Christ may
therefore
speak, because the Church speaks in Christ, and Christ in the Church ; and the Body in the Head, and the Head in the Body.
Augustine - Exposition on the Psalms - v1
For I have heard many rebuking me, in the pilgrimage of this world near me, following the circuit of time, and refusing to return with me to the eternal country.
Whilst they were assembling themselves together against me, they conspired that they might take my soul. That my soul, which should by death easily escape from their power, might consent unto them, they imagined a device, whereby they would not suffer me even to die.
Lord;
said, Thou art my God. For Thou hast not changed, that
Thou shouldest not save, Who dost correct.
16. Ver. 15. In Thy hands are my lots. In Thy power
are my lots. For I see no desert, for which out of the universal ungodliness of the human race Thou hast elected me particularly to salvation. And though there be with Thee some just and secret order in my election, yet 1, from
John 19, whom this is hid, have attained by lot unto my Lord's vesture. Deliver me from the hands of mine enemies, and from them that persecute me.
17. Ver. 16. Make Thy Face to shine upon Thy servant. Make it known to men, who do not think that I belong unto Thee, that Thy Face is bent upon me, and that I serve Thee. Save me in Thy mercy. I
18. Ver. 17. O Lord, let me not be confounded, for
called upon Thee. O Lord, let me not be put to shame by those who insult me, for that I have called upon Thee. Let the ungodly be ashamed, and be brought down to hell. Let them rather who call upon stones be ashamed, and made
1 umbristo dwell with darkness1.
tor. 19. Ver. 18. Let the deceitful lips be made dumb. In
13. Ver. 12.
have been forgotten, as one dead
from
/
have become as a lost vessel. I have seemed
their hearts.
to myself to be lost to all the Lord's service, living in this world, and gaining none, when all were afraid to join them selves unto me.
15. Ver. 14. But I
have in TItee, O hoped
I
have
have heard the rebuking
of
many
have
The Church's marvellous deliverance in God. 235
making known to the peoples Thy mysteries wrought in me, Vrr. strike with dumb amazement the lips of them that invent 19~22. falsehood of me. Which speak iniquity against the Righteous,
in pride and contempt. Which speak iniquity against Christ,
in their pride and contempt of Him as a crucified man.
20. Ver. 19. How great is the multitude of Thy sweetness, O Lord. Here the Prophet exclaims, having sight of all this,
and admiring how manifoldly plenteous is Thy sweetness, O Lord. Which Thou hast hid for them that fear Thee. Even those, whom Thou correctest, Thou lovest much : but lest they should go on negligently from relaxed security, Thou hidest from them the sweetness of Thy love, for whom it is profitable to fear Thee. Thou hast perfected it for them that hope in Thee. But Thou hast perfected this sweetness for them that hope in Thee. For Thou dost not withdraw from them what they look for perseveringly even unto the end. In sight ofthe sons of men. For it does not escape the notice of the sons of men, who now live no more after Adam, but after the Son of Man. Thou wilt hide them in the hidden
place of Thy Countenance : which seat Thou shalt preserve for everlasting in the hidden place of the knowledge of Thee for them that hope in Thee. From the troubling of men. So that now they suffer no more trouble from men.
21. Ver. 20. Thou will protect them in Thy tabernacle from the contradiction of tongues. But here meanwhile whilst evil tongues murmur against them, saying, Who hath known this? or, Who hath come thence? Thou wilt protect them in the tabernacle, that of faith in those things, which the Lord wrought and endured for us in time.
22. Ver. 21. Blessed be the Lord; for He hath made His mercy marvellous, in the city of compassing. Blessed be the Lord, for after the correction of the sharpest persecutions He hath made His mercy marvellous to all throughout the world, in the circuit of human society.
/ said in my ecstasy. Whence that people again speaking saith, 1 said in my /fear, when the heathen
23. Ver. 22.
have been cast
from the sight of Thine eyes. For if Thou hadst regard to me, Thou wouldest not suffer me to endure these things.
were raging horribly against me.
Therefore Thou heardest, O Lord, the voice of my prayer,
forth
1 nimis
l Pet. '
heardest, O Lord, the voice of my prayer, when I raised it high 1 out of tribulation.
24. Ver. 23. Love the Lord, all ye His saints. The Prophet again exhorts, having sight of these things, and saith, Love the Lord, all ye His saints ; for the Lord will require truth. Since if the righteous shall scarcely be saved, where shall the sinner and the ungodly appear? --And He will repay them that do exceeding proudly. And He will repay them who even when conquered are not converted, because they are very proud.
25. Ver. 24. Quit you like men, and let your heart be strengthened : working good without fainting, that ye may reap in due season. All ye who trust in the Lord : that is, ye who duly fear and worship Him, trust ye in the Lord.
PSALM XXXI. SECOND EXPOSITION.
SERMON T.
236 GIod, when called on, shews His care. Christ the End.
cried unto Thee. Therefore putting a limit to Exp il correction, and shewing that I have part in Thy care, Thou
Psalm when
Rom.
1. Let us investigate, as we best can, the hidden things of this Psalm, which we have just sung, and let us offer to your ears and minds a discourse framed upon it. Its title is, To the end, a psalm of David himself, an ecstasy. What, to the end, we know, we know Christ. For the Apostle saith, For Christ the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth. An end, not consuming, but a
perfecting. For we use the word end in double sense either as that by which brought to pass that what was is not, or by which brought to pass that what had been commenced perfected. To the end, therefore, to Christ.
2. psalm to David, an ecstasy. The word ecstasy
A
is
is,
is ;
it is
is
if is
it
a
' '
is,
' Ecstasy' said either offear or of rapture. 237
Greek ; in Latin, as far as we can understand may be Ver. expressed in one word, be called transport, (excessus. ) ---- For transport of the mind properly and usually called
an ecstasy. Now by transport of the mind two things are understood, either panic, or straining after things above,
so that in some sort things below glide from the memory.
