Expositions on the Book of Psalms 125
125.1 Psalm CXXV PL 36, 1656
1. This Psalm, belonging to the number of the Songs of Degrees, teacheth us, while we ascend and raise our minds unto the Lord our God in loving charity and piety, not to fix our gaze upon men who are prosperous in this world, with a happiness that is false and unstable, and altogether seductive; where they cherish nothing save pride, and their heart freezeth up against God, and is made hard against the shower of His grace, so that it beareth not fruit.…
[«vers.» 1.] Sicut jam meministis, ex ordine nobis tractantibus iste psalmus est centesimus vicesimus quintus, qui inter illos psalmos est, quorum est titulus, «Canticum graduum.» Est autem, sicut nostis, vox ascendentium: quo, nisi ad illam supernam Jerusalem, matrem omnium nostrum, quae est in coelis ? Quae superna est, ipsa et aeterna: haec autem quae in terra fuit, umbram habebat illius. Itaque ista cecidit, illa permanet: haec implevit tempus praedicationis, illa tenet aeternitatem nostrae reparationis. Ab illa peregrinamur in hac vita, ad ejus reditum suspiramus: tamdiu miseri et laborantes, donec ad illam redeamus. Nec cives nostri Angeli dimiserunt nos in peregrinatione, sed annuntiaverunt nobis ipsum Regem venturum ad nos. Et venit ad nos, et contemptus est inter nos a nobis, et postea nobiscum: et docuit nos contemni, quia contemptus est; docuit tolerare, quia toleravit; docuit pati, quia passus est; et promisit resurrecturos, quia resurrexit, in seipso ostendens quid sperare debeamus. Si ergo, fratres, Prophetae antiqui, patres nostri, antequam Dominus Jesus Christus veniret in carne, antequam mortuus resurrexisset et ascendisset in coelum, suspirabant tamen illi civitati; quantum nos oportet desiderare, quo nos ipse praecessit, et unde nunquam recessit? Non enim Dominus sic venit ad nos, ut desereret Angelos: et illis mansit, et ad nos venit; illis mansit in majestate, ad nos venit in carne. Eramus autem ubi? Si redemptor noster ille dicitur captivi tenebamur. Ubi ergo tenebamur, ut ille veniret redimere captivos? ubi tenebamur? Forte apud barbaros? Pejor est barbaris diabolus et angeli ejus. Ipsi antea tenebant genus humanum: ab eis redemit nos, qui non aurum neque argentum, sed sanguinem suum pro nobis dedit.
125.2 PL 36, 1657
2. “They that put their trust in the Lord shall be even as the mount Sion: they shall not be removed for ever” (ver. 1).
Quomodo autem homo venerat in captivitatem, Paulum apostolum interrogemus. Etenim ipse praecipue gemit in ista captivitate, suspirans aeternae Jerusalem; et docuit nos gemere ex ipso Spiritu quo et ille impletus gemebat. Hoc enim ait: «Omnis creatura congemiscit et dolet usque nunc.» Et iterum: «Vanitati enim creatura subjecta est,» ait, «non sponte, sed propter eum qui subjecit in spe.» Omnem creaturam dixit in hominibus etiam non credentibus, sed tamen credituris, ingemiscere creaturam in laboribus. Numquidnam in his tantum gemit, qui nondum crediderunt? jam vero in his qui crediderunt non gemit, nec parturit creatura? «Non solum autem,» inquit, «sed et nos ipsi primitias spiritus habentes,» id est, qui jam spiritu Deo servimus, qui jam mente Deo credidimus, et in ipsa fide primitias quasdam dedimus, ut primitias nostras sequamur: ergo «et nos ipsi in nobismetipsis ingemiscimus, adoptionem exspectantes, redemptionem corporis nostri.» Gemebat ergo et ipse, et gemunt omnes fideles, adoptionem exspectantes, redemptionem corporis sui. Ubi gemunt? In ista mortalitate. Quam redemptionem exspectant? Corporis sui, quae praecessit in Domino, qui resurrexit a mortuis, et ascendit in coelum. Hoc nobis antequam reddatur, necesse est gemamus, etiam fideles, etiam sperantes. Ideo sequitur ibi, et dicit; cum diceret, «Et ipsi in nobismetipsis ingemiscimus, adoptionem exspectantes, redemptionem corporis nostri;» quasi diceretur ei, Quid tibi ergo profuit Christus, si adhuc gemis; et quomodo Salvator salvum te fecit? qui gemit, adhuc aegrotat: subjunxit et ait, «Spe enim salvi facti sumus. Spes autem quae videtur, non est spes: quod enim videt quis, quid sperat? Si autem quod non videmus speramus, per patientiam exspectamus» . Ecce quare gemimus, et quomodo gemimus; quia quod speramus, jam quidem exspectamus, sed nondum tenemus, et donec teneamus, in tempore suspiramus, quia desideramus, quod nondum tenemus. Quare? Quia «spe salvi facti sumus.» Jam caro sumpta de nobis in Domino, non spe, sed re salva facta est. Resurrexit enim et ascendit