Psalm 144 (Vulgate 143)

}. The title of this Psalm is brief in number of words, but heavy in the weight of its mysteries. To David himself against Goliath. This battle was fought in the time of our fathers, and ye, beloved, remember it with me from Holy Scripture. For when the aliens were fighting against the David, a type of Christ; Goliath, of the devil. 295 people of God, one of them challenged a single adversary, Goliath challenged David: that in that contest the will of God for either party's success might be tested. But why do we trouble ourselves about the victory, when we see the challenger and the challenged? It was wickedness challenging goodness, pride challenging humility; lastly, it was the devil challenging Christ. Why wonder ye that the devi^as vanquished? The one was great in bodily stature; the other small in stature, great in faith. Holy David took to him armour of war, to go forth against Goliath. This armour, through his age, and his smallness of stature, as we have mentioned, he. could not carry. He cast away what burdened him, but helped him not; he took five stones from the river, and put them in his shepherd's vessel1. Armed in body with these, in spirit with the Name of God, he went forth, and conquered. This did that David; but let us search for the hidden meaning. For we had set forth above, that this title was brief in number of words, but heavy in weight of mysteries. But call to mind that sentence of the Apostle, All these things happened unto them in a figure, that we seem not wantonly to seek for somewhat hidden, where it may be said that all is simply said without any depth of mystery. We have then authority which makes us eager to seek, watchful to trace out, attentive to hear, faithful to believe, active to do. In David is Christ; but, as ye that are learned in His school are wont to understand, Christ is both Head and Body. Hear not then any thing spoken in the person of Christ, as though it concerned not you, who are members of Christ. This being laid down as a foundation, see what followeth.

2. Ye know that the former people were laden with many rites8 visible and corporeal, with circumcision, with that laborious priesthood of theirs, with the temple filled with types, with manifold kinds of whole burnt-offerings and sacrifices. These our David laid aside, as armour that weighed down, but helped not. For if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been21'22' by the Law. To what purpose then was the Law? It followeth; But Scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to all that believe. Finally, this David, that is, Christ, both Head and Body at the time of the revelation of the New Testament, at the time when grace was to be put forward and recommended, what did He? He laid aside His armour, He took fivestones: He laid aside, as we have said, the burdensome armour: He laid aside, that is, the rites of the Law, those rites of the Law which are not laid on the Gentiles, which we do not observe. For ye remember how much we ready? the old Law, which we do not observe, yet understand to have been sent before, and set forth to signify somewhat; not that we cast away the -Law of God, but that we celebrate not the rites of promise, now that the promise is fulfilled. For what they promised has come. For the grace of the new covenant which was veiled under the Law, is unveiled in the Gospel. We have removed the veil, and have seen what was veiled: we have seen it in the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, our Head and Saviour, Who was crucified for us, at Whose crucifixion, moreover, the veil of the temple was rent in twain. Finally, He laid aside His armour, that is, the burden of the rites of the old Law, and took the Law itself. For the five stones signify the five Books of Moses. He took then those five stones from the river. Ye know what the river is. For tfiis mortal life glideth on, and whatever cometh into the world floweth by. They were then in the river, that is, in that former people, stones; there they were useless, idle, profited nothing, the river flowed along over them. What did David, that the Law might be profitable? He received grace. For without grace the Law cannot be fulfilled. For love is the fulfilment of the Law: and where is this love? see if it come not from grace. The love of God, saith the Apostle, is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit, Who is given unto us. Since then grace maketh the Law to be fulfilled, and grace is signified by milk; for milk in the flesh is without price, where the mother seeketh not to receive, but busies herself to. give; where the mother giveth without price, and is saddened, if there be none to receive: how then doth David shew that the Law cannot work without grace, save when, wishing to unite those five stones, whereby was signified the Law in five Books, to grace, he placed them in his shepherd's vessel, into ' Fingers J and ( hand? unity in diversity. 297 which he had been wont to put the milk? Armed with these, armed, that is, with grace, and so not trusting in himself, but in his Lord, he went forth against the proud Goliath, who vaunted himself, trusted in himself. He took oue stone, he cast it, he smote his enemy in the forehead, he slew him through that part of his body where he had not the sign of Christ. This you may further observe. He put live stones in his f:rip, he hurled but one. The five Books were chosen, but unity conquered. For the fulfilment of the Law, as we mentioned a little above, is love: and the Apostle saith, Forbearing one another in love; endeavouring to keep unity of spirit in the bond of peace. Then, having smitten and overthrown him, he took the enemy's sword, and with it cut off his head. This our David also did, He overthrew the devil with his own weapons: and when his great ones, whom he had in his power, by means of whom he slew other souls, believe, they turn their tongues against the devil, and so Goliath's head is cut off with his own sword. We have handled the mystery of the title, as the briefness of the time allowed; now let us see what the Psalm itself containeth.