In such an ecstasy have all the Saints been, to whom the secrets of God exceeding this world have been revealed. Of
this transport of the mind, that is, ecstasy, when Paul spake, alluding to himself, he says, For whether we be transported} Cor. in mind, is to God: or whether we temper ourselves, is
to you for the love of Christ constraineth us. That if we would only do such things and only contemplate such
things, as we behold in transport of the mind, we should not be with you, but should be in things above, as were despising you and how should you with weak
step follow us to those more lofty and interior things, unless again, the love of Christ constraining us, Who, when. WA. He was in the form of God, thought not robbery to be 6' equal with God, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant,) we should consider that we are servants, and being
not ungrateful to Him from Whom we have received higher things, should for their sakes who are weak not despise lower things, and should attemper ourselves to them who cannot with us see things sublime Therefore he says,
Whether we be transported in mind, it is to God: for He Cor. seeth what we see in transport of the mind He Only re- vealeth His secret things. For he speaks thus, who says
that he was caught up and carried away into the third heaven, and heard unspeakable words, which not lawful
for man to utter. Yea, such was his transport of mind, that he said, Whether in the body, or whether out of the body, know not God knoweth. Therefore the title of this Psalm signifies this transport of the mind, that is, this ecstasy, we ought indeed to look that he will give utterance to things great, and lofty, who composed the Psalm, that is, the Prophet, yea rather the Holy Ghost by the Prophet.
3. But this ecstasy to be understood as panic, the context of the Psalm will not be wanting to this signification of the word either. For he seems to be about to speak of
'
Cor.
I if
a
a
is
:
a
if
it
it ( is
it, it
; is
a
:
a
if it
?
a is
a
it
'2'2'
7" ' '.
2,
it
;
it
is, it
238 Christ in His Body capable of strong fears.
Psalm suffering, in which there is panic. But whose panic ? Christ's, Exp. n! m that he said, To the end, and we understand Christ to be SbemX ine encl p Or peradventure our panic ? For what ! can we
rightly understand panic to be in Christ on the approach of suffering, Who had come on account of it ? when He had come to that for which He had come, had He panic at the prospect of death ?
Act. 9,
unto death. and all we ourselves of course with Him. For without Him we are nothing : but in Him is Christ Himself, and we. How ? Because Whole Christ is Head and Body. The Head, That Saviour of the Body, Who hath already
ascended into heaven : but the body is the Church, which toils on earth. Now unless this Body did cleave to its Head in the bond of love, so as for there to be made One of the Head and the Body, He could not say in reproving from heaven a certain persecutor, Saul, Saul, why persecutes! thou Me ? Since no man was touching Him now sitting in heaven, how did Saul, by his violence against Christians on earth, any way inflict injury upon Him ? He does not say, Why persecutest thou My Saints, or My servants ; but, why
persecutest thou Me? that is, My members. The Head cried out for the members, and the Head transfigured the members into Himself. For the tongue takes up the utterance of the foot. When by chance the foot, bruised in the crowd, is in pain, the tongue cries out, " You are treading
If He were so entirely man, as not to
be God, He would more
resurrection, than have panic at the prospect of death. Nevertheless, since He vouchsafed to assume the form of a servant, and therein to clothe us with Himself,
disdained not to assume us unto Himself, did not disdain to transfigure us into Himself, and to speak with our words, that we too might speak with His words. For this wonderful interchange hath taken place, and a divine traffic hath been
rejoice at the prospect of the He Who
transacted, an exchange of things duly solemnized in this world by the heavenly Merchant. He came to receive reproaches, to give honours ; He came to drink the cup of sorrow, to give salvation ;
He came to submit to death, to give life. Being then about to die from that which he had
of ours, He was in panic, not in Himself, but in us :
Mat. 26, too He both said this, that His soul was sorrowful, even
since
Even the righteous have some fear ofsuffering. 239
upon me. " For it does not say, " You are treading on my Vrr. foot;" but it says that it is itself being trode upon, when-- L-- no one touched it. But the foot, which has been trode
upon, is not separated from the tongue. Therefore thus also
by ecstasy is not unfitly understood panic. For what shall
I say, Brethren ?
that are about to suffer, would that be said to Peter himself,
which we heard on the Apostle's birthday, when the Lord predicted to him his future suffering, When thou wastJohn2l, young, thou girdedst thyself, and wentest whither thou wouldest ; but when thou shalt be old, another shall gird
thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not ? And this,
saith he, spake He, signifying what death he should die.
If therefore the Apostle Peter, of so great perfection, went
unwillingly whither he would not, (he died unwillingly, but was crowned willingly,) what wonder, if there be some panic in the suffering even of the righteous, even of Saints ? Panic comes from human weakness, hope from divine promise. That for which thou feelest panic is thine own, what thou hopest is the gift of God in thee. And it is better thou dost acknowledge thyself in thy panic, that in thy deliverance thou mayest glorify Him Who made thee. Let human weakness be panic- struck, divine mercy
faileth not in that fear. In fine, this panic-struck oneI begins with this. (Ver. 1. ) In Thee, O Lord, have hoped, let me not be confounded for ever. You see, that he both is panic-struck, and hopes : you see that this panic is not without hope. Even though there be some disturbance in the human heart, divine consolation withdraws not.
4. Here then Christ speaketh in the Prophet : I venture to
say, Christ speaketh. The Psalmist will say some things in
this Psalm, which may seem as if they could not apply to Christ, to that excellency of our Head, and especially to That John ),
Word Which was in the beginning God with God : nor perhaps will some things here seem to apply to Him in the Phil. 2, form of a servant, which form of a servant He took from the Virgin : and yet Christ speaketh, because Christ in Christ's members. And, that ye may know, that the Head and His
Body are called One Christ, He saith Himself, when He
was speaking of marriage, They shall be two in one flesh : Gen. 2,
If there were
absolutely
no in those panic
240 Head and Members together are One Christ.
Psai. m therefore they are no more two, but one Jlesh. But, parad ed jli venture, He may say this of any marriage. Hear the Apostle Serm. i. Paul ; And they shall be two, saith he, in one Jlesh. This is
I
Eph. 5, Church. There is produced then as it were out of two, one
? Jagk 01 go
a great mystery; but
speak concerning Christ, and the
certain person, of the Head and the Body, of the Bridegroom and the Bride. For the wonderful and excellent unity of this person, the prophet Isaiah also sets forth ; for speaking
Is. 6l, in him too, Christ saith in prophecy, He hath bound a mitre
10"
on Me, as on a Bridegroom the chaplet, and adorned Me with ornaments as a Bride. He called Himself the Bride groom, and the Bride : why called He Himself the Bride groom, and the Bride, unless because they shall be two in one flesh ? If two in one flesh, why not too in one voice ?
