The harlot. After her, whom? The thief. After him, whom? The blasphemer. O new and incredible things! The first-fruits of the calling are the tyranny of sin, because the affairs of the world were in a bad state, and men were held captive by the heights of sin, by Judaism, and by much despair. Because of this, therefore, when the Lord arrived, from the very beginning he called the first-fruits of the Church from among sinners, so that no one after these might despair of his own salvation. Are you wicked? Think of the thief. Are you impure? Look at the harlot. Are you a blasphemer? Consider Paul, that blasphemer. Are you a non-believer? Consider the Magi. I too know what despair from sin is like. Indeed, the devil stands by, sharpening his sword and addressing you with these words: "Throughout your whole life you lived with harlots; furthermore, you swore falsely and committed adultery more than all the men of this age." These are the words of the devil. But you, do the opposite of what you have done. Have you fallen? Then rise again. Have you fornicated? Repent. Have you committed adultery? Return to your senses. Your repentance is indeed small, but the philanthropy of the Master is great. As long as you are still breathing, and while you are lying on that very bed, repent: the narrowness of time leads to the kindness of God. Anoint yourself with these remedies, and you will suppress the inflammation. For I know, dearest one, that there are many wounds of the soul, but each wound has its own appropriate remedy prepared. You have the Church, which brings about the arrival of the Spirit. You have the assembly of the martyrs, and many other things that are able to recall you from sin to justice. You have heard of the trivial sins of the just: look at the speed of repentance accomplished through words and tears. For even David himself cries out, saying: "In my tears I shall wash my bed" (Ps. VI, 7). And Paul said: "But I obtained mercy, because I persecuted Christ in ignorance." Let us not, therefore, despair of our own salvation, having the memory of those who, although they sinned previously, were nevertheless deemed worthy of the kingdom of heaven, by the grace and philanthropy of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom is glory and power, together with the Father and the Holy Spirit, unto the ages of ages. Amen.
NOTICE
I would not believe this homily to be Chrysostom's; nor will anyone, I think, who is not a stranger to his works. Yet it comprises certain things not entirely to be despised concerning the choirs of the prophets who sang the psalms with David. Moreover, it is worth noting what is said toward the end, namely, that the choirs of the prophets had been depicted in this work with David. That, indeed, pertains to the custom of the ancient Christians, who used to add illustrations to manuscripts; as can be seen in that most ancient part of the book of Genesis in the Caesarean library, and likewise also in those of the tenth century in the Royal Library, where things that can be depicted are represented by pictures. Furthermore, that which any writer here endeavors to prove—that David is the author of all the Psalms—has already been proved false by many, and I do not think it is my duty to dwell on this any longer. This opuscule exists in MS. Ottobonianus R. 25.
VERSES ON THAT GREAT LUMINARY AND DOCTOR OF THE CHURCH, CHRYSOSTOM
O sea of discourse, unmeasured, Reaching to the vast breadth of Scripture, Dipped even to the deep of the Psalms, Engulfing all to the innermost bays, And to the secret places of speculation, Bringing forth white pearls in the deep By the clear word of understanding. I wish I might drink, O sea, your sweet wave. Though it boils, the thirst is not extinguished In him who burns with the desire for your writings.
PROEMIA TO THE PSALMS
After Moses and his successor Joshua the son of Nun, and those whom they call the judges in Israel, when Saul had subsequently received the kingdom and had been rejected, God raised up for them a king endowed with virtue, a just man and a prophet, who composed the book of one hundred and fifty Psalms, moved by the Holy Spirit, rendering them metrically according to the meter proper to his own language, and he sang them himself with modulation, and with rhythm, and with diverse instruments, dances, and songs. For he himself held the cithara, and he governed the different choirs of the minor prophets—for this is how he called those who were associated with the prophets; often also he named them sons of the prophets, who used to handle different instruments: one the cymbals, another the pipes, another the drums, another the trumpets, another the psaltery and cithara, and another the singers who...