in capite nostro caro nostra salva; in membris adhuc salvanda est. Secura gaudeant membra, quia a capite suo non sunt deserta. Dixit enim membris laborantibus: «Ecce ego vobiscum sum usque ad consummationem saeculi» . Ita factum est ut converteremur ad Deum. Spem enim non habebamus, nisi ad saeculum; et inde servi miseri, et bis miseri, quia et in hac vita spem posueramus, et faciem habentes ad saeculum, dorsum contra Deum. Cum vero converterit nos Dominus, ut jam incipiamus faciem habere ad Deum, et dorsum ad saeculum, qui adhuc in via sumus, tamen patriam attendimus: et quando forte aliquam tribulationem patimur, sed tamen tenemus viam, et ligno portamur; asper quidem ventus, sed ventus prosper est; cum labore quidem, sed cito ducit, cito perducit. Quia ergo de captivitate nostra gemebamus, gemunt autem et illi qui jam crediderunt; quomodo autem facti sumus captivi, obliti fuimus, sed per Scripturam commemoramur: Paulum ipsum Apostolum interrogemus; ait enim, «Scimus enim quia lex spiritualis est; ego autem carnalis sum, venundatus sub peccato» . Ecce unde facti sumus captivi, quia venundati sumus sub peccato. Quis nos vendidit? Nos ipsi, qui consensimus seductori. Vendere nos potuimus, redimere nos non possumus. Vendidimus nos consensione peccati, redimimur in fide justitiae. Sanguis enim innocens datus est pro nobis, ut redimeremur. Quemcumque sanguinem ille fudit persequendo justos, qualem sanguinem fudit? Justorum quidem sanguinem fudit; Prophetarum, patrum nostrorum, justorum sanguinem fudit et martyrum: tamen omnes de propagine peccati venientes. Unum sanguinem fudit ejus qui non justificatus, sed justus natus est: illo sanguine fuso, perdidit quos tenebat. Pro quibus enim datus est innocens sanguis, redempti sunt; et conversi a captivitate, cantant istum psalmum.
125.3 PL 36, 1658
3. Who are these? “They shall stand fast for ever, who dwell in Jerusalem” (ver. 2). If we understand this earthly Jerusalem, all who dwelt therein have been excluded by wars and by the destruction of the city: thou now seekest a Jew in the city of Jerusalem, and findest him not. Why then will “they that dwell in Jerusalem not be moved for ever,” save because there is another Jerusalem, of which ye are wont to hear much? She is our mother, for whom we sigh and groan in this pilgrimage, that we may return unto her.…They then who dwell therein “shall never be moved.” But they who dwelt in that earthly Jerusalem, have been moved; first in heart, afterwards by exile. When they were moved in heart and fell, then they crucified the King of the heavenly Jerusalem herself; they were already spiritually without, and shut out of doors their very King. For they cast Him out without their city, and crucified Him without. He too cast them out of His city, that is, of the everlasting Jerusalem, the Mother of us all, who is in Heaven.
«Cum converteret» «Dominus captivitatem Sion, facti sumus sicut consolati.» Hoc voluit dicere, Facti sumus gaudentes. Quando? «Cum converteret Dominus captivitatem Sion.» Quae Sion? Ipsa Jerusalem, et aeterna Sion. Quomodo aeterna Sion, quomodo captiva Sion? In angelis aeterna, in hominibus captiva. Non enim omnes illius civitatis cives captivi sunt; sed qui inde peregrinantur, ipsi captivi sunt. Homo civis est Jerusalem, sed venditus sub peccato, factus est peregrinus. De propagine ipsius natum est genus humanum, et implevit terras captivitas Sion. Et ista captivitas Sion quomodo umbra illius Jerusalem? Umbra illius Sion quam acceperunt Judaei in imagine, in figura fuit in captivitate in Babylonia, et post septuaginta annos rediit ille populus ad civitatem suam . Septuaginta anni significant omne tempus quod septem diebus volvitur: cum autem transierit omne tempus, tunc redimus et nos ad patriam nostram; quomodo ille populus post septuaginta annos rediit a captivitate Babyloniae. Babylonia est enim mundus iste: Babylonia enim interpretatur, Confusio. Videte si non est confusio tota vita humana. Quidquid agunt homines in spe vana, quando cognoverint quid agunt, erubescunt. Quare laborant? cui laborant? Filiis meis, inquit. Et ipsi cui? Filiis suis. Et ipsi quibus? Filiis suis. Nemo ergo sibi. Ab ista ergo confusione jam conversi erant, quibus dicit Apostolus: «Quam enim gloriam habebatis in his, in quibus nunc erubescitis» ? Confusio ergo est ista tota vita rerum humanarum, non pertinens ad Deum. In hac confusione, in ista Babylonia, captiva tenetur Sion: sed convertit Dominus captivitatem Sion.
