eyes are ever unto the Lord, for He shall pluck my feet out of the net. I have persevered in walking, for he that shall persevere unto the end, the same shall be saved0 They thought me overpowered, but I continued walking. Where did I walk? In paths which they saw not, who thought me prisoner, in the paths of Thy righteousness, in the paths of Thy commandments. For, Thou knewest my paths; the persecutor knew them not; else would he not envy me in them, but would walk with me in them. What are those paths, but the ways of which in auother place is said, the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous, but the way?*. of the ungodly shall perish? He said not, 6 He knoweth not the way of the ungodly,' but * the way of the ungodly shall perish.' For what He knoweth not, perisheth. In many passages of Scripture we find that God's knowing is preservation, that God's knowing is protection, His not knowing, damnation. For how will He, Who knoweth all things, say in the end, / know you not? Would they not rejoice at that, ajid say, * We shall not be punished, for the23. Judge knoweth us not?' Therein are they punished, if the Judge know them not. What then are called the ways which the Ijord knoweth, the same are here called pat/is, when He saith, Thou knoweth my paths. For every path is a way, but not every way is a path. Why then are those ways called paths, save because they are narrow? Broad is the way of the wicked, narrow the way of the righteous.

7. That which is ' the way' is also * the ways,' just as * the Church' is also 4 the Churches,' the ' heaven' also the * heavens:' they are spoken of in the plural, they are spoken of also in the singular. On account of the unity of the Church it is one Church; My dove is one, she is the only one of her mother. On account of the congregation of8' brethren in various places there are many Churches. The Churches of Judcea which are in Christ rejoiced, saith Paul, became he that persecuted us now preacheth the faith which once he destroyed; and they glorifiedtGod in me. Thus he spake of Churches; and of one Church he thus speaketh, Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the Church of God. Thus then are both ' ways' and 4 way,' both 'paths' and 'path.' Wherefore 'paths,' and wherefore ' path?' As we have given a reason why we have both ' Church' and ' Churches,' we ought also to give a reason for this. The phrase, ' paths of God,' is used, because His commandments are many; and because those many commandments are reduced to one, for Love is the fulfilling of the law; therefore those ways in many commandments10. are gathered into one, and it is' called one, because our way is Love. Let us see whether it be Love. Let us hear the Apostle; and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way. what more excellent way speakest thou of, O Apostle? Hear what I say: Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sound- ing brass or a tinkling cymbal: and though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all j^now-ledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing: and though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it projiteth me nothing. Therefore called he charity, ammore excellent way. Great is that way, brethren, great is the marvel it containeth. This way certainly, because it is more excellent, is also more lofty; for that surpasseth others which is lofty. Nought is more lofty than the way of love, and none walk in that save the lowly. By these paths then he meaneth the commandments of love. Thou, saith he, knewest my paths: Thou knowest that I suffer for Thee, suffer for Love. Thou knowest that Love in me beareth all things; Thou knowest that if / give my body to be burned, I have that without which it profiteth man nought.

8. But who knoweth those ways of a man, brethren, save truly He to Whom it is said, Tliou knowest my paths? For in the eyes of men all acts of men are uncertain, in what spirit they are done. And how many wicked men, measuring themselves by themselves, say of us in the Church, that we seek three things, honours, praise, temporal advantages? How many say that I address you in order that ye may applaud and praise me, and that this is my end and aim when 1 address you? And how do I shew to them that I speak not with such aim? It remains for me to say, Thou knowest my paths. How do they know, what ye yourselves even know not? How do they know, what I myself scarce know? For / judge not mine own self, but He that judgeth me is the Lord. Peter in ignorance presumed I know not what of himself: different was what the Physician saw in his strength. Therefore in reverence and purity let us cry unto the Lord, for truly do we cry it, Thou knowest my paths. But wishest thou that He lead thee by" these paths? Be meek, be gentle; be not fierce; be not proud; be not of an up-tossed and uplifted neck, like unto horse and mule, which have no understanding. For when thou art gentle, the Lord will sit upon thee, and guide thee in His ways. For them that are meek, shall He guide in judgment; and such as are gentle, them shall He teach His ways.

9. L% this way, wherein I was walking, they hid a trap for me. This way wherein I was walking, is Christ; there have they laid a trap for me, who persecute me in Christ, for Christ's Name's sake. There then have they hid for me a trap. What in me do they hate, what in me do they persecute? That I am a Christian. If this they persecute that I am a Christian, in the way wherein I was walking have they hid a trap for me. So far as in them lay, in the way wherein 1 was walking they have hid a trap for me: as regards their desire, as regards their endeavour, as regards their wish, in that way they desired that I should find a trap wherein I might be taken. But, the Lord knoweth the way?s.\i6. of the righteous; and, Thou hast known my paths. This indeed they desired, but Thou allowest them not to make a stumbling-block in Thee, for Thou art my way*. For the heretics too wish to hide a stumbling-block for us in the Name of Christ, and are themselves deceived. What they think that they put in the way, they put outside the way, for they themselves are outside the way. They cannot set a trap where themselves are not. But this is said in regard of their desire, in regard of their wish and their thought; for it is expressly said elsewhere, Near the paths they laid stumbling-blocks for me. The expression here, in the way, is said in6, regard of their desire and wish: the expression there, near the way, that is, near the paths, is said in regard of the truth. For in truth they set them not in the path, they set them not in the way; for the way is Christ; so in truth they set them near the way. Christ suffereth them not to set them in the way, lest we have not where to go; He does suffer them to set them near the way, that we may not turn aside from it. The Pagan thinketh to put a stumbling-block in the way, when he saith to me, 6 Thou worshippest a crucified God.' He findeth fault with the Cross of Christ, which he understandeth not. He thinketh that he setteth in Christ, what he setteth near the way. T will not depart from Christ, so shall I not fall from the way into the trap. Let him mock at Christ crucified, let me see the Cross of Christ on the foreheads of kings. What he laugheth at, therein am I saved. Nought is prouder than a sick man, who laugheth at his own medicine. If he laughed not at it, he would take it, and be healed. The Cross is the sign of humility, l>ut he through excess of pride acknowledged not that wnereby may be healed the swelling of his soul. But if I acknowledge, I am walking in the way. So far am I from blushing at the Cross, that in no secret place do I keep the Cross of Christ, but bear it on my forehead. Many sacraments we receive, one in one way another in another: some as ye know we receive with the mouth, some we receive over the whole body. But because the forehead is the s'eat of the blush of shame, He Who said, Whosoever shall be ashamed of Me before men, of him will I be ashamed before My Father Which is in heaven, set, so to speak, that very ignominy which the Pagans mock at, in the seat of our shame. Thou hearest a man assail a shameless man, and say, ' He hath no forehead.' What is, 6 He hath no forehead?' He hath no shame. Let me not have a bare forehead, let the Cross of my Lord cover it. So in the way wherein I was walking have they hid a trap for me, so far as in them lay: they laid it near the way: but I shall be safe, if I depart not from the way. Remember that thou goest in the midst of snares, saith Scripture. What is, in the midst of snares? In the way of Christ, and snares on this side and on that: snares on the right hand, and snares on the left: snares on the right hand, worldly prosperity; snares on the left hand, worldly adversity: snares on the right hand, promises; snares on the left hand, alarms. Do thou walk in the midst of the snares: depart not from the way: let neither promise ensnare thee, nor alarm drive thee off it. In this way, wherein I was walking, hjive they hidden a trap for me.

