Wait; what thou art touching is closed, shake off
the covering; the Prophet conceals something beneath this
veil of language ; he meaneth something by the ass, some
thing by the ox.
the covering; the Prophet conceals something beneath this
veil of language ; he meaneth something by the ass, some
thing by the ox.
Augustine - Exposition on the Psalms - v6
Ver.
How was it not robbery in Him?
Because it was His ----- nature, because He was born for this, that He might be
equal with Him by Whom He was begotten. But what did
He do ? He made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Phil. 2, Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of6, 9" men : and being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of
the Cross. This is His sitting. Now hear of His rising again. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above every name. Ye are now hastening unto that name : rise, but after ye have sat down. Ye wish to rise: but first sit: and rising from humility, thou readiest the kingdom. For if thou art in a hurry to reach the kingdom, thou fullest from the kingdom before thou risest. Are ye able, He saith, to drink of the cup which I shall drink
of? They reply, We are able. He answereth, Ye shall drink Mat. 20,
.
indeed of My Cup; but to sit on My right hand and on My
left, is not Mine to give unto you, but it is prepared of My Father for others. What meaneth, It is not Mine to give? It is not Mine to give to the proud: for such they as yet were. But if ye wish to receive this, be not what ye are. It is pre pared for others: do ye become others, and for you it is pre pared. What meaneth, Become others? Do ye who already wish to be exalted, first be humbled. They therefore under stood that humility would benefit them, and were rebuked. Let us too therefore listen to this, for this Psalm giveth us the same lesson in these words : Rise after ye hare sat down.
22 23
6. But lest any one should imagine that he sitteth that he
may be honoured ; that he might shew that by this sitting his intent was to enjoin humility ; that no man might suppose
that he was ordered to sit either for judgment, or banquetting
and rejoicing, and thereby seek a higher pride ; to signify humility he hath added, Ye that eat the bread of grief.
They therefore eat the bread of grief, who groan in this pilgrimage. They are in the vale of misery. For God placeth ascending steps in the heart. Where hath he placed them? He hath set, saith the Psalmist, steps of ascent in P*. S4, his heart. Who? God. If steps of ascent in the heart,5- therefore they sing the Song of steps. Let us be humbled in
24 The Churchfrom Christ dying, as Eve from Adam sleeplng.
Psalm the world, let usa ascend. How ? in the heart Because CX xVII. : the ascent of the heart itself riseth from the vale of misery.
In the vale, saith he, of misery. As the mountains are erect, so do the valleys sit : for by valleys are meant the low spots of the earth ; while hills signify the eminences of lower height than mountains: very high spots of the earth are called mountains. It is not enough ; he saith not, rise from the hills ; nor, from the plain ; but, from the valley, meaning something more lowly than the plain. If therefore thou eatest the bread of grief in the valley of misery, and sayest,
Ps. 42,3. My tears have been my meat day and night : while they say unto me, Where is now thy God? thou risest rightly, because thou hast sat down.
7. And as if thou shouldest say, When shall we rise ? we are ordered now to sit: when will be our rising? When the Lord's was. Look unto Him, Who went before thee : for if thou heedest not Him, it is lost labour for thee to rise before dawn. When was He raised ? When He had died. Hope therefore for thine uplifting after thy death : have hope in the resurrection of the dead, because He rose again and ascended. But where did He sleep ? On the Cross. When
He slept on the Cross, He bore a sign, yea, He fulfilled
what had been signified in Adam : for when Adam was Gen. 2, asleep, a rib was drawn from him, and Eve was created ; so 21 22. also while the Lord slept on the Cross, His side was trans- Johni9, fixed with a spear, and the Sacraments flowed forth, whence
the Church was born. For the Church the Lord's Bride was created from His side, as Eve was created from the side of Adam. But as she was made from his side no otherwise than while sleeping, so the Church was created from His side no otherwise than while dying. If therefore He rose not from the dead save when He had died, dost thou hope for
exaltation save after this life? But that this Psalm might teach thee, in case thou shouldest ask, When shall 1 rise ? perhaps before I have sat down ? he addeth, When He hath
given His beloved sleep. God giveth this when His beloved have fallen asleep ; then His beloved, that Christ's, shall rise. For all indeed shall rise, but not as His beloved.
