23. But see what followeth, my brethren. For now some one or other, because God had said to him, " Immolate to God the sacrifice of praise," and had enjoined in a manner this tribute, did meditate to himself and said, I will rise daily, I will proceed to Church, I will say one hymn at matins, another at vespers, a third or fourth in my house, daily I do sacrifice the sacrifice of praise, and immolate to my God. Well thou doest indeed, if thou doest this: but take heed, lest now thou be careless, because now thou doest this: and perchance thy tongue bless God, and thy life curse God. O my people, saith to thee the God of gods, the Lord that spake, " calling the earth from the rising of the sun unto the setting," though yet thou art placed amid the tares,6 " Immolate the sacrifice of praise to thy God, and render to Him thy prayers: " but take heed lest thou live ill, and chant well. Wherefore this? For, "Unto the sinner, saith God, why dost thou tell out My judgments, and takest My Covenant in thy mouth?" (ver. 16). Ye see, brethren, with 4 Firmitai (perhaps " health").
J Matt. xiii. a$ Psalm L.]
what trembling we say these words. We take the Covenant of God in our mouth, and we preach to you the instruction and judgment of God. And what saith God to the sinner? "Why dost thou?" Doth He then forbid preachers that be sinners? And where is that, " What they say do, but what they do, do not "? > Where is that, " Whether in truth or on occasion Christ be preached"?2 But these words were said, lest they should fear that hear, from whomsoever it be that they hear: not that they should be without care that speak good words, and do evil deeds. Now therefore, brethren, ye are without care: if ye hear good words ye hear God,3 through whomsoever it be that ye may hear. But God would not dismiss without reproof them that speak: lest with their speaking alone, without care for themselves they should slumber in evil life, and say to themselves, " For God will not consign us to perdition, through whose mouth He has willed that so many good words should be spoken to His people." Nay, but hear what thou speakest, whoever thou art that speakest: and thou that wilt be heard thyself, first hear thyself; and speak what a certain man doth speak in another Psalm,4 " I will hear what in me speaketh the Lord God, for He shall speak peace to His people." What am I then, that hear not what in me He speaketh, and will that other hear what through me He speaketh?
I will hear first, will hear, and chiefly I will hear what speaketh in me the Lord God, for He shall speak peace to His people. Let me hear, and " chasten my body, and to servitude subject it, lest perchance to others preaching, myself be found a cast-away." 5 " Why dost thou tell out my judgments? " Wherefore to thee what profiteth not thee? He admonisheth him to hear: not to lay down preaching, but to take up obedience. " But thou, why dost thou take My Covenant in thy mouth?"
24. "But thou hatest instruction" (ver. 17). Thou hatest discipline. When I spare, thou singest and praisest: when I chasten, thou murmurest: as though, when I spare, I am thy God: and, when I chasten, I am not thy God. " I rebuke and chasten those whom I love." 6 " But thou hatest instruction: and hast thrown My sayings behind thee." The words that are said through thee, thou throwest behind thee. " And thou hast thrown My sayings behind thee: " to a place where they may not be seen by thee, but may load thee. " And thou hast thrown My sayings behind thee."
25. " If thou sawest a thief, thou didst consent unto him, and with adulterers thou didst make thy portion " (ver. 18). Lest perchance 3 Al. " They are of God."
< Ps. Ixxxv. 8.
thou shouldest say, I have not committed theft, I have not committed adultery. What if he pleased thee that hath committed? Hast thou not with the very pleasing consented? Hast thou not by approval made thy portion with him that hath committed? For this is, brethren, to consent with a thief, and to make with an adulterer thy portion: for even if thou committest not, and approvest what is committed, thou art an accessory in the deed: for " the sinner is praised in the longings of his soul, and he that doeth iniquity shall be blessed."? Thou doest not evil things, thou praisest evil-doers. For is this a small evil? "Thou didst make thy portion with adulterers."
26. "Thy mouth hath abounded in malice, and thy tongue hath embraced deceit " (ver. 19). Of the malevolence and deceit, brethren, of certain men he speaketh, who by adulation, though they know what they hear to be evil, yet lest they offend those from whom they hear, not only by not reproving but by holding their peace do consent.8 Too little is it, that they do not say, Thou nast done evil: but they even say, Thou hast done even well: and they know it to be evil: but their mouth aboundeth in malice, and their tongue embraceth deceit. Deceit is a sort of guile in words, of uttering one thing, thinking another. He saith not, thy tongue hath committed deceit or perpetrated deceit, but in order to point out to thee a kind of pleasure taken in the very evil doing, He hath said, " Hath embraced." It is too little that thou doest it, thou art delighted too; thou praisest openly, thou laughest to thyself. Thou dost push to destruction a man heedlessly putting forth his faults, and knowing not whether they be faults: thou that knowest it to be a fault, sayest not, " Whither art thou rushing? " If thou wert to see him heedlessly walk in the dark, where thou knewest a well to be, and wert to hold thy peace, of what sort wouldest thou be? wouldest thou not be set down for an enemy of his life?9 And yet if he were to fall into a well, not in soul'° but in body he would die. He doth fall headlong into his vices, he doth expose before thee his evil doings: thou knowest them to be evil, and praisest and laughest to thyself. Oh that at length he were to be turned to God at whom thou laughest, and whom thou wouldest not reprove, and that he were to say, " Let them be confounded that say to me, Well, well.""
27. "Sitting against thy brother thou didst detract" (ver. 20). And this "sitting" doth belong to that whereof he hath spoken above in, 7 Ps. X.J.
8 MSS. Bodl. and Ex Coll. " lest they offend those from whom they hear, not only by reproof but by silence, think it not enough that they do not say."
9 Animtt. I0 Animd. » Ps. xl. 15.
1 88 [Psalm L.
" hath embraced." For he that doeth anything while standing or passing along, doth it not with pleasure: but if he for this purpose sitteth, how much leisure doth he seek out to do it! That very evil detraction thou wast making with diligence, thou wast making sitting; thou wouldest thereon be wholly engaged; thou wast embracing thy evil, thou wast kissing thy craftiness. " And against thy mother's son thou didst lay a stumbling-block." Who is " mother's son "? Is it not brother? He would repeat then the same that he had said above, "thy brother." Hath he intimated that any distinction must be perceived by us? Evidently, brethren, I think a distinction must be made. Brother against brother doth detract, for example's sake, as though for instance one strong, and now a doctor and scholar of some weight, doth detract from his brother, one perchance that is teaching well and walking well: but another is weak, against him he layeth a stumbling-block by detracting from the former. For when the good are detracted from by those that seem to be of some weight and to be learned, the weak fall upon the stumbling-block, who as yet know not how to judge. Therefore this weak one is called " mother's son," not yet father's, still needing milk, and hanging on the breast. He is borne as yet in the bosom of his mother the Church, he is not strong enough to draw near to the solid food of his Father's table, but from the mother's breast he draweth sustenance, unskilled in judging, inasmuch as yet he is animal and carnal. " For the spiritual man judgeth all things," ' but " the animal man perceiveth not those things which are of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness to him." a To such men saith the Apostle, " I could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, as to babes in Christ I gave you milk to drink, not meat; for ye were not able, but not even now are ye able." 3 A mother I have been to you: as is said in another place, " I became a babe among you, even as a nurse cherishing her own children." * Not a nurse nursing children of others, but a nurse cherishing her own children. For there are mothers who when they have borne give to nurses: they that have borne cherish not their children, because they have given them to be nursed; 5 but those that cherish, cherish not their own, but those of others: but he himself had borne, he was himself cherishing, to no nurse did commit what he had borne.; for he had said, " Of whom I travail again until Christ be formed in you." 6 He did cherish them, and gave milk.
* t Thess. ii. 7.
* [See Jer. Taylor's remarkable sermon on " The Nursing of Children by their Mothers, after the Example of the Blessed virgin," vol. t. 38, Bungay ed. of Hebcr's edition. — C.J 6 Gal. iv. 19.
But there were some as it were learned and spiritual men who detracted from Paul. " His letters indeed, say they, are weighty and powerful; but the presence of his body weak, and speech contemptible: " * he saith himself in his Epistle, that certain his detractors had said these words. They were sitting, and were detracting against their brother, and against that their mother's son, to be fed with milk, they were laying a stumbling-block. "And against thy mother's son thou didst lay a stumbling-block."