10. i" considered upon the right hand, and saw. He considered upon the right hand, and sawr: whoso considereth upon the left hand, is blinded. What is to consider on the right hand? Where they will be to whom shall be said, Come, ye blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom. For there will be certain on the left to whom shall be said, Go ye into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his34.4. angels. While then the whole world raged, and threatened in persecutions, when on all sides the attacks and terrors of men increased, he, despising the present, looked to the future, gave heed to the right hand, where he is to be: there he meditated to be, to that he gave heed, and saw, and therefore bore all; but they who persecuted him, saw not. Therefore when he said, / considered upon the right hand9 and saw, he goeth on to say, and there was none that knew me. For when thou fearest all things, who knoweth what thou regardest, whether thou directest thine eyes to the right hand or to the left? If, in bearing, thou seekest the praise of men, thou hast regarded the left: if, in bearing, thou seekest the promises of God, thou hast regarded the right hand. Hast thou regarded the right hand, thou shalt see: hast thou regarded the left hand, thou shalt be blinded. But even when thou seest on the right hand, there will be none to know thee. For who comforteth thee save the Lord, to Whom thou sayest, And Thou hast known my paths? And there was no man that knew me.

11. Flight hath perished from me. He speaketh as though he were hemmed in. Flight hath perished from me. Let the persecutors rejoice over him; he is overpowered, he is taken, he is hemmed in, he is conquered; flight hath perished from him. Flight hath perished from him who fleeth not. But he who fleeth not, sufferelh whatever he can for Christ: that, is, he fleeth not in soul. For in body it is lawful to flee; it is allowed, it is permitted; for the Lord saith, When they persecute you in one city, flee foMatio, another. He then who fleeth not in soul, from him flight23' hath perished. But it maketh a difference why he fleeth not; whether because he is hemmed in, because he is caught, or because he is brave. For both from him that is caught flight hath perished, and from him that is brave flight hath perished. What flight then is to be avoided? what flight shall we allow to perish from us? That whereof the Lord speaketh in the Gospel, The good shepherd layeth down his life for the sheep. But he thai is an hireling ^11«&Cand not the shepherd, when Tie seeth the wolf coming, jleeth. When he seeth the ravager, why fleeth he? Because he careth not for the sheep. Such flight had perished from him, whether we understand this saying in the name of the Head Himself, Christ our Lord, Who suffered for us; or whether of His members, our martyrs, who themselves too have suffered for their brethren. Hear what John saith, For as He laid down His life for us, we ought also to lay donm our lives for the brethren. But when they la^ them down, Christ layeth down: for, when they suffer persecution, He crieth out, Why persecutest thou Me? Flight hath perished from me; and there is none to seek my life. Is there then none to seek his life? He sees men desirou^ to rage against him even to death, desirous to shed his blood; how is there none to seek his life? This also may be taken in two ways. Just as flight perishing may be taken in two ways, because both from him that is caught, and from him that is brave, flight perisheth; so in two ways a man's life is sought, either by his persecutors or by his lovers. So then there is none to seek my life, he said of them; verily they persecute my life, and they seek not my life. But if they seek my life, they will find it clinging to Thee: and if they know to seek it, they know also to imitate it. For that ye may know that a man's life is sought by his persecutors too, therefore is it said elsewhere, Let them be confounded and ashamed that seek my life.

12. Unto thee have I cried, O Lord: I have said, Thou art my hope. When I endured, when I was in tribulation, / said, Thou art my hope. My hope here, therefore I endure. But my portion, not here, but in the land of the living. God giveth a portion in the land of the living; but not something from Himself without Himself. What will He give to one that loveth Him, save Himself?

13. Give heed unto my prayer, for much have I been humbled. Humbled by persecutors, humbled in confession. He humbleth himself out of the sight of man: he is humbled by enemies in their sight. Therefore is he lifted up by Him both visibly and invisibly. Invisibly are the martyrs already lifted up; visibly shall they be lifted up, when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption in the resurrection of the dead; when this very part of him, against which alone her persecutors could rage, shall be renewed. Fear not them that kill the body, but cannot kill the soul. And what perisheth? what kill they? Is even this permitted them, that what they kill should perish? It shall not perish. Hear the promise of the Lord Himself: Verily I say unto you, there shall not an hair of your head perish. Why then |rt thou anxious about the rest of thy members, when thou snalt not lose even a hair?

14. Deliver me from them that persecute me. From whom thinkest thou that he prayeth to be delivered? From men who persecuted him? Is it so? are merely men our •enemies? We have other enemies, invisible, who persecute us in another way. Man persecuteth, that he may slay the body; another persecuteth, that he ensnare the soul. And therefore by means of his vessels, (for of him is said, £fcEpb. worketh in the children of disobedience,) by his vessels, that is, men in whom he worketh, he dealeth persecution of the body, that inwardly he may effect the ruin of the soul. For if, though the body fall, the soul stand upright, the snare is broken, and we are delivered. There are then other enemies of ours too, from whom we ought to pray God to deliver us, lest they lead us astray, either by crushing us with troubles of this world, or alluring us by its enticements. Who are these enemies? Let us see whether they are plainly described by any servant of the Lord, by any soldier, now perfected, who hath engaged with them. Hear the Apostle saying, We wrestle not against flesh and blood:Eph. as though he would say, Turn not your hatred against men; think not them your enemies; think not that it is by their hostility you are being bruised; these men whom ye fear are flesh and blood: we wrestle not against flesh and blood. Thus he chose to speak, despising mortal men. Against whom then? Against principalities, saith he, and powers, and the rulers of this world, of this darkness. Thou wast alarmed when thou heardest, the rulers of this world. If they be rulers of this world, art thou to go beyond the world, to escape suffering them? art thou to go beyond the world, to be delivered from them? Thus then understand; the rulers of the world and of this darkness, not the rulers of heaven and earth, for they are the workmanship of God. Heaven and earth are called the world, and wicked men are called the world. Wherefore are they too called the world? Because they love the world: and therefore darkness, because they are wicked. And therefore when now many out of that very number believed, what saith the Apostle? Ye were sometime darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord. Before then ye were light, while ye were darkness, observegwhat ruler ye had. What ruler have the wicked save the devil, just as the good and faithful have Christ for their ruler. Therefore did he call the devil and his angels the rulers of the world, that is, rulers of the lovers of the world, rulers of sinners, that is, of this darkness: them have we for our enemies,* and from them we ought to pray to God to be delivered.

