21. What is, "I knew not"? "As it were a beast I became to Thee, and I am alway with Thee" (ver. 23). There is a great difference between this man and others. He became as it were a beast in longing for earthly things, when being brought to nothing he knew not things eternal: but he departed not from his God, because he did not desire these things of demons, of the devil. For this I have already brought to your notice. The voice is from the Synagogue, that is, from that people which served not idols. A beast indeed I became, when desiring from my God things earthly: but I never departed from That my God.
22. Because then, though having become a beast, I departed not from my God, there followeth, "Thou hast held the hand of my right hand." He hath not said my right hand, but "the hand of my right hand." If the hand of the right hand it is, a hand hath a hand. "The hand Thou hast held of my right hand," in order that Thou mightest conduct me. For what hath he put hand? For power. For we say that a man hath that in his hand which he hath in his power: just as the devil said to God concerning Job, "Lay to Thine hand, and take away the things which he hath." [3289] What is, lay to Thine hand? Put [3290] forth power. The hand of God he hath called the power of God: as hath been written in another place, "death and life are in the hands of the tongue." [3291] Hath the tongue hands? But what is, in the hands of the tongue? In the power of the tongue. What is, in the power of the tongue? "Out of thy mouth thou shalt be justified, and out of thy mouth thou shalt be condemned." [3292] "Thou hast held," therefore, "the hand of my right hand," the power of my right hand. What was my right hand? That I was alway with Thee. Unto the left I was holding, because I became a beast, that is, because there was an earthly concupiscence in me: but the right was mine, because I was alway with thee. Of this my right hand Thou hast held the hand, that is, hast directed the power. What power? "He gave them power to become sons of God." [3293] He is beginning now to be among the sons of God, belonging to the New Testament. See in what manner the hand of his right hand was held. "In Thy will Thou hast conducted me." What is, "in thy will"? Not in my merits. What is, "in Thy will"? Hear the apostle, who was at first a beast longing for things earthly, and living after the Old Testament. He saith what? "I that at first was a blasphemer, and persecutor, and injurious: but mercy I obtained." [3294] What is, "in Thy will"? "By the grace of God I am what I am." [3295] "And in [3296] glory Thou hast taken me up." Now to what glory he was taken up, and in what glory, who can explain, who can say? Let us await it, because in the Resurrection it will be, in the last things it will be.
23. And he is beginning to think of that same Heavenly felicity, and to reprove himself, because he hath been a beast, and hath longed for things earthly. "For what have I in Heaven, and from Thee what have I willed upon earth?" (ver. 25). By your voice I see that ye have understood. [3297] He compared with his earthly will the heavenly reward which he is to receive; he saw what was there being reserved for him; and while thinking and burning at the thought of some ineffable thing, which neither eye hath seen, nor ear heard, nor into the heart of man hath ascended, [3298] he hath not said, this or that I have in Heaven, but, "what have I in Heaven?" What is that thing which I have in Heaven? What is it? How great is it? Of what sort is it? "And," since that which I have in heaven doth not pass away, "from Thee what have I willed upon earth?" [3299] ...Thou reservest, he saith, for me in Heaven riches immortal, even Thyself, and I have willed from Thee on earth that which even ungodly men have, which even evil men have, which even abandoned men have, money, gold, silver, jewels, households, which even many wicked men have: which even many profligate women have, many profligate men: these things as a great matter I have desired of my God upon earth: though my God reserveth Himself for me in Heaven!
24. "My heart and my flesh hath failed, O God of my heart" (ver. 26). This then for me in Heaven hath been reserved, "God of my heart, and my portion is my God." What is it, brethren? Let us find out our riches, let mankind choose their parts. Let us see men torn with diversity of desires: let some choose war-service, some advocacy, some divers and sundry offices of teaching, some merchandise, some farming, let them take their portions in human affairs: let the people of God cry, "my portion is my God." Not for a time "my portion;" but "my portion is my God for everlasting." Even if I alway have gold, what have I? Even if I did not alway have God, how great a good should I have? To this is added, that He promiseth Himself to me, and He promiseth that I shall have this for everlasting. So great a thing I have, and never have it not. Great felicity: "my portion is God!" How long? "For everlasting." For behold and see after what sort He hath loved him; He hath made his heart chaste: "God of my heart, and my portion is God for everlasting." His heart hath become chaste, for nought now God is loved, from Him is not sought any other reward. He that doth seek any other reward from God, and therefore is willing to serve God, more precious doth make that which he willeth to receive, than Him from whom he willeth to receive. What then, is there no reward belonging to God? None except Himself. The reward belonging to God, is God Himself. This he loveth, this he esteemeth; if any other thing he shall have loved, the love will not be chaste. Thou art receding from the Fire immortal, thou wilt grow cold, wilt be corrupted. Do not recede. Recede not, it will be thy corruption, it will be thy fornication. Now he is returning, now he is repenting, now he is choosing repentance, now he is saying, "my portion is God." And after what sort is he delighted with that Same, whom he hath chosen for his portion.