3. Blessed be the Lord my God, Who teacheth my liands^r. for battle, my fingers for war. These are our words, if we be the Body of Christ. Let us bless the Lord our God, Who teacheth our hands for battle, our fingers for war. It seems a repetition of sentiment; our hands for battle, and our fingers for war, are the same. Or is there some difference between hands and fingers? Certainly both hands and fingers work. Not then without reason do we take fingers as put for hands. But still in the fingers we recognise the division of operation, yet still a sort of unity. Behold that grace! the Apostle saith, To one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by theg^. same Spirit; to another faith by the same Spirit; to another gifts of healing by the same Spirit; to another different kinds of tongues; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits: but all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as He will. To one, this; to another, that; there are diversities of operations; all these worketh one and the selfsame Spirit; there is the root of unity. With these fingers then the * Body of Christ fighteth, going forth to war, going forth to battle.

4. Now to mention the various kinds of battles and wars is, perhaps, a long task, and to wage them more easy than to explain them. We have one warfare which the Apostle recordeth; we wrestle not against flesh and blood, that is, with men, at whose hands we seem to suffer annoyanf e; not against those do we fight, but against principalities, and powers, and rulers jof the world. And, lest we should understand by the world the earth and sky, he shewed what he meant: of this darkness, he saith: the world, that is, not which was made by Him, for the world was made by Him, but the world which knew Him not, for the world knew Him not. This darkness is not in nature, but in will. For the soul of itself shineth not; for humbly and truly doth the Psalmist sing, TIwu, Lord, shall light my candle; my God, enlighten my darkness. And, with Thee is the Fountain of* Life: in Thy Light shall we see light: not in our light, in Thy Light. For our eyes too are called lights1, and yet, if light from without be wanting, even though they be sound and open, they will remain in darkness. So then we wage war against the rulers of this darkness, the rulers, that is, of unbelievers, the devil and his angels, the wielders of that sword, wherewith the devil fighteth against the faithful. But just as, when Goliath has fallen, his sword is drawn, that his head may be cut off with his own sword; so, when the unbelievers believe, it is said to them, Ye were sometime darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord* Ye have fought in the hand of Goliath; now in the Hand* of the Lord cut off the head of Goliath.

5. This is one battle: another each one hath in himself. This sort of warfare was just now read out of the Apostolic Epistle: The flesh lusteth against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh, so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. This also is a grievous warfare, and, what is more distressing, inward. And in this warfare each one who is victorious, will forthwith conquer enemies whom he doth not see. For the devil and his angels tempt not, save the fleshly part which ruleth in thee. For how do we conquer and lusts within us. those enemies whom we see not, save because we do perceive the motions of our flesh within? With the battling with these we strike down those. Avarice ruleth in the love of money; to the avarice that ruleth within thee, the devil from without proposeth gain by means of deceit. For often thou attainest not to gain, unless thou art guilty of deceit. He then from without setteth that before thy avarice, which withinf thou hast not conquered, thou hast not tamed, thou hast not subjected to thee; he setteth before it, as an evil master of the games before his wrestler, deceit and gain, a work and a reward: * Do the one, and take the other.' But if thou tramplest upon avarice; if that rule thee not within, which thou perceiving conquerest, (for the devil lying in wait for thee thou perceivest not,) if then thou hast overcome avarice, thou observest Another setting before thee a work and a reward. What did the other propose? Deceit and gain. What doth this one propose? Innoceuce and a crown. ' Do, and take,' saith both the one and the other. Now if thou, battling within, art not conquered by avarice, but the conqueror of avarice, thou observest the one, conquerest the other. For thou discernest. both, and sayest, 6 On the one side I see a work and a reward, on the other a bait and a hook.' For thou sayest nothing within thyself, which doth not concern thyself. For through sin art thou divided against thyself. Thou hast within thee the stock of concupiscence which transmitteth1. Thou hast in theeUrawherewith to fight. Thou hast what to overcome. But thouducem hast also Whom to invoke, to aid thee in thy fight, and crown thee when victor, even Him Who made thee when