15. Hear both worlds clearly mentioned in one passage in holy Scripture, in the Gospel, the world which God made, and the world which the devil ruleth, that is, the lovers of the world. For God made men, but He made them not lovers of the world. For to love the world is sin, and God made not sin. Hear then, as I began to say, both worlds. He was in the world, it is said. Of whom is it said, He was in the worlds save of the WTisdom of God, which is Jesus Christ, of which Wisdom is said, as I mentioned just above, Wisdom reacheth from one end to another, mightily and sweetly she order all things? For, She passeth and goeth through all things by reason of Her pureness, and nothing defiled can fall unto Her. So then He was in this world, and the world was made by Him, and the world knew Him not. Here thou hast heard of two worlds; The world was made by Him, and the world knew Him not. It is not the world which was made by Jesus that is ruled over by those princes and powers of darkness, but the world which knew not Jesus, that is, the lovers of the world, the sinners, the wicked, the proud, the unbelieving. Whence are sinners called the world? Because they love the world, and by loving dwell in the world; just as both the building and its indwellers are called i the house.' ' A good house,' generally means 'a good building;' but we also say 'a good house,' because they are good who dwell therein. Again, 4 beware of that house, it is a bad one;' this is said in two ways: c This is a bad house, beware;' perhaps because it is ruinous, lest ought fall and crush thee: it is said also in another way, c Beware of that bad house, lest thou fall iuto the snare of the hunters; lest if poor thou be oppressed by a rich man, lest thou be in some way cheated.' Just as then we say 4 house' in two senses, so do we say * world' in two senses. But why are not the righteous too, since they. too are in the world^ called the world? Because the Apostle saith, But though we walk in the flesh, yet we do not war after the3' flesh: for our conversation is in heaven. The righteous dwelleth here in the flesh, but in heart he is with God.20, And he is called the world, if there is no ground for saying to him, 4 Lift up your heart;' but if there be ground for it, then let him dwell aloft: for ye are dead, saith the Apostle, and your life is hid with Christ in God. But they whose life is here, that is, whose longing and love cling to this, here have their use, here are entangled, well are called indwellers of the world. Well too are they who dwell in the world, called the world; just as well are they called the house, who dwell in the house. Two worlds then are there: The world was made by Him, and the world knew Him not. Behold the world made by the Lord, behold the world which knew not the Lord. Praise thou the building, and love the Builder; and love not to dwell in the building, but dwell in the Builder.

16. Deliver me from them that persecute me: for they are strengthened over me. Who said, they are strengthened over me? The Body of Christ crieth out; it is the voice of the Church; the members of Christ cry out, 'Much hath the number of sinners increased.' Because iniquity abounded, the love of many waxeth cold. Deliver me from them that persecute me: for they are strengthened over me.

1 7. Bring forth my soul out of prison, that it may confess™. to Thy Name. This prison has been variously understood by former writers. And perhaps it is the prison which is called in the title, the cave. For the title of this Psalm runneth thus: Of understanding to David himself, a prayer when he was in the cave. That which is the cave, the same is also the prison. Two things have we set before us to understand, but when we have understood one, both will be understood. A man's deserts make a prison. For in one dwelling place one man finds a house, another a prison. When men keep others imprisoned, even though they keep them in their own houses, yet are they who are closely guarded in prison; must we say that the others are in prisoti also? There is but one dwelling place to the one and the other: to the one, liberty makes it a home; to the other, slavery makes it a prison. To some then it has seemed th^t the cave and prison are this world; and this the Church prayeth, that it may be brought out of prison, that is, from this world, from under the sun, where all is vanity. For it is said, All is vanity, and there is vexation of spirit in every work of a man, which he toileth under the sun. Beyond this world then God promiseth that we shall be in some sort of rest; therefore perhaps do we cry concerning this place, Bring my soul out of prison. Our soul by faith and hope is in Christ; as a little before I said, Your life is hid with Christ in God. But our body is in this prison, in this world. If he had said, ' Bring my body out of prison,' we should be safe in understanding the prison to be the world. But perhaps on account of certain earthly desires, which keep hold on us, against which we struggle and fight, because / see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind; rightly do we say, Bring my soul out of this world, that is, out of the toils and troubles of this life. For not the flesh which Thou hast made, but the corruption of the flesh, and its troubles and temptations, are a prison

18. But some have said, that this prison and cave is this body, so that this is the meaning of, Bring my soul out of prison. But this interpretation too is somewhat at fault. For what great thing is it to say, Bring my soul out of prison, bring my soul out of the body? Do not the souls of robbers and wicked men go forth from the body, and go into worse punishment than here they have endured? What great request then is this, Bring my soul out of prison, when, sooner or later, it must needs come forth? Perhaps the righteous saith, ' Let me die now; bring forth my soul from this prison of the body.' If he be too hasty, he hath pot love. He ought indeed to long for and desire, as the Apostle saith, having a desire to be dissolved and to be with Christy which is far better. But where is love? Therefore it followeth, but to abide in the flesh is needful for you. Let God then lead us forth from the body, when He will. Our body too might be said to be a prison, not because that is a prison which God hath made, but because it is under punishment and liable to death. For there are two things|to be considered in our body, God's workmanship, and the punishment it has deserved. All this form, stature, gait? well-ordered members, all the arrangement of the senses, sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch, all this framework, and intricacy of workmanship, could not have been made, save by God, Who made all things in heaven and earth, above and below, visible and invisible. What is there in it that is a punishment to us? That the flesh is subject to corruption, that it is frail, that it is mortal, that it is needy; this will not be so in our reward. For the body will not cease to be a body when it rises. But what will not be then? Corruption. For this corruptible shall put on incorruption. If then the flesh be a prison to thee, it is not16' the body that is thy prison, but the corruption of thy body. For God made thy body good, for He is good: corruption he introduced in His justice, because He is Judge: the one thou hast in the way of goodness, the other in the way of punishment. Perhaps then he meant by, Bring my soul out of prison, bring my soul out of corruption. If thus we understand it, it is no blasphemy, the meaning is consistent.