There resurrection of all the dead but what saith the Oxf. Mss. that we may. '
>>
'
is a
;
is,
Our rising from sleep. Children of the spiritual Eve. 25
Apostle ? We shall all rise, but we shall not all be changed. Vhr. They rise unto punishment: we rise as our Lord rose, that. -r^-- we may follow our Head, if we are members of Him. And is, Si. if we are members of His, then are we His beloved; then pertaineth unto us that resurrection which went before in the
Lord, so that the Light rose before us, we after the Light ; because it is but lost labour for us to rise before light, that is, to seek exaltation before we die; since Christ our Light was not exalted in the flesh, save after He had died. Con stituted then His members, and in His members His beloved,
when we have received our sleep, then shall we rise in the resurrection ofthe dead. One hath risen from the dead, to die
no more. Lazarus rose, but to die: the daughter of the ruler Jobnil, of the Synagogue rose, but to die; the widow's son rose, but Matt. 9, to die; Christ rose, no more to die. Hear the Apostle: Christ20-
being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more 15. dominion over Him. Hope for such a resurrection; and for^? 1"'6' the sake of this be a Christian, not for the sake of this world's happiness. For if thou wish to be a Christian for the sake of
this world's happiness, since He thy Light sought not worldly happiness; thou art wishing to rise before the light; thou
must needs continue in darkness. Be changed, follow thy Light; rise whereb He rose again: first sit down, and thus rise, when He giveth His beloved sleep.
8. Ver. 3. As if thou shouldest ask again, Who are the
beloved? Lo, children, the reward the f the of fruit of
womb, are an heritage of the Lord'. Since he saith, ruit of the womb, these children have been born in travail. There is a certain woman, in whom what was said unto Eve, in sorrow shall thou bring forth children, is shewn after a spiritual manner. The Church beareth children, the Bride of Christ ; and if she beareth them, she travaileth of them.
In figure of her, Eve was called also the Mother of all living. Gen. 3, He who said, My little children, of whom 1 travail in bii7/t 4* again, until Christ be formed in you, was amongst the IB, members of her who travaileth. But she travailed not in
vain, nor brought forth in vain : there will be a holy seed
b So Oxf. Mss. ' qua resurrexit. ' children, the heritage of the Lord, is Ben. * quart* surrexir. ' the reward of the fruit of the womb. '
e Perhaps he inteuds to read f. o, Making filii' vocative.
it, '
'
26 The saints the reward of the Church's travail.
Psalm at the resurrection of the dead : the righteous who are at cxxvn. : present scattered over the whole world shall abound. The Church groaneth for them, the Church travaileth of them ; but in that resurrection of the dead, the offspring of the
Church shall appear, pain and groaning shall pass away.
And what shall be said ? Lo, children, the reward of the fruit of the womb, are an heritage of the Lord. The word fruit is in the possessive cased. It is, the reward of the fruit of the womb. What is this reward? Resurrection from
the dead. What is this reward ? To rise, after thou hast sat down. What is this reward ? Rejoicing, after thou hast eaten the bread of sorrow. Of what womb ? Of the Church:
Gen. 25, in whose womb, for Rebecca was her type, those two twins 22' 23* as two people strove. One mother contained in her womb brethren, who disagreed before they were bprn; they agitated
Mai. 1, 2 3 Roni. 9, 13.
loved, sa^ Cod, but Esau have 1 hated. Both went forth from
their mother's womb with internal discords; she groaned, and suffered violence -r but when she brought forth, she discerned what twins she had endured when pregnant. Thus also now, brethren, as long as groans are given unto the Church, as long as the Church travaileth, there are within her both good and evil. But the fruit of theIwomb
was in Jacob, for his mother loved him. Jacob have
one womb ; one deserved to be loved, the other to be repro bated. Her fruit will be, therefore, among the beloved.
The fruit of the womb, therefore, hath a reward.