Christ may therefore speak, because the Church speaks in Christ, and Christ in the Church ; and the Body in the Head, and the Head in the Body. Hear the Apostle ex-
1 Cor. pressing this very thing more clearly, For as the body is 12, 12. one, and hath many members, and all the members of the
body, being many, are one body; so also is Christ. Speaking of the members of Christ, that is, of the faithful, he doth not say, so also are the members of Christ ; but to all that he hath expressed he gave the name of Christ. For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of the body, being many, are one body, so also is
Christ many members, one Body. Therefore we all together with our Head, Christ, without our Head nothing worth. Why? Because with our Head we are the vine: without our Head, which God forbid,
destined to no work of the husbandman, but to the fire only.
John 15, So He Himself in the Gospel, / am the Vine, ye are the
5. 1?
branches, My Father is the husbandman, and without Me, saith He, ye can do nothing. O Lord, if without Thee nothing, in Thee all. For whatsoever He worketh by us, we seem to work. He can do much and all without us, we without Him nothing.
5. Therefore in whatever ecstasy he speaketh, whether in panic or transport of the mind, what is said is suitable. Let us speak in the Body of Christ, let us all speak as one, for that all are oneness; let us say, In Thee, O Lord, have 1 trusted,
lopped branches,
are
Wholesome confusion, and everlasting. God's Righteousness. 24 1
let me not be confounded for ever. That confusion do I Ver.
dread, saith He, which is for ever. For there is a certain -- confusion for a time which is useful, the disturbance of a mind looking back on its sins, amazed at the looking back,
in its amazement ashamed, in its shame reforming. Whence
- --
too the Apostle saith, For what glory had ye then in those Rom. 6 things whereof ye are now ashamed ? Therefore he saith 21 ? that they, now faithful, are ashamed, not of present gifts, but
of past sins. Let not the Christian dread this confusion :
yea rather, if he have not this, he will have everlasting con
fusion. What is everlasting confusion ? When that shall happen, which is said, And their iniquities shall take them Wisdom over on the contrary part. And as their iniquities take4'20' them over on the contrary part, all the bad flock shall go to
the left hand, as goats separated from the sheep ; and they
shall hear, Go ye into the fire everlasting, which hath been Matt.
pIreparedfor the devil and his angels. They ask why? For 25,4*?
was an hungred, and ye gave Me no meat. They
then, when they gave no meat to Christ as He hungered, when they gave no drink to the thirsty, when they clothed not the naked; took not in the stranger, visited not the sick -- then they despised. When these things shall begin to be enumerated to them, they will be confounded, and this con fusion will be for ever. And in fear of this, he who is afraid, or whose mind is transported Itoward God, maketh this
despised
trusted, let me not be con
founded for ever.
6. And in Thy Righteousness rescue me, and deliver me.
For if Thou lookest to my righteousness, Thou condemnest
me. In Thy Righteousness rescue me. For there is a righteousness of God, which becomes ours too, when it is
given to us. Now it is therefore called God's Righteousness,
that man may not deem that he hath righteousness of him
self. For thus the Apostle Paul saith, To him that believeth Rom. 4, on Him Who justifieth the ungodly, (what is, Who justifieth
the ungodly? Who of ungodly maketh a man righteous:) his faith is counted for righteousness. But the Jews, because
they thought that they could by thelr own strength fulfil righteousness, stumbled at the stumbling-stone and rock ofIb. 9,33. offence, and did not acknowledge the grace of Christ. For
request, In Thee, 0 Lord, have
B
242 Man, unable to free himselffrom sin, needs help.
Psalm they received a law, whereby they could be made guilty,
Exp^ii Serm. i.
Bom. ' '
Dut could not be freed from guilt. In fine, what saith the
For I
zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. What is, what
bear them record that have a Apostle of them ? they
he says, the Jews have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge? Hear what. no* according to knowledge is. For they being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and wishing to establish their own, have not submitted themselves to the righteousness of God. If then for this reason they have not a zeal of God according to knowledge, because they are ignorant of God's righteousness, and wish to establish their own, as if they were made righteous of themselves : for this reason have they not come to know the grace of God, because they would not be saved freely. Who is he that is saved freely? In whom the Saviour findeth not what to crown, but what to condemn ; findeth not deserts of good things, but findeth deserts of punishment. If He deal as it were strictly according to the rule of the law laid down, the sinner must be condemned. If He were to act by this rule, whom would He deliver? He found all men sinners : He Alone came without sin, Who found us sinners.
Rom. 3, So saith the Apostle : For all have sinned, and are in need of the glory of God. What means, are in need of the glory of God? That He should Himself deliver, and not thou. Because thou canst not deliver thyself, thou needest a de liverer. Wherein dost thou vaunt thyself ? Wherein dost thou rely on the Law and on righteousness ? Seest thou not what is inwardly struggling in thee, of thee, against thee ? Hearest thou not one fighting, and confessing, and longing for help in the fight ? Hearest thou not the Lord's combatant asking of the disposer of the contest help in his fight? For God doth not so look on at thy struggles, as the exhibitor of the games looks on, if so be thou fightest in the amphitheatre. He can give thee a prize if victorious ; he cannot help thee in danger. Not so doth God look on. Look there, mark
Rom. 7. him that saith, FoIr 1 delight in the law of God after the ~ ' inward man; but see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and leading me captive in the
lIaw of sin, which is in my members.
am ! who shall deliver me
O wretched man that
this death ?
from
the
body of
Trust in Hisfree grace. God's bending His Ear to man. 243
The grace of God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Why Ver.
grace ? Because it is given gratuitously. Why is it given -- gratuitously? Because thy merits have not gone before, but
the kindnesses of God have prevented thee. Glory then be to
Him Who delivereth us. For all have sinned, and are in Rom. 3, need of the glory of God. In Thee, then, O Lord, have I23' trusted, not in myself: let me not be confounded for ever, because I trust in Him, Who confoundeth not. In Righteousness rescue me, and deliver me. Since Thou hast
not found in me my own righteousness, rescue me in Thine : that is, let that rescue me which justifieth me, which maketh me of ungodly godly, of unrighteous righteous, of blind seeing, of falling rising, of weeping rejoicing. This delivereth me : not I myself. In Thy Righteousness rescue me, and deliver me.