6. Thou sayest, c How shall I conquer?' Behold, the Apostle himself setteth it forth as a most difficult battle; and how toilsome, or, it may be, impossible, it is, if I understand not, he himself sheweth. The Jtesh, he saith, lusteth against the spirit, and the spirit against the Jlesh9 so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. How dost thou bid me conquer, when he saith, so that ye cannot do the things that ye would? Askest thou how? Mark the grace of the shepherd's vessel; put the stone from the river in the receptacle of milk. Behold I too say to thee, yea rather the Truth itself saith to thee, Certainly thou doest not what thou wishest, while the flesh fighteth against thy spirit. If for this battle thou reliest on thyself, thoU hast need to be warned, lest thou have heard in vain, Sing unto God our Helper. For if by thyself thou couldest fulfil all, thou wouldest have no need of an Helper. Again, if thou thyself of thine own will didst nothing, he would not be called an Helper, for an helper helpeth one who doeth sonfewhat. Finally, when he had said, The flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh, so that ye cannot do the things that ye would, and had set thee before thyself, as failing in thyself, he forthwith sent thee to an Helper: out if ye be led by the Spirit, ye are no longer under the Law. For he who is under the Law, fulfilleth not the Law, but is oppressed by the Law, as David was under his armour. If then thou art led by the Spirit, see Who will help thee, that thou raayest fulfil what thou wilt. Thy Helper, thy Champion, thy Hope, Who teacheth thine hands for battle, and thy fingers for war* For the works of the flesh, saith he, are manifest, which are these: fornication, uncleanness, idolatry, sensuality, witchcraft, con ten-Hons, quarrels, drunkenness, retellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in times past, that they who do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. For one thing thou hast need of when thou fightest; another, when thou conquerest; another, when thou hast peace and rest. Listen while I illustrate this by a few examples. Some gain is suggested to thee: it delighteth thee: it involveth deceit, but it is a great gain: it delighteth thee, yet thou consentest not: here is the battle: still it is urged on thee, still it is pressed on thee: still thou deliberatest: be then who fighteth is in danger. We have seen the battle, let us see the other matters. He hath despised justice, so as to commit deceit; he is conquered: he hath despised gain, to obey righteousness; he hath conquered. In these three, I grieve for the conquered, I fear for the combatant, I rejoice with the conqueror. But even he who hath conquered, hath he altogether achieved in himself that money tempt him not at all, that it excite in him no delight, however easy of conquest, however con-We must be subject to God, that our flesh may be subject to us.SO 1 temptible, however it be one that he not only doth not consent to, but doth not even deign to fight with? Yet there is in him some slight irritation of delight. That irritation and that enemy now neither fight nor reign: yet they are there, and tarry as it were in the mortal flesh, which shall not be the case hereafter. For the whole shall be led in triumph, but hereafter: now the body is dead becau$ of sin: (and therefore in that body sin is, though sin reigneth not:) but the Spirit is life, because of righteousness. But if He that raised up Christ from the dead dwell in you, He that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies, through His Spirit, which dwelleth in you. Then shall there be no longer ought to irritate or to fight: all shall yield in peace: for no longer do two contrary natures fight against one another, but they are as husband and wife in a house. If they disagree, there is trouble, irksome and perilous: if the husband be conquered, and the wife rule, that is a perverse peace: if the wife submit, and the husband rule, that is a right peace: yet is she not another substance of another nature, for out of man was woman made, for her husband. Thy flesh is thy wife, thy handmaid: lay on her what thou wilt, thou must needs subject her; and if thou lightest, fight that she may benefit thee. For this is expedient, that the lower be subjected to the higher; that he too who wisheth what is lower than himself to be subjected to himself, may himself be subjected to Him that is higher than himself. Observe order, seek peace. Do thou be subject to God, thy flesh to thee. What more righteous, what more beautiful? Thou to Him that is greater, he that is less to thee: obey thou Him that made thee, that that may obey thee which was made for thee. For we know not nor commend this order, * Thy flesh to thee, and thou to God,' but, ' thou to God, and thy flesh to thee.' But if thou despisest * Thou to God,' never wilt thou bring about ' Thy flesh to thee.' Thou that • obeyest not God shall be tormented by a slave. If thou dost not first submit to God that thy flesh may then submit to thee, wilt thou be able to say these words, Blessed be the Lord my God, Who teacheth my hands for battle, my fingers for war? Thou wishest to fight without instruction; 802 Ood forgives, if we forgive; gives, if we give. thou wilt be conquered and condemned. First then submit thyself to God, then, with Him to teach thee and aid thee, fight, and say, Who teacheth my hands for battle, and my Jingers for war.

