Expositions on the Book of Psalms 145
145.1 Psalm CXLV PL 36, 1884
1. …The title is, “Praise, to David himself.” Praise to Christ Himself. And since He is called David, who came to us of the seed of David, yet He was our King, ruling us, and bringing us into His kingdom, therefore “Praise to David himself” is understood to mean, Praise to Christ Himself. Christ according to the flesh is David, because He is the Son of David: but according to His Divine Nature He is the Creator of David, and Lord of David. “I will exalt Thee, my God, my King; and I will bless Thy Name for the age, and age upon age” (ver. 1). Ye see that the praise of God is here begun, and this praise is carried on even to the end of the Psalm.…Now then begin to praise, if thou intendest to praise for ever. He who will not praise in this transitory “age,” will be silent when “age upon age” has come. But lest any one should in any otherwise also understand what he saith, “I will praise Thy Name for the age,” and should seek another age, wherein to praise, he saith, “Every day will I bless Thee” (ver. 2). Praise then and bless the Lord thy God every day, that when single days have passed, and there has come one day without end, thou mayest go from praise to praise, as “from strength to strength.” No day shall pass by, wherein I bless Thee not. And it is no wonder, if in thy day of joy thou bless the Lord. What if perchance some day of sorrow hath dawned on thee, as is natural in the circumstances of our mortal nature, as there is abundance of offences, as temptations are multiplied; what, if something sad befall thee, a man; wilt thou cease to praise God? wilt thou cease to bless thy Creator? If thou cease, thou hast lied in saying, “every day,” etc. But if thou cease not, although it seem to thee to be ill with thee in the day of thy sorrow, yet in thy God it shall be well with thee.…
Deliciae spiritus nostri divina cantica, ubi et fletus sine gaudio non est. Fideli homini et peregrino in saeculo, nulla est jucundior recordatio, quam civitatis illius unde peregrinatur: sed recordatio civitatis in peregrinatione, non est sine dolore atque suspirio. Spes tamen certa reditus nostri, etiam peregrinando tristes consolatur et exhortatur. Rapiant cor vestrum verba Dei, et possessor vester vindicet sibi possessionem suam, id est mentes vestras, ne avertantur in aliud. Unusquisque vestrum totus hic sit, ut hic non sit: id est, totus sit in verbo Dei, quod sonat in terra ut ab eo exaltetur, et non sit in terra. Ideo enim Deus nobiscum, ut et nos cum illo. Qui enim ut nobiscum esset, descendit ad nos, facit, ut cum illo simus, ascendere ad se. Interim ipse peregrinationem nostram non fastidivit; quia nusquam est peregrinus, qui condidit omnia.
145.2 PL 36, 1884
2. “Great is the Lord, and very much to be praised” (ver. 3). How much was he about to say? what terms was he about to seek? How vast a conception hath he included in the one word, “very much”? Imagine what thou wilt, for how can that be imagined, which cannot be contained? “He is very much to be praised. And of His Greatness there is no end;” therefore said he “very much:” lest perchance thou begin to wish to praise, and think that thou canst reach the end of His praises, whose Greatness can have no end. Think not then that He, whose Greatness has no end, can ever be enough praised by thee. Is it not then better that as He has no end, so neither should thy praise have end? His Greatness is without end; let thy praise also be without end.…
[«vers.» 2, 3.] Ecce Psalmus sonat: cujusdam vox est, quae si vultis vestra est, exhortantis animam suam ad laudandum Deum, et dicentis sibi, «Lauda, anima mea, Dominum.» Aliquando enim in tribulationibus atque in tentationibus praesentis vitae, velis nolis, conturbatur anima: cujus perturbationem in alio psalmo alloquitur, dicens, «Quare tristis es anima mea? et quare conturbas me?» Ut autem auferat ei eamdem perturbationem, suggerit gaudium nondum de re, sed de spe, et ait illi perturbatae et anxiae, tristi et moerenti: «Spera in Dominum, quoniam adhuc confitebor illi» . Spem qua se erexit, in confessione constituit, quasi diceret ei anima sua, quae illum tristitia conturbabat, Quid mihi dicis, «Spera in Dominum?» Revocat me conscientia peccatorum; ego novi quae commisi, et dicis, «Spera in Dominum?» Commisisti, verum est: unde tamen speras? «Quoniam confitebor illi.» Sicut odit Deus peccata sua defendentem, sic sublevat confitentem. Hac ergo spe accepta, quae spes non potest esse sine gaudio; quamvis in rebus simus difficilibus secundum istam vitam, et plenis procellarum et tempestatum: hac tamen spe erecta anima, quia gaudet in spe, sicut dicit Apostolus, «Spe gaudentes, in tribulatione patientes» ; accepit erectionem quamdam in Deum, ut laudet Deum; et dicitur ei, «Lauda, anima mea, Dominum.»
145.3 PL 36, 1885
3. For how great things besides has His boundless Goodness and illimitable Greatness made, which we do not know! When we lift the gaze of our eyes even to the heaven, and then recall it from sun, moon, and stars to the earth, and there is all this space where our sight can wander; beyond the heavens who can extend the eyesight of his mind, not to say of his flesh? So far then as His works are known to us, let us praise Him through His works. “Generation and generation shall praise Thy works” (ver. 4). Every generation shall praise Thy works. For perhaps every generation is meant by “generation and generation.”…Did he perchance mean to imply two generations by that repetition? For we are in this generation sons of God, we shall be in another generation sons of the Resurrection. Scripture hath called us “sons of the Resurrection;” the Resurrection itself it hath called Regeneration. “In the regeneration,” it saith, “when the Son of Man shall be seated in His Majesty.” So also in another place; “For they shall not marry, nor be given in marriage, for they are the sons of the Resurrection.” Therefore “generation and generation shall praise Thy works.…And they shall tell out Thine excellence.” For neither shall they praise Thy works, save in order to “tell out Thine excellence.” Boys at school are set to praise, and all such things are set before them to be praised, as God hath wrought: a mortal is set to praise the sun, the sky, the earth; to come to even lesser things, to praise a rose, or a laurel; all these are works of God: they are set, they are undertaken, they are praised: the works are lauded, of the Worker they are silent. I desire in the works to praise the Creator: I love not a thankless praiser. Dost thou praise what He hath made, and art silent of Him who made? In that which thou seest, what is it that thou praisest? The form, the usefulness, some virtue, some power in the things. If beauty delight thee, what is more beautiful than the Maker? If usefulness be praised, what more useful than He who made all things? If excellence be praised, what more excellent than He by whom all things were made?…
Sed quis dicit, et cui dicit? Quid dicimus, fratres? Caro dicit, «Lauda, anima mea, Dominum?» Et potest caro bonum consilium animae suggerere? Ut multum sit edomita caro, et a Domino impertitis viribus nostrae servituti subjecta, ut omnino ita serviat nobis sicut conditionale mancipium; sufficit ut non impediat. Deinde, charissimi, utique consilia a melioribus petuntur. Et si bonum quiddam est anima nostra, et bonum quiddam est caro nostra, quia utrumque ille creavit qui fecit omnia bona valde ; quamvis ergo in generibus propriis utrumque sit bonum, tamen dicit Apostolus: «Corpus quidem mortuum est propter peccatum.» Est utique et illud corpus, quale nobis promittitur, et nondum habemus, in cujus redemptione spe gaudemus, dicente Apostolo: «In nobismetipsis ingemiscimus, adoptionem exspectantes, redemptionem corporis nostri. 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» . Quamvis ergo bonum aliquod sit corpus nostrum; tamen quamdiu mortale propter peccatum, quamdiu indigens, quamdiu corruptibile, quamdiu ita mutabile, ut ne puncto quidem temporis consistat in se, procul dubio tale est, ut optemus redemptionem illius, qua sit aliquando non tale. Sed quale erit aliquando? Quale idem apostolus dicit alio loco: «Oportet corruptibile hoc induere incorruptionem, et mortale hoc induere immortalitatem» . Sed etiam cum fuerit tale corpus nostrum, corpus jam coeleste et spirituale, corpus angelicum in societate Angelorum, nec sic dabit consilium animae. Semper enim corpus, quoniam corpus est, infra animam est, et quaevis anima vilis excellentissimo corpore excellentior invenitur.