9. Ver. 4. Like as the arrows in the hand of the mighty one, even so are the children of those that are shot out. Whence hath sprung this heritage, brethren ? Whence hath sprung so numerous a heritage, as that whereof he saith at the end, Lo, children, the reward of the fruit of the womb, are an
heritage of the Lord ? Some have been shot out from the Lord's hand, as arrows, and have gone far, and have filled the whole earth, whence the Saints spring. For this
Ps. 2, 8. is the heritage whereof it is said, Desire of Me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the utter most parts of the earth for thy possession. And how doth this possession extend and increase unto the world's utter most parts ? Because, like as the arrows in the hand of the
? : ' Hujus fructflg, non hie fructus. '
Children of those shot out, successors of the Apostles. 27
mighty one, even so are the children of those that are shot out. Ver. Arrows are shot forth from the bow, and the stronger the ------ arm which hath sent it forth, the farther flieth the arrow.
But what is stronger than the darting of the Lord ? From
His bow He sendeth forth His Apostles: there could not be a spot left where an arrow shot by so strong an arm would not reach ; it hath reached unto the uttermost parts of the earth. The reason it went no farther was, that there were no more of the human race beyond. For He hath such strength, that even if there were a spot beyond, whither the arrow could fly, He would dart the arrow thither. Such are the children of those who are shot forth as they that are shot forth. It hath been a question respecting this word, agitated by those who before us have treated these subjects, why they are called children of those who have been shot forth, or who are to be understood by the sons of those who have been shaken forth ; and to some it hath appeared, as 1 have just said, that the children of those who have been shaken forth, are the children of the Apostles.
10. Beloved, listen for a short season. The question hath
been raised, why the Apostles are 'shot* or ' shaken' out:
some allege, that they are thus styled, because the Lord enjoined them, When ye depart out of that house, or of that Mat. 10, city, shake off the dust from off your feet. Another saith, 14' They ought not then to be called the sons of those who
have been shaken forth, but the sons of those who shake
out; for the Lord made those unto whom He said, Shake
off the dust from off your feet ; shaking out, not shaken off.
He indeed who before us treated this subject, wished with subtilty to contradict the foregoing opinion : nevertheless
we, with the Lord's help, seeking in what sense they might rightly be called shaken out, unto whom our Lord saith,
Shake off the dust from off your feet, find that they can thus be termed without absurdity. For although they them selves shook ott", they shook themselves out. I mean this : he who shaketh out, either shaketh himself out, or something
else ; if he shaketh off any thing else, he shaketh out, he is not shaken out ; but if he shake out himself, he both shaketh out and hath been shaken out. Listen, I will say this more clearly, if I can. If he shake out any thing else, he shaketh
28 The Prophets, shaken out, reveal Gospel mysteries.
Psalm out, and is not shaken out ; If he be shaken out by another, CxX VII 'he is shaken out, and doth not shake out; but if he shake out himself, he shaketh out, because he shaketh out himself;
Is. 1,3.
and is shaken out, because he is shaken out by himself. A question, therefore, is raised, whom the Apostles shook out? Themselves, surely: for they shook off dust from their own feet. But some one saith, They shook not out them selves, but the dust. This is clearly a cavil. For we say, that something is shaken out in two ways : either that which is shaken out thence, or that whence it is shaken out. For we say both the dust hath been shaken out, and the garment hath been shaken out. Some hold and shake the garment ; and thence issueth dust, that had clung unto it. What sayest thou of the dust? The dust hath been shaken out. What sayest thou of the garment ? The garment hath been shaken out. If, therefore, both that which issueth forth from the shaking, and that from which the dust issueth forth, is said to be shaken out; both the dust hath been shaken out, and the Apostles have been shaken out. Why then are not the children of those that have been shaken out, called the children of the Apostles?
11. But there is another opinion also which we ought not to pass over. For perhaps the words are rather obscurely expressed for this reason, that they may call forth many understandings, and that men may go away the richer, because they have found that closed which might be opened in many ways, than if they could open and discover it by one interpretation. We say also that any thing is shaken out; that what is perhaps concealed may come out thence. For we say with one meaning that a garment is shaken, that they may shake out dust thence ; and in another sense we say
that a sack is shaken, that what lay concealed within may issue forth. I understand therefore, brethren, as far as I am able, that perhaps the Apostles themselves are styled the sons of those who have been shaken out, the sons of the Prophets. For the Prophets comprised closed and covered mysteries: they were shaken, that they might come forth thence manifestly. Suppose therefore, a Prophet to have said, as one truly saith, The ox knoweth his owner and the ass his master's crib: but Israel doth nut know Me. This
Hidden meanings; the Ox, the Jew; the Ass, the Oentile. 29 illustration cometh before my mind at present, to speak of a Ver.
prophet; had another occurred, I would have adduced it. When a man heareth this, if he think of an ass and an
ox, and cattle, and beasts of burden, he will be treating an interior meaning in its outward aspect, ignorant of the latent sense. The ass and the ox signify something. What then
is said unto a man who wisheth to know how to preach the truth?