7. And when thou battiest, because while thou battiest thou art in danger, say what followeth when thou art set in the peril of battle. My Mercy. I shall not then be conquered. What is this, My Mercy? Does it mean, i Thou ttiewest mercy to me, and in me manifestest Thyself merciful,' or, ( Thou hast given to me that I too myself should be merciful?' For by nothing is our enemy so conquered, as when we are merciful. He is ever preparing accusations for our judgment, and he cannot bring false charges against us, because He is not one before Whom he can bring them. For if he had to do with us before a man as judge, he might deceive him by lies, and overwhelm us by false accusations; but because we have to plead with him before a Judge, Who cannot be deceived, therefore he aimeth to lead us astray to sin, that he may have true charges to bring against us. And when it happeneth that human frailty yieldeth to his deceits, let the work of humility follow in confession, let it be exercised in works of mercy and kindness. All is blotted out, when with true heart and full confidence we say to Him Who seeth, Forgive us, as we also forgive. Say with thy whole heart, say with entire confidence, say without anxiety, Forgive us, as we also forgive: or forgive not, if we forgive not. For although thou sayest not, 6 Forgive not, if we forgive not,' certainly He forgiveth not, if we do not forgive. For He will not be a false Promiser, that thou mayest be an unpunished sinner. Wilt thou, saith He, that I forgive? Do thou forgive. There is another work of mercy: Wilt thou that I give? Do thou give. They are both set down in one place in the Gospel, Forgive, and shall be forgiven to you: give, and it shall be given. Somewhat, saith. He, I have against thee; somewhat hast thou against another: forgive, and I forgive. Somewhat thou seekest from Me; somewhat another seeketh from thee: give, and I give. And what forgiveth, what giveth? is it not charity? And whence is charity, save by the Holy Ghost, Which is given unto us. If then by works of mercy God just in shewing mercy to the merciful. 803 our enemy is conquered, and we could not have works of mercy unless we had charity, and charity we could have none unless we received it by the Holy Ghost; He then teacheth our hands for battle, and our fingers for war: to Him rightly do we say, My Mercy, from whom we have also that we are merciful: for he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy.

8. Dfcink ye that works of mercy are of small importance? I will say somewhat about them too. Regard first that sentence taken out of Holy Scripture, which I have just reminded you of, he shall have judgment without mercy, who hath shewed no mercy. Without mercy shall he be judged, who hath not shewed mercy before he be judged. What then? what folio weth? But mercy rejoiceth over judgment. What is this, brethren? what is, mercy rejoiceth over judgment? Mercy is set above judgment: on whomsoever shall be found works of mercy, though he have, it may be, what in judgment may be punished, yet by the stream of mercy the fire of sin. is quenched. For mercy rejoiceth over judgment. What then? when God helpeth such, when He freeth them, when He pardoneth them, is He unjust? God forbid. Here too He is just. Mercy taketh not away justice from Him, nor justice, mercy. See whether He is not just: Forgive, and I forgive: give, and I give. See if He is not just: with what measure ye mete, it shall be meted to you again. For thus far is it, with what measure; for the measure is not of the same kind: but thus far is it the same measure, Forgive, and I forgive. Thou hast with thee the measure of giving pardon; thou shalt find with Me the measure of receiving pardon: thou hast with thee the measure of giving what thou hast; thou shalt find with Me the measure of receiving what thou hast not.

9. My Mercy and my Refuge, my Upholder and myver.2. Deliverer. Much toileth this combatant, having his flesh lusting against his spirit. Keep what thou hast. Then shalt thou have in full what thou wishest, when death shall have been swallowed up in victory; when this mortal body15'64* has been raised, and is changed into the condition of the angels, and rises aloft to a heavenly quality. The dead ewiThess. Christ, saith he, shall rise first; then we that are alive and4'16'17' remain, when the Lord cometh, shall he caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air; and so shall we be ever with the Lord. Then shall death be swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy strife*? where, O death, is thy sting? For there will not be left, either in the mind or in the body, ought to rebel against the love of God. Then will be full victory, full peace. Of this it is said to us while battling, Come, ye children, andt&earken unto me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord. Ye are in battle, ye are contending in strife, and yet ye seek some sort of rest. What man is he that lusteth to live, and would fain see good days? Who is there who doth not say, ' I do?' There is life, there are good days, where nought lusteth against the spirit, where it is not said, ' Fight,' but, 6 Rejoice.' But who is he that lusteth for these days? Every man certainly saith, ' I do.' Hear what followeth. I see that thou art toiling, I see that thou art engaged in battle, and in danger; hear what followeth; He is leaching thy hands for battle, and thy fingers for war. Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips that they speak no guile: depart from evil, and do good. For how wilt thou be able to do good, unless thou first depart from evil? What good to ask thee to clothe, when as yet thou strippest? What good to ask thee to give, when as yet thou plunderest? Depart from evil, and do good: let not the poor first weep under thee, that the poor may rejoice through thee. Depart from evil, and do good. For what reward, since now thou art fighting? Seek peace, and ensue it. Learn and say, My Mercy and my Refuge, mine Upholder and my Deliverer, my Protector: mine Upholder, lest 1 fall; my Deliverer, lest I stick; my Protects, lest I be stricken. In all these things, in all my toil, in all my battles, in all my difficulties, in Him have I hoped, Who subdueih my people under me. Behold, our Head speaketh together with us.