145.4 PL 36, 1885
4. “They shall speak of the magnificence of the glory of Thy Holiness, and shall record Thy wondrous deeds” (ver. 5). “And the excellence of Thy fearful works shall they speak of: and Thy greatness, they shall relate it” (ver. 6). “The remembrance of the abundance of Thy sweetness they shall pour forth” (ver. 7): none but Thine. See whether this man, meditating on Thy works, hath turned aside from the Worker to the work: see whether he hath sunk from Him who made, to the things which He made. Of the things which He hath made, he hath made a step up to Him, not a descent from Him to them. For if thou love these more than Him, thou wilt not have Him. And what profit is it to thee to overflow with the works, if the Worker leave thee? Truly thou shouldest love them; but love Him more, and love them for His sake. For He doth not hold out promises, without holding out threats also: if He held out no promises, there would be no encouragement; if He held out no threats, there would be no correction. They that praise Thee therefore shall “speak” also “of the excellence of Thy terrible deeds;” the excellence of that work of Thy hands which punisheth and administereth discipline, they shall speak of, they shall not be silent: for they shall not proclaim Thine everlasting kingdom, and be silent about Thine everlasting fire. For the praise of God, setting thee in the way, ought to show thee both what thou shouldest love, and what thou shouldest fear; what thou shouldest seek, and what thou shouldest shun; what thou shouldest choose, and what thou shouldest avoid. The time of choice is now, the time of receiving will be hereafter. Let then the excellence of Thy terrible things be told. Unlimited as it is, though “of Thy greatness there is no end,” they shall not be silent about it. How shall they recount it, if there is no end of it? They shall recount it when they praise it; and because there is no end of it, so of His praise also there shall be no end.
Nec vobis hoc quasi mirabile videatur, quia et vilis anima quaelibet peccatrix melior est quolibet magno et praestantissimo corpore. Non est melior meritis, sed natura. Est quidem anima peccatrix, est quibusdam concupiscentiarum sordibus inquinata: tamen melius est, etsi sordidum, aurum quam purgatissimum plumbum. Ita currat animus vester per cunctas creaturas, et videbitis quod dicimus non esse incredibile; ut quamvis anima vituperabilis, laudabilior sit tamen laudabili corpore. Duo quaedam sunt, anima et corpus. Animam vitupero, corpus laudo: animam vitupero, quia iniqua est; corpus laudo, quia sanum est. Tamen in suo genere animam laudo, vel in suo genere animam culpo; et in suo genere corpus laudo, vel culpo. Si me interroges quid sit melius, utrum quod vituperavi, an quod laudavi; mirabilem responsionem recepturus es. Ego certe illud vituperavi, et ego hoc laudavi: interrogatus tamen quid sit melius, respondeo esse melius quod vituperavi, eo quod laudavi. Si miraris in his duobus, attende illa duo in promptu posita, quae commemoravi de auro et plumbo. Ecce vituperavi aurum. Non bonum aurum, sordidum est, non ita fulget, non ita purgatum. Hoc plumbum optimum, nihil purgatius. Illud vituperavi, hoc laudavi; et posui ante te utrumque, vituperans unum, laudans aliud. Post hanc vituperationem laudationemque meam, interroga me quid horum sit melius; respondebo, Aurum melius est etiam sordidum, quam plumbum purgatum. Unde melius? et quare vituperasti? Quare vituperavi? Quia nondum est aurum quod potest esse. Quid potest esse? Purgatum et melius. Quia nondum purgatum est, vituperatum est. Plumbum quare laudatum est? Quia jam ita purgatum est, ut melius esse non possit. Item dicis equum optimum, et hominem pessimum; tamen equo laudato praeponis hominem vituperatum. Si enim interrogeris ex his duobus quid sit melius, responsurus es, Homo: non meritis, sed natura. In artibus dicis optimum sutorem, verbi gratia, et reprehendis aliquem jurisperitum, quod multas leges ignoret; sutorem laudasti, jurisperitum reprehendisti: ex his tamen duobus quaere quis sit melior; imperitior jurisperitus perfecto sutori praeponitur. Intendat Charitas vestra. Ita multis rebus laudatis, aliisque vituperatis, interrogati plerumque res vituperatas praeponimus rebus laudatis. Natura animae praestantior est quam natura corporis, excellit multum; res spiritualis est, res incorporea est, vicina est substantiae Dei. Invisibile quiddam est, regit corpus, movet membra, dirigit sensus, praeparat cogitationes, exserit actiones, capit rerum infinitarum imagines; et quis est tandem, fratres charissimi, qui sufficiat laudibus animae? Et si in animae laudibus deficitur, quae laus est ejus qui animam condidit? Et tamen tanta est ejus gratia, ut dicat homo iste, «Lauda, anima mea, Dominum.» Quis potest laudare Deum? Si diceret, Teipsam lauda, fortasse deficeret: «Lauda,» inquit, «Deum.» Conare pietatis affectu, deficies in laudibus ejus. Expedit tibi deficere laudando Deum, quam proficere laudando te. Cum enim laudas Deum, et non explicas quod vis, extenditur in interiora cogitatio tua; ipsa extensio capaciorem te facit ejus quem laudas.
145.5 PL 36, 1887
5. “The remembrance of the abundance of Thy sweetness they shall pour forth.” O happy feasts! What shall they eat, who thus shall “pour forth”!…So eat, that thou mayest pour forth again; so receive, that thou mayest give. Thou eatest, when thou learnest; thou pourest forth again, when thou teachest: thou eatest, when thou hearest; thou pourest forth again, when thou preachest; but that thou pourest forth, which thou hast first eaten. Finally, that most eager feaster John, to whom the very table of the Lord sufficed not, unless he leaned on the Lord’s breast, and of his inmost heart drank in divine secrets; what did he pour forth? “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God.” How is it that it sufficeth not to say, “Thy remembrance;” or, “the remembrance of Thine abundance”? Because, what availeth it if it be abundant, yet not sweet? So also it is annoying if it be sweet but too little.