Wait; what thou art touching is closed, shake off
the covering; the Prophet conceals something beneath this
veil of language ; he meaneth something by the ass, some
thing by the ox. For the ass, figuring the people of God, is God's beast of burden, carrying the Lord its Rider, that it
may not stray in its path: and that ox whereof the Apostle
saith, Thou shall not muzzle the mouth of the ox that Dent. ireadeth out the corn: doth God take care for oxen, he asks, ifctl 9 or saith He it altogether for our sakes? For our sokes, 9. 10. he saith, without doubt this is written. Every preacher of God's Word, therefore, warneth, chideth, frighteneth, thresh-
eth the floor, and filleth the office of the ox. The ox came from the Jews' nation ; for thence came the Apostles, Preachers : the ass came from the nation of the uncircum- cised, that from the Gentiles. He came to carry the Lord and therefore the Lord sat upon an ass that never had carried man; since the Law was not sent to the Gentiles, nor the Prophets. Since therefore our Lord Jesus Christ willed to be our meat, and on this account was laid in the manger at His birth, the ox knew his owner, and the ass his master's crib. But would these meanings issue forth, unless the bag were shaken out? Except the prophecy involved were sifted with diligence, would the concealed meanings come forth unto us? All these meanings were therefore closed before the Lord's advent. The Lord came, and shook out these hidden meanings, and they were made manifest the Prophets were shaken out, and the Apostles were born. Since then they were born of the Prophets who had been shaken out, the Apostles are sons of those that were shaken out. They, placed as the arrows in the hand of the giant, have reached the uttermost parts of the earth. How must needs be said of the end, Lo, children, the reward of the fruit of the womb, are the heritage of the
*'
it
is,
;
:
30 Blessing of those whose desire is for true good.
Psalm Lord. Because this heritage is gathered from the uttermost CXxVI1. parts of the earth : because, Like as the arrows in the hand of the mighty one, even so are the children of them that are
shaken out; that is, the Apostles the sons of the Prophets have been like as the arrows in the hand of a mighly one. If He is mighty, He hath shaken them out with a mighty hand; if He hath shaken them out with a mighty hand, they whom He hath shaken forth have arrived even at the uttermost parts of the earth.
12. Ver. 5. Blessed is the man who hath filled his desire from them. Well, my brethren, who filleth his desire from them ? Who loveth not the world. He who is filled with
the desire of the world, hath no room for that to enter which they have preached. Pour forth what thou earnest, and become fit for that which thou hast not. That is, thou desirest riches: thou canst not fill thy desire from them : thou desirest honours upon earth, thou desirest those things which God hath given even unto beasts of burden, that is, temporal pleasure, bodily health, and the like ; thou wilt not fulfil thy
Ps. 42,i. desire from them. But if thou desirest thus, even as the Ps. 84,2. hart longeth for the streams of waters; if thou sayest, My soul hath a desire and longing to enter into the courts of the
Lord ; thou fillest thy desire from them ; not that they can fulfil such a desire, but by imitating such thou comest unto Him Who hath filled their desire.