10. Lord, what is man, that Thou hast become known unto him? All is included in that Thou haM become known unto him. What is man, that Thou hast become known unto him; or the son of man, that Thou vainest him? Thou valuest him, that is, Thou makest him of such importance, Thou countest him of such price, Thou knowest under what Thou placest him, over what Thou placest him. For valuing is considering the price of a thing. How greatly did He value man, Who for him shed the blood of His only-begotten Son! What is man, that Thou hast become known unto him? To whom hast Thou become known? Who art T£ou, that hast become known? What is the son of man, that Thou valuest him? that Thou countest him of so great price, that Thou valuest him at so much, that Thou shewest him to be somewhat precious? For God valueth not man in the same way as one man valueth another: he, when he findeth a slave for sale, giveth a higher price for a horse than for a man. Consider how greatly He valued thee, that thou may est be able to say, If God be for us, who can be against us? And bow greatly did He value thee,31,32. Who spared not His own Son, but gave Him up for us all? How shall He not also with Him freely give us all things? He Who giveth this food to the combatant, what kecpeth He in store for the conqueror? I am, saith He, the living Bread, Who came down from heaven. This is the Food of41* combatants, brought from the granaries of heaven, wherewith the angels are fed; for man did eat angels' food. But after this warfare and food, what keepeth He in store? what25, will He give to the conquerors, save what is said in another Psalm: One thing have I desired of the Lord, which I trill require; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, and that I may be protected, His temple. What is man, thai Thou hast made Thyself' known unto him; or the son of man, that Thou valuest him f

11. Man is made like unto vanity: and yet Thou Aos/Ver. made Thyself known unto him, and valuest him. Man is made like unto vanity: what vanity? Time, which passeth on, and floweth by. For this vanity is said in comparison of the Truth, which ever abideth, and never faileth: for it too is a work of His Hand, in its degree. For, as itEcclus. is written, God filled the earth with His good things. What 16> is, Hist That accord with Him. But all these things, being earthly, fleeting, transitory, if they be compared to that where it is said, / Am That I Am, all this whichExod.3, passeth away is called vanity. For through time it vanisheth, like smoke into the air. And why should 1 say more than that which the Apostle James said, willing to bring down proud men to humility, What is, saith he, your life? It is even a vapour, which appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. Therefore man is made like unto vanity. By sinning is he made like unto vanity. For when he was first created, he was made like unto the Truth: but b|cause he sinned, because he received his deserts, he was made like unto vanity. For on account of iniquity Thou hast chastened man, saith he in another Psalm, and hast made his life to waste away, even as a spider. Therefore saith he this also, Man is made like unto vanity. What saith he there? Behold, Thou hast made my days old* What saith he here? His days pass away like a shadow. Let man take heed to himself in the days of his shadow, that he do somewhat worthy of the light he longeth for; and since he is in the shadow of night, let him seek the day. For the day of this vanity to a man that knoweth it is a day of tribulation; whether the world harm us with any inconvenience and vexation, or whether it smile on us, all is to be feared and groaned over; for the life of man upon earth is temptation: whence it is said, All the day long did I walk saddened. We have need of consolations; and whatever God sheweth us now, when He sheweth it in happiness, is not the joy of the blessed, but the consolation of the wretched. Let man then, I say, do somewhat worthy of the light he longeth for in these days of his shadow, and let him seek God in the night; as it is written, In the day of my tribulation I sought God, with my hands in the night before Him, and I have not been deceived. What doth he call the day of tribulation, save what he calleth also night. With my hands in the night before Him. As yet we are in the night, and we watch by the lamp of prophecy. Something is promised us, which as yet we wait for: but what saith the Apostle Peter? We have a more sure word of prophecy, to which ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light shining in a dark place, till the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts. That is the day; there is our reward. In the morning Thou shalt hear my voice: in the morning I will stand by Thee, and gaze on Thee. Work then, though it be in the night, with thine hands, that is, by good works seek God, before the day come which shall gladden thee, lest the day come which shall sadden thee. For see how safely thou workest, who art not left by Him Whom thou seekest; with my hands, saith he, / sought the Lord in the night before Him. That thy Father Which seeth in secret may reward openly; therefore, before Him. Have within thee mercy, charity, lest thou do ought as with the desire of pleasing men: with my hands, with my works: in the shade, in this life: where He seeth, not where 1 strive to please men. And what followeth? And I have not been deceived. Man is made like unto vanity; his days pass away like a shadow: and yet Thou hast made Thyself known unto him, and valuest him.