Quis ergo est, ut dicere coeperam, qui dicit, «Lauda, anima mea, Dominum?» Caro non dicit. Sit licet corpus angelicum, inferius est quam anima; consilium superiori dare non potest. Infelix est ipsa anima, si a corpore exspectat consilium. Caro bene obediens, famula est animae; illa regit, haec regitur; illa imperat, ista famulatur: quando potest caro dare hoc consilium animae? Quis est ergo qui dicit, «Lauda, anima mea, Dominum?» Nihil invenimus amplius in homine, quam carnem et animam: totus homo hoc est, spiritus et caro. An forte ipsa anima sibi dicit, et sibi quodam modo imperat, et se exhortatur atque excitat? Quibusdam enim perturbationibus ex quadam sui parte fluitabat; ex quadam vero parte, quam vocant mentem rationalem, illam qua cogitat sapientiam, inhaerens Domino jam et suspirans in illum, animadvertit quasdam suas inferiores partes perturbari motibus saecularibus, et cupiditate quadam terrenorum desideriorum ire in exteriora, relinquere interiorem Deum: revocat se ab exterioribus ad interiora, ab inferioribus ad superiora, et dicit, «Lauda, anima mea, Dominum.» Quid tibi placet in saeculo? Quid est quod vis laudare? quid est quod vis amare? Quacumque corporeis sensibus te converteris, occurrit tibi coelum, occurrit tibi terra: quod amas in terra, terrenum est; quidquid amas et in coelo, corporeum est. Ubique amas, et ubique laudas: quomodo laudandus est ille qui fecit ista quae laudas? Jam ergo diu occupata vixisti, et desideriorum diversitate verberata, portas plagas, saucia, divisa per amores multos, ubique inquieta, nusquam secura; colligere ad te ipsam: quidquid tibi foris placebat, quaere quem habeat auctorem. Nihil melius in terra, verbi gratia, quam hoc et illud: aurum, argentum, animalia, arbores, amoenitates, totam terram cogita. Quid melius in coelo sole, luna, sideribus? Totum coelum cogita. Omnia ista simul bona valde, quia fecit Deus omnia bona valde. Undique pulchritudo operis, quae tibi commendat artificem. Miraris fabricam, ama fabricatorem. Non occuperis in eo quod factum est, et recedas ab illo qui fecit. Haec enim quibus occuparis, sub te fecit, quia sub seipso te fecit. Si haerebis superiori, calcabis inferiora; si autem recedas a superiori, ista tibi in supplicium convertentur. Sic enim factum est, fratres mei: accepit homo corpus tanquam in famulatum, Deum autem Dominum habens, servum corpus, habens supra se Conditorem, infra se quod sub illo conditum est; in medio quodam loco rationalis anima constituta, legem accepit, haerere superiori, regere inferiorem. Regere non potest inferiorem, nisi regatur a meliore. Trahitur ab inferiore, deseruit ergo meliorem. Non potest regere quod regebat, quia regi noluit a quo regebatur. Modo ergo redeat, laudet. Consilium sibi ex luce Dei dat ipsa anima per rationalem mentem, unde concipit consilium fixum in aeternitate auctoris sui. Legit ibi quiddam tremendum, laudandum, amandum, desiderandum et appetendum: nondum tenet, nondum capit; coruscatione quadam perstringitur, non est tam valida ut maneat ibi. Itaque colligit se ad sanitatem quamdam, et dicit, «Lauda, anima mea, Dominum.»
145.6 PL 36, 1888
6. …By “pouring forth” this, His preachers “shall exult in His righteousness” not in their own. What then hast Thou done unto us, O Lord, whom we praise, that we should be, that we should praise, that we should “exult in Thy righteousness,” that we should “utter forth the remembrance of the abundance of Thy sweetness”? Let us tell it, and, as we tell, let us praise.
Et quid est, fratres? Nonne laudamus Dominum? nonne quotidie hymnum nos cantamus? nonne quotidie pro modulo nostro sonat os nostrum, parturit cor nostrum laudes Dei? Et quid est quod laudamus? Magnum est quod laudamus; sed quod laudamus adhuc infirmum est. Quando implet laudator excellentiam laudati? Ecce homo stat, cantat Deo aliquanto prolixius, et saepe labia moventur ad cantum, cogitatio autem per nescio quae desideria volat. Stabat ergo mens nostra quodam modo ad laudem Dei, et anima nostra per diversas cupiditates vel curas negotiorum hac atque illac fluitabat. Quasi desuper attendit ipsa mens ad fluitantem hac atque illac, et ejus inquietudinem molestiarum quasi conversa alloquitur: «Lauda, anima mea, Dominum.» Quid est quod de aliis rebus satagis? quid est quod te occupat cura rerum terrenarum atque mortalium? Sta mecum, lauda Dominum. Et quasi ipsa anima praegravata, et non valens ita consistere ut dignum est, respondet menti: «Laudabo Dominum in vita mea.» Quid est, «in vita mea?» Quia modo in morte mea sum. Ergo prius exhortare te, et dic, «Lauda, anima mea, Dominum.» Respondet tibi anima tua: Laudo quantum possum, tenuiter, exiliter, infirmiter. Quare? Quia quamdiu sumus in corpore, peregrinamur a Domino . Quare sic laudas Dominum, non perfecte, non stabiliter? Interroga Scripturam: Quia «corpus quod corrumpitur, aggravat animam, et deprimit terrena inhabitatio sensum multa cogitantem» . Tolle mihi corpus quod aggravat animam, et laudo Dominum; tolle mihi terrenam habitationem deprimentem sensum multa cogitantem, ut a multis in unum confluam, et laudo Dominum: quamdiu autem ita sum, non possum, praegravor. Quid ergo? silebis, et non laudabis perfecte Dominum? «Laudabo Dominum in vita mea.»
145.7 PL 36, 1888
7. “Merciful and pitiful is the Lord; long-suffering, and very merciful” (ver. 8). “Sweet is the Lord to all, and His compassions reach into all His works” (ver. 9). Were He not such as this, there would be no seeking to recover us. Consider thyself: what didst thou deserve, O sinner? Despiser of God, what didst thou deserve? See if aught occur to thee but penalty, if aught occur to thee but punishment. Thou seest then what was due to thee, and what He hath given, who gave gratis. There was given pardon to the sinner; there was given the spirit of justification; there was given charity and love, wherein thou mayest do all good works; and beyond this, He will give thee also life everlasting, and fellowship with the angels: all of His mercy.…Hear the Scripture: “I will not the death of a sinner, but rather that he should turn, and live.” By these words of God, he is brought back to hope; but there is another snare to be feared, lest through this very hope he sin the more. What then didst thou also say, thou who through hope sinnest yet more? “Whensoever I turn, God will forgive me all; I will do whatsoever I will.” Say not then, “To-morrow I will turn, to-morrow I will please God; and all to-day’s and yesterday’s deeds shall be forgiven me.” Thou sayest true: God hath promised pardon to thy conversion; He hath not promised a to-morrow to thy delay.
Quid est, «in vita mea? Spes mea tu es» hic. «Spes mea es tu» hic, dicimus: «portio» autem «mea» non hic, sed «in terra viventium» . Nam ista terra morientium est: hinc transimus: sed interest quo. Quoniam et malus homo peregrinatur hic, et bonus homo peregrinatur hic. Non enim bonus transit, et malus hic permanet; aut malus transit, et bonus hic permanet: ambo transeunt, sed non ambo ad unum. Duo erant; pauper ulcerosus ad januam jacens divitis, et dives indutus purpura et bysso, in epulis quotidie splendidis: ambo hic erant, ambo hinc transierunt, sed non ad unum locum; diversa loca suscipiunt, quia diversa merita perducunt. Transiit pauper in sinum Abrahae, et transiit dives in tormenta inferorum. Vicini corpore in terra; ille in domo, ille ante januam: post mortem tantum separati, ut dicat Abraham, «Inter nos et vos chaos magnum firmatum est» . Ergo, fratres, quoniam spes hic pascit, vita autem nostra perfecta non est, nisi illa quae promittitur; hic gemitus, hic tentationes, hic angustiae, hic moerores, hic pericula: laudabit anima nostra Dominum quomodo laudandus est, secundum quod dicitur in alio psalmo, «Beati qui habitant in domo tua, in saecula saeculorum laudabunt te» ; quando totum negotium nostrum ipsa laus erit. Sed quando hoc? «In vita mea.» Modo enim quid est? Posset tibi dicere, Mors mea. Unde mors tua? Quia peregrinor a Domino. Si enim haerere illi, vita est; recedere ab illo, mors est. Sed quid te consolatur? Spes. Jam vivis in spe; de spe lauda, de spe canta. Unde mors tua est non cantes; unde vivis, canta. Mors tua est de moerore hujus saeculi, vivis in spe saeculi futuri. «Laudabo,» inquit, «Dominum in vita mea.»