28. " These things hast thou done, and I held my tongue " (ver. 21). Therefore the Lord our God shall come, and shall not keep silence. Now, " These things hast thou done, and I held my tongue." What is, "I held my tongue"? From vengeance I have desisted, my severity I have deferred, patience to thee I have prolonged, thy repentance I have long looked for..." Thou hast imagined iniquity, that I shall be like unto thee; " Thou hast 8 imagined that I shall be like unto thee, while thou wilt not be like unto Me. For, " Be ye," he saith, " perfect, even as your Father, which is in the heavens, who maketh His sun to rise on the good and evil." ' Him thou wouldest not copy, who giveth good things even to evil men, insomuch that sitting thou dost detract even from good men. " I will reprove thee," when "God manifest shall come, our God, and shall not keep silence," " I will reprove thee." And what to thee shall I do in reproving thee? what to thee shall I do? Now thyself thou seest not, I will make thee see thyself. Because if thou shouldest see thyself, and shouldest displease thyself, thou wouldest please Me: but because not seeing thyself thou hast pleased thyself, thou wilt displease both Me and thyself; Me when thou shalt be judged; thyself when thou shalt burn. But what to thee shall I do? He saith. " I will set thee before thy face." For why wouldest thou escape thyself? At thy back thou art to thyself, thou seest not thyself: I make thee see thyself: what behind thy back thou hast put, before thy face will I put; thou shalt see thy uncleanness, not that thou mayest amend, but that thou mayest blush...
29. But, "understand these things, ye that forget God" (ver. 22). See how He crieth, and keepeth not silence, spareth "° not. Thou hadst forgotten the Lord," didst not think of thy evil life. Perceive how thou hast forgotten the Lord. " Lest at length He seize like a lion, and there be none to deliver." What is " like a lion "? Like a brave one, like a mighty one, like him whom none can withstand. To this he made reference when he said, " Lion." For it is used God."
8 Oxf, MS- rep. " Thou hast," etc. 10 Some MSS. " When He spareth."
Psalm LI.]
for praise, it is used also for showing evil. The devil hath been called lion: " Your adversary," He saith, " like a roaring lion, goeth about seeking whom He may devour." ' May it not be that whereas he hath been called lion because of savage fierceness, Christ hath been called Lion for wondrous mightiness? And where is that, " 1'he Lion hath prevailed of the tribe of Judah?"2...
30. " Sacrifice of praise shall glorify Me " (ver. 23). How shall " sacrifice of praise glorify Me "? Assuredly sacrifice of praise doth no wise profit evil men, because they take Thy Covenant in their mouth, and do damnable things that displease Thine eyes. Straightway, he saith, even to them this I say, " Sacrifice of praise shall glorify Me." For if thou livest ill and speakest good words, not yet dost thou praise: but again, if, when thou beginnest to live well, to thy merits thou dost ascribe thy living well, not yet dost thou praise...Therefore the Publican went down justified, rather than that Pharisee. Therefore hear ye that live well, hear ye that live ill: " Sacrifice of praise shall glorify Me." No one offereth Me this sacrifice, and is evil. I say not, Let there not offer Me this any one that is evil j but no one doth offer Me this, that is evil. For he that praiseth, is good: because if he praiseth, he doth also live well, because if he praiseth, not only with tongue he praiseth, but life also with tongue doth agree.
31. "And there is the way whereby I will show him the salvation of God." In sacrifice of praise " is the way." What is " the salvation of God "? Christ Jesus. And how in sacrifice of praise to us is shown Christ? Because Christ with grace came to us. These words saith the Apostle: " But I live, now not I, but Christ liveth in me: but that in flesh I live, in faith I live of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me." > Acknowledge then sinners, that there would not need physician, if they were whole.4 For Christ died for the ungodly.' When then they acknowledge their ungodlinesses, and first copy that Publican, saying, " Lord, be merciful to me a sinner: " 6 show wounds, beseech Physician: and because they praise not themselves, but blame themselves, — " So that he that glorieth, not in himself but in the Lord may glory,"7 — they acknowledge the cause of the coming of Christ, because for this end He came, that He might save sinners: for " Jesus Christ came," he saith, " into this world to save sinners; of whom I am chief." 8 Further, those Jews, boasting of their work, thus the same Apostle doth rebuke, in saying, that they to grace belonged not, who to their merits and their works 3 Gal. it. ao. 6 Luke xviii. 13.
thought that reward was owing.9 He therefore that knoweth himself to belong to grace, doth know what is Christ and what is Christ's, because he needeth grace. If grace it is called, gratis it is given; if gratis it is given, not any merits of thine have preceded that it should be given...PSALM LI.'"