12. Lord, bow Thy heavens, and come down: touch the™' mountains, and they shall smoke. Flash Thy lightning,™' and Thou shalt scatter them; send forth Thine arrows, and Thou shalt confound them. Send forth Thy Hand from™* above, and deliver me, and draw me out of many waters. The Body of Christ, the humble David, full of grace, relying on God, fighting in this world, calleth for the help of God. Bow Thy heavens, and come down. What are heavens bowed down? Apostles humbled. For those heavens declare the glory of God', and of these heavens declaring the glory of God it is presently said, There is neither speech nor language, but their voices are heard among them: their sound is gone out into all the earth, and their words unto the end of the world. When then these heavens sent forth their voices through all lands, and did wonderful things, while the Lord flashed and thundered from them by miracles and commandments, the gods were thought to have come down from heaven to men. For certain of the Gentiles, thinking this, desired even to sacrifice to them. Then they, seeing that an honour not their due was being paid to them, and being alarmed and protesting, and correcting those who made so great a mistake, to shew them how their minds were troubled at it, rent their garments, and said, Why do ye this? we also are men of like passions with you. And they began after these words to commend to them the excellence of our Lord Jesus Christ, humbling themselves, that God might be commended; because the heavens were bowed, that God might come down. Bow then Thy heavens, and come down. It is done. Touch the mountains, and they shall smoke: the proud mountains, the earthly up-liftings, the swelling grandeurs: touch, saith he, touch those mountains, give of Thy Grace to those mountains: and they shall smoke, for they shall confess their sins. The sm^)te of sinners confessing shall draw forth also the tears of. the proud when humbled. Touch the mountains, and they shall smoke. So long as they are not touched, they seem to themselves great: they are now about to say, Great art ^tou> O Lord; the mountains also are about to say, Thou only art the Most Highest over all the earth.

13. But there are some that conspire, that gather themselves together against the Lord, and against His Christ. They have come together, they have conspired. Flash forth Thy lightnings, and Thou shall scatter them. Abound with Thy miracles, and their conspiracy shall be broken. Flash forth Thy lightnings, and Thou shalt scatter them. Now, frightened by Thy miracles, they shall not dare ought against Thee, and at Thy miracles they shall be alarmed and hesitate. Who is He, Who can do such great things? Who is He, Who is thus exalted, Whose Name so mightily prevaileth? When they say, Who is He? they are about to believe, Thou hast flashed with Thy miracles, and scattered their evil conspiracy. Send forth rT1iine arrows, and Thou shalt confound them. Let the sharp arrows of the Mighty One, even Thy commandments, Thy words, strike their heart. Send forth Thine arrows, and Thou shalt confound them. Let the unsound be wounded, that, being well wounded, they may be made sound; and let them say, being set now in the Church, in the Body of Christ, let them say with the Church, / am wounded with Love. Send forth Thine arrows, and Thou shalt confound them.

14. Send forth Thine Hand from on high. What afterward? What in the end? How conquereth the Body of Christ? By heavenly aid. For the Lord Himself shall come with the voice of the Archangel, and with the trump of God shall He descend from heaven, Himself the Saviour of the The Law not annulled, but fulfilled, by Grace. 309 body, the Hand of God. Send forth Thy Hand from above, and deliver me, and snatch me out of many waters. What is, out of many witters? From many peoples. What peoples? Aliens, unbelievers, whether assailing us from without, or laying snares within. Take me out of many waters, in which Thou didst discipline me, in which Thou didst roll me, to free me from my filth. This is the water of contradiction. Deliver me, and snatch me from many20'13'

15. Let us hear now about these many waters, from which God shall deliver the Body of His Christ, from which God shall deliver the humility of David. What is, out of many waters? What hast thou said, lest waters should be understood in any other sense? Hear what I have said. From the hand of strange children. Hear, brethren, among whom we are, among whom we live, from whom we long to be delivered. Whose mouth hath spoken vanity. All of you*er. to-day, if ye had not gathered yourselves together to these divine shows1 of the word of God, and were not at this houriSpecta. engaged in them, how great vanities would ye be hearing! whose mouth hath spoken vanity: when, in short, would they, speaking vanity, hear you speaking vanity? Whose mouth hath spoken vanity, and their right hand is a right hand of iniquity.