13. He shall not be ashamed, when he speaketh with his enemies in the gate. Brethren, let us speak in the gate, that is, let all know what we speak. For he who chooseth not to speak in the gate, wisheth what he speaketh to be hidden, and perhaps wisheth it to be hidden for this reason, that it is evil. If he be confident, let him speak in the gate ;
Prov. 8, as it is said of Wisdom, She crieth at the gales, at the entry of
3"
the city. As long as they hold unto righteousness in inno- cency, they shall not be ashamed : this is to preach at the gate. And who is he who preacheth at the gate ? He who preacheth in Christ; because Christ is the gate whereby we
Johnio, enter into that city. I lie, had He not Himself said ; / am the door. If He be the door, He is also the gate; for door is applied to a house ; the door of a city is its gate, the gate of a house is its door. But perhaps the term gate is not
They speak boldly in the ' Gate,' who speak in Christ. 31
aptly used : if that which is called a house be not rightly vTM' termed a city. For both are said a little before : Except
the Lord build the house, their labour is but lost that build
it; and lest thou shouldest think this house some small thing,
he addeth, Except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain. The house, therefore, and the city are
the same. The city hath a door like a house, and hath a
gate as a city. He, therefore, Who is the door of the house,
is Himself the gate of the city. If, therefore, Christ be the
gate of the city, he is not ashamed who standeth in Christ,
and thus preacheth. But he who preacheth against Christ, against him the gate is shut. Who are they who preach against Christ? They who deny that the arrows are sentDona- from the hand of the Mighty One, and have reached the utter
most parts of the earth
of which it is said, Desire of Me, and
heathen for thy inheritance, and the utmost parts of the earth for thy possession. It was preached, it was listened to, before it was fulfilled ; and now that it hath been fulfilled, they refuse to acknowledge it. They, therefore, who speak against Christ, are without the gate; because they seek their own honours, not those of Christ. But he who preacheth in the gate, seeketh Christ's honour, not his own : and, there fore, he who preacheth in the gate, saith, Trust not in me ; for ye will not enter through me, but through the gate. While they who wish men to trust in themselves, wish them not to enter through the gate : it is no marvel if the gate be closed against them, and if they vainly knock for it to be opened. Be present in mind, therefore, brethren, on account of to-morrow's discourse also, which shall be delivered to you, according to our promise, by the Lord's help, from the Gospel concerning the dovee. In Whose Name we have promised, in His mercy we will fulfil our promise. But, that we may fulfil it worthily, and may not have been too daring in promising, do ye pray for us.
' Vid. Tract, iv. on St. John i. 31, 32. ? . 16. cf. Tract v. and vi.
and this is the I of Lord, ; heritage the
shall give thee theVt. 2, 8.
Lat. CxxVII.
i Cor. 2,
32 Some are misled by the promise of temporal blessings.
PSALM CXXV1II.
EXPOSITION.
A Sermon to the People, on the day of St. Felix the Martyr.
1. Ver. 1 -- 4. As the Apostle saith, dearest brethren, Com paring spiritual things with spiritual ; but the natural man receiveth not the things that are of the Spirit of God; we
must be on our guard lest natural men, not receiving the things that are of the Spirit of God, may rather be scan dalized than edified by this Psalm. For briefly (though we heard it in the singing) I am running through since is brief, not expounding, but reading it. Now consider that if every man hath desired such things as great gift from God, as this Psalm mentioueth and perhaps, not because he
forsaken by God, but because he more loved, hath not received them and seeth that what he hath here heard described as the rewards of them that fear God, abound unto those who fear not God his steps totter, and his footsteps slip, and he saith in his heart, that he hath feared God without a cause, since he hath not received those rewards which God hath promised to them that fear Him; while they have received over and above, who not only have not feared, but have even blasphemed Him. Consider what he saith, Blessed are all they that fear the Lord, and walk in His ways. For thou shall eat the labours of thy hands. well is thee, and happy shalt thou be. We may, as far as this, though we be natural men, think of the bliss of future life but consider what followeth Thy wife shall be as the
fruitful vine upon the walls of thine house. Thy children like the olive-branches, round about thy table. Lo, thus shall the man be blessed, that feareth the Lord. How In that his wife shall be as the fruitful vine, upon the walls of his house and his children like the olive-branches, round
about his table. Have they then, who for God's sake have even refused to marry, lost their reward No he who
?
:
:
?
O
: is
:
a
it, it
:
;
;
is
a
Something beyond this life must be understood. 33
refuseth to marry saith: God will bless me in other ways. Ver. Nay truly: either He will bless thee thus, or He will not ----- bless thee at all ; the language of the Psalm is plain, Lo,
thus shall the man be blessed, thatfeareth the Lord.