145.8 PL 36, 1889
8. “Sweet is the Lord to all, and His compassions are over all His works.” Why then doth He condemn? why doth He scourge? Are not they whom He condemneth, whom He scourgeth, His works? Plainly they are. And wilt thou know how “His compassions are over all His works”? Thence is that long-suffering, whereby “He maketh His sun to rise on the evil and on the good.” Are not “His compassions over all His works, who sendeth rain upon the just and upon the unjust”? In His long-suffering He waiteth for the sinner, saying, “Turn ye to Me, and I will turn to you.” Are not “His compassions over all His works”? And when He saith, “Go ye into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels,” this is not His compassion, but His severity. His compassion is given to His works: His severity is not over His works, but over thy works. Lastly, if thou remove thine own evil works, and there remain in thee nought but His work, His compassion will not leave thee: but if thou leavest not thy works, there will be severity over thy works, not over His works.
Et quomodo laudabis Dominum tuum? «Psallam Deo meo quamdiu sum.» Qualis illa laudatio, «Psallam Deo meo quamdiu sum?» Videte, Fratres mei, quale erit illud esse. Ubi sempiterna laudatio erit, sepiternum esse erit. Ecce modo es; numquid psallis Deo tuo quamdiu es? Ecce psallebas; avertisti te ad aliquod negotium, jam non psallis, et es: ecce es, et non psallis. Fortassis etiam cupiditate inclinatus ad aliquid, non solum non psallis, sed et offendis auditum ejus; et es tamen. Quae erit illa laudatio, ubi quamdiu es laudes? Sed quid ait, «quamdiu sum?» Aliquando forte non erit? Imo aeternum erit ipsum diu, et ideo vere diu erit. Nam quidquid finem habet in tempore, quamlibet longum sit, diu non est. «Psallam Deo meo quamdiu sum.»
145.9 PL 36, 1889
9. “Let all Thy works, O Lord, confess to Thee, and let Thy saints bless Thee” (ver. 10). How so? Is not the earth His work? Are not the trees His work? Cattle, beasts, fish, fowl, are not they His works? Plainly they too are. And how shall these too confess to Him? I see indeed in the angels that His works confess to Him, for the angels are His works: and men are His works; and when men confess to Him, His works confess to Him; but have trees and stones the voice of confession? Yes, verily; “let all” His “works confess to” Him. What sayest thou? even the earth and the trees?…But there ariseth the same question in regard of praise, as in regard of confession. For if earth and all things devoid of sensation therefore cannot confess, because they have no voice to confess with; neither will they be able to praise, because they have no voice to proclaim with. But do not those Three Children enumerate all things, as they walked amid the harmless flames, who had leisure not only not to fear, but even to praise God? They say to all things, heavenly and earthly, “Bless ye the Lord, praise Him and magnify Him for ever.” Behold how they praise. Let none think that the dumb stone or dumb animal hath reason wherewith to comprehend God. They who have thought this, have erred far from the truth. God hath ordered everything, and made everything: to some He hath given sense and understanding and immortality, as to the angels; to some He hath given sense and understanding with mortality, as to man; to some He hath given bodily sense, yet gave them not understanding, or immortality, as to cattle: to some He hath given neither sense, nor understanding, nor immortality, as to herbs, trees, stones: yet even these cannot be wanting in their kind, and by certain degrees He hath ordered His creation, from earth up to heaven, from visible to invisible, from mortal to immortal. This framework of creation, this most perfectly ordered beauty, ascending from lowest to highest, descending from highest to lowest, never broken, but tempered together of things unlike, all praiseth God. Wherefore then doth all praise God? Because when thou considerest it, and seest its beauty, thou in it praisest God. The beauty of the earth is a kind of voice of the dumb earth.…And this which thou hast found in it, is the very voice of its confession, that thou praise the Creator. When thou hast thought on the universal beauty of this world, doth not its very beauty as it were with one voice answer thee, “I made not myself, God made me”?
Interim bene, laudabis Dominum in vita tua, psallis de futuro Deo tuo quamdiu es. Bene: quidquid hic praesumendum est, de illo spera. Non nos deserat spes in ista peregrinatione et tentatione, in istis improbitatibus et insidiis inimici, circumstrepentibus undique tentationibus saeculi, undique in laboribus et angoribus constitutos. Quid ergo faciemus? Audi quid sequatur: «Nolite confidere in principes.» Fratres, magnum negotium hic accipimus; divina vox est, et desuper sonat nobis. Modo enim nescio qua infirmitate anima humana, quando fuerit tribulata, hic desperat de Domino, et vult praesumere de homine. Dicatur homini in afflictione aliqua constituto, Est quidam homo magnus, per quem possis liberari: arridet, gaudet, erigitur. Quod si dicatur illi, Liberat te Deus: quasi desperatione frigescit. Promittitur auxilium mortalis, et gaudes: promittitur immortalis, et tristis es! Promittitur tibi quod liberet te tecum liberandus, et tanquam aliquo magno auxilio exsultas: promittitur ille liberator qui liberatore non indiget, et quasi ad fabellam desperas. Vae talibus cogitationibus; longe peregrinantur: vere misera et magna mors in eis. Appropinqua, incipe desiderare, incipe quaerere et agnoscere eum a quo factus es. Non enim deseret opus suum, si ab opere suo non deseratur. Converte ergo te ad illum cui dicis, «Laudabo Dominum in vita mea, psallam Deo meo quamdiu sum.» Monet enim nos jam impletus tanto spiritu iste, et dicit quasi longe remotis, et longe peregrinantibus, et non solum Deum non volentibus laudare, sed nondum vel de Deo sperantibus: «Nolite confidere in principes, et in filios hominum, quibus» «non est salus.» In uno filio hominis salus; et in ipso non quia filius hominis, sed quia Filius Dei; non propter id quod suscepit ex te, sed propter id quod servavit in se. Ergo in nullo homine salus: quia et in illo ideo salus, quia Deus, «qui est super omnia Deus benedictus in saecula.» De Christo dictum est: «Ex quibus Christus secundum carnem» . Ex quibus? Ex Judaeis, ex patribus «Christus secundum carnem:» sed numquid hoc totum Christus, quod secundum carnem? Non: neque enim secundum carnem id est, «super omnia Deus benedictus in saecula.» Ideo in illo salus, quia «Domini est salus.» Dicit enim alius psalmus: «Domini est salus, et super populum tuum benedictio tua» . Et sine causa sibi arrogant homines quia dant salutem. Sibi dent. Responde superbo homini: Gloriaris, quia dicis te dare mihi salutem; tibi da. Vide si habes eam. Considerans bene fragilitatem tuam, vides quia nondum habes. Ergo noli monere ut exspectem a te, sed exspecta mecum. «Nolite confidere in principes, et in filios hominum, quibus non est salus.» Ecce nescio qui principes procedunt, nescio unde, et dicunt: Ego baptizo, et ego quod dedero, hoc est sanctum: et si ab alio acceperis, nihil accepisti; si a me acceperis, aliquid accepisti. O homo, o princeps, inter filios hominum vis esse, et inter principes quibus non est salus? Ideo ergo habeo salutem, quia tu mihi das? Tuum est enim quod das? Aut vero etiam tu das? vel hoc dicendum est, quia tu das? Dicat et fistula quia et ipsa dat aquam; dicat et canalis quia ipse manat; dicat et praeco quia et ipse liberat. Ego in aqua attendo fontem, in voce praeconis agnosco judicem. Non eris tu plane auctor salutis meae: ille erit de quo securus sum; de te incertus sum. Si non sis arrogans, non ego solus de te incertus sum, sed et tu de te. Ab illo ergo mihi salus, «qui est super omnia;» quia «Domini est salus.» Tu inter filios hominum, tu inter principes: sed audio vocem Psalmi, «Nolite confidere in principes, et in filios hominum, a quibus non est salus.»