25. "Behold, they that put themselves afar from Thee shall perish" (ver. 27). He therefore departed from God, but not far: for "I have become as it were a beast," he saith, and "I am alway with Thee." [3300] But they have departed afar, because not only things earthly they have desired, but have sought them from demons and the Devil. "They that put themselves afar from Thee shall perish." And what is it, to become afar from God? "Thou hast destroyed every man that committeth fornication away from Thee." To this fornication is opposed chaste love. What is chaste love? Now the soul doth love her Bridegroom: what doth she require of Him, from Her Bridegroom whom she loveth? Perchance in like manner as women choose for themselves men either as sons-in-law or as bridegrooms: she perchance chooseth riches, and loveth his gold, and estates, and silver and cattle and horses, and household, and the like. Far be it. He doth love Him alone, for nought he doth love Him: because in Him he hath all things, for "by Him were made all things."
26. But thou doest what? "But for me to cleave to God is a good thing" (ver. 28). This is whole good. Will ye have more? I grieve at your willing. Brethren, what will ye have more? Than to cleave to God nothing is better, when we shall see Him face to face. [3302] But now what? For yet as a stranger I am speaking: "to cleave," he saith, "to God is a good thing:" but now in my sojourning (for not yet hath come the substance), I have "to put in God my hope." So long therefore as thou hast not yet cloven, therein put thy hope. Thou art wavering, cast forward an anchor to the land. [3303] Not yet dost thou cleave by presence, cleave fast by hope. "To put in God my hope." And by doing what here wilt thou put in God thy hope? What will be thy business, but to praise Him whom thou lovest, and to make others to be fellow-lovers of Him with thee? Lo, if thou shouldest love a charioteer, wouldest thou not carry along other men to love him with thee? A lover of a charioteer whithersoever he goeth doth speak of him, in order that as well as he others also may love him. For nought are loved abandoned men, and from God is reward required in order that He may be loved? Love thou God for nought, grudge God to no one....For what followeth? "In order that I may tell forth all Thy praises in the courts of the daughter of Sion." "In the courts:" for the preaching of God beside the Church is vain. A small thing it is to praise God and to tell forth all His praise. In the courts of the daughter of Sion tell thou forth. Make for unity, do not divide the people; but draw them unto one, and make them one. I have forgotten how long I have been speaking. Now the Psalm being ended, even judging by this closeness, [3304] I suppose I have held a long discourse: but it doth not suffice for your zeal; ye are too impetuous. [3305] O that with this impetuosity ye would seize upon the kingdom of Heaven.
[3250] Lat. LXXII.
[3251] This sentence in our version and in the Vulgate stands at the end of the previous Psalm. [Where it is more significant. David can prophesy no further concerning the glory that shall be revealed. See A.N.F. vol. i. p. 211, note 3.--C.]
[3252] Title of Psalm lxxiii.
[3253] 1 Sam. xvi. 19.
[3254] Isa. xi. 1.
[3255] Gen. xxiv. 2. [See p. 148, note 11, supra.--C.]
[3256] Gen. xxii. 18.
[3257] Rom. xi. 17, 18.
[3258] Ben. notes that the word "good" is not in the mss.; it is found at Oxford, and probably in mss. used for earlier editions.
[3259] Rom. xi. 24, 18.
[3260] [i.e., Joshua the son of Nun.--C.]
[3261] See Title of Psalm.
[3262] Ps. xxix. 1, Gr. and Lat.
[3263] Oxf. mss. add, "not which," etc.
[3264] 1 Cor. x. 6.
[3265] Ps. xviii. 25.
[3266] Prov. vii. 22.
[3267] Ed. in teipso; Ben. conj. and Oxf. mss. in teipsum.
[3268] The words from "this beggar," added from Oxf. mss.
[3269] [See A.N.F. vol. vii. p. 151.--C.]
[3270] Luke xvi. 19.
[3271] Al. "father."
[3272] Luke xvi. 27.
[3273] Used, of course, in the lower sense. [The sense, i.e., of mere attrition. See Roman doctrine, Liguori, vol. iv. p. 245, ed. Paris, 1852.--C.]
[3274] Oxf. mss. and some of Ben. "Thou proud man, thou," etc.
[3275] Ps. cxlvi. 4.
[3276] Oxf. and other mss. "proud things."
[3277] Gal. iv. 4.
[3278] mss. want "therefore."
[3279] mss. creticam.
[3280] Ps. lxxiii. 2.
[3281] Ps. xviii. 29.
[3282] Cor.
[3283] Matt. xvi. 26.
[3284] Oxf. mss. "images."
[3285] [He uses the word ferimus in the omitted paragraph.--C.] He seems to mean, that such teaching, addressed to any one in common intercourse, would be "smiting."
[3286] Oxf. mss. "the rich."
[3287] 1 Tim. vi. 18.
[3288] 1 Tim. vi. 19.
[3289] Job i. 11.
[3290] Lit. "give."
[3291] Prov. xviii. 21.
[3292] Matt. xii. 37.
[3293] John i. 12.
[3294] 1 Tim. i. 13.
[3295] 1 Cor. xv. 10.
[3296] So mss.; Ben. "with."
[3297] [Here there were voluntary "amens," or the like, from the people. See p. 207, supra.--C.]
[3298] 1 Cor. ii. 9.
[3299] [Here he interpolates: "I will speak as I am able, but forgive me; accept my endeavour, mine earnestness to attempt; for to explain it I have not power."--C.]
[3300] Ps. lxxiii. 21.
[3301] John i. 3.
[3302] 1 Cor. xiii. 12.
[3303] Oxf. mss. "Wavering, from the earth cast an anchor before thee upward."
[3304] Odore, lit. "smell;" one ms. ardore, "heat;" Ben. conj. sudore.
[3305] [P. 341, note 4, supra.--C.]
Psalm LXXIV. [3306]
1. This Psalm's Title is, "Of the Understanding of Asaph." Asaph in Latin is translated congregation, in Greek Synagogue. Let us see what this Synagogue hath understood. But let us understand firstly Synagogue: from thence we shall understand what the Synagogue hath understood. Every congregation is spoken of under the general name of Synagogue: one both of beasts and of men may be called a congregation; but here there is no congregation of beasts when we heard "understanding."...for this the Psalm's Title doth prescribe, saying, "Of the understanding of Asaph." It is therefore a certain understanding congregation whereof we are about to hear the voice. But since properly Synagogue is said of the congregation of the people of Israel, so that wheresoever we may have heard Synagogue, we are no longer wont to understand any but the people of the Jews; let us see whether perchance the voice in this Psalm be not of that same people. But of what sort of Jews and of what sort of people of Israel? For they are not of the chaff, but perchance of the grain; [3307] not of the broken branches, but perchance of those that are strengthened. "For not all that are of Israel are Israelites." [3308] ...There are therefore certain Israelites, of whom was he concerning whom was said, "Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom guile is not." [3309] I do not say in the same manner as we are Israelites, for we also are the seed of Abraham. For to the Gentiles the Apostle was speaking, when he said, "Therefore the seed of Abraham ye are, heirs according to promise." [3310] According to this therefore all we are Israelites, that follow the footsteps of the faith of our father Abraham. But let us understand here the voice of the Israelites in the same manner as the Apostle saith, "For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin." [3311] Here therefore let us understand that whereof the Prophets have spoken, "a remnant shall be saved." [3312] Of the remnant therefore saved let us hear in this place the voice; in order that there may speak that Synagogue which had received the Old Testament, and was intent upon carnal promises; and by this means it came to pass that their feet were shaken. For in another Psalm, where too the title hath Asaph, there is said what? "How good is the God of Israel to men right in heart. But my feet were almost moved." [3313] And as if we were saying, whence were thy feet moved? "Well nigh," he saith, "my steps were overthrown, because I was jealous in the case of sinners, looking on the peace of sinners." [3314] For while according to the promises of God belonging to the Old Testament he was looking for earthly felicity, he observed it to abound with ungodly men; that they who worshipped not God were enriched with those things which he was looking for from God: and as though without cause he had served God, his feet tottered....But opportunely it hath chanced not by our own but by God's dispensation, that just now we heard out of the Gospel, that "the Law was given by Moses, Grace and Truth came by Jesus Christ." [3315] For if we distinguish between the two Testaments, Old and New, there are not the same Sacraments [3316] nor the same promises; [3317] nevertheless, the same commandments [3318] for the most part....When examined they are either all found to be the same, or there are scarce any in the Gospel which have not been spoken by the Prophets. The Commandments are the same, the Sacraments are not the same, the Promises are not the same. Let us see wherefore the commandments are the same; because according to these we ought to serve God. The Sacraments are not the same, for some Sacraments there are giving Salvation, others promising a Saviour. The Sacraments of the New Testament give Salvation, the Sacraments of the Old Testament did promise a Saviour. [3319] When therefore thou hast now the things promised, why dost thou seek the things promising, having now the Saviour?...God through the New Testament hath taken out of the hands of His sons those things which are like the playthings of boys, in order that He might give something more useful to them growing up, on that account must He be supposed not to have given those former things Himself. He gave both Himself. But the Law itself through Moses was given, Grace and Truth came through Jesus Christ: [3320] Grace because there is fulfilled through love that which by the letter was being enjoined, Truth because there is being rendered that which was promised. This thing therefore this Asaph hath understood. In a word, all things which to the Jews had been promised have been taken away. Where is their kingdom? Where the Temple? Where the Anointing? Where is Priest? Where are now the Prophets among them? From what time there came He that by the Prophets was foretold, in that nation there is now nothing of these things; now she hath lost things earthly, and not yet doth seek things Heavenly.