2. What then, brethren, is the meaning of this ? That we
may not, by desiring temporal and earthly
our heavenly happiness, the Prophet setteth before us a sort
of veil, this veil hath 1 know not what within. You remem
ber, beloved, when I was expounding the preceding Psalm to
you, which goeth before this, we met with a certain obscure
verse, where it was said, Like as the arrows in the hand of a Pa. 12", mighty one, so are the sons of them that are shaken out ; and 4' when we enquired who the sons of them that are shaken out
were, it seemed to us, that the Apostles (the Lord suggesting
this, as we believe) were termed the sons of them that were
shaken out, the sons of the Prophets: because the Prophets
spoke in enigmas, and under figures as with the veil of mysteries covered their meaning ; which meaning could not
issue forth unto men, unless these veils were shaken out; whence they were called the sons of those that are shaken
out, who gained spiritual profit by the opening out the Prophets. Let us too, therefore, shake out this one, that we
may not be deceived through the coverings, lest touching
what is within and not seeing it, we may perchance wood for gold, and tiles for silver. Let us shake it out, if it seem good unto you, beloved; the Lord will aid, that what is within may come forth ; especially, my brethren, as we are celebrating the birthdays of the Martyrs. How great evils have the Martyrs endured, what deaths, what terrible tortures, what filthy prisons, pinching of chains, fury of wild beasts, heat of flames, stings of insults! Would they have endured all these things, unless they saw somewhat, whither they were tending, not belonging to the happiness of this world ? Now it is shameful for us to celebrate the birthdays of the
Martyrs, that is, of those servants of God who despised this world for the sake of everlasting bliss, and understand what is here written in the sense of present happiness; so that we should say of any faithful man of God, citizen of that Jeru salem, to whom marriage may have brought no issue, This man feareth not the Lord ; for if he feared the Lord, his wife
VOL. VI.
d
blessings, lose
say
34 God does not always give Children to the Righteous.
Psalm would be as the fruitful vine upon the walls of his house, not cxxv'"' barren, so that she could give birth to none; and if this man feared the Lord, his sons would surround his table, like olive- branches. For if we should speak thus, we are natural men, not receiving the things that are of the Spirit of God. Let us also begin to shake them out, that we also may be the sons of them that are shaken out. For if we shall be the sons of them that are shaken out, we shall be like as the arrows in the hand of the giant, and He will dart us from His commandment into the hearts of men who do not as yet
love Him, that, struck by the arrows of God's words, they may love. For if we begin to preach to them such words as these, My sons, or my brethren, fear ye the Lord, that ye may have children and grandchildren, that your house may
be joyful; we are not leading them to love that everlasting Jerusalem ; they will remain in the love of earthly things, and seeing these things abound to the ungodly, though they dare not speak so to us, they will say in their heart, Why hath he who feareth not God, his house full of children ? And if perchance another say to him, As yet thou knowest not what may happen ; what if he shall have to bury them, because he feareth not God ; what if many sons were born unto him for this reason, that he might suffer greater pain from their death ? But if thou speak thus, he will answer
I know of a man who was ungodly, a heathen, sacri legious, a worshipper of idols, (and perhaps he doth know, and saith the truth, and knoweth not one only, nor even two or three only,) whom numerous sons and grandsons have carried to the grave, an old man, bowed down with years, who had died in his bed. Lo, he feared not the Lord, and yet a most numerous offspring of his house hath closed his eyes. What shall we say to this ? Nothing evil can happen to him, for he can never, in his lifetime, bury his children, since he hath already died, and been borne to an honourable tomb by his children.
3. Let us shake this out then, let us shake it out, if we wish to be the sons of them that are shaken out : let some meaning be educed from it. For there is a certain Man who is thus blessed : and no one feareth the Lord, except
he be in the members of this Man : and there are many men,
thee :
The Promise is to the Church, as one in Christ. 35
and there is one Man ; for there are many Christians, and Ver. there is One Christ. The Christians themselves with their ---- Head, Who hath ascended into heaven, are one Christ. He
is not One, and we many, but we many are one in That One.