19. Lastly, brethren, as I think, he meant this; Bring my soul out of prison, bring it out of straitness. For to one who rejoiceth, even a prison is wide; to one in sorrow, a field is strait. Therefore prayeth he to be brought out of straitness. For though in hope he have enlargement, yet in reality at present he is straitened. Listen to the straits of the Apostle: / had no rest in my spirit, saith he, because I found not Titus my brother. In another place: Who is weak, and I am not weak? vjho is offended, and I burn not? But he who was both weak and burning, was not he under punishment and in prison. But these punishments through love produce a crown. Wherefore he saith again, There remaineth for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall pay me at that day. Hereto pertaineth, Bring my soul out of prison, that I may confess Thy Name. When now it has been brought forth from corruption, what hath it to confess? There are no sins there, but there are praises. But confession is understood in two senses, of* our sins, and of God's praise. Confession of our sins is well known; so well known to all the people, that whenever they hear the name of concession in the Lessons, whether it is said in praise or of sin, their fists fly to their breasts. The name of confession then is well known in regard of sins, let us seek for confession of praise. Where do we find it? Thou hast in Scripture, And thou shalt say in confession, All the works of the Lord are exceeding good. Here then confession is of praise. Elsewhere the Lord Himself saith, / confess to Thee, Father, Lord of heaven and earth. What did He confess? Could it be sins? So then Christ's confession was praise. Hear further His praise of the Father: Because Thou hast hid -these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes. Since then after these straitenings of corruption we shall dwell in the house of God, our whole life will be nothing save praise of God. It has often already been set forth to you, that when need departeth, all works of need come to an end, for there we shall have nought to do. I say not day and night, for there is no night there, but all the day, since it is one day, we shall have nought to do there, save to praise Him Whom we love, because then we shall also see Him. Now we long for Him Whom we see not, and praise Him; then, when we see H im Whom we love, how shall we praise Him? There will be praise without end, because there will be love without end. Since then thus we shall be employed there, therefore, bring my soul out of prison, that it may give thanks to Thy Name. For, blessed are they that dwell in Thy house, for they shall be alway praising Thee. Now the prison hindereth, because the corruptible body weigheth down the soul. It is not the body that weigheth down the soul, (for then too we shall have the body,) but the corruptible body. It is not the body then that maketh the prison, but the corruption. Bring my soul out of prison, that it may give thanks to Thy Name. Now the words which follow seem to come from the Head, our Lord Jesus Christ. And they are the same as yesterday's last words. Yesterday's last words, if ye remember, were, / am alone, until I pass over. And here what are the last words? The righteous shall sustain me, until thou recompense me. 1 PSALM CXL1II.

20. Of the Psalm which we have chanted, I will speak to you, beloved, what the Lord shall give me. Yesterday we treated of a shorter Psalm, but the length of time gave us opportunity for saying much even on few verses: now, since the Psalm is longer, we ought not to delay so long on each several verse, lest perchance the Lord grant us not the power to go through the whole.

21. The title of the Psalm is, To David himself, when Ai$2Sam. son was pursuing him. We know from the Books of Kings15, that this happened: that Absalom arose in hostility to his father; that he waged against him not only civil, but even domestic war: that David, not evilly despairing, but reverently humbled, received the discipline at the Lord's hand, endured the medicine, not returning evil for evil; but had a heart prepared to follow the Lord's will. Thus praiseworthy was that David: but we must recognise here another David, truly ' strong in hand,' which is the explanation of David, even our Lord Jesus Christ. For all those events of past time were figures of things to come; nor needs it long time to commend to you, what ye have often heard, and very well remember. Let us seek then in this Psalm our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, announcing Himself beforehand in His prophecy, and foretelling what should happen at this time by things which were done long ago. For He Himself foretold Himself in the Prophets: for He is the Word of God. Nor did they say ought of this kind, save when filled with the Word of God. They announced then Christ, being filled with Christ, they went before Him about to come, and He deserted not them going before. Let us learn then how Christ too was persecuted by His son: for sons He had °^ vvh°m He said, The children of the bride fast not while the bridegroom is with them: but when the bridegroom is taken away from them, then shall the children of the bridegroom fast. The sons of the bridegroom then are the Apostles, and the persecutor among these was Judas the devil. In this Psalm then Christ is about to foretel His Passion: let us listen. m

22. But we again call your attention, behoved, to this, not as teaching you what ye know not, but reminding you of what ye know, that our Lord Jesus Christ is the Head of His Body, that He is the one Mediator between God and tne Man Jesus, born of a Virgin, as it were in solitude, as We ^ave ^ear(^ m ^e Revelati°n- 1° solitude1, as I think, because He alone has been so born. Him did that woman bear, to rule the nations with a rod of iron; and the woman is the ancient city of God, of which is said in the Psalm, Glorious things are spoken of thee, thou city of God. This city hath its beginning even from Abel, as the evil city hath from Cain. That then is the ancient city of God, ever enduring earth, hoping for heaven, which is also called Jerusalem and Sion. Truly of One born in Sion and yet Founder of Sion itself is said in another Psalm, Sion, My Mother, a man shall say. What man? And a man was born in her, and Himself the Most High hath founded her. In short, in Sion He was made Man, but as Man He was made humble, and He also, the Most High, founded that city in which He was made Man. Therefore was that woman also clothed with the sun, even with the Sun of Righteousu ess, Whom the wicked know not; who shall say in the end, Therefore have we erred from the way of truth, and the Light of Righteousness hath not shone unto us, and (he Sun of Righteousness was not upon us. There is then a Sun of Righteousness, which shineth not on the wicked. Yet the sun of this world He maketh to rise on the evil and the good. Therefore was she both clothed with the sun, and bore in her womb a male child, being about to bring forth. He it was that both buildeth Sion, and is born in Sion; and that woman, the City of God, was protected by His Light, with Whose Flesh she was pregnant. Rightly too had she the inoon under her feet, because by virtue she trampled under foot the mortality of flesh which waxeth and waneth.