145.10 PL 36, 1890
10. For when Thy saints bless Thee, what say they? “They shall tell the glory of Thy kingdom, and talk of Thy Power” (ver. 11). How powerful is God, who hath made the earth! how powerful is God, who hath filled the earth with good things! how powerful is God, who hath given to the animals each its own life! how powerful is God, who hath given different seeds to the womb of the earth, that they might make to spring up such various shoots, such beautiful trees! how powerful, how great is God! Do thou ask, creation answereth, and by its answer, as by the confession of the creature, thou, O saint of God, blessest God, and “talkest of His power.”
[«vers.» 4.] Secundum turbam hominum, quid sunt isti filii hominum? Quid sunt vis scire? «Exiet spiritus ejus, et revertetur in terram suam.» Ecce totum quod loquitur, nesciens quamdiu loquatur; minatur, nesciens quamdiu vivat. Subito exiet spiritus ejus, et revertetur in terram suam. Numquid quando vult, exiet spiritus ejus? Exiet, et quando non vult exiet, et quando nescit revertetur in terram suam. Exeunte spiritu, caro revertetur in terram. Sed quia caro erat quae sic loquebatur (De me enim praesume, et ego tibi do, non dicerent nisi illi de quibus dictum est, «Quia caro sunt» [Gen. VI, 3]), «Exiet spiritus ejus, et revertetur in terram suam: in illa die peribunt omnes cogitationes ejus». Ubi est typhus? ubi est superbia? ubi est jactantia? Sed forte ad locum bonum transierit, ad justos: si tamen transiit. Nam qui sic loquebatur, nescio quo transierit. Loquebatur enim superbia; et nescio quo transeant tales homines, nisi quia inspicio alterum psalmum, et video malum eorum esse transitum. «Vidi impium exaltari super cedros Libani, et transivi, et ecce non erat; et quaesivi eum, et non est inventus locus ejus» . Iste pius qui transiit et non invenit impium, illuc pervenit ubi non est impius. Ergo, fratres, omnes audiamus; fratres dilecti Deo, omnes audiamus: in qualibet tribulatione, in quolibet desiderio muneris divini, non fidamus in principes, nec in filios hominum in quibus non est salus. Totum hoc mortale, transitorium et caducum est. «Exiet spiritus ejus, et revertetur in terram suam: in illa die peribunt omnes cogitationes ejus.»
145.11 PL 36, 1891
11. “That they may make known to the sons of men Thy power, and the glory of the greatness of the beauty of Thy kingdom” (ver. 12). Thy saints then commend “the glory of the greatness of the beauty of Thy kingdom,” the glory of the greatness of its beauty. There is a certain “greatness of the beauty of Thy kingdom:” that is, Thy kingdom hath beauty, and great beauty. Since whatever hath beauty, hath beauty from Thee, how great beauty hath Thy whole kingdom! Let not the kingdom frighten us: it hath beauty also, wherewith to delight us. For what is that beauty, which the saints shall hereafter enjoy, to whom it shall be said, “Come, ye blessed of My Father, enjoy the kingdom”? Whence shall they come? whither shall they come? Behold, brethren, and, if ye can, as far as ye can, think of the beauty of that kingdom which is to come; whence our prayer saith, “Thy kingdom come.” For that kingdom we desire may come, that kingdom the saints proclaim to be coming. Observe this world: it is beautiful. How beautiful are earth, sea, air, heavens, stars. Do not all these frighten him who considereth them? Is not the beauty of them so conspicuous, that it seemeth as though nothing more beautiful could be found? And here, in this beauty, in this fairness almost unspeakable, here worm and mice and all creeping things of the earth live with thee, they live with thee in all this beauty. How great is the beauty of that kingdom where none but angels live with Thee! There is a greatness of a certain beauty; let it be loved before it is seen, that when it is seen, it may be retained.
[«vers.» 5.] Quid ergo facimus, si in filios hominum, si in principes non est sperandum? quid facimus? «Beatus cujus Deus Jacob adjutor est ejus.» Non ille homo aut ille homo, non ille angelus aut ille angelus; sed, «Beatus cujus Deus Jacob adjutor est:» quia et ipsi Jacob sic fuit adjutor, ut de Jacob faceret Israel . Magnum adjutorium, Israel jam videns Deum. Hic ergo positus et peregrinus nondum videns Deum, si habueris adjutorem Deum Jacob, ex Jacob eris Israel, et eris videns Deum; et periet omnis labor et omnis gemitus, transient curae mordaces, succedent laudes felices. «Beatus cujus Deus Jacob adjutor est ejus:» hujus Jacob. Quare iste beatus, interim adhuc in hac vita gemens? «Spes illius in Dominum Deum ipsius.» Ideo beatus, quia «spes ipsius in Dominum Deum ipsius.» In quo est spes ipsius, ipse erit res ipsius. Fratres, an forte erravi, quia dixi rem nostram futurum Deum? Quid si dicerem haereditatem nostram futurum? «Spes mea es tu, portio mea in terra viventium» . Tu eris portio mea. Eris tu possessio, et possidebis; possessio Dei eris, et possessio tua erit Deus: tu eris possessio ejus, ut colaris ab eo; et ipse erit possessio tua, ut colas eum. Nam et tu colis Deum, et coleris a Deo. Recte dicitur, Colo Deum: quomodo autem color a Deo? Invenimus apud Apostolum: «Dei,» inquit, «agricultura, Dei aedificatio estis» . Et Dominus, «Ego sum,» inquit, «vitis, vos estis sarmenta, et Pater meus agricola» . Colit te ergo Deus, ut sis fructuosus; et colis Deum, ut sis fructuosus. Tibi bonum est quod te colit Deus; tibi bonum est quod colis Deum. Cultor Deus si recedat ab homine, desertus fit homo; cultor homo si recedat a Deo, desertus fit ipse homo. Nec crescit Deus accedente te, nec decrescit discedente te. Ergo erit ipse possessio nostra, ut nos pascat; et erimus possessio ejus, ut nos regat.
145.12 PL 36, 1892
12. “Thy kingdom.” What kingdom mean I? “a kingdom of all ages.” For the kingdom of this age too hath its own beauty, but there is not in it that greatness of beauty, such as in the “kingdom of all ages.” “And Thy dominion is in every generation and generation” (ver. 13). This is the repetition we noticed, signifying either every generation, or the generation which will be after this generation. “Faithful is the Lord in His words, and holy in all His works.” “Faithful is the Lord in His words:” for what hath He promised that He hath not given? “Faithful is the Lord in His words.” Hereto there are certain things which He hath promised, and hath not given; but let Him be believed from the things which He hath given. We might well believe Him, if He only spake: He willed not that we should believe Him speaking, but that we should have His Scriptures in our hands:…as though a kind of bond of God’s, which all who pass by might read, and might keep to the path of its promise. And how great things hath He already paid in accordance with that bond! Do men hesitate to believe Him concerning the Resurrection of the dead and the Life to come, which alone now remaineth to be paid, when, if He come to reckon with the unbelievers, the unbelievers must blush? If God say to thee, “Thou hast My bond: I have promised judgment, the separation of good and bad, everlasting life for the faithful, and wilt thou not believe? There in My bond read all that I have promised, reckon with me: verily even by counting up what I have paid, thou canst believe that I shall pay what still I owe. In that bond thou hast My only-begotten Son promised, “Whom I spared not, but gave Him up for you all:” reckon this then among what is paid. Read the bond: I promised therein that I would give by My Son the earnest of the Holy Spirit: reckon that as paid. I promised therein the blood and the crowns of the glorious Martyrs; let the White Mass remind you that My debt has been paid.…He setteth before the eyes of all His payment of His debts: some He hath paid in the time of our ancestors, which we saw not: some He hath paid in our times, which they saw not; throughout all generations He hath paid what was written. And what remaineth? Do men not believe Him, when He hath paid all this? What remaineth? Behold thou hast reckoned: all this He hath paid: is He become unfaithful for the few things which remain? God forbid! Wherefore? Because “the Lord is faithful in His words, and holy in all His works.”