Christ then is one Man, the Head of the Body. What is
His Body ? His Church, as the Apostle saith : We are Ephea. members of His Body ; and, ye are the body of Christ, and]'TM' His members in particular. Let us therefore understand 12,
the words of this Man, in whose body we are one man ; and we shall there see the true good things of Jerusalem. For thus he saith at the end : That thou mayest see the good things that are ofJerusalem. But if thou hast looked for these good things with an earthly eye, the abundance of children aud grandchildren, and the fecundity and fruitful. ness of his wife, are not the good things of that Jerusalem ; for these good things are in the land of the dying, that is the land of the living. Hold it not as a very great thing, if thou hast sons who will die, although not before thee, yet
certainly after thee. Dost thou wish to have children who will never die, and who will ever live with thee ? Be thou in His Body, of Whom it hath been said, Ye are the Body
of Christ, and His members in particular.
4. That this Psalm also might shew this, since it is so far
obscure that it admonisheth us to knock at so far covered that doth wish to be shaken out, beginneth with speak ing of many Blessed are all they that fear the Lord, and walk in His ways. He speaketh to many; but since these many are one in Christ, in the next words he speaketh in the singular For thou shall eat the labours of thy fruits. He had said above, Blessed are all they that fear the Lord, and walk in His ways why doth he now say, Thou shall eat the labours of thy fruits: and not, ye shall eat? and why, the labours of thy fruits, and not the labours of your fruits. Hath he forgotten that so lately as in the preceding verse he was speaking of more than one If thou hast already shaken out, what doth he answer thee When speak of Christians in the plural, understand one in the One Christ.
Ye are therefore many, and ye are one we are many, and we are one. How are we man}. , and yet one Because we
D 2
;
? ?
it
it,
?
I
I
it :
it :
;
--
-Head is in heaven, that His members may follow.
5. Let him therefore now go on with his description : for it is now clear Whom he is describing. Thus will all that followeth be open : only do ye fear the Lord, and walk in
36 The Martyrs, as St. Felix, rejoiced in hope.
Psalm cling unto Him Whose members we are ; and since our CxxV1H.
His ways, and do not envy those who walk not in His ways, when ye shall see them happy without happiness. For men of the world are happy without happiness; but the Martyrs were unhappy with happiness. For they were unhappy for a season, but happy for evermore ; and herein that they were unhappy for a season, they were thought to be more
2 Cor. 6, unhappy than they were. For what saith the Apostle? As
l0'
sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing. Why, alway? Both here and there : altogether both here and there. For whence do we rejoice here ? In hope. Whence shall we rejoice there ? In fulfilment. The hope of one rejoicing hath great joy,
Rom. 13, and if rejoicing in hope, see what followeth, patient in
12'
tribulation. The Martyrs were therefore patient in tribula tion, because they rejoiced in hope. But because that which is promised did not yet exist, what saith the Apostle ?
Id. 8,24. For hope which is seen is not hope: but if we hope for what we see not, then do we with patience wait for it. Behold the reason why the Martyrs endured all things, because they waited patiently for what they saw not. They who slew them, loved what they saw : they who were slain, sighed for those things which they saw not, and hastened to reach those things which they saw not; and in that they were put to a lingering death, thought they were delayed,
? i-e- Happy
6. Therefore, brethren, Felix the Martyr', truly Felix1 botn in nis name and his crown, whose birthday this is, despised the world. Was he, because he feared the Lord, thence happy, thence blessed, because his wife was as a fruitful vine upon the earth, and his children stood around his table ? All these blessings he hath perfectly, but in the
Body of Him Who is here described; and, because he understood them in this sense, he scorned things present, that he might receive things future. Ye are aware, brethren,
' He is said to have suffered martyr- from Hippo, on the sixth of November, dom at Xhiniasa, or Thimisa, not far Ben. (Mart. Rom. has Tuneti. )
Fear ofpunishment is not a pure fear of God. 37
that he suffered not the death that other martyrs suffered. Ver.
'. --
For he confessed, and was set aside for torments ; on another day his body was discovered lifeless. They had closed the prison to his body, not to his spirit. The exe cutioners found him gone; when they were preparing to torture, they spent their rage for nought. He was lying dead, without sense to them, that he might not be tortured ; with sense with God, that he might be crowned.
Whence was he also happy, brethren, not only in name, