24. But to the others what? "But Thou, O God, shall bring them down unto the pit of corruption" (ver. 23). The pit of corruption is the darkness of sinking under. When blind leadeth blind, they both fall into a ditch. [2062] God bringeth them down into the pit of corruption, not because He is the author of their own guilt, but because He is Himself the judge of their iniquities. "For God hath delivered them unto the desires of their heart." [2063] For they have loved darkness, and not light; they have loved blindness, and not seeing. For behold the Lord Jesus hath shone out to the whole world, let them sing in unity with the whole world: "For there is not one that can hide himself from the heat of Him." [2064] But they passing over from the whole to a part, from the body to a wound, from life to a limb cut off, shall meet with what, but going into the pit of corruption?
25. "Men of bloods and of deceitfulness." Men of bloods, because of slayings he calleth them: and O that they were corporal and not spiritual slayings. For blood from the flesh going forth, is seen and shuddered at: who seeth the blood of the heart in a man rebaptized? Those deaths require other eyes. Although even about these visible deaths Circumcelliones armed everywhere remain not quiet. And if we think of these visible deaths, there are men of bloods. Give heed to the armed man, whether he is a man of peace and not of blood. If at least a club only he were to carry, well; but he carrieth a sling, carrieth an axe, carrieth stones, carrieth lances; and carrying these weapons, wherever they may they scour, for the blood of innocent men they thirst. [2065] Therefore even with regard to these visible deaths there are men of bloods. But even of them let us say, O that such deaths alone they perpetrated, and souls they slew not. These that are men of bloods and of deceit, let them not suppose that we thus wrongly understand men of bloods, of them that kill souls: they themselves of their Maximianists [2066] have so understood it. For when they condemned them, in the very sentence of their Council they have set down these words: "Swift are the feet of them to shed the blood" (of the proclaimers [2067] ), "tribulation and calamity are in the ways of them, and the way of peace they have not known." [2068] This of the Maximianists they have said. But I ask of them, when have the Maximianists shed the body's blood; not because they too would not shed, if there were so great a multitude as could shed, but because of the fear in their minority rather they have suffered somewhat from others, than have themselves at any time done any such thing. Therefore I question the Donatist and say: In thy Council thou hast set down of the Maximianists, "Swift are the feet of them to shed blood." Show me one of whom the Maximianists have hurt so much as a finger! What other thing to me is he to answer, than that which I say? They that have separated themselves from unity, [2069] and who slay souls by leading astray, spiritually, not carnally, do shed blood. Very well thou hast expounded, but in thy exposition acknowledge their own deeds. "Men of bloods and of deceitfulness." In guile is deceitfulness, in dissimulation, in seduction. What therefore of those very men that have been divided because of the anger of His countenance? They are themselves men of bloods and of deceit.
26. But of them he saith what? "They shall not halve their days." What is, "They shall not halve their days"? They shall not make progress as much as they think: within the time which they expect, they shall perish. For he is that partridge, whereof hath been said, "In the half of his days they shall leave him, and in his last days he shall be an unwise one." [2070] They make progress, but for a time. For what saith the Apostle? "But evil men and seducers shall make progress for the worse, themselves erring, and other men into error driving." [2071] But "a blind man leading a blind man, together into a ditch they fall." [2072] Deservedly they fall "into the pit of corruption." What therefore saith he? They shall make progress for the worse: not however for long. For a little before he hath said, "But further they shall not make progress:" [2073] that is, "shall not halve their days." Let the Apostle proceed and tell wherefore: "For the madness of them shall be manifest to all men, as also was that of the others." "But I in Thee will hope, O Lord." But deservedly they shall not halve their days, because in man they have hoped. But I from days temporal have reached unto day eternal. Wherefore? Because in Thee I have hoped, O Lord.
[1976] Lat. LIV. From a sermon to the people, wherein he is discoursing of enduring evil men, and disputing against the Donatists.
[1977] Rom. x. 4.
[1978] 2 Sam. xxiii. 1.
[1979] Rom. i. 3.
[1980] John i. 3.
[1981] Oxf. mss. add 16 words ending here.
[1982] Matt. xxii. 43-45.
[1983] John i. 1.
[1984] John i. 14.
[1985] Gen. ii. 24.
[1986] Eph. v. 32.
[1987] Acts ix. 4.
[1988] Matt. vi. 13.
[1989] Gen. i. 26.
[1990] Ps. xxxii. 9.
[1991] Luke vi. 27.
[1992] Ps. vi. 7.
[1993] Matt. xiv. 30.
[1994] Luke xxiii. 34.
[1995] Matt. xvi. 18.
[1996] Matt. xiv. 30.
[1997] Ps. vi. 7.