16. What doest thou among them with thy pastoral scrip with five stones in it? Say it to me in another form: that same law which thou hast signified by five stones, signify in some other way also. / will sing a new song unto Thee, O God. A new song is of grace; a new song is of the new man; a new song is of the New Testament. But lest thou shouldest think that grace departeth from the law, whereas rather by grace the law is fulfilled, upon a psaltery of ten strings will I sing unto Thee. Upon a psaltery of ten strings, upon the law of ten commandments: therein may I sing to Thee; therein may I rejoice to Thee; therein may / sing to Thee a new song; for, Love is the fulfilling of the law.'Rom.is, But they who have not love may carry the psaltery, sing10, they cannot. I therefore, saith he, in the midst of the waters of contradiction will sing to The^ a new song, and never shall the waters of contradiction cause, by their din, my psaltery to be silent On a psaltery of ten strings will j sing untQ Thee

17. Who giveth salvation to kings, when the mountains now are smoking. Who redeemeth David His servant. Ye know who David is; be yourselves David. Whence redeemeth He David His servant? Whence redeemeth He Christ? Whence redeemeth He the Body of Christ? From the sword of ill intent deliver me. From the f word is not sufficient, he addeth, of ill intent. Without doubt there is a sword of good intent. What is the sword of good intent? That whereof the Lord saith, / came not to send peace on earthy but a sicord. For He was about to separate believers from unbelievers, sons from parents, and to sever all other ties, while the sword cut off what was diseased, but healed the members of Christ. Of good intent then is the sword twice sharpened, powerful with both edges, the Old and New Testaments, with the narration of the past and the promise of the future. That then is the sword of good intent: but the other is of ill intent, wherewith they talk vanity, for that is of good inteut, wherewith God speaketh verity. Therefore from the sword of ill intent deliver me* For truly the sons of men have teeth which are spears and arrows, and their tongue is a sharp sword. From this sword of ill intent deliver me. What he hath now called a sword, the same he called above many waters. Take me out of many waters. The same which I called many waters, I now call a sword of ill intent. Finally, when he had said, out of many waters, he went on to say, from the hand of strange children, whose mouth hath spoken vanity. And that thou mightest know that the same are spoken of, when here too he had said, Deliver me from the sword of ill intent, he went on to say, And take me out of the hand of strange children, whose mouth hath spoken vanity: just as before. And that which followeth, their right hand is a right hand of iniquity, the same he had set down before also, when he called them many waters. For lest thou shouldest think that the many waters were good waters, he explained them by the sword of ill intent. Now then let him explain what he meant by, whose mouth hath spoken vanity, and their right hand is a right hand The prosperity of the wicked, empty. 31 1 of iniquity. What vanity hath their month spoken? and how is their right hand a right hand of iniquity?