125.4 PL 36, 1659
4. What is this Jerusalem? He briefly describes it. “The mountains stand around Jerusalem” (ver. 2). Is it anything great, that we are in a city surrounded by mountains? Is this the whole of our happiness, that we shall have a city which mountains surround? Do we not know what mountains are? or what are mountains save swellings of the earth? Different then from these are those mountains that we love, lofty mountains, preachers of truth, whether Angels, or Apostles, or Prophets. They stand around Jerusalem; they surround her, and, as it were, form a wall for her. Of these lovely and delightful mountains Scripture constantly speaketh.…They are the mountains of whom we sing: “I lifted up mine eyes unto the mountains, from whence my help shall come:” because in this life we have help from the holy Scriptures. And through the mountains that receive peace, the little hills received righteousness: for what saith he of the mountains themselves? He said not, they have peace from themselves, or they make peace, or generate peace; but, they receive peace. The Lord is the source, whence they receive peace. So therefore lift up thine eyes to the mountains for the sake of peace, that thy help may come from the Lord, who hath made heaven and earth. Again, the Holy Spirit mentioning these mountains saith this: “Thou dost light them wonderfully from Thy everlasting mountains.” He said not, the mountains light them: but, Thou lightest them from Thy everlasting mountains: through those mountains whom Thou hast willed to be everlasting, preaching the Gospel, Thou lighting them, not the mountains. Such then are the “mountains that stand around Jerusalem.”
«Et facti sumus,» inquit, «sicut consolati:» id est, gavisi sumus, tanquam consolationem accipientes. Consolatio non est nisi miserorum, consolatio non est nisi gementium, lugentium, Quare «quasi consolati,» nisi quia adhuc gemimus. Gemimus in re, consolamur in spe: cum transierit res, de gemitu gaudium veniet aeternum, ubi non opus erit consolatione, quia nulla miseria sauciabimur. Quare autem «velut consolati» ait, et non ait, consolati? Non semper quasi ad similitudinem ponitur hoc verbum, «sicut:» quod dicimus, «sicut,» aliquando ad proprietatem refertur, aliquando ad similitudinem; modo ad proprietatem relatum est. Sed exempla nobis etiam de communi locutione hominum danda sunt, ut facile intelligatur. Quando dicimus, Sicut vixit pater, ita et filius; ad similitudinem hoc dicimus: et, Sicut pecus moritur, ita homo moritur; ad similitudinem hoc dicitur. Quando autem dicimus, Fecit sicut vir bonus; numquid non est vir bonus, sed similitudinem habet viri boni? Fecit tanquam justus; hoc tanquam, non negat eum justum esse, sed proprietatem ejus ostendit. Fecisti sicut senator: Ergo non sum senator, si dicat: Imo quia es, sicut senator fecisti; et quia justus es, sicut justus fecisti; et quia bonus es, sicut bonus fecisti. Ergo quia et isti vere consolati erant, «sicut consolati» gaudebant; id est, magnum erat gaudium ipsorum, tanquam consolatorum, illo consolante morituros qui mortuus est. Omnes enim moriendo gemimus: consolatus est ille qui mortuus est, ne mori timeremus. Prior resurrexit, ut haberemus quod spararemus. Quia ergo prior resurrexit, spem nobis dedit: quia in miseria positi, spe consolati sumus; hinc gaudium magnum. Et convertit Dominus captivitatem nostram, ut jam de captivitate viam teneamus, et eamus ad patriam. Jam ergo redempti, in via non timeamus insidiantes hostes nostros. Ideo enim redemit nos, ut non audeat hostis insidiari nobis, si de via non recesserimus. Ipse enim Christus factus est via . Vis non pati latrones! Ait tibi: Viam tibi stravi ad patriam; noli de via recedere. Talem viam munivi, ut latro ad te non audeat accedere; tu ab illa noli recedere, et latro ad te non audet accedere. Ambula ergo in Christo et canta gaudens, canta tanquam consolatus; quia ille te praecessit, qui jussit ut sequaris.
125.5 PL 36, 1660
5. And that ye may know what sort of mountains these be that stand around Jerusalem; where Scripture hath mentioned good mountains, very rarely, and hardly, and perhaps never, doth it fail instantly to mention the Lord also, or allude to Him at the same moment, that our hopes rest not in the mountains.…Lest thou again shouldest tarry in the mountains, he at once addeth, “Even so the Lord standeth round about His people:” that thy hope might not lie in the mountains, but in Him who lighteth the mountains. For when He dwelleth in the mountains, that is, in the Saints, He Himself is round about His people; and He hath Himself walled His people with a spiritual fortification, that it may not be moved for evermore. But when Scripture speaketh of evil mountains, it addeth not the Lord unto them. Such mountains, we have already told you often, signify certain mighty, but evil, souls. For ye are not to suppose, brethren, that heresies could be produced through any little souls. None save great men have been the authors of heresies; but in proportion as they were mighty, so were they evil, mountains. For they were not such mountains as would receive peace, that the hills might receive righteousness; but they received dissension from their father the devil. There were therefore mountains: beware thou fly not to such mountains. For men will come, and say unto thee, There is a great hero, there is a great man! How great was that Donatus! How great is Maximian! and a certain Photinus, what a great man he was! And Arius too, how illustrious he was! All these I have mentioned are mountains, but mountains that cause shipwreck.…
[«vers.» 2, 3.] «Tunc repletum est gaudio os nostrum, et lingua nostra exsultatione.» Os, fratres mei, quod habemus in corpore, quomodo repletur gaudio? Non solet impleri, nisi aut cibo, aut potu, aut aliquare tali missa in os. Impletur aliquando os nostrum: et plus est quod dicimus Sanctitati vestrae; quando os plenum habemus, loqui non possumus. Habemus autem intus os, id est in corde, unde quidquid procedit, si malum est, inquinat nos; si bonum est, mundat nos. De ipso enim ore audistis, dum Evangelium legeretur. Insultabant enim Judaei Domino, quia discipuli ejus non lotis manibus manducabant. Illi insultabant, qui munditiam foris habebant, et intus maculis pleni erant; illi insultabant, quorum justitia non erat, nisi in oculis hominum. Dominus autem quaerebat munditiam nostram interiorem; quae si fuerit, necesse est ut et quae foris sunt munda sint. «Mundate,» inquit, «quae intus sunt, et quae foris sunt munda erunt» . Ipse Dominus dicit alio loco: «Verum date eleemosynas, et ecce omnia munda sunt vobis» . Unde autem procedit eleemosyna? De corde. Si enim manum porrigas, nec in corde miserearis, nihil fecisti; si autem in corde miserearis, etiamsi non habeas quod porrigas manu, acceptat Deus eleemosynam tuam. Illi autem iniqui, foris quaerebant munditiam. De talibus erat etiam ille pharisaeus qui invitaverat Dominum, quando accessit mulier quae in civitate peccatrix erat et famosa, quae lacrymis lavit pedes Domini, tersit capillis, unxit unguento. Pharisaeus ergo, qui invitaverat Dominum, et munditiam non habebat nisi forinsecus corpore, corde autem plenus erat iniquitate et rapina, dixit apud semetipsum: «Iste si esset propheta, sciret quae mulier illi accessit ad pedes.» Unde noverat utrum sciret, an nesciret? Sed ideo eum nescire arbitratus est, quia non a se eam repulit. Si enim accessisset ad ipsum pharisaeum talis mulier, ille qui munditiam tenebat quasi in carne, exsufflaret, repelleret, abjiceret; ne immunda tangeret mundum, et contaminaret ejus munditiam. Quia hoc non fecit Dominus, ideo illum credidit nescisse qualis mulier illi accessisset ad pedes; Dominus autem non solum illam noverat, sed et cogitationes illius audiebat: quia etsi contactus corporis aliquid facit, o immunde pharisaee, caro Domini posset pollui contactu mulieris, an mulier mundari contactu Domini? Permittebat autem medicus aegrotam tangere medicamentum; et illa quae venerat, noverat medicum; et quae solebat in sua fornicatione fortasse esse frontosa, frontosior facta est ad salutem. Irrupit in domum quo non erat invitata; sed vulnera habebat, et illuc venerat ubi medicus recumbebat. Ille autem qui invitaverat medicum, sanus sibi videbatur; propterea non curabatur. Jam quae sequuntur in Evangelio nostis, quomodo confusus est ipse pharisaeus, cum ei ostenderet quia et illam mulierem noverat, et cogitationem ipsius audierat .