The Lord Jesus Christ then is both Head and Body; for He willed to speak in us, Who deigned to die for us; He hath made us His members. Sometimes then He speaketh in the person of His members, sometimes in His own person, as our Head. He hath somewhat which He can say without us, we nought whioh we can say without Him. The Apostle saith, Th at I may Jill up what is lacking of the afflictions of Christy in my Jlesh. Tltat I may Jill up, he saith, what is lacking of the afflictions, not mine own, but Christ s, in the flesh, no longer Christ's, but mine. Christ, saith he, still suffereth affliction, not in His own Flesh, wherein He hath ascended into heaven, but in my flesh, which yet toileth on earth. Christ, saith he, suffereth affliction in my flesh: for it is no longer I that live, but Christ liveth in me. Did not Christ Himself suffer affliction in His members too,20, that is, in His faithful ones, Saul upon earth could not persecute Christ seated in heaven. Finally, he openly setteth this forth in a certain place, and saith, As the body is one and hath many members, and all the members of the body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. He saith not, * so also is Christ* and His Body,' but i as there is one body and many members, so also is Christ.' The whole then is Christ. And because the whole is Christ, therefore doth the Head call from heaven, Saul, Saul, why persecufest thou Me. Remember this, and commit to your memory,4* and keep it entirely fixed there, as children of the Church's training and of the Catholic Faith, that ye may perceive Christ to be the Head and Body, and the same Christ to be also the Word of God, the Only-begotten, equal to the Father, and so may see how great is the Grace whereby ye pertain to God, that He has willed to be one with us, Who is one with the Father. How, one with the Father? / and the Father are one. • How, one with us? He saith W0f,johnio, says the Apostle, Unto seeds, as of many; but as of one,30. And to Thy Seed, Which is Christ. But some one will say, ' If Christ be the seed of Abraham, are we so also?' Remember that Christ is Abraham's Seed; and accordingly, if we also are the seed of Abraham, we also are Christ. As there is one body and many members, so also is Christ. And, as many of you as have been baptized into Christ, have put on Christ. Now Christ is the Seed of Abraham; nor can we gainsay the clear words of the Apostle, Thy Seed, which is Christ. See now what he saith to us, If ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed. Great then is that mystery1, they^wain be one flesh. Great, saith the Apostle, is this mystery; but I speak concerning Christ and the Church. Christ and tjie (jhlirch are two in one flesh. The two ye must refer to the widen ess apart of His Majesty from us. For we are not also the Word; we are not also God in the beginning with God; we are not also He by Whom all things were made. He cometh to the Flesh, and there Christ is both Himself and we. Let us not wonder then in the Psalms: for He saith many things in the character of the Head, many in the character of the members, and He so speaketh, as though their whole were one person. Nor wonder thou that there are two in one voice, if there be two in one flesh.

4. Judas is the son of the Bridegroom persecuting the Bridegroom. Did this merely happen then, or was it set forth beforehand as a pattern of what was to come? For the Church was destined to endure many false brethren, so that still and even unto the end that Bridegroom is persecuted by His son. For if an enemy had upbraided me, verily I should have borne it, saith He; and if he who hated me had spoken great things over me, verily I should have hid myself from him. Who is the enemy? who is he that hated me? He who saith, ' Who is Christ? Christ was a man: He neither could live, when He willed to live, and He died,' say they, 'against His will; conquered, crucified, slain.' They are enemies who say such things as this. 'He is an open enemy,' saith Christ; 'he hateth Me; he openly declareth his hostility to Me; him it is easy either to bear or to shun. What do I with Absalom? what do I with Judas? what with false brethren? what with evil sons, who yet are sous, who do not against us blaspheme Christ, but with us worship Him, and in us persecute Him V Of these He goeth on to speak in the same Psalm. Another it was easy to bear, him who hated me, or else to hide myself from him. For thou hidest thyself from a Pagan, by entering the Church. But when there also thou findest what thou fearest, what good to seek where to hide thyself? Lastly, that very same Apostle, who groaneth in perils among false brethren,2Cor.n, saith, without were fightings, within were fears. If then^cor.z he who hated me had spoken great things over me, verily I5* should have hid myself from him: but thou, man of one mind— of one mind, be saith, as though one in Christ. The Church then hath what to bear without, what to groan over within: yet it is to consider both those without and those within, enemies; those without more easily to be shunned, those within with more difficulty to be borne.

5. Let then our Lord speak; let Christ with us, whole Christ, speak. Lord, hear my prayer, receive with Thine ears my entreaty. ' Hear' and 'receive with ears' are the same thing. It is repetition, it is confirmation. In Thy truth hear me, in Thy righteousness. Take it not without emphasis when it is said, in Thy righteousness. For it is a commendation of grace, that none of us think his righteousness his own. For this is the righteousness of God, which God hath given thee to possess. For what saith the Apostle of them, who would boast of their own righteousness? 1 bear them witness,Rom.io, saith he, that they have a zeal of God. Speaking of the2, Jews, he saith, they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. What is, not according to knowledge? For what knowledge dost thou commend as useful? Is it that which, when it is alone, puffeth up, which, unless it be accompanied with charity, edifieth not? Verily not this: but the knowledge which is the companion of charity, the mistress of humility. See whether it be this: They have a zeal of God, saith he, but not according to knowledge. Let him expound to us what knowledge he meaneth: they, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and going about to3' establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves to the righteousness of God. Who then are they who go about to establish their own righteousness? They who impute to themselves whatever they have done well; whatever ill, to God; entirely perversely. Then only will they be right, when they have changed this. Thou art perverse, because thou imputest what thou hast done ill to God, what to thyself: thou wilt be right, when thou imputest what thou hast done ill to thyself, what well to God. For thou wouldest not from being ungodly live righteously, save by having been justified by Him Who justifieth the ungodly. Therefore he saith, Hear me in Thy truth, in Thy righteousness, not in mine own; that I may be found in Him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the la^, but that which is of faith. Behold, in Thy righteousness hear me. For when I look upon myself, nought else do I find mine own, save sin.