7. Ver. 2. Bend down Thine ear unto me. God did this, when He sent Christ Himself unto us. He sent Him to us, Who bending His Head wrote with His Finger on the earth, when the adulterous woman was brought before Him6. to be punished. But He had before bent Himself to the earth, that God to man, to whom was said, Earth thou Gen art, and unto earth thou shall go. For God doth not bend 19. His Ear to us as in bodily space, nor He bounded by these circumscribed bodily members. Nay, let not human fancies form any such notions as these. God Truth. Truth neither square, nor round, nor long. It every where present, the eye of the heart be open to It. Never theless God bendeth His Ear to us, letting down mercy upon
us. What greater mercy, than that He should give us His Only One, not to live with us, but to die for us Bend doum Tltine Ear unto me.
8. Make haste to deliver me. For he heard in this, when he saith, Make haste. For for this purpose this word was used, that thou mayest understand how that all this age, which seems to us while passing long, but moment. That not long, which hath an end. The period from Adam to this day passed, and much more in truth halh been passed already, than remains to be passed. If Adam were still living, and should die to-day what would profit him to have been so long, to have lived so long? Why then
'"--
Thy
r2
;
it is
is
is
is
it is
is
is
a is it ? is
if
is, if
3
244 Man cannot even seek refuge, save as enabled.
Psalm this haste ? Because time flies by, and what is slow tc 2? jl|thee, is in God's sight short. This haste he had already Serm. t. understood in ecstasy. Make haste to deliver me. Be unto
me a God Who prolecteth me, and a house of refuge, that Thou mayest save me. Be Thou unto me a house of refuge, a God Who protecteth, a house of refuge. For sometimes 1 am in peril, and Iwould fly: whither do Ifly? to what place fly safely ? to what hill ? to what cave ? to what guarded shelter ? What castle can I hold ? with what walls be encompassed? Whithersoever I go, I accompany my self. For, O man, whatsoever thou wilt, thou canst fly, except thy conscience. Enter into thy house, rest on thy bed, enter the inner chambers ; thou canst have no place within, whither thou mayest fly from thy conscience, if thy
sins torment thee. But because he hath said, Make haste to deliver me, and rescue me in Thy Righteousness, that
Thou mayest remit my sins, and build up Thy Righteous ness in me : Thou shalt be to me a house of refuge, to Thee do I fly. For whither shall I fly from Thee ? God is angry with thee, whither wilt thou fly ? Hear what, in fear of the
Ps. 139, anger of God, he saith in another Psalm, Whither shall
go
'" 8"
Ifly from from
if
servant, to escape a human master, Thou fliest to places where Thy master is not : to escape God, fly to the Lord. For there is no place, whither thou mayest fly from God. All things are present and naked to the eyes of the Almighty. Be Thou then to me, saith he, a house of refuge. For if I shall not be made whole, how shall I fly
I Thy Spirit ? or, whither shall
climb up into heaven, Tliouart there:
I
hell, Thou art present. Whithersoever I go, there I find Thee. And if Thou art angry, I find Thee an Avenger ; if Thou art propitious, an Helper. Nothing then remains for me, but to fly unto Thee, not from Thee. If Thou art a
If
go
down into
? Make me whole, and I fly to Thee. For if Thou dost not make me whole, I cannot walk : how shall I be able to fly ? Whither should he go, whither fly, if he be unable to walk, half dead in the way, maimed and wounded by robbers ? Whom the priest going by passed over, the Levite going by passed over, the Samaritan going by pitied, that the Lord Himself, Who
hath pitied the race of man. For Samarite
by interpreta
I Thy presence?
is
is,
Christ our Keeper. Hefeeds now with milk. Satan's trap. 245
tion keeper. And who keepeth us, if He deserteth us? Ver. With good reason, when the Jews said railing at Him, Say il tee not truly that Thou art a Samaritan, and hast a devil ? 48. 49. ' He rejected the one, accepted the other, saying, / have not
a devil. He did not say, I am not a Samaritan : wishing it to be understood that He is our Keeper. In pity then He drew nigh, He took care of him, brought him to an inn, fulfilled His mercy towards him : now he is able to walk, he is able even to fly. Whither should he fly but to God, where he hath made for himself a house of refuge?
9. Ver. 3. For Thou art my strength and my refuge; and for Thy Name's sake Thou shall be my guide, and shalt nourish me. Not for my merit's sake, but for Thy Name's sake, that Thou mayest be glorified, not because I am worthy. Thou shall be my guide, that I go not astray from Thee ; and Thou shalt nourish me, that I may be strong to eat the food, wherewith Thou feedest angels. For
here hath He nourished us with milk, Who hath promised us heavenly food ; and hath exercised a mother's pity. For
as a mother, when suckling, conveys through the flesh the same food which the infant is not able to take, and infuses milk ; (for the little one receives the same as he would receive at table, but what is conveyed through the flesh is suited to the little one ;) so the Lord, that He might make His wisdom milk to us, came to us clothed with Flesh. Hence the Body of Christ speaketh, Tliou shalt nourish me.
10. Thou shall bring me out of this trap, which they have hidden for me. Now is suffering intimated, Thou shalt bring me out of this trap which they have hidden for me. Nor is it that suffering only, wherewith our Lord Jesus Christ suffered ; the devil hath spread his trap even unto the end. And woe to that man that falleth into it; now every one doth fall, who tIrusteth not in God, who saith not, In
Thee, O Lord, have
confounded for
trusted, let me not be
ever, and in Thy righteousness rescue me, and deliver me.
The trap of the enemy hath been spread, and prepared. He hath baited the trap with error and terror ; error to entice with, terror to crush and hurry away. Shut thou the door of desire against error, shut the door of fear against terror, and thou shalt be led out of the trap. Of this kind of fight
246 The Body of Christ tempted variously at different times.
Psalm thy Captain Himself, Who for thy sake vouchsafed even to Exf. ii. De tempted, hath given thee an example in Himself. And Srnm. 1. He was first tempted with enticements ; for the door of
desire was tempted in Him, when the devil tempted Him, Matt.