125.6 PL 36, 1661
6. But love such mountains, in whom the Lord is. Then do those very mountains love thee, if thou hast not placed hope in them. See, brethren, what the mountains of God are. Thence they are so called in another passage: “Thy righteousness is like the mountains of God.” Not their righteousness, but “Thy righteousness.” Hear that great mountain the Apostle. “That I may be found in Him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ.” But they who have chosen to be mountains through their own righteousness, as certain Jews or Pharisees their rulers, are thus blamed: “Being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, they have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.” But they who have submitted themselves are exalted in such a manner as to be humble. In that they are great, they are mountains; in that they submit themselves unto God, they are valleys: and in that they have the capacity of piety, they receive the plenteousness of peace, and transmit the copious irrigation to the hills, only beware, at present, what mountains thou lovest. If thou wish to be loved by good mountains, place not thy trust even in good mountains. For how great a mountain was Paul? where is one like him found? We speak of the greatness of men. Can any one readily be found of so great grace? Nevertheless, he feared lest that bird should place trust in him: and what doth he say: “Was Paul crucified for you?” But lift up your eyes unto the mountains, whence help may come unto you: for, “I have planted, Apollos hath watered:” but, your help cometh from the Lord, who hath made Heaven and earth; for, “God gave the increase.” “The mountains,” therefore, “stand around Jerusalem.” But as “the mountains stand around Jerusalem, even so standeth the Lord round about His people, from this time forth for evermore.” If therefore the mountains stand around Jerusalem, and the Lord standeth round about His people, the Lord bindeth His people into one bond of love and peace, so that they who trust in the Lord, like the mount Sion, may not be moved for evermore: and this is, “from this time forth for evermore.”
Sed ad id revertamur quod modo de Evangelio lectum est, quod pertinet ad praesentem versum ubi dictum est, «Impletum est gaudio os nostrum, et lingua nostra exsultatione:» quaerimus enim quod os, et quae lingua. Attendat Charitas vestra. Insultatum est Domino, quia non lotis manibus discipuli ejus manducarent. Respondit illis Dominus sicut oportebat, et vocatis turbis ait: «Audite omnes, et intelligite. Omne quod intrat in os, non coinquinat hominem, sed quod exit.» Quid est hoc? Cum dixit, «Quod intrat in os,» nonnisi os corporis voluit ostendere. Intrant enim cibi, et non coinquinant homines cibi; quia, «Omnia munda mundis;» et, «Omnis creatura Dei bona est, et nihil abjiciendum quod cum gratiarum actione percipitur» . In figura Judaeis posita erant quaedam, et immunda dicta sunt . Sed postea quam lux ipsa venit, remotae sunt umbrae, non sumus retenti in littera, sed vivificati in spiritu: et non est impositum jugum observationis Christianis, quod impositum erat Judaeis; quia Dominus dixit, «Jugum enim meum suave est, et sarcina mea levis est» : et, «Omnia,» ait Apostolus, «munda mundis: immundis autem et infidelibus, nihil est mundum; sed polluta sunt eorum et mens et conscientia» . Quid voluit intelligi? Mundo homini et panis et porcina munda est, immundo nec panis, nec porcina. «Immundis autem,» inquit, «et infidelibus nihil est mundum.» Quare nihil est mundum? «Sed polluta sunt,» inquit, «eorum et mens et conscientia:» quia si interius quod est, immundum est; foris quod est, nihil mundum esse potest. Si ergo illis quibus interiora immunda sunt, exteriora munda esse non possunt; si volueris ut exteriora munda sint, interiora mundato. Ibi est enim os quod implebitur tibi gaudio, et quando taces: quando enim taces et gaudes, os tuum clamat ad Deum. Sed vide unde gaudeas. Si de saeculo gaudes, immundo gaudio vociferaris ad Deum: si vero de redemptione gaudes, quomodo dixit psalmus iste, «Cum converteret Dominus captivitatem Sion, facti sumus jucundati;» tunc impletur vero gaudio os tuum, et lingua tua exsultatione: manifestum est quia in spe gaudes, et acceptum est gaudium tuum apud Deum. In ipso gaudio, vel in ipso ore quod habemus intus, et manducamus et bibimus: sicut de isto ore ad refectionem corporis, sic et de illo ore ad refectionem cordis. Nam inde, «Beati qui esuriunt et sitiunt justitiam, quoniam ipsi saturabuntur» .
125.7 PL 36, 1661
7. “For the Lord will not leave the rod of the ungodly upon the lot of the righteous, lest the righteous put forth their hands unto wickedness” (ver. 3). At present indeed the righteous suffer in some measure, and at present the unrighteous sometimes tyrannize over the righteous. In what ways? Sometimes the unrighteous arrive at worldly honours: when they have arrived at them, and have been made either judges or kings; for God doth this for the discipline of His folk, for the discipline of His people; the honour due to their power must needs be shown them. For thus hath God ordained His Church, that every power ordained in the world may have honour, and sometimes from those who are better than those in power. For the sake of illustration I take one instance; hence calculate the grades of all powers. The primary and every day relation of authority between man and man is that between master and slave. Almost all houses have a power of this sort. There are masters, there are also slaves; these are different names, but men and men are equal names. And what saith the Apostle, teaching that slaves are subject to their masters? “Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh:” for there is a Master according to the Spirit. He is the true and everlasting Master; but those temporal masters are for a time only. When thou walkest in the way, when thou livest in this life, Christ doth not wish to make thee proud. It hath been thy lot to become a Christian, and to have a man for thy master: thou wast not made a Christian, that thou mightest disdain to be a servant. For when by Christ’s command thou servest a man, thou servest not the man, but Him who commanded thee. He saith this also: “Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh.” Behold, he hath not made men free from being servants, but good servants from bad servants. How much do the rich owe to Christ, who orders their house for them! so that if thou hast had an unbelieving servant, suppose Christ convert him, and say not to him, Leave thy master, thou hast now known Him who is thy true Master: he perhaps is ungodly and unjust, thou art now faithful and righteous: it is unworthy that a righteous and faithful man should serve an unjust and unbelieving master. He spoke not thus unto him, but rather, Serve him: and to confirm the servant, added, Serve as I served; I before thee served the unjust.…If the Lord of heaven and earth, through whom all things were created, served the unworthy, asked mercy for His furious persecutors, and, as it were, showed Himself as their Physician at His Advent (for physicians also, better both in art and health, serve the sick): how much more ought not a man to disdain, with his whole mind, and his whole good will, with his whole love to serve even a bad master! Behold, a better serveth an inferior, but for a season. Understand what I have said of the master and slave, to be true also of powers and kings, of all the exalted stations of this world. For sometimes they are good powers, and fear God; sometimes they fear not God. Julian was an infidel Emperor, an apostate, a wicked man, an idolater; Christian soldiers served an infidel Emperor; when they came to the cause of Christ, they acknowledged Him only who was in heaven. If he called upon them at any time to worship idols, to offer incense; they preferred God to him: but whenever he commanded them to deploy into line, to march against this or that nation, they at once obeyed. They distinguished their everlasting from their temporal master; and yet they were, for the sake of their everlasting Master, submissive to their temporal master.
Si autem non facit immundum nisi quod exit de ore, et hoc cum audimus in Evangelio, non intelligimus nisi os corporis; absurdum est et nimis stultum, ut tunc putemus non fieri immundum hominem, cum manducat, tunc autem putemus immundum, si vomat. Ait enim Dominus: «Non quod intrat in os, sed quod exit, coinquinat.» Quando ergo manducas, non fis immundus; et quando vomis, efficeris immundus? Quando bibis, non es immundus; et quando spuis, immundus es? Quando spuis enim, de ore tuo exit aliquid; quando bibis, in os intrat aliquid. Quid voluit dicere Dominus, «Non quod intrat in os, sed quod exit, inquinat?» Secutus eodem loco secundum alium evangelistam dixit quae sunt quae procedunt de ore; ut intelligas non de ore corporis eum dixisse, sed de ore cordis. Ait enim: «De corde enim exeunt cogitationes malae, fornicationes, homicidia, blasphemiae; haec sunt quae coinquinant hominem: non lotis autem manibus manducare, non coinquinat hominem» . Illa ergo, fratres mei, quomodo exeunt de ore, nisi quia «exeunt de corde,» sicut ipse Dominus dicit? Non enim quando illa loquimur, tunc nos maculant. Ne quis dicat: Quando loquimur, de ore nostro exeunt, quia verba et voces de ore nostro exeunt; et quando mala loquimur, immundi efficimur. Quid si aliquis non loquatur, et tantum cogitet mala, mundus est, quia de ore ipsius corporis nihil processit? Sed de ore cordis jam Deus audivit. Ecce, fratres mei, attendite quae dico. Nomino furtum: modo nominavi furtum; numquid quia nominavi furtum, contaminavit me furtum? Ecce de ore meo exiit, et non me fecit immundum. Fur autem surgit in nocte, et nihil dicit ore, et faciendo fit immundus. Non solum non dicit, sed et premit facinus toto silentio; et usque adeo vocem suam timet audiri, ut nec vestigia sua velit sonare: numquid ergo quia ita silet, mundus est? Plus autem dico, fratres mei. Ecce adhuc in stratu suo jacet, nondum surrexit ut furtum faciat; vigilat, et exspectat ut homines dormiant: jam Deo clamat, jam fur est, jam immundus est, jam facinus de ore interiore processit. Quando enim facinus ex ore procedit? Quando voluntas faciendi decernitur. Decrevisti facere; dixisti, fecisti. Si furtum non feceris foris; forsitan ille non meruit perdere, cui disponebas auferre: et ille nihil perdidit, et tu de furto damnaberis. Decrevisti occidere hominem; dixisti in corde, sonuit de ore tuo interiore homicidium: adhuc vivit homo, et tu homicida puniris. Quid sis enim apud Deum, quaeritur, non quid non dum apparueris apud homines.
125.8 PL 36, 1662
8. But will it be thus always, that the ungodly have power over the righteous? It will not be so. The rod of the ungodly is felt for a season upon the lot of the righteous; but it is not left there, it will not be there for ever. A time will come, when Christ, appearing in his glory, shall gather all nations before Him. And thou wilt see there many slaves among the sheep, and many masters among the goats; and again many masters among the sheep, many slaves among the goats. For all slaves are not good—do not infer this from the consolation we have given to servants—nor are all masters evil, because we have thus repressed the pride of masters. There are good masters who believe, and there are evil: there are good servants who believe, and there are evil. But as long as good servants serve evil masters, let them endure for a season. “For God will not leave the rod of the ungodly upon the lot of the righteous.” Why will He not? “Lest the righteous put forth their hand unto wickedness:” that the righteous may endure for a season the domination of the ungodly, and may understand that this is not for ever, but may prepare themselves to possess their everlasting heritage.…
Certe ergo novimus, et nosse debemus, et tenere quia est os cordis, est et lingua cordis. Ipsum os impletur gaudio: in ipso ore intus oramus Deum, quando labia clausa sunt, et patet conscientia. Silentium est, et clamat pectus: sed auribus cujus? Non hominis, sed Dei. Securus ergo esto; ille audit qui miseretur. Et rursus quando nemo hominum audit mala, si procedunt de ore tuo, noli esse securus, quia ille audit qui damnat. Susanna non audiebatur ab injustis judicibus, tacebat et orabat. Os ejus non audiebatur ab hominibus, cor ejus clamabat ad Deum . Numquid quia vox ejus de ore corporis non processit, propterea exaudiri non meruit? Exaudita est illa; quando oravit, nemo hominum scivit. Ergo, fratres, quid habeamus in ore interiore, cogitate. Ibi videte ne quid mali dicatis intus, et nihil mali facitis foris: non potest enim fieri ab homine foris, nisi quod dictum fuerit intus. Custodi os cordis a malo, et innocens eris: innocens erit lingua corporis tui, innocentes manus erunt; etiam pedes innocentes erunt, oculi innocentes erunt, aures innocentes erunt; omnia membra tua justitiae militabunt, quia imperator justus tenuit cor.
125.9 PL 36, 1663
9. And he therefore addeth, “Do well, O Lord, unto those that are good and true of heart” (ver. 4). They who are right in heart, of whom I was speaking a little before,—they who follow the will of God, not their own will,—reflect upon this. But they who wish to follow God, allow Him to go before, and themselves to follow; not themselves to go before, and Him to follow; and in all things they find Him good, whether chastening, or consoling, or exercising, or crowning, or cleansing, or enlightening; as the Apostle saith, “We know that all things work together for good to them that love God.”
«Tunc dicent inter Gentes, Magnificavit Dominus facere cum eis. Magnificavit Dominus facere nobiscum; facti sumus jucundati.» Videte, fratres, si modo Sion non illud dicit inter Gentes, per totum orbem terrarum; videte si non ad Ecclesiam curritur. In toto orbe terrarum pretium nostrum accipitur; Amen respondetur. Dicunt ergo inter Gentes Jerosolymitani captivi, Jerosolymitani redituri, peregrini, suspirantes patriae suae. Quid dicunt? «Magnificavit Dominus facere nobiscum; facti sumus jucundati.» Numquid ipsi secum fecerunt? Ipsi male secum fecerunt, quia sub peccato se vendiderunt. Redemptor venit, et bene cum illis fecit: et «magnificavit Dominus facere cum eis. Magnificavit Dominus facere nobiscum; facti sumus jucundati.»