[1998] Matt. vii. 5.
[1999] Oxf. mss. "him that hateth."
[2000] Ps. vi. 7.
[2001] Matt. x. 28.
[2002] 1 John ii. 9, 11.
[2003] Oxf. mss. "for as much as."
[2004] Philip. i. 23.
[2005] Adumbrant.
[2006] Philip. i. 23, 24.
[2007] Matt. vii. 14.
[2008] 2 Tim. iii. 12.
[2009] [Professor Cooke's Scientific Culture, pp. 291, 292. New York, 1885.--C.]
[2010] Matt. xiv. 30.
[2011] Imperator.
[2012] Matt. viii. 24, 25.
[2013] Imperavit.
[2014] In idipsum.
[2015] Ps. xli. 7.
[2016] Gen. xi. 4.
[2017] Acts ii. 4.
[2018] Gen. xi. 9.
[2019] Nearly all mss. "By effect prove the virtue."--Ben.
[2020] Matt. xxvii. 40.
[2021] Rom. i. 17.
[2022] Luke xxiii. 34.
[2023] Oxf. mss. omit "and labour."
[2024] Josh. vi. 5.
[2025] Or, "way."
[2026] Matt. xi. 28.
[2027] Matt. xi. 29.
[2028] Foenus. [See note 2, p. 99, supra.--C.]
[2029] Matt. vi. 12. So Oxf. mss.
[2030] Matt. vi. 9-12.
[2031] Oxf. mss. "Where thou and that verse are there."
[2032] See Tract. 7, On the Gospel of St. John, § 11.
[2033] Matt. vi. 14.
[2034] Jurisperitus; i.e., lawyer.
[2035] Vinculum.
[2036] i.e., evil men.
[2037] mss. submersa (not subversa), alluding to ver. 9.--Ben.
[2038] Ps. xxxiv. 8.
[2039] Against the Donatists.
[2040] Num. xvi. 31.
[2041] Against the Donatists.
[2042] Hospitiis.
[2043] Ps. lxi. 2.
[2044] Unitas.
[2045] [Acts ii. 15, iii. 1, x. 3, x. 9. The Apostles observed the "hours of prayer;" and they survive, theoretically, in the liturgies of Christendom. A.N.F. vol. iii. p. 689.--C.]
[2046] Rom. viii. 34.
[2047] Matt. iii. 12.
[2048] Ps. cxx. 6, 7.
[2049] 1 Cor. xiii. 1-3.
[2050] John i. 1.
[2051] E.V. omits "not." 1 Cor. xv. 51.
[2052] Gen. xii. 3, xxvi. 4.
[2053] Gal. iii. 15, 16.
[2054] [Scripture is the rule of faith. See Tertull. vol. iii. p. 265, A.N.F., and hereafter in this series, Vincent of Lerins, passim.--C.]
[2055] Ps. lxviii. 30.
[2056] Foris positi.
[2057] [That is, not by new ideas incorporated with old truth, but by collecting into focus the testimony of all recognised doctors of the Church as to the true meaning and intent of Holy Scripture. This is development as distinguished from corruption.--C.]
[2058] 1 Cor. xi. 19.
[2059] Excludantur.
[2060] John vi. 53, etc.
[2061] 1 Cor. iii. 1.
[2062] Matt. xv. 14.
[2063] Rom. i. 24.
[2064] Ps. xix. 6.
[2065] [What but Circumcelliones were the perpetrators of the Bartholomew massacres, of the Dragonnades, of the awful butcheries under Alva?--C.]
[2066] See on Ps. xxxvi.
[2067] The word annuntiatorum is omitted in some copies. It is not in the sentence of the Synod of Bagai, as given in the fourth book against Crescontius, c. 4.--Ben.
[2068] Ps. xiv. 7, Vulg. and Angl.; also Rom. iii. 15-17.
[2069] [How fearfully this comes home to those who separated themselves from the Nicene unity under lead of Nicholas and his Decretals, in the ninth age! (John xiii. 30.) The "Dark Ages" instantly settled upon the Church. See A.N.F. vol. viii. p. 642.--C.]
[2070] Jer. xvii. 11.
[2071] 2 Tim. iii. 13.
[2072] Matt. xv. 14.
[2073] 2 Tim. iii. 9.
Psalm LVI. [2074]
1. Just as when we are going to enter into any house, we look on the title to see whose it is and to whom it belongeth, lest perchance inopportunely we burst into a place whereunto we ought not; and again, in order that we may not through timidity withdraw from that which we ought to enter: as if in a word we were to read, These estates belong to such an one or to such an one: so on the lintel of this Psalm we have inscribed, "At the end, for the people that from holy men were put afar off, to David himself, at the inscription of the Title, when the Allophyli held him in Gath." [2075] Let us therefore take knowledge of the people that from holy men were put afar off at the inscription of the Title. For this doth belong to that David whom now ye know how to understand spiritually. For there is here commended to our notice no other than He of whom hath been said, "The end of the Law is Christ for righteousness to every man believing." [2076] Therefore when thou hearest "at the end," unto Christ give heed, lest tarrying in the way thou arrive not at the end....