Whilst they were assembling themselves together against me, they conspired that they might take my soul. That my soul, which should by death easily escape from their power, might consent unto them, they imagined a device, whereby they would not suffer me even to die.
Lord;
said, Thou art my God. For Thou hast not changed, that
Thou shouldest not save, Who dost correct.
16. Ver. 15. In Thy hands are my lots. In Thy power
are my lots. For I see no desert, for which out of the universal ungodliness of the human race Thou hast elected me particularly to salvation. And though there be with Thee some just and secret order in my election, yet 1, from
John 19, whom this is hid, have attained by lot unto my Lord's vesture. Deliver me from the hands of mine enemies, and from them that persecute me.
17. Ver. 16. Make Thy Face to shine upon Thy servant. Make it known to men, who do not think that I belong unto Thee, that Thy Face is bent upon me, and that I serve Thee. Save me in Thy mercy. I
18. Ver. 17. O Lord, let me not be confounded, for
called upon Thee. O Lord, let me not be put to shame by those who insult me, for that I have called upon Thee. Let the ungodly be ashamed, and be brought down to hell. Let them rather who call upon stones be ashamed, and made
1 umbristo dwell with darkness1.
tor. 19. Ver. 18. Let the deceitful lips be made dumb. In
13. Ver. 12.
have been forgotten, as one dead
from
/
have become as a lost vessel. I have seemed
their hearts.
to myself to be lost to all the Lord's service, living in this world, and gaining none, when all were afraid to join them selves unto me.
15. Ver. 14. But I
have in TItee, O hoped
I
have
have heard the rebuking
of
many
have
The Church's marvellous deliverance in God. 235
making known to the peoples Thy mysteries wrought in me, Vrr. strike with dumb amazement the lips of them that invent 19~22. falsehood of me. Which speak iniquity against the Righteous,
in pride and contempt. Which speak iniquity against Christ,
in their pride and contempt of Him as a crucified man.
20. Ver. 19. How great is the multitude of Thy sweetness, O Lord. Here the Prophet exclaims, having sight of all this,
and admiring how manifoldly plenteous is Thy sweetness, O Lord. Which Thou hast hid for them that fear Thee. Even those, whom Thou correctest, Thou lovest much : but lest they should go on negligently from relaxed security, Thou hidest from them the sweetness of Thy love, for whom it is profitable to fear Thee. Thou hast perfected it for them that hope in Thee. But Thou hast perfected this sweetness for them that hope in Thee. For Thou dost not withdraw from them what they look for perseveringly even unto the end. In sight ofthe sons of men. For it does not escape the notice of the sons of men, who now live no more after Adam, but after the Son of Man. Thou wilt hide them in the hidden
place of Thy Countenance : which seat Thou shalt preserve for everlasting in the hidden place of the knowledge of Thee for them that hope in Thee. From the troubling of men. So that now they suffer no more trouble from men.
21. Ver. 20. Thou will protect them in Thy tabernacle from the contradiction of tongues. But here meanwhile whilst evil tongues murmur against them, saying, Who hath known this? or, Who hath come thence? Thou wilt protect them in the tabernacle, that of faith in those things, which the Lord wrought and endured for us in time.
22. Ver. 21. Blessed be the Lord; for He hath made His mercy marvellous, in the city of compassing. Blessed be the Lord, for after the correction of the sharpest persecutions He hath made His mercy marvellous to all throughout the world, in the circuit of human society.
/ said in my ecstasy. Whence that people again speaking saith, 1 said in my /fear, when the heathen
23. Ver. 22.
have been cast
from the sight of Thine eyes. For if Thou hadst regard to me, Thou wouldest not suffer me to endure these things.
were raging horribly against me.
Therefore Thou heardest, O Lord, the voice of my prayer,
forth
1 nimis
l Pet. '
heardest, O Lord, the voice of my prayer, when I raised it high 1 out of tribulation.
24. Ver. 23. Love the Lord, all ye His saints. The Prophet again exhorts, having sight of these things, and saith, Love the Lord, all ye His saints ; for the Lord will require truth. Since if the righteous shall scarcely be saved, where shall the sinner and the ungodly appear? --And He will repay them that do exceeding proudly. And He will repay them who even when conquered are not converted, because they are very proud.
25. Ver. 24. Quit you like men, and let your heart be strengthened : working good without fainting, that ye may reap in due season. All ye who trust in the Lord : that is, ye who duly fear and worship Him, trust ye in the Lord.
PSALM XXXI. SECOND EXPOSITION.
SERMON T.
236 GIod, when called on, shews His care. Christ the End.
cried unto Thee. Therefore putting a limit to Exp il correction, and shewing that I have part in Thy care, Thou
Psalm when
Rom.
1. Let us investigate, as we best can, the hidden things of this Psalm, which we have just sung, and let us offer to your ears and minds a discourse framed upon it. Its title is, To the end, a psalm of David himself, an ecstasy. What, to the end, we know, we know Christ. For the Apostle saith, For Christ the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth. An end, not consuming, but a
perfecting. For we use the word end in double sense either as that by which brought to pass that what was is not, or by which brought to pass that what had been commenced perfected. To the end, therefore, to Christ.
2. psalm to David, an ecstasy. The word ecstasy
A
is
is,
is ;
it is
is
if is
it
a
' '
is,
' Ecstasy' said either offear or of rapture. 237
Greek ; in Latin, as far as we can understand may be Ver. expressed in one word, be called transport, (excessus. ) ---- For transport of the mind properly and usually called
an ecstasy. Now by transport of the mind two things are understood, either panic, or straining after things above,
so that in some sort things below glide from the memory.
In such an ecstasy have all the Saints been, to whom the secrets of God exceeding this world have been revealed. Of
this transport of the mind, that is, ecstasy, when Paul spake, alluding to himself, he says, For whether we be transported} Cor. in mind, is to God: or whether we temper ourselves, is
to you for the love of Christ constraineth us. That if we would only do such things and only contemplate such
things, as we behold in transport of the mind, we should not be with you, but should be in things above, as were despising you and how should you with weak
step follow us to those more lofty and interior things, unless again, the love of Christ constraining us, Who, when. WA. He was in the form of God, thought not robbery to be 6' equal with God, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant,) we should consider that we are servants, and being
not ungrateful to Him from Whom we have received higher things, should for their sakes who are weak not despise lower things, and should attemper ourselves to them who cannot with us see things sublime Therefore he says,
Whether we be transported in mind, it is to God: for He Cor. seeth what we see in transport of the mind He Only re- vealeth His secret things. For he speaks thus, who says
that he was caught up and carried away into the third heaven, and heard unspeakable words, which not lawful
for man to utter. Yea, such was his transport of mind, that he said, Whether in the body, or whether out of the body, know not God knoweth. Therefore the title of this Psalm signifies this transport of the mind, that is, this ecstasy, we ought indeed to look that he will give utterance to things great, and lofty, who composed the Psalm, that is, the Prophet, yea rather the Holy Ghost by the Prophet.
3. But this ecstasy to be understood as panic, the context of the Psalm will not be wanting to this signification of the word either. For he seems to be about to speak of
'
Cor.
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:
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:
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238 Christ in His Body capable of strong fears.
Psalm suffering, in which there is panic. But whose panic ? Christ's, Exp. n! m that he said, To the end, and we understand Christ to be SbemX ine encl p Or peradventure our panic ? For what ! can we
rightly understand panic to be in Christ on the approach of suffering, Who had come on account of it ? when He had come to that for which He had come, had He panic at the prospect of death ?
Act. 9,
unto death. and all we ourselves of course with Him. For without Him we are nothing : but in Him is Christ Himself, and we. How ? Because Whole Christ is Head and Body. The Head, That Saviour of the Body, Who hath already
ascended into heaven : but the body is the Church, which toils on earth. Now unless this Body did cleave to its Head in the bond of love, so as for there to be made One of the Head and the Body, He could not say in reproving from heaven a certain persecutor, Saul, Saul, why persecutes! thou Me ? Since no man was touching Him now sitting in heaven, how did Saul, by his violence against Christians on earth, any way inflict injury upon Him ? He does not say, Why persecutest thou My Saints, or My servants ; but, why
persecutest thou Me? that is, My members. The Head cried out for the members, and the Head transfigured the members into Himself. For the tongue takes up the utterance of the foot. When by chance the foot, bruised in the crowd, is in pain, the tongue cries out, " You are treading
If He were so entirely man, as not to
be God, He would more
resurrection, than have panic at the prospect of death. Nevertheless, since He vouchsafed to assume the form of a servant, and therein to clothe us with Himself,
disdained not to assume us unto Himself, did not disdain to transfigure us into Himself, and to speak with our words, that we too might speak with His words. For this wonderful interchange hath taken place, and a divine traffic hath been
rejoice at the prospect of the He Who
transacted, an exchange of things duly solemnized in this world by the heavenly Merchant. He came to receive reproaches, to give honours ; He came to drink the cup of sorrow, to give salvation ;
He came to submit to death, to give life. Being then about to die from that which he had
of ours, He was in panic, not in Himself, but in us :
Mat. 26, too He both said this, that His soul was sorrowful, even
since
Even the righteous have some fear ofsuffering. 239
upon me. " For it does not say, " You are treading on my Vrr. foot;" but it says that it is itself being trode upon, when-- L-- no one touched it. But the foot, which has been trode
upon, is not separated from the tongue. Therefore thus also
by ecstasy is not unfitly understood panic. For what shall
I say, Brethren ?
that are about to suffer, would that be said to Peter himself,
which we heard on the Apostle's birthday, when the Lord predicted to him his future suffering, When thou wastJohn2l, young, thou girdedst thyself, and wentest whither thou wouldest ; but when thou shalt be old, another shall gird
thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not ? And this,
saith he, spake He, signifying what death he should die.
If therefore the Apostle Peter, of so great perfection, went
unwillingly whither he would not, (he died unwillingly, but was crowned willingly,) what wonder, if there be some panic in the suffering even of the righteous, even of Saints ? Panic comes from human weakness, hope from divine promise. That for which thou feelest panic is thine own, what thou hopest is the gift of God in thee. And it is better thou dost acknowledge thyself in thy panic, that in thy deliverance thou mayest glorify Him Who made thee. Let human weakness be panic- struck, divine mercy
faileth not in that fear. In fine, this panic-struck oneI begins with this. (Ver. 1. ) In Thee, O Lord, have hoped, let me not be confounded for ever. You see, that he both is panic-struck, and hopes : you see that this panic is not without hope. Even though there be some disturbance in the human heart, divine consolation withdraws not.
4. Here then Christ speaketh in the Prophet : I venture to
say, Christ speaketh. The Psalmist will say some things in
this Psalm, which may seem as if they could not apply to Christ, to that excellency of our Head, and especially to That John ),
Word Which was in the beginning God with God : nor perhaps will some things here seem to apply to Him in the Phil. 2, form of a servant, which form of a servant He took from the Virgin : and yet Christ speaketh, because Christ in Christ's members. And, that ye may know, that the Head and His
Body are called One Christ, He saith Himself, when He
was speaking of marriage, They shall be two in one flesh : Gen. 2,
If there were
absolutely
no in those panic
240 Head and Members together are One Christ.
Psai. m therefore they are no more two, but one Jlesh. But, parad ed jli venture, He may say this of any marriage. Hear the Apostle Serm. i. Paul ; And they shall be two, saith he, in one Jlesh. This is
I
Eph. 5, Church. There is produced then as it were out of two, one
? Jagk 01 go
a great mystery; but
speak concerning Christ, and the
certain person, of the Head and the Body, of the Bridegroom and the Bride. For the wonderful and excellent unity of this person, the prophet Isaiah also sets forth ; for speaking
Is. 6l, in him too, Christ saith in prophecy, He hath bound a mitre
10"
on Me, as on a Bridegroom the chaplet, and adorned Me with ornaments as a Bride. He called Himself the Bride groom, and the Bride : why called He Himself the Bride groom, and the Bride, unless because they shall be two in one flesh ? If two in one flesh, why not too in one voice ?