6. And enter not into judgment with Thy servant. Who are willing to enter into judgment with Him, save they who, being ignorant of the righteousness of Qod, go about to establish their own? Wherefore have we fasted, and Thou hast not seen; wherefore have we afflicted our souls, and Thou takest no knowledge? As though they would say, ' We have done what Thou hast commanded, wherefore dost Thou not render to us what Thou hast promised?' God answereth thee: I will give to thee to receive what I have promised: I have given thee that thou shouldest do that whereby thou mayest receive. Finally, to such proud ones the Prophet speaketh; Wherefore will ye plead with Me? ye have all transgressed against Me, saith the Lord. Why will ye enter into judgment with Me, and recount your own righteousnesses? Recount your righteousnesses; I know your wickednesses. How shall I there approve righteousness, where I shall condemn pride? Rightly saith that humble in the Body of Christ, leaning on his Head, for He is meek and lowly in heart, Enter not into judgment with Thy servant. Let us not strive together, I desire not to plead with Thee, so that to set forth my righteousness Thou convict me of mine iniquity: enter not into judgment with Thy servant. Wherefore this? wherefore feareth he? For before Thee every one living shall not be justified. Every one living; living, that is, here, living in the flesh, living in expectation of death; born a man; deriving his life of man; sprung from Adam, a living Adam; every one thus living may perhaps be justified before himself, but not before Thee. How before himself? By pleasing himself, displeasing Thee: but, before Tftee every one living shall not be justified. Enter not then into judgment with me, O Lord my God. How straight soever 1 seem to myself, Thou bringest forth a standard from Thy store-house, Thou fittest me to it, and I am found crooked. Enter not into judgment with Thy servant. Well is it said, with Thy servant. It is unworthy of Thee to enter into judgment with J!hy servant, or even with Thy friend; for Thou woulaest not say, / say unto you, My friends, hadst not Thou Thyself made them of servants to become friends. Though Thou callest me friend, I confess myself a servant. I need Thy pity; I return from running from Thee; I seek peace. / am not worthy to be called Thy son. Enter not enfo judgment with Thy servant, for in Thy sight every one21' living shall not be justified. Judge none blessed before his death; no one living whatever. What of the rams themselves, what of the Apostles themselves, of whose offspring it is said, Bring the young of rams unto the Lord? Of these is Paul, who calleth not himself perfect, not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect. Finally, brethren, that ye may perceive it at once, they learnt to pray what we pray: to them was given the pattern of prayer by the heavenly Counsellor. After this manner, saith He, pray ye. And have set down certain things first, He laid down this too to be said by our rams, the leaders of the sheep, the chief members of the Shepherd and Gatherer1 of1 the one flock; even they learnt to say, Forgive us our debts, as we too forgive our debtors. They said not, ' Thanks be to Thee, Who hast forgiven us our debts, as we too forgive our debtors,' but, * Forgive, as we forgive. But surely the faithful prayed then, surely the Apostles prayed then, for this Lord's Prayer was given rather to the faithful. If those debts only were meant which are forgiven by Baptism, it would befit catechumens rather to say, Forgive us our debts. Let the Apostles then say, yea let them say, Forgive us our debts, as we too forgive our debtors. And when it is said to them, 'Wherefore say ye this? what are your debts?' let them answer, for in Thy sight every one living shall not be justified.

7. For the enemy hath persecuted my soul: he hathver.3. humbled my life on the earth. Here we speak, here our Head speaketh for us: for the enemy hath persecuted my soul. Manifestly both the devil persecuted the Soul of Christ and Judas the Soul of his Master: and now too the same devil remain eth to persecute the Body of Christ, and one Judas succeedeth another. There lacketh not then of whom the Body too may say, For the enemy hath persecuted my soul: he hath humbled my life on the earth. He hath humbled, saith he, my life on the ear tit. In another place it is said, They bowed down my soul. For what doth each one who persecuteth us endeavour save to make us abandon our heavenly hope, and savour of the earth, yield to our persecutor, and love earthly things? They indeed, as far as in them lies, do this: yet let not this befall us to whom it is said, If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Seek those things which are above, not those which are on earth, for ye are dead. For in God's sight every one living shall not be justified. They then, either openly raging, or secretly laying snares, endeavour to bring our life to the earth. Against them let us watch; that we may be able to say, Our conversation is in heaven. The enemy, saith he, hath humbled my life upon earth.

8. They have laid me in dark places, as the dead of the world. This ye hear more readily from the Head; this ye perceive more readily in the Head. For He died indeed for us, yet was He not one of the dead of the world. For who are the dead of the world? And how was not He one of the dead of the world? The dead of the world are those who have died of their own desert, receiving the reward of iniquity, deriving death from the sin transmissed to them; according as it is said, For I was conceived in iniquity, and in sin did my mother cherish me in her womb. But He came by a Virgin, taking to Him Flesh pure itself, purifying others. But they who thought Him a sinner, looked on Him as one of the dead of the world. But He, Who said in another Psalm, I paid them the things that I never took, and Who said in the Gospel, Behold, the prince of this world cometh, the captain of death, the persuader to evil deeds, the executor of punishment, saith, Behold he cometh, and shall find nothing in Me. What is, shall find nothing in Me? No fault, nothing for which I ought to die. But that all, saith He, mag know that I do the will of My Father, arise, let us go hence. In dying, saith He, 1 do the will of My Father, but I am not deserving of death. Nought have I done wherefore I should die, yet is it Mine own doing that I die, that by the death of an innocent One, they may be freid who had wherefore they should die. They set me in dark places, as though in Hades, as though in the tomb, as though in His very Passion, as the dead of the world, even Him they set, Who saith, I am become like one that hath no help, free among the dead. What is, free? Wherefore,^^? Because every one that doeth sin is the servant of sin. Finally, He would not free from bonds, were He34, not free from bonds Himself. He, Himself free, slew death, bound bondage, led captivity captive, and they set Him in dark places as the dead of the world.

9. And My Spirit within me, saith Vie, suffered weariness, Remember, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death. Here we see one voice. Do we not see plainly the transition28, from the Head to the members, from the members to the Head? My Spirit within Me, saith He, hath suffered weariness* Here we recognise, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death. But we too were there. For He transfigured in Himself the body of our humiliation, that it may be fashioned like unto the Body of His glory;21' and our old man is crucified with Him. My heart in Me is troubled. In Me, He saith, not in others. For they6' forsook Me, they who had clung to Me left Me, and because they saw Me die, they thought that I was somewhat else, and were beaten by the thief, who believed, when they