2. Who are then the people that from holy men were put afar off at the inscription of the Title? Let the Title itself declare to us that people. For there was written a certain title at the Passion of the Lord, when the Lord was crucified: there was in that place a Title inscribed in Hebrew, in Greek, and in Latin, "The King of the Jews;" [2077] in three tongues as though by three witnesses the Title was confirmed: because "in the mouth of two or three witnesses shall stand every word." [2078] ...
3. What therefore meaneth that which to the title itself still belongeth, namely, that "the Allophyli held him in Geth"? Geth was a certain city of the Allophyli, [2079] that is, of strangers, to wit, of people afar from holy men. All they that refuse Christ for King become strangers. Wherefore strangers are they made? Because even that vine, though by Him planted, when it had become sour what heard it? "Wherefore hast thou been turned into sourness, O alien vine?" [2080] It hath not been said, My vine: because if Mine, sweet; if sour, not Mine; if not Mine, surely alien. "There held him," then, "Allophyli in Geth." We find indeed, brethren, David himself, son of Jesse, king of Israel, to have been in a strange land among the Allophyli, when he was sought by Saul, and was in that city and with the king of that city, [2081] but that there he was detained we read not. Therefore our David, the Lord Jesus Christ out of the seed of that David, not alone they held, but there hold Him still Allophyli in Geth. Of Geth we have said that it is a city. But the interpretation of this name, if asked for, signifieth "press."...How therefore here is He held in Geth? Held in a winepress is His Body, that is, His Church. What is, in a winepress? In pressings. But in a winepress fruitful is the pressing. A grape on the vine sustaineth no pressing, whole it seemeth, but nothing thence floweth: it is thrown into a winepress, is trodden, is pressed; harm seemeth to be done to the grape, but this harm is not barren; nay, if no harm had been applied, barren it would have remained.
4. Let whatsoever holy men therefore that are suffering pressing from those that have been put afar off from the saints, give heed to this Psalm, let them perceive here themselves, let them speak what here is spoken, that suffer what here is spoken of....Private enmities therefore let no one think of, when about to hear the words of this Psalm: "Know ye that for us the wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against princes and powers, and spiritual things of wickedness," [2082] that is, against the devil and his angels; because even when we suffer men that annoy us, he is instigating, he is inflaming, as it were his vessels he is moving. Let us give heed therefore to two enemies, him whom we see, and him whom we see not; man we see, the devil we see not; man let us love, of the devil beware; for man pray, against the devil pray, and let us say to God, "Have pity on me, O Lord, for man hath trodden me down" (ver. 1). Fear not because man hath trodden thee down: have thou wine, a grape thou hast become in order that thou shouldest be trodden. "All day long warring he hath troubled me," every one that hath been put afar off from the saints. But why should not here be understood even the devil himself? Is it because mention is made of "man"? [2083] doth therefore the Gospel err, because it hath said, "A man that is an enemy hath done this"? [2084] But by a kind of figure may he also be called a man, [2085] and yet not be a man. Whether therefore it was him whom he that said these words was beholding, or whether it was the people and each one that was put afar off from holy men, through which kind the devil troubleth the people of God, who cleave to holy men, who cleave to the Holy One, who cleave to the King, at the title of which King being indignant they were as though beaten back, and put afar off: let him say, "Have pity on me, O Lord, for man hath trodden me down:" and let him faint not in this treading down, knowing Him on whom he is calling, and by whose example he hath been made strong. The first cluster in the winefat pressed is Christ. When that cluster by passion was pressed out, [2086] there flowed that whence "the cup inebriating is how passing beautiful!" [2087] Let His Body likewise say, looking upon its Head, "Have pity on me, O Lord, for man hath trodden me down: all day long warring he hath troubled me." "All day long," at all times. Let no one say to himself, There have been troubles in our fathers' time, in our time there are not. If thou supposest thyself not to have troubles, not yet hast thou begun to be a Christian. And where is the voice of the Apostle, "But even all that will live godly in Christ, persecutions shall suffer." [2088] If therefore thou sufferest not any persecution for Christ, take heed lest not yet thou hast begun godly to live in Christ. But when thou hast begun godly to live in Christ, thou hast entered into the winepress; make ready thyself for pressings: but be not thou dry, lest from the pressing nothing go forth.