Christ may therefore speak, because the Church speaks in Christ, and Christ in the Church ; and the Body in the Head, and the Head in the Body. Hear the Apostle ex-
1 Cor. pressing this very thing more clearly, For as the body is 12, 12. one, and hath many members, and all the members of the
body, being many, are one body; so also is Christ. Speaking of the members of Christ, that is, of the faithful, he doth not say, so also are the members of Christ ; but to all that he hath expressed he gave the name of Christ. For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of the body, being many, are one body, so also is
Christ many members, one Body. Therefore we all together with our Head, Christ, without our Head nothing worth. Why? Because with our Head we are the vine: without our Head, which God forbid,
destined to no work of the husbandman, but to the fire only.
John 15, So He Himself in the Gospel, / am the Vine, ye are the
5. 1?
branches, My Father is the husbandman, and without Me, saith He, ye can do nothing. O Lord, if without Thee nothing, in Thee all. For whatsoever He worketh by us, we seem to work. He can do much and all without us, we without Him nothing.
5. Therefore in whatever ecstasy he speaketh, whether in panic or transport of the mind, what is said is suitable. Let us speak in the Body of Christ, let us all speak as one, for that all are oneness; let us say, In Thee, O Lord, have 1 trusted,
lopped branches,
are
Wholesome confusion, and everlasting. God's Righteousness. 24 1
let me not be confounded for ever. That confusion do I Ver.
dread, saith He, which is for ever. For there is a certain -- confusion for a time which is useful, the disturbance of a mind looking back on its sins, amazed at the looking back,
in its amazement ashamed, in its shame reforming. Whence
- --
too the Apostle saith, For what glory had ye then in those Rom. 6 things whereof ye are now ashamed ? Therefore he saith 21 ? that they, now faithful, are ashamed, not of present gifts, but
of past sins. Let not the Christian dread this confusion :
yea rather, if he have not this, he will have everlasting con
fusion. What is everlasting confusion ? When that shall happen, which is said, And their iniquities shall take them Wisdom over on the contrary part. And as their iniquities take4'20' them over on the contrary part, all the bad flock shall go to
the left hand, as goats separated from the sheep ; and they
shall hear, Go ye into the fire everlasting, which hath been Matt.
pIreparedfor the devil and his angels. They ask why? For 25,4*?
was an hungred, and ye gave Me no meat. They
then, when they gave no meat to Christ as He hungered, when they gave no drink to the thirsty, when they clothed not the naked; took not in the stranger, visited not the sick -- then they despised. When these things shall begin to be enumerated to them, they will be confounded, and this con fusion will be for ever. And in fear of this, he who is afraid, or whose mind is transported Itoward God, maketh this
despised
trusted, let me not be con
founded for ever.
6. And in Thy Righteousness rescue me, and deliver me.
For if Thou lookest to my righteousness, Thou condemnest
me. In Thy Righteousness rescue me. For there is a righteousness of God, which becomes ours too, when it is
given to us. Now it is therefore called God's Righteousness,
that man may not deem that he hath righteousness of him
self. For thus the Apostle Paul saith, To him that believeth Rom. 4, on Him Who justifieth the ungodly, (what is, Who justifieth
the ungodly? Who of ungodly maketh a man righteous:) his faith is counted for righteousness. But the Jews, because
they thought that they could by thelr own strength fulfil righteousness, stumbled at the stumbling-stone and rock ofIb. 9,33. offence, and did not acknowledge the grace of Christ. For
request, In Thee, 0 Lord, have
B
242 Man, unable to free himselffrom sin, needs help.
Psalm they received a law, whereby they could be made guilty,
Exp^ii Serm. i.
Bom. ' '
Dut could not be freed from guilt. In fine, what saith the
For I
zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. What is, what
bear them record that have a Apostle of them ? they
he says, the Jews have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge? Hear what. no* according to knowledge is. For they being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and wishing to establish their own, have not submitted themselves to the righteousness of God. If then for this reason they have not a zeal of God according to knowledge, because they are ignorant of God's righteousness, and wish to establish their own, as if they were made righteous of themselves : for this reason have they not come to know the grace of God, because they would not be saved freely. Who is he that is saved freely? In whom the Saviour findeth not what to crown, but what to condemn ; findeth not deserts of good things, but findeth deserts of punishment. If He deal as it were strictly according to the rule of the law laid down, the sinner must be condemned. If He were to act by this rule, whom would He deliver? He found all men sinners : He Alone came without sin, Who found us sinners.
Rom. 3, So saith the Apostle : For all have sinned, and are in need of the glory of God. What means, are in need of the glory of God? That He should Himself deliver, and not thou. Because thou canst not deliver thyself, thou needest a de liverer. Wherein dost thou vaunt thyself ? Wherein dost thou rely on the Law and on righteousness ? Seest thou not what is inwardly struggling in thee, of thee, against thee ? Hearest thou not one fighting, and confessing, and longing for help in the fight ? Hearest thou not the Lord's combatant asking of the disposer of the contest help in his fight? For God doth not so look on at thy struggles, as the exhibitor of the games looks on, if so be thou fightest in the amphitheatre. He can give thee a prize if victorious ; he cannot help thee in danger. Not so doth God look on. Look there, mark
Rom. 7. him that saith, FoIr 1 delight in the law of God after the ~ ' inward man; but see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and leading me captive in the
lIaw of sin, which is in my members.
am ! who shall deliver me
O wretched man that
this death ?
from
the
body of
Trust in Hisfree grace. God's bending His Ear to man. 243
The grace of God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Why Ver.
grace ? Because it is given gratuitously. Why is it given -- gratuitously? Because thy merits have not gone before, but
the kindnesses of God have prevented thee. Glory then be to
Him Who delivereth us. For all have sinned, and are in Rom. 3, need of the glory of God. In Thee, then, O Lord, have I23' trusted, not in myself: let me not be confounded for ever, because I trust in Him, Who confoundeth not. In Righteousness rescue me, and deliver me. Since Thou hast
not found in me my own righteousness, rescue me in Thine : that is, let that rescue me which justifieth me, which maketh me of ungodly godly, of unrighteous righteous, of blind seeing, of falling rising, of weeping rejoicing. This delivereth me : not I myself. In Thy Righteousness rescue me, and deliver me.