18. Whose sons are like young vines firmly planted t'j»ver. their youth. He wisheth to recount their happiness. Observe, ye sons of light, sons of peace: observe, ye sons of the Church, members of Christ; observe whom he calleth strangers, whom he calleth strange children, whom he callegi waters of contradiction, whom he calleth a sword of ill intent. Observe, I beseech you, for among them ye are in peril, among their tongues ye fight against the desires of your flesh, among their tongues, set in the hand of the devil wherewith he fighteth, ye have to wrestle, not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers,12' against the rulers of this world, of this darkness, that is, of the wicked. Observe, that ye may discern yourselves, that ye may not think that to be true felicity, which men either weak, or of ill intent, desire for themselves. Behold, brethren, surely he hath called them strange children, surely he hath called them many waters, surely he hath called them a sword of ill intent. Behold the vanity which they speak, and beware lest ye speak the same; beware lest in speaking the same, ye imitate them. Whose mouth hath spoken vanity, and their right hand is a right hand of iniquity. What vanity hath their mouth spoken, and how is their right hand a right hand of iniquity? Whose sons are as young vines firmly planted in their youth, their daughters are fitted and adorned after the similitude of a temple: their garners are full, bursting out from one store to another: their sheep are fruitful, multiplying in their streets: their oxen are fat: their hedge is not broken down, nor their road, nor is there crying in their streets. Is not this then happiness? I ask the sons of the kingdom of heaven, I ask the offspring of everlasting resurrection, I ask the body of Christ, the members of Christ, the temple of God. Is not this then happiness, to have sons safe, daughters beautiful, garners full, cattle abundant, no downfall, I say not of a wall, but not even of a hedge, no tumult and clamour in the streets, but quiet, peace, abundance, plenty of all things in their hquses and in their cities? Is not this then happiness? or ought the righteous to shun it? or findest thou not the house of the righteous too abounding with all these things, full of this happiness? Did not Abraham's house abound with gold, silver, children, servants, cattle? Did not the holy patriarch Jacob, when he fled from the face of his brother Esau into Macedonia, after enriching himself as a servant, return, and give thanks to the Lord his God, because with his rod he had crossed the river, returned with such abundance of flocks^ and children? What say we? is not this happiness? Be it so, still it is on the left hand. What is, on the left hand? Temporal, mortal, bodily. I desire not that thou shun it, but that thou think it not to be on the right band. For they were not therefore wicked, therefore vain, because they had this abundauce, but because what ought to have been on the left hand they set on the right. Therefore too their right hand is a right hand of iniquity; therefore their mouth hath spoken vanity, because they set that ou their right band which ought to have been on the left. For what ought they to have set on the right hand^ God, eternity, the years of God which fail not, whereof is said, and Thy years shall not fail. There should be the right hand, there should be our longing. Let us use the left for the time, let us long for the right for eternity. // riches increase, set not your heart upon them. For if, when riches increase, ye set your heart upon them, ye will make what is left, to be right. Amend yourselves, acknowledge Wisdom embracing you, to Whom it is said, His left hand shall be under my head, and His right hand shall embrace me. Behold the holy song of love, behold the song of songs, of the heavenly marriage of Christ and His Church. What saith the bride of the Bridegroom? His left hand shall be under my head, and His right hand shall embrace me. The left under the head, and the right above the head. For when one embraceth from above, his arm is above the head, but his left hand under the head. His left hand, saith he, under my head. For He will not desert me in times of need: but yet His left hand will be under my head, it will not be put above my bead, but will be beneath my head, that His right hand may embrace me, promising eternal life. For so is His left hand under my head, if His right hand be above my head, and that is fulfilled which was written to Timothy, having the promise of the life which now is, and of that which is to come. Having the promise, he saith, of the present and of the future life. What in the present? His left hand under my head. What in the future? His right hand shall embrace me. Do ye seek what is needful for the present time? Seek ye first the kingdom of God, that is, the right hand, gnd all these things shall be added unto you. Ye33, shall have here, saith He, both riches and glory, and in the world to come everlasting life: both with the left hand I will support you while weak, and with the right I will crown you when perfected. Or did perhaps the Apostles, when they left their all, or distributed what they had to the poor, remain without riches in this world? Where then is that promise of the left hand, he shall receive sevenfold in this world? He promised to- multiply them. And, in truth, what29, can be wanting to the man of God? If any one perchance be an unbeliever, he hath but one house, or at all events a few; the whole world of riches are the faithful man's. Behold His left hand full under his head: he shall receive sevenfold in this world. Behold His right hand embracing him: and in the world to come life everlasting. Rightly is it said in another place too of Wisdom herself, in her right hand is length of days, and in her left hand riches and16' honour.

19. Whence then speak they vainly? wherefore hath their mouth spoken vanity? Because their right hand is a right hand of iniquity. I blame them not because their sons were as young vines firmly planted in their youth, nor because their daughters were adorned after the similitude of the temple, nor because they had every thing else in abundance, and because earthly peace was theirs. But why do I blame them? They have called the people blessed, who have these things. O men that speak vanity! They have called the people blessed who have these things. They have lost the true right hand, wicked and perverse, they have put on the benefits of God inversely. O wicked ones, O speakers of vanity, O strange children! They have called the people blessed who have these things. What was on the left hand, they have set on the right. They have called the people blessed who have these things. What dost thou, David? What dost thou, Body of Christ? WThat do ye, members of Christ? What do ye, not strange children, but children of God? Since the speakers of vanity, the strange children, have called the people blessed who have these things, what say ye? Blessed is the people whose Lord is their God. Have then the left hand, but on the left; long for the right, that ye may be set on the right. They had the left^on the left, before whom He hungered, and they gave Him to eat; He was thirsty, and they gave Him drink; He was a stranger, and they took Him in; He was naked, and they clothed Him. AU this they took from the left, and transferred to the works of the right, that they might be set on the right. So then the speakers of vanity, the strange children, called the people blessed who have these things: say ye with us, Blessed is the people, whose Lord is their

20. We have longed to praise the Lord with you; and since He has deigned to grant us this, in order that the praise which we give Him may be in due order, that it may not by any excess offend Him Whom it praiseth, it is better for us to seek the path of praise in the Scripture of God, that we turn not aside from the way, either to the right hand or to the left. For I venture to say to you, beloved, God hath praised Himself, that He might be properly praised by man: and because He hath deigned to praise Himself, therefore hath man found how to praise Him. it cannot be said to God, as it is to man, let not thine own mouth praise thee. For for man to praise himself is arrogance; for God to praise Himself is mercy. It is good for us to love whom we praise: by praising one that is good, we are ourselves made better. So, since He knoweth that this is for our good, in order that we might love Him, by praising Himself, He maketh Himself lovely; and herein He endeavoureth to benefit us, in that He maketh Himself lovely. He exhorteth then our heart to praise Him, and He hath filled His servants with His Spirit, that they might God.