[«vers. 6.] Spes illius in Dominum Deum ipsius.» Quis est iste Dominus Deus ipsius? Attendite, fratres. Multi enim habent multos deos, et dicunt eos dominos suos et deos suos. Sed dicit Apostolus, «Etsi sunt qui dicuntur dii, sive in coelo, sive in terra; quemadmodum sunt dii multi, et domini multi: nobis tamen unus Deus, Pater, ex quo omnia, et unus Dominus Jesus Christus, per quem omnia» . Ergo sit ipse spes tua, Dominus Deus tuus; in illo sit spes tua. In domino deo suo est spes etiam illius qui colit Saturnum; in domino deo ipsius est spes, qui colit Martem, qui colit Neptunum, qui colit Mercurium: plus addo, qui colit ventrem, de quibus dictum est, «Quorum deus venter est» . Ergo ille illius deus, atque ille illius. Quis hujus beati? Quia «spes ipsius in Domino Deo ipsius.» Sed quis est iste? «Qui fecit coelunt et terram, mare et omnia quae in eis sunt.» Fratres mei, magnum Deum habemus! benedicamus nomen sanctum ejus, quia dignatus est facere nos possessionem suam. Nondum vides Deum, non potes amare plene quod nondum vides. Quae vides, ipse fecit. Miraris mundum, quare non artificem mundi? Suspicis coelum, et exhorescis; cogitas universam terram, et contremiscis; maris magnitudinem quando cogitatione occupas? Respice innumerabilitatem stellarum; respice tanta genera seminum, tuntas diversitates animalium, quidquid natat in aquis, repit in terra, volitat in aere, circuit in coelo: omnia ista, quam magna, quam praeclara, quam pulchra, quam stupenda! Ecce qui fecit haec omnia, Deus tuus est. Pone ibi spem tuam, ut sis beatus: «Spes illius in Dominum Deum ipsius.» Quem? «Qui fecit coelum et terram, mare et omnia quae in eis sunt.» Magnum habentus Deum!
145.13 PL 36, 1892
13. “The Lord strengtheneth all that are falling” (ver. 14). But who are “all that are falling”? All indeed fall in a general sense, but he meaneth those who fall in a particular way. For many fall from Him, many also fall from their own imaginations. If they had evil imaginations, they fall from them, and “God strengthened all that are falling.” They who lose anything in this world, yet are holy, are as it were dishonoured in this world, from rich become poor, from honoured of low estate, yet are they God’s saints; they are, as it were, falling. But “God strengtheneth.” For “the just falleth seven times, and riseth again; but the wicked shall be weakened in evils.” When evils befall the wicked, they are weakened thereby; when evils befall the righteous, “the Lord strengtheneth all that are falling.”…“And lifteth up all those that have been cast down:” all, that is, who belong to him; for “God resisteth the proud.”
Attendite, fratres, magnum Deum, bonum, facientem talia. Quid ergo hinc cogitavit Deus, ut faceret (si tamen dicendum est de Deo, Cogitavit) «coelum, terram, mare, et omnia quae in eis sunt?» Forte dicturus erat homo iste: Video quidem omnia magna ista: coelum et terram, mare fecit Deus: quando me computat Deus inter ea quae fecit? et vere ego pertineo ad curam ipsius, et modo de me cogitat Deus, aut scit an vivam? Quid est hoc quod dicis? Non subrepat tibi mala cogitatio in cor; de his esto de quibus paulo ante loquebamur, «Laudabo Dominum in vita mea, psallam Deo meo quamdiu sum.» Sed iste alios alloquitor, nescio quos tepidos, quos exhortatur, et quasi veretur ne desperent de se, quia ve non sunt in computo Dei. Multorum enim tales sunt cogitationes. Sed ideo deserunt Deum, et pergunt per quaelibet peccata, quia non credunt curare Deum quid agant. Audi eloquia divina, noli de te desperare. Qui curavit facere te, non curat reficere te? Nonne Deus tuus est qui fecit coelum, et terram, et mare? Si ista sola diceret, forte responderes tu: Deus qui fecit coelum, et terram, et mare, magnus Deus; sed numquid cogitat de me? Ipse te fecit, diceretur tibi. Quomodo? numquid ego sum coelum, aut ego sum terra, aut ego sum mare? Et quidem manifestum est, nec coelum sum, nec terra sum, nec mare sum; sed in terra sum. Vel hoc concedis mihi, quia in terra es. Audi quia non tantum coelum et terram et mare Deus fecit: «Fecit» enim «coelum, et terram, et mare, et omnia quae in eis sunt.» Si ergo «omnia quae in eis sunt,» et te. Parum dico, te: passorem, locustam, vermiculum; nihil horum non ille fecit, et cura est illi de omnibus. Non ad praeceptum cura est; nam praeceptum soli homini dedit. Dicit enim psalmus: «Homines et jumenta salvos facies, Domine; secundum multitudinem misericordiae tuae., Deus» . «Multitudinem,» inquit, «misericordiae tuae; secundum» hanc «salvos facies homines et jumenta.» Et Apostolus: «Numquid de bobus cura est Deo?» Hac, «De bobus cura» non «est Deo;» hac, «Homines et jumenta salvos facies, Domine:» numquid contraria sunt ista? Quid enim ait Apostolus? «Numquid de bobus pertinet ad Deum?» Ubi est praeceptum, «Bovi trituranti os non infrenabis» ; ibi de bobus non cogitavit Deus? Itaque quosdam boves voluit significari. Non enim hoc curat Deus monere quid agas cum bobus; habet hoc natura ipsa humana. Sic factus est homo, ut norit consulere jumentis suis: nec inde praecepta a Deo accepit, sed insinuatum est illi in mentem a Deo, ut possit et sine praecepto facere; fecit illum talem Deus. Sed quomodo regit pecus, regendus est ab alio; ab eo a quo regitur, praeceptum accepit. Ad praecepti ergo tenorem, non «est de bobus cura Deo:» ad providentiam universitatis, qua creavit omnia et mundum regit, «Homines et jumenta salvos facies, Domine.»
145.14 PL 36, 1893
14. “The eyes of all hope upon Thee, and Thou givest them food in due season” (ver. 15). Just as when thou refreshest a sick man in due season, when he ought to receive, then Thou givest, and what he ought to receive, that Thou givest. Sometimes then men long, and he giveth not: he who tendeth, knoweth the time to give. Wherefore say I this, brethren? Lest any one be faint, if perchance he hath not been heard, when making some righteous request of God. For when he maketh any unrighteous request, he is heard to his punishment: but when making some righteous request of God, if perchance he have not been heard, let him not be down-hearted, let him not faint, let his eyes wait for the food, which He giveth in due season. When He giveth not, He therefore giveth not, lest that which He giveth do harm.…“Thou givest them meat in due season.”