10. Then he goes to the members. / have called to mind the days of old. Did He call to mind the days of old, by Whom every day was made? No, but the body speaketh, each one who has been justified by His grace, who dwelleth in Him in love and devout humility, speaketh and saith, / have called to mind the days of old, I have meditated upon all Thy works: plainly because Thou hast made all failed. things good, and nothing would have stood fast, which was nQt established by Thee.- Thy creation is made a spectacle unto me: I have sought in the work the Artificer, in all that is made the Maker. Wherefore this, to what purpose this, save that he might understand, that whatever there of good in himself was made by Him; lest, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and going about to establish his own righteousness, he should not submit himself to the righteousness of God: that those words above, in Thy Truth and in Thy Righteousness, might suit him? In all the works of God then, and in meditation on all the works of God, he introduceth grace, he commendeth grace, he boasteth that he hath found grace, the grace whereby we are saved without price; for without price we are saved. Why boastest thou of thine own righteousness? why liftest thou up thyself, being ignorant of the righteousness of God? Perchance thou gavest somewhat to be saved? What gavest thou to be made a man? Look back then upon the Framer of thy life, the Author of thy substance, of thy righteousness, and of thy salvation: meditate upon the works of His hands, for the righteousness too which is in thee, thou wilt find to pertain to His hand. Hear the Apostle teaching thee this, not of works, he saith, lest any should boast. Have we no good works? Plainly we have: but see what follows; for we are His workmanship, saith he. We are His workmanship: perhaps in thus speaking of workmanship, he meant to mention the nature whereby we are men? Evidently not: he was speaking of works. Not, saith he, of works, lest any should boast. But let us not make conjectures; let the text go on, for we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works. Think not then that thou thyself doest any thing, save in so far as thou art evil. Turn thee from thine own work, to His work Who made thee; He fashioneth thee, and let Him refashion what He had fashioned, and thou hast destroyed. For that thou art, He hath wrought; that thou art good, if good thou art, He worketh. Work out your own salvation, saith the Apostle, with fear and trembling. If tye do work out our own salvation, wherefore with fear, wherefore with trembling, when, what we work is in our own power? Hear wherefore Our souls need to be watered by God's grace. 289 with fear and trembling: for it is God that worketh in you both to will and to do, of His good pleasure. Therefore with fear and trembling, that it may delight our Maker to work in the lowly valley. For so doth He work, as it were, in that which is cast down, Who judgeth among the?** nations, and repaireth that which hath fallen. I have meditated on the works of Tfiine hands. I have seen then and Soked into Thy works, that nothing good can there be in us, unless it be wrought by Thee, Who hast made us.

11. And what did I when I saw that every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with Whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning? When 1 saw this, I turned me from the evil work which I had wrought in myself, and / stretched forth my hands unto Thee. I stretched forth, saith he, my hands to Thee: my soul is as a land without water to Thee. Rain upon me, saith he, to bring forth from me good fruit. For the Lord shall give sweetness, that our land may give her fruit. I have stretched forth my hands to Thee; my soul is as a land without water, not to me, but, to Thee. I can thirst for Thee, I cannot water myself. My soul is as a land without water to Thee; for, my soul is athhst for the living God. When shall I come to Him, save when He hath2* come to me? My soul is at hirst for the living God; for, my soul is as a land without water to Thee. The sea aboundeth, floodeth, is full, floweth: but it is bitter. The water is separated, my dry soul hath appeared: water it, forGen.1,9. my soul is as a land without water to Thee.

12. Speedily hear me, Lord. For what need of delay to inflame my thirst, when already I thirst so eagerly? Thou didst delay the rain, that I might drink and imbibe, not reject, Thy inflowing. If then Thou didst for this cause delay, now give; for, my soul is as a land without water to Thee. Speedily hear me, O Lord: my spirit hath failed. Let Thy Spirit fill me, for my* spirit hath failed me. This is the reason why Thou shouldest speedily hear me, because my spirit hath failed we, I am now become poor in spirit, make Thou me blessed in the kingdom of heaven. For he3, in whom his own spirit liveth, is proud, is puffed up with his own spirit against God. Let that happen in him to his 290 God's Face turned from the proud: and so they perish. good which elsewhere is written, Thou shalt take away their spirit, and they shall fail, and be turned to their dust; that 'they may confess, and say, Remember that we are but dust. gut wjien they nave Remember that we are but dust, then let them say, my soul is as a land without water to Thee. For what is so much a land without water, as dust? But do Thou speedily hear me, O God, rain on me, strengthen me, that I be not dust which the wind driveth away fr&n the face of the earth. Speedily hear me, O God; my spirit hath failed: let not my need suffer longer delay. Thou hast taken away my spirit, that I might fail, and be turned to dust, and say uuto Thee, my soul is as a land without water to Thee: do Thou also what followeth in that Psalm, Thou shalt send forth Thy Spirit, and they shall be created, and Thou shalt renew the face of the earth. If any one be in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are passed away: old things are passed away in his spirit, they are made new in Thy Spirit.

13. Turn not Thou away Thy Face from me. Thou didst turn it away from me when proud. For once I was full, and in my fulness I was puffed up. Once in my fulness / said, I shall never be moved. I said in my fulness, I shall not be moved, knowing not Thy Righteousness, and establishing mine own; but Thou, Lord, in Thy Will hast afforded strength to my beauty. I said in my fulness, I shall not be moved, but from Thee came whatever fulness I had. And to prove to me that it was from Thee, Thou didst turn away Thy Face from me, and I was troubled. After this trouble, whereinto I was cast, because Thou didst turn away Thy Face, after the weariness of my spirit, after my heart was troubled within me, because Thou didst turn away Thy Face, then became I like a land without water to Thee: turn not Thou away Thy Face. Thou turnedst it away from me when proud; give it back to me now 1 am humble. Turn not away Thy Face from me, because, if Thou turn it away, / shall be like to them that go down into the pit. What is, that go down into the pit? When the sinner has come into the depth of sins, he will shew contempt. They go down into the pit, who lose even confession; against which is said, Let not the pit close her mouth We must hope for Mercy in the end; § therefore do good works.29 1 over me. This depth Scripture calleth mostly a pit, into which depth when a sinner hath come, he sheweth contempt. What is, he sheweth contempt? He no longer believeth in Providence, or if he do believe, he thinketh that he has no longer ought to do with it. He setteth before himself licence to sin, the reins of iniquity being let loose now that he has no hope of pardon. He saith not, 6 I will retunfto God that He may return to me he heareth not, Turn ye unto Me, and I will return to you, for having come to the depth of evil, he sheweth contempt. For fromycc]u8 the dead, saith the wise man, as though he were not, confession perisheth. Turn not then Thy Face from me, or I shall be like them that go down into the pit.