7. Ver. 2. Bend down Thine ear unto me. God did this, when He sent Christ Himself unto us. He sent Him to us, Who bending His Head wrote with His Finger on the earth, when the adulterous woman was brought before Him6. to be punished. But He had before bent Himself to the earth, that God to man, to whom was said, Earth thou Gen art, and unto earth thou shall go. For God doth not bend 19. His Ear to us as in bodily space, nor He bounded by these circumscribed bodily members. Nay, let not human fancies form any such notions as these. God Truth. Truth neither square, nor round, nor long. It every where present, the eye of the heart be open to It. Never theless God bendeth His Ear to us, letting down mercy upon
us. What greater mercy, than that He should give us His Only One, not to live with us, but to die for us Bend doum Tltine Ear unto me.
8. Make haste to deliver me. For he heard in this, when he saith, Make haste. For for this purpose this word was used, that thou mayest understand how that all this age, which seems to us while passing long, but moment. That not long, which hath an end. The period from Adam to this day passed, and much more in truth halh been passed already, than remains to be passed. If Adam were still living, and should die to-day what would profit him to have been so long, to have lived so long? Why then
'"--
Thy
r2
;
it is
is
is
is
it is
is
is
a is it ? is
if
is, if
3
244 Man cannot even seek refuge, save as enabled.
Psalm this haste ? Because time flies by, and what is slow tc 2? jl|thee, is in God's sight short. This haste he had already Serm. t. understood in ecstasy. Make haste to deliver me. Be unto
me a God Who prolecteth me, and a house of refuge, that Thou mayest save me. Be Thou unto me a house of refuge, a God Who protecteth, a house of refuge. For sometimes 1 am in peril, and Iwould fly: whither do Ifly? to what place fly safely ? to what hill ? to what cave ? to what guarded shelter ? What castle can I hold ? with what walls be encompassed? Whithersoever I go, I accompany my self. For, O man, whatsoever thou wilt, thou canst fly, except thy conscience. Enter into thy house, rest on thy bed, enter the inner chambers ; thou canst have no place within, whither thou mayest fly from thy conscience, if thy
sins torment thee. But because he hath said, Make haste to deliver me, and rescue me in Thy Righteousness, that
Thou mayest remit my sins, and build up Thy Righteous ness in me : Thou shalt be to me a house of refuge, to Thee do I fly. For whither shall I fly from Thee ? God is angry with thee, whither wilt thou fly ? Hear what, in fear of the
Ps. 139, anger of God, he saith in another Psalm, Whither shall
go
'" 8"
Ifly from from
if
servant, to escape a human master, Thou fliest to places where Thy master is not : to escape God, fly to the Lord. For there is no place, whither thou mayest fly from God. All things are present and naked to the eyes of the Almighty. Be Thou then to me, saith he, a house of refuge. For if I shall not be made whole, how shall I fly
I Thy Spirit ? or, whither shall
climb up into heaven, Tliouart there:
I
hell, Thou art present. Whithersoever I go, there I find Thee. And if Thou art angry, I find Thee an Avenger ; if Thou art propitious, an Helper. Nothing then remains for me, but to fly unto Thee, not from Thee. If Thou art a
If
go
down into
? Make me whole, and I fly to Thee. For if Thou dost not make me whole, I cannot walk : how shall I be able to fly ? Whither should he go, whither fly, if he be unable to walk, half dead in the way, maimed and wounded by robbers ? Whom the priest going by passed over, the Levite going by passed over, the Samaritan going by pitied, that the Lord Himself, Who
hath pitied the race of man. For Samarite
by interpreta
I Thy presence?
is
is,
Christ our Keeper. Hefeeds now with milk. Satan's trap. 245
tion keeper. And who keepeth us, if He deserteth us? Ver. With good reason, when the Jews said railing at Him, Say il tee not truly that Thou art a Samaritan, and hast a devil ? 48. 49. ' He rejected the one, accepted the other, saying, / have not
a devil. He did not say, I am not a Samaritan : wishing it to be understood that He is our Keeper. In pity then He drew nigh, He took care of him, brought him to an inn, fulfilled His mercy towards him : now he is able to walk, he is able even to fly. Whither should he fly but to God, where he hath made for himself a house of refuge?
9. Ver. 3. For Thou art my strength and my refuge; and for Thy Name's sake Thou shall be my guide, and shalt nourish me. Not for my merit's sake, but for Thy Name's sake, that Thou mayest be glorified, not because I am worthy. Thou shall be my guide, that I go not astray from Thee ; and Thou shalt nourish me, that I may be strong to eat the food, wherewith Thou feedest angels. For
here hath He nourished us with milk, Who hath promised us heavenly food ; and hath exercised a mother's pity. For
as a mother, when suckling, conveys through the flesh the same food which the infant is not able to take, and infuses milk ; (for the little one receives the same as he would receive at table, but what is conveyed through the flesh is suited to the little one ;) so the Lord, that He might make His wisdom milk to us, came to us clothed with Flesh. Hence the Body of Christ speaketh, Tliou shalt nourish me.
10. Thou shall bring me out of this trap, which they have hidden for me. Now is suffering intimated, Thou shalt bring me out of this trap which they have hidden for me. Nor is it that suffering only, wherewith our Lord Jesus Christ suffered ; the devil hath spread his trap even unto the end. And woe to that man that falleth into it; now every one doth fall, who tIrusteth not in God, who saith not, In
Thee, O Lord, have
confounded for
trusted, let me not be
ever, and in Thy righteousness rescue me, and deliver me.
The trap of the enemy hath been spread, and prepared. He hath baited the trap with error and terror ; error to entice with, terror to crush and hurry away. Shut thou the door of desire against error, shut the door of fear against terror, and thou shalt be led out of the trap. Of this kind of fight
246 The Body of Christ tempted variously at different times.
Psalm thy Captain Himself, Who for thy sake vouchsafed even to Exf. ii. De tempted, hath given thee an example in Himself. And Srnm. 1. He was first tempted with enticements ; for the door of
desire was tempted in Him, when the devil tempted Him, Matt.