Intendat Charitas vestra. Hic forte aliquis dicat mihi: De Novo Testamento est, quia «De bobus» non «pertinet ad Deum: Homines et jumenta salvos facies, Domine,» de Veteri Testamento est. Sunt qui calumnientur, et dicant non sibi consonare ista duo Testamenta. Ne forte aliud dicat in Vetere, aliud in Novo, et flagitet de me sententiam de Novo talem qualis haec est, «Homines et jumenta salvos facies, Domine;» quid facio? Nihil tam in capite Novi Testamenti, quam Evangelium. In Evangelio invenio quia omnia ista pertinent ad Deum, nemo erit jam qui contradicat. Numquid enim Apostolus Evangelio contrarius erit? Audiamus ipsum Dominum, principem et magistrum Apostolorum. «Respicite,» inquit, «volatilia coeli, quia non seminant, neque metunt, neque congregant in horrea; et Pater vester coelestis pascit illa» . Ergo et praeter hominem, animalia ista pertinent ad curam Dei, ut pascantur, non ut legem accipiant. Quod ergo ad dandam legem attinet, de bobus cura Deo non est; quod autem ad creanda, pascenda, gubernanda et regenda, omnia ad Deum pertinent. «Nonne duo passeres asse veneunt» (Dominus Jesus Christus dicit), «et unus ex eis non cadet in terram sine voluntate» «Patris vestri? Quanto magis vos pluris estis illis?» Noli ergo dicere: Non pertineo ad Deum. Pertinet ad Deum anima tua, pertinet ad Deum corpus tuum; quia Deus fecit et animam tuam et corpus tuum. Dicis forte: Non me numerat Deus in magna multitudine. Accedit ibi mirum de Evangelio: «Capilli capitis vestri omnes numerati sunt» .
145.15 PL 36, 1894
15. “Thou openest Thine Hand, and fillest every living thing with blessing” (ver. 16). Though sometimes Thou givest not, yet “in due season” Thou givest: Thou delayest, not deniest, and that in due season.” “Righteous is the Lord in all His ways, and holy in all His works” (ver. 17). Both when He smiteth and when He healeth, He is righteous, and in Him unrighteousness is not. Finally, all His saints, when set in the midst of tribulation, have first praised His righteousness, and so sought His blessings. They first have said, “What Thou doest is righteous.” So did Daniel ask, and other holy men: “Righteous are Thy judgments: rightly have we suffered: deservedly have we suffered.” They laid not unrighteousness to God, they laid not to Him injustice and folly. First they praised Him scourging, and so they felt Him feeding.
[«vers.» 7, 8.] Ergo Deus meus est, et in illo spes mea, «qui fecit coelum et terram, mare et omnia quae in eis sunt.» Quod autem ad me pertinet, quid agit mecum? «Qui custodit veritatem in aeternum.» Et amandum Deum commendavit, et timendum. «Qui custodit veritatem in aeternum.» Quam veritatem in aeternum? quam, et in quo custodit veritatem? «Facientem judicium injuriam accipientibus.» Vindicat injuriam accipientes, fratres mei; facit illis judicium. Quibus? Qui accipiunt injuriam, puniens omnes injuriosos. Si ergo favebit injuriam accipientibus et puniet injuriosos, vide modo de quorum numero esse vis. Vide, attende utrum in eis velis esse, qui injuriam accipiunt, an in eis qui injuriam faciunt. Statim enim ad te procedit vox apostolica, et dicit tibi, «Jam quidem omnino delictum est, quia judicia habetis vobiscum. Quare non magis injuriam patimini» ? Corripit homines, quia non patiuntur injuriam. Non ut patiaris molestiam te hortatur, sed ut patiaris injuriam: non enim omnis molestia injuria est. Quidquid enim jure pateris, non est injuria. Ne forte diceres: Et ego inter injuriam passos numeror; nam illud in illo loco, et illud causa illa passus sum. Vide si injuriam passus es. Latrones multa patiuntur, sed non injuriam: scelerati, malefici, effractores, adulteri, corruptores, omnes patiuntur multa mala, sed nulla est injuria. Aliud est pati injuriam; aliud pati tribulationem, aut poenam, aut molestiam, aut supplicium. Considera ubi sis, quid egeris vide, quare patiaris vide; et ibi vides quid patiaris. Jus et injuria contraria sunt. Jus enim est quod justum est. Neque enim omne quod jus dicitur, jus est. Quid si aliquis condat jus iniquum? Nec jus dicendum est, si injustum est. Illud ergo verum jus, quod etiam justum est. Vide quid feceris, non quid patiaris. Si jus fecisti, injuriam pateris: si injuriam fecisti, jus pateris.
145.16 PL 36, 1894
16. “The Lord is nigh unto all that call upon Him” (ver. 18). Where then is that, “Then shall they call upon Me, and I will not hear them”? See then what follows: “all who call upon Him in truth.” For many call upon Him, but not in truth. They seek something else from Him, but seek not Himself. Why lovest thou God? “Because He hath made me whole.” That is clear: it was He that made thee so. For from none else cometh health, save Him. “Because He gave me,” saith another, “a rich wife, whereas I before had nothing, and one that obeyeth me.” This too He gave: thou sayest true. “He gave me,” saith another, “sons many and good, He gave me a household, He gave me all good things.” Dost thou love Him for this?…Therefore if God is good, who hath given thee what thou hast, how much more blessed wilt thou be when He hath given thee Himself! Thou hast desired all these things of Him: I beseech thee desire of Him Himself also. For these things are not truly sweeter than He is, nor in any way are they to be compared to Him. He then who preferreth God Himself to all the things which he has received, whereat he rejoiceth, to the things he has received, he “calleth upon God in truth.”…
Quare ista dixi, fratres? Ut non se extollant haeretici, quando forte aliquid patiuntur ex jussionibus principum terrenorum; non se numerent inter eos qui injurias accipiunt, et dicant: Ecce Psalmus consolatur me; ego enim Deum colo, «qui judicium faciet injuriam accipientibus.» Recte quaero utrum injuriam accipias. Si jus fecisti, injuria est quam pateris. Jus est exsufflare Christum? jus est rebelli superbia erigere altare? jus est, parcentibus persecutoribus tunicae Christi , Ecclesiam Christi conscindere? Porro si hoc jus non est, quidquid pro hoc pateris, jus est. Non es ergo de his qui patiuntur injuriam. Lego aliquid manifestius ex Evangelio: «Beati,» inquit, «qui persecutionem patiuntur.» Exspecta: quid festinas? quid dicis, Ego sum? Exspecta, inquam; totum legam. Audisti, «Beati qui persecutionem patiuntur;» jam tibi nescio quid coeperas arrogare. Si permittis, totum lego; vide quid sequatur. «Beati qui persecutionem patiuntur propter justitiam» . Modo dic, Ego sum. Si audes dicere, Ego sum; superiora quae dixi retractemus: aut, ne longum sit, hoc unum interrogo: Si damnares unum hominem, cujus causam nescires, auderes te dicere tenere justitiam? aut, si quid pro hac re passus esses, injuriam nominares? Erigis te in temerarium tribunal cordis tui, unde praecipiteris; et audes ferre sententiam de homine cujus causam nescis! Hoc si de uno homine faceres, esses injustus: facis hoc de toto orbe terrarum, et justus es? Fratres charissimi, et quae est quae patitur injuriam, nisi Ecclesia catholica quae tanta ista perpetitur? Inter tot scandala haereticorum gemit; videt per malas suasiones et fraudes rapi de gremio suo infirmos, parvulos pretrahi per nescio quae secreta malarum speluncarum, rebaptizari, exsufflari in eis Christum, occidi in eis non mortale illud suum quo homines sunt, sed illud quo in aeternum victuri sunt. Suadetur homini dicere, Non sum christianus, et justitia vocatur. Accessurus es ad episcopum, ait illi, vide ne dicas te esse christianum: si enim dixeris te esse christianum, non es accepturus; ut autem accipias, dic te non esse. Quid mones, christiane? quid doces? Certe persecutionem pateris: quanto tu verior persecutor! Quando Imperatores persequebantur Christianos, minando cogebant, quod tu efficis suadendo. Persuades christiano ut neget se esse christianum: quod tu suadendo facis, hoc persecutor occidendo non fecit. Sub te vivit homo, qui negat se esse christianum. Negat, et vivit? Perdidit jam vitam; cadaver tibi loquitur. Qui percussus est gladio persecutoris, cecidit, et vivit: cui loqueris, stat, et cecidit. Haec faciens, quidquid passus fueris, injuria erit? Nolo tibi blandiaris: si haec injusta sunt omnia quae facis, quidquid pateris justum erit. Cui autem facit judicium, «qui custodit veritatem in aeternum? Injuriam accipientibus.»