14. Make me to hear in the morning Thy mercy, for in Thee have 1 hoped. Behold, I am in the night, yet in Thee have 1 hoped, until" the iniquity of the night pass away. For we have, as Peter saith, a more sure word of prophecy, whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and, the day-star arise in your hearts. Morning then he calleth the time after the end of the world, when we shall see what in this world we believe. For, in the morning Thou shaltp8. hear my voice; in the morning I will stand by Thee, and gaze. Make me to hear in the morning Thy mercy, for in Thee have 1 hoped. For if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it. The night requireth patience, the day will give joy. Make me to hear in the morning Thy nif.rcy,for in Thee have I hoped.

15. But what here, until the morning come? For it is not enough to hope for the morning; we must do somewhat. Why do somewhat? Because he saith in another Psalm, / sought God in the day of my tribulation; as it were in the time of night 1 sought God. How didst thou seek? With my hands in the night before Him; and I was not deceived. God is to be sought with the bands in the night. What is, with the hands? By good works. What, before Him? When Thou doest an alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, and thyFather which seeth in secret shall reward thee. Since then we must thus hope for the morning, and bear this night, and persevere in this patience until the day 292 We must flee to God, to be aided against our enemies. dawn, what meanwhile must we do here? lest perchance thou think that thou wilt do ought of thyself, whereby thou mayest earn to be brought to the morning. Make known to me, O Lord, the way wherein I must walk. Therefore did He kindle the lamp of prophecy, therefore did He send the Lord in the vessel1, as it were, of the flesh, Who should even say, My strength is dried up like a potsherd* Walk by prophecy, walk by the lamp of future things predictedl walk by the word of God. As yet thou seest not the Word in the beginning, God with God: walk by the Form of a servant, thou shalt be brought to the Form of God. Make known to me, O Lord, the way wherein I should walk; for unto Thee have 1 lifted up my soul. I have lifted it up to Thee, not against Thee. With Thee is the Fountain of life: to Thee have I lifted up my soul. I have brought it as a vessel to the Fountain: fill me, therefore, for unto Tltee have I lifted up my soul.

16. Deliver me from mine enemies, O Lord, for unto Thee have I fled for refuge. I who once fled from Thee, now flee to Thee. For Adam fled from the Face of God, and hid himself among the trees of Paradise, so that of him was said in the Book of Job, As a servant that fleet h from his Lord, and findeth a shadow. He fled from the Face of his Lord, and found a shadow; for he fled to the shade among the trees of Paradise. Woe to him, if he continue in the shade, lest it be said afterward, All things are passed away like a shadow. Deliver me from mine enemies. I think not here of men enemies. We wrestle not against flesh and blood. But against whom? Against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the world. What world? For he cannot mean earth and sky, for they rule not what they have not made. Rulers of the world. But of what world? This darkness. What darkness? Clearly the wicked. For ye were sometime darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord. The rulers of this world, of this darkness, the rulers of the wicked; agaiust these ye wrestle. Great is your conflict, not to see your enemies, and yet to conquer. Against the rulers of this world, of this darkness, the devil, that is, and his angels; not the rulers of that world, whereof is said, the world was made The peril of unworthily receiving Christ. by Him, but that world whereof is said, the world knew Him not. Deliver me from mine enemies, O Lord, for unto Thee have I Jled for refuge. From mine enemies, not from Judas, but from him who filled Judas. The one whom 1 see, I endure; the one whom I see not, I fight. For Judas received the sop^ and Satan entered into him, that That David might suffer persecution at the hands of his son2' How #3 any Judases doth Satan fill, unworthily receiving the sop to their damnation! For whoso eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation unto himself.11' Not evil is that which is given, but what is good is given to the evil to damnation. It cannot be well with him who in evil wise taketh what is good. Therefore, Deliver me from mine enemies, for I have Jled unto Thee for refuge. For whither should I flee? Whither shall I go from Thy Spirit? If I go up into heaven, Thou art there; if I go down to8' hell, Thou art there. What then remaineth? Iff take my wings as a dove, and fly to the farthest parts of the sea: that is, if in hope I dwell in the end of the world. For thither shall Thine hand guide me, and Thy right hand bring me. Deliver me from mine enemies, fo?% unto Thee have I fled for refuge, O Lord.

17. Teach me to do Thy will, for Thou art my God. Glorious confession! glorious rule! For Thou, saith he, art my God. To another will I hasten to be re-made, if by another I was made. Thou art my all, for Thou art my God. Shall I seek a father to get an inheritance? Thou art my God, not only the Giver of mine inheritance, but mine Inheritance itself. The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance. Shall I seek a patron, to obtain redemption? Thou art my God. Lastly, having been created, do 1 desire to be re-created? Thou art my God, my Creator, Who hast created me by Thy Word, and re-created me by Thy Word. But Thou createdst me by Thy Word, remaining God with* Thee: Thou re-createdst me by Thy Word, made Flesh for our sakes. Teach Thou me then to do Thy will, for Thou art my God. If Thou teach me not, I shall do mine own will, and my God will abandon me. Teach me to do Thy will, for Thou art my God. Teach Thou me: for it cannot be that Thou art my God, and yet I am to be miue own master. See how grace is commended to us. This hold fast, this drink in, this let none drive out of your hearts, lest ye have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge; lest, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and going about to establish your own righteousness, ye submit not yourselves to the righteousness of God. Ye recognise the words of the Apostle. Say then this, Teach me to do Thy will, for Thou art my God. %

J 8. Thy good Spirit, not my bad. one, Thy good Spirit shall lead me into the right land. For my bad spirit hath led me into a crooked land. And what have I deserved? What can be reckoned as my good works without Thy aid, through which I might obtain and be worthy to be led by Thy Spirit into the right land. What are my works? what my deserts? For Thy Name's sake, O Lord, Thou shalt quicken me. Listen, then, with all your power, to the commendation of Grace, whereby ye are saved without price. For Thy Name's sake, O Lord, Thou shalt quicken me. Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto Thy Name give the glory. For Thy Name's sake, O Lord, Thou shalt quicken me in Thy righteousness; not in mine own: not because I have deserved, but because Thou hast mercy. For were I to shew mine own desert, nought should I deserve of Thee, save punishment. Thou hast pruned off from me mine own merits; Thou hast grafted in Thine own gifts. For Thy Name's sake, O Lord, Thou shalt quicken me in Thy righteousness. Thou shalt bring forth my soul out of tribulation: and in Thy mercy shalt bring mine enemies to destruction: and Thou shalt destroy all them that afflict my soul; for I am Thy servant.