Expositions on the Book of Psalms
452 THE WORKSCOF (ST, AVGUSTIN, [PsaLm XCII.
What does a woman who is corrupt in heart. preserve in her body? Thus a Catholic married woman is before a virgin heretic. For the first is not indeed a virgin in her body, but the second Has become married in her heart; and married not unto God as her husband, but unto the dragon. But what shall the Church do? The basilisk is the king of serpents, as the devil is the king of wicked spirits.
no end. Lo, a line in which our covetousness may be extended. Dost thou wish money without limit? Long for eternal life without limit. Dost thou wish that thy possession may have no end? Seek for eternal life. "I will show him my salvation." Nor is this, my brethren, to be briefly passed over. "I will show him my salvation: '' He means, I will show him Christ Himself. Why? Was He not seen on earth? What great thing hath He to show us? But He did not appear such as we shall see Him. He appeared in that shape in which those who saw
18. These are the words of God to the Church. " Because he hath set his love in me, therefore will I deliver him" (ver. 14). Not only therefore the Head, which now sits in heaven, because He hath set His house of defence very high, to which no evil shall happen, neither shall any plague come nigh His dwelling; but we also, who are toiling on earth, and are still living in temptations, whose steps are feared for, lest they fall into snares, may hear the voice of the Lord our God consoling us, and saying to us, " Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him up, because he hath known my name."
Him crucified Him ; behold, those who saw Him, crucified Him: we have not seen Him, yet we have believed. They had eyes, have not we? yea, we too have the eyes of the heart: but, as yet we see through faith, not by sight. When will it be sight? When shall we, as the Apostle saith, see Him " face to face"? 4 which God promiseth us as the high reward of all our toils. Whatever thou toilest in, thou toilest for this purpose, that thou mayest see Him. Some great thing it is we are to see, since all our reward is seeing; and our Lord Jesus Christ is that very great sight. He who appeared humble, will Himself appear great, and will rejoice us, as He is even now seen of His Angels... . Let us love and imitate Him: let us run after his ointments, as is said in the Song of Solomon: 'Because of the savour of thy good ointments, we will run after thee." 5 For He came, and gave forth a savour that filled the world. Whence was that fragrance? From_ heaven. Follow then towards heaven, if thou do not answer® falsely when it is said, " Lift up your hearts," lift up your thoughts, your love, your hope: that it may not rot upon the earth... . "For wherever thy treasure is, there will be thy heart also." 7
1g. " He shall call upon me, and I will hear him: yea, I am with him in trouble" (ver. 15). Fear not when thou art in trouble, as if the Lord were not with thee. Let faith be with thee, and God is with thee in thy trouble. There are waves on the sea, and thou art tossed in thy bark, because Christ sleepeth. Christ slept in the ship, while the men were perishing.' If thy faith sleep in thy heart, Christ is as it were sleeping in thy ship: because Christ dwelleth in thee through faith, when thou beginnest to be tossed, awake Christ sleeping: rouse up thy faith, and thou shalt be assured that He deserts thee not. But thou thinkest thou art forsaken, because He rescueth thee not when thou thyself dost wish. He delivered the Three Children from the fire?? Did He, who did this, desert the Maccabees?3 God forbid! He delivered both of these: the first bodily, that the faithless might be confounded ; the last spiritually, that the faithful might imitate them. "I will deliver him, and bring him to honour."
PSALM XCII.®
1... . Weare not Christians, except on account of a future life : let no one hope for present blessings, let no one promise himself the happiness of the world, because he is a Christian: but let him use the happiness he hath, as he may, in what manner he may, when he may, as far as he may. When it is present, let him give thanks for the consolation of God: when it is wanting, let him give thanks to the Divine justice. Let him always be grateful, never ungrateful: let him be grateful to his Father, who soothes and caresses him: and grateful to his Father when He chasteneth him with the scourge, and teacheth him: for He ever loveth, whether He caress or threaten: and let him say
20. "With length of days will I satisfy him" (ver. 16). What is length of days? Eternal life. Brethren, imagine not that length of days is spoken of in the same sense as days are said to be long in summer, short in winter. Hath he such days to give us? That length is one that hath no end, eternal life, that is promised us in long days. And truly, since this sufficeth, with reason he saith, " will I satisfy him." What is long in time, if it hath an end, satisfieth us not : for that reason it should not be even called long. And if we are covetous, we ought to be covetous of eternal life: long for such a life, as hath
4 1 Cor. xiii 12. 5 Song of Sol. i. 3. © [|The response to the Sursum Corda. See A.N. F. vol. vii. p, 543, note 7. —C. 7 Matt. vi. 21. 8 Lat. XCI. A sermon to the people, preached on Saturday.
t Matt. viii. 24, 25. 2 Dan. iii. 29, 30. 3 2 Macc, vii.