145.17 PL 36, 1895
17. “He will perform the will of them that fear Him” (ver. 19). He will perform it, He will perform it: though He perform it not at once, yet He will perform it. Certainly if therefore thou fearest God, that thou mayest do His will, behold even He in a manner ministereth to thee; He doeth thy will. “And He shall hear their prayer, and save them.” Thou seest that for this purpose the Physician hears, that He may save. When? Hear the Apostle telling thee. “For we are saved in hope: but hope which is seen is not hope: but if what we see not we hope for, then do we with patience wait for it: “the salvation,” that is, which Peter calleth “ready to be revealed in the last time.”
[«vers.» 7, 8.] Jam tu procede, et dic ratiocinationibus illis tuis bonis, et quasi acutis et subtilibus, quia tu pascis; et dic: Famelicus potest pascere? id est, peccator potest dare sanctum? Famelicus potest pascere? languidus potest sanare? ligatus potest solvere? Ista sunt veluti magna et subtilia, quibus decipiunt imperitos. Claudat illis os psalmus iste: «Dantem» «escam esurientibus.» Ecce nihil a te exspecto; Deus «dat escam esurientibus.» Quibus esurientibus? Omnibus. Quid est, omnibus? Omnibus animalibus, omnibus hominibus ipse dat escam; et nullam escam servat dilectis suis? Si habent aliam famem, habent et aliam escam. Quaeramus primo famem ipsorum, et inveniemus escam ipsorum: «Beati qui esuriunt et sitiunt justitiam, quoniam ipsi saturabuntur» . Famelici Dei esse debemus: ante januam conspectus illius in orationibus mendicemus; ipse «dat escam esurientibus.» Quid est quod te, haeretice, jactas quia tu solvis, tu erigis, tu illuminas? Videlicet quia tu liberatus jam es, et tu stas, et tu lumen es? Absit. Superius attende: «Nolite confidere in principes, et in filios hominum, a quibus non est salus.» Non ipsi dant salutem. Ergo recedant haeretici de medio. «Dominus solvit compeditos; Dominus erigit elisos; Dominus sapientes facit caecos;» id est, eos qui caeci sunt facit sapientes. Optime per hanc sententiam exposuit nobis omnes superiores: ne forte cum dixisset, «Dominus solvit compeditos,» ad illos compeditos referremus, qui forte propter aliquam noxam ligantur ferro a dominis suis; quia autem dixit, «Erigit elisos,» occurreret nobis aliquis, aut offendens et cadens, aut equo lapsus. Est alius casus, sunt aliae compedes; quomodo sunt aliae tenebrae et alia lux. In eo quod dixit, «Sapientes facit caecos;» noluit dicere, Illuminat caecos, ne et hoc carnaliter intelligeres; sicut illuminatus est a Domino, cujus oculos luto de sputo facto inunxit, et salvum eum fecit : ne tale aliquid sperares, cum de spiritualibus loquitur, ostendit quamdam lucem sapientiae, qua illuminantur caeci. Ergo quomodo illuminantur caeci luce sapientiae, sic solvuntur compediti, sic eriguntur elisi. Unde sumus ergo compediti? unde elisi? Corpus nostrum ornamentum nobis fuit: peccavimus, et compedes inde accepimus. Quae sunt compedes nostrae? Mortalitas ipsa. Audi apostolum Paulum, quia et ipse adhuc in hac peregrinatione compeditus erat. Quanta peragravit compeditus iste! Non illi fuerunt graves compedes; cum ipsis compedibus toto orbi Evangelium praedicavit: spiritus charitatis rapuit compedes, et circuivit quantum potuit. Sed tamen quid ait? «Concupiscentiam habens dissolvi, et esse cum Christo.» Quid est, «dissolvi?» A compedibus mortalitatis. Et tamen misericordia adhuc volebat esse in compedibus, propter alios compeditos, quibus ministraret: «Manere,» inquit, «in carne, necessarium propter vos» . «Dominus» ergo «solvit compeditos,» id est, ex mortalibus immortales facit. «Dominus erigit elisos.» Quare elisi sunt? Quia erecti erant. Quare eriguntur? Quia humiliati sunt. Cedidit atque elisus est Adam: ille cecidit, Christus descendit. Quare descendit qui non cecidit, nisi ut levaretur qui cecidit? «Dominus sapientes facit caecos; Dominus diligit justos.» Ideo facit judicium injuriam accipientibus.
145.18 PL 36, 1896
18. “The Lord guardeth all that love Him, and all sinners He will destroy” (ver. 20). Thou seest that there is severity with Him, with whom is so great sweetness. He will save all that hope in Him, all the faithful, all that fear Him, all that call upon Him in truth: “and all sinners He will destroy.” What “all sinners,” save those who persevere in sin; who dare to blame God, not themselves; who daily argue against God; who despair of pardon for their sins, and from this very despair heap up their sins; or who perversely promise themselves pardon, and through this very promise depart not from their sins and impiety? The time will come for all these to be separated, and for the two divisions to be made of them, one on the right hand, the other on the left; and for the righteous to receive the everlasting Kingdom, the wicked to go into everlasting fire. Since this is so, and we have heard the blessing of the Lord, the works of the Lord, the wondrous things of the Lord, the mercies of the Lord, the severity of the Lord, His Providence over all His works, the confession of all His works; observe how He concludeth in His praise, “My mouth shall speak the praise of the Lord, and let all flesh bless His holy Name for ever and ever” (ver. 21).
[«vers.» 9.] Et qui sunt ipsi justi? modo quatenus justi? Quemadmodum habes, «Dominus custodit proselytos.» Proselyti, advenae sunt. Omnis Ecclesia Gentium, proselyta est. Adventitia enim est ad patres, non de carne eorum nata, sed imitando filia. Dominus tamen custodit, non aliquis homo. «Orphanum et viduam suscipiet.» Nemo putet quasi pupillum propter haereditatem, aut viduam propter nescio quod negotium suum. Equidem et istis Deus opitulatur, et in omnibus officiis generis humani bonum opus facit, qui pupillo consulit, qui viduam non deserit: sed secundum quemdam modum omnes pupilli sumus, absente patre, non mortuo. Pupillus enim secundum homines, mortuo patre fit. Et si verum quaeratis, fratres, quia anima non moritur, vivunt parentes nostri; et magis absentibus patribus sunt pupilli, qui pupilli sunt: si mali fuerint, in poenis vivunt; si boni fuerint, in requie vivunt: omnia integra sunt Creatori. Tamen nos quamdiu sumus in corpore hoc, et peregrinationis locum incolimus, absens est Pater noster, ad quem clamamus, «Pater noster, qui es in coelis» . Ideo Ecclesia vidua, quasi absente sponso, absente viro. Veniet ille, qui illam modo protegit, non visus, sed desideratus. Magno enim desiderio rapimur, et amore ejus quem non videmus, desideramus. Inhaerebimus amplexibus visi, si nondum visi fide detinemur. Ergo «et pupillum et viduam» quid voluit intelligi, fratres? Destitutos omni ope et auxilio. Destituta anima in saeculo, ipsa sibi speret adjutorium Dei. Quidquid hic habueris, aurum habeas; praesumpsisti inde? Jam non es proselytus, non es orphanus, non in vidua numeraris. Amicum habes: si de illo praesumpseris, et Deum dimiseris, non es destitutus. Habes haec omnia; non inde praesumis, non inde superbis? Pupillus Dei es, et vidua Dei. Suscipit ergo destitutos; hoc dixit: suscipit pupillum, suscipit et viduam.