The Enarrations, or Expositions, on the Psalms

^14. Because then he had said above, “see that you hate the thing which is evil,” lest ye should fear to hate evil, lest he should kill you, he adds instantly, “The Lord preserves the souls of His servants.” Hear Him preserving the souls of His servants, and saying, “Fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul.” He who has most power against you, slays the body. What has he done unto you? What he also did to the Lord your God. Why do you love to have what Christ has, if you fear to suffer what Christ did? He came to bear your life, temporal, weak, subject unto death. Surely fear to die, if you can avoid dying. What you can not avoid through your nature, why do you not undergo by faith? Let the adversary who threatens take away from you that life, God gives you another life: for He gave you this life also, and without His will even this shall not be taken from you; but if it be His will that it be taken from you, He has a life to give you in exchange; fear not to be robbed for His sake. Are you unwilling to put off a patched garment? He will give you a robe of glory. What robe do you tell me of? “This corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.” This very flesh of yours shall not perish. Your enemy can rage as far as to your death: he has not power beyond, either over your soul, or even over your flesh; for although he scatter your flesh about, he hinders not the resurrection. Men were fearful for their life: and what said the Lord unto them? “The very hairs of your head are all numbered.” Do you, who losest not a single hair, fear the loss of your life? All things are numbered with God. He who created all things, will restore all things. They were not, and they were created: they were, and shall they not be restored?...“He shall deliver them from the hand of the ungodly.”