1. Neither must this multitude's throng be defrauded, nor their infirmity burthened. Silence we ask, and quiet, in order that our voice, after yesterday's labour, be able with some little vigour to last out. It must be believed, that your love hath met together in greater numbers to-day for nothing else, but that ye may pray for those whom an alien and perverse inclination doth keep away. For we are speaking neither of heathens nor of Jews, but of Christians: nor of those that are yet Catechumens, but of many that are even baptized, from the Laver of whom ye do no wise differ, and yet to their heart ye are unlike. For to-day how many brethren of ours we think of, and deplore their going unto vanities and lying, insanities, to the neglect of that to which they have been called. Who, if in the very circus from any cause they chance to be startled, do immediately cross themselves," and stand bearing It on the forehead, in the very place, from whence they had withdrawn, if they had borne It in heart. God's mercy must be implored, that He may give understanding for condemning these things, inclination to flee them, and mercy to forgive. Opportunely, then, of Penitence a Psalm to-day has been chanted. Speak we even with the absent: there will be to them for our voice your memory. Neglect not the wounded and feeble, but that ye may more easily make whole, whole ye ought to abide. Correct by reproving, comfort by addressing, set an example by living well, He will be with them that hath been with you. For now that ye have overpassed these dangers, the fountain of God's mercy is not closed. Where ye have come they will come; where ye have passed they will pass. A grievous thing it is indeed, and exceeding perilous, nay ruinous, and for certain a deadly thing, that witting they sin. For in one way to these vanities doth he run that despiseth the voice of Christ; in another way, he that knoweth from what he is fleeing. But that not even of such men we ought to despair, this Psalm doth show.
2. For there is written over it the title thereof, " A Psalm of David himself, when there came to him Nathan the prophet, when he went in unto Bersabee." Bersabee was a woman, wife of 9 Gal. v. 4.
10 From a sermon to the people of Carthage. See below, § ti.
11 [On the sign of the Cross, see (Tertullian) A. N. F. vol. p. 104; also vol. vii. (Lactam.) p. 130, note 3. — C.J [Psalm LI.
another. With grief indeed we speak, and with trembling; but yet God would not have to be hushed what He hath willed to be written. I will say then not what I will, but what I am obliged; I will say not as one exhorting to imitation, but as one instructing you to fear. Captivated with this woman's beauty, the wife of another, the king and prophet David, from whose seed according to the flesh the Lord was to come,1 committed adultery with her. This thing in this Psalm is not read, but in the title thereof it appeareth; but in the book of Kings 2 it is more fully read. Both Scriptures are canonical, to both without any doubt by Christians credit must be given. The sin was committed, and was written down. Moreover her husband in war he caused to be killed: and after this deed there was sent to him Nathan the prophet; 3 sent by the Lord, to reprove him for so great an outrage.
3. What men should beware of, we have said; but what if they shall have fallen they should imitate, let us hear. For many men will to fall with David, and will not to rise with David. Not then for falling is the example set forth, but if thou shalt have fallen for rising again. Take heed lest thou fall. Not the delight of the younger be the lapse of the elder, but be the fall of the elder the dread of the younger. For this it was set forth, for this was written, for this in the Church often read and chanted: let them hear that have not fallen, lest they fall; let them hear that have fallen, that they may rise. So great a man's sin is not hushed, is proclaimed in the Church. There men hear that are ill hearers, and seek for themselves countenance for sinning: they look out for means whereby they may defend what they have made ready to commit, not how they may beware of what they have not committed, and they say to themselves, If David, why not I too? Thence that soul is more unrighteous, which, forasmuch as it hath done it because David did, therefore hath done worse than David. I will say this very thing, if I shall be able, more plainly. David had set forth to himself none for a precedent as thou hast: he had fallen by lapse of concupiscence, not by the countenance of holiness: thou dost set before thine eyes as it were a holy man, in order that thou mayest sin: thou dost not copy his holiness, but dost copy his fall.
Thou * dost love that in David, which in himself David hated: thou makest thee ready to sin, thou inclinest to sin: in order that thou mayest sin thou consultest the book of God: the Scriptures of God for this thou hearest, that thou mayest do what displeaseth God. This did not David; he was reproved by a Prophet, he stumbled not over a Prophet. But others hearing to their health, by the fall of a strong man measure their * At. " Love this in David which in himself David hated not."