125.10 PL 36, 1663
10. Whence the Psalmist at once addeth: “As for such as turn aside, the Lord shall lead them forth unto strangling with the workers of unrighteousness” (ver. 5): that is, those whose deeds they have imitated; because they took delight in their present pleasures, and did not believe in their punishments to come. What then shall they have, who are righteous in heart, and who turn not back? Let us now come to the heritage itself, brethren, for we are sons. What shall we possess? What is our heritage? what is our country: what is it called? Peace. In this we salute you, this we announce to you, this the mountains receive, and the little hills receive as righteousness. Peace is Christ: “for He is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us.” Since we are sons, we shall have an inheritance. And what shall this inheritance be called, but peace? And consider that they who love not peace are disinherited. Now they who divide unity, love not peace. Peace is the possession of the pious, the possession of heirs. And who are heirs? Sons.…Since then Christ the Son of God is peace, He therefore came to gather together His own, and to separate them from the wicked. From what wicked men? From those who hate Jerusalem, who hate peace, who wish to tear unity asunder, who believe not peace, who preach a false peace to the people, and have it not. To whom answer is made, when they say, “Peace be with you,” “And with thy spirit:” but they speak falsely, and they hear falsely. Unto whom do they say, Peace be with you? To those whom they separate from the peace of the whole earth. And unto whom is it said, “And with thy spirit”? To those who embrace dissensions, and who hate peace. For if peace were in their spirit, would they not love unity, and leave dissensions? Speaking then false words, they hear false words. Let us speak true words, and hear true words. Let us be Israel, and let us embrace peace; for Jerusalem is a vision of peace, and we are Israel, “and peace is upon Israel.”
[«vers.» 4.] «Converte, Domine, captivitatem nostram, sicut torrens in austro.» Quid sit hoc, attendat Charitas vestra. Jam dixerat, «Cum converteret Dominus captivitatem Sion.» Quasi de praeterito loquebatur: sed solet fieri ut de praeterito loquens, futura praenuntiet Propheta. Nam quasi de praeterito loquebatur, cum in alio psalmo diceret, «Foderunt manus meas et pedes meos, dinumeraverunt omnia ossa mea» . Non dixit, fossuri sunt; non dixit, dinumerabunt; non dixit, divident sibi vestimenta mea; non dixit, super vestimentum meum mittent sortem: futura erant, et quasi facta cantabantur. Omnia enim quae futura sunt, Deo jam facta sunt. Hic ergo cum diceret, «Cum converteret Dominus captivitatem Sion, facti sumus sicut consolati; tunc repletum est gaudio os nostrum, et lingua nostra exsultatione;» ut ostenderet se figura praeteriti futura cogitare, ait, «Tunc dicent inter Gentes.» «Dicent,» jam de futuro est. «Magnificavit Dominus facere nobiscum; facti sumus jucundati.» Tunc cum cantabantur, futura erant, et nunc videntur praesentia. Ergo orat tanquam de futuris, qui futura tanquam praeterita praecinebat: «Converte, Domine, captivitatem nostram.» Nondum erat ergo conversa captivitas, quia nondum Redemptor advenerat. Ergo, quando cantati sunt Psalmi, quod orabatur tunc, jam factum est: «Converte, Domine, captivitatem nostram, sicut torrens in austro.» Sicut convertuntur torrentes in austro, sic converte captivitatem nostram. Quaerebatur quid sit; sed patebit modo, adjuvante Domino, vestris orationibus. Quodam loco Scriptura, cum praeciperet et moneret de operibus bonis, ait: «Sicut glacies in sereno, ita solventur peccata tua» . Ergo peccata ligabant nos. Quomodo? Quomodo frigus ligat aquam ne currat. Et illigati frigore peccatorum gelavimus. Auster autem calidus ventus est: quando fiat auster, liquescit glacies, et implentur torrentes. Torrentes autem dicuntur flumina hiemalia; magno enim impetu repentinis aquis impleta currunt. Gelaveramus ergo in captivitate; constringebant nos peccata nostra: flavit auster Spiritus sanctus; dimissa sunt nobis peccata, soluti sumus a frigore iniquitatis; tanquam glacies in sereno, solvuntur peccata nostra. Curramus ad patriam, quasi torrentes in austro. Diu enim laboravimus, et laboramus etiam facientes bene. Nam ipsa vita humana quam ingressi sumus, misera est, laboribus plena, doloribus, periculis, aerumnis, tentationibus. Nolite seduci gaudio rerum humanarum; flenda in rebus humanis advertite. Poterat ridere prius puer qui nascitur: quare a fletu incipit vivere? Ridere nondum novit; quare plorare jam novit? Quia coepit ire in istam vitam. Sed si de illis captivis est, hic flet et gemit; sed veniet gaudium.