weakness: and desiring to avoid what God condemneth, from careless looking do restrain their eyes. Them they fix not upon the beauty of another's flesh, nor make themselves careless with perverse simpleness; they say not, " With good intent I have observed, of kindness I have observed, of charity I have long looked." For they set before themselves the fall of David, and they see that this great man for this purpose hath fallen, in order that little men may not be willing to look on that whereby they may fall. For they restrain their eyes from wantonness, not readily do they join themselves in company, they do not mingle with strange women, they raise not complying eyes to strange balconies, to strange terraces. For from afar David saw her with whom he was captivated.5 Woman afar, lust near. What he saw was elsewhere, in himself that whereby he fell. This weakness of the flesh must be therefore minded, the words of the Apostle recollected, " Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body." 6 He hath not said, let there not be; but, " let there not reign." There is sin in thee, when thou takest pleasure; there reigneth, if thou shalt have consented. Carnal pleasure, especially if proceeding unto unlawful and strange objects, is to be bridled, not let loose: by government to be tamed, not to be set up for government. Look and be without care, if thou hast nothing whereby thou mayest be moved. But thou makest answer, " I contain with strong resolution." Art thou any wise stronger than David??
4. He admonisheth, moreover, by such an example, that no one ought to lift himself up in prosperous circumstances. For many fear adverse circumstances, fear not prosperous circumstances. Prosperity is more perilous to soul than adversity to body. First, prosperity doth corrupt, in order that adversity may find somethings to break. My brethren, stricter watch must be kept against felicity. Wherefore, see ye after what manner the saying of God amid our own felicity doth take from us security: " Serve ye," He saith, " the Lord in fear, and exult unto Him with trembling." 8 In exultation, in order that we may render thanks; in trembling, lest we fall. This sin did not David, when he was suffering Saul for persecutor.9 When holy David was suffering Saul his enemy, when he was being vexed by his persecutions, when he was fleeing through divers places, in order that he might not fall into his hands, he lusted not for her that was another's, he slew not husband after committing adultery with wife. He was in the infirmity of his tribulation so much the more intimate with God as s 2 Sam. xi. a. 6 Rom. vi. is.
7 [Compare the author's Confessions, vol. i. of this series, pp.
Sam. xxiv. 5, xxvi. 9.
Psalm LI.]
he seemed more miserable. Something useful is tribulation; useful the surgeon's lancet rather than the devil's temptation. He became secure when his enemies were overthrown, pressure was removed, swelling grew out. This example therefore doth avail to this end, that we should fear felicity. " Tribulation," he saith, " and grief I found, and on the name of the Lord I called." ' 5. But it was done; I would say these words to those that have not done the like, in order that they should watch to keep their uncorruptness, and that while they take heed how a great one has fallen, they that be small should fear. But if any that hath already fallen heareth these words, and that hath in his conscience any evil thing; to the words of this Psalm let him advert; let him heed the greatness of the wound, but not despair of the majesty of the Physician. Sin with despair is certain death. Let no one therefore say, If already any evil thing I have done, already I am to be condemned: God pardoneth not such evil things, why add I not sins to sins? I will enjoy this world in pleasure, in wantonness, in wicked cupidity: now hope of amendment having been lost, let me have even what I see, if I cannot have what I believe. This Psalm then, while it maketh heedful those that have not believed, so doth not will them that have fallen to be despaired of. Whoever thou art that hast sinned, and hesitatest to exercise penitence 2 for thy sin, despairing of thy salvation, hear David groaning. To thee Nathan the prophet hath not been sent, David himself hath been sent to thee. Hear him crying, and with him cry: hear him groaning, and with him groan; hear him weeping, and mingle tears; hear him amended, and with him rejoice. If from thee sin could not be excluded, be not hope of pardon excluded. There was sent to that man Nathan the prophet, observe the king's humility.3 He rejected not the words of him giving admonition, he said not, Darest thou speak to me, a king? An exalted king heard a prophet, let His humble people hear Christ.
6. Hear therefore these words, and say thou with him: " Have pity upon me, O God, after Thy great mercy" (ver. 1). He that im'ploreth great mercy, confesseth great misery. Let them seek a little mercy of Thee, that have sinned in ignorance: " Have pity," he saith, " upon me, after Thy great mercy." Relieve a deep wound after Thy great healing. Deep is what I have, but in the Almighty I take refuge. Of my own so deadly wound I should despair, unless I could find so great a Physician. " Have pity upon me, O God, after Thy great mercy: and after the 1 Ps. cxvi. 3, 4.
2 [ Here I have corrected the feeble translation, " do penance," which is unjust to the author's entire system of thought. See Confessions, book viii. vol. i. this seties. — C.J 3 Al. *' The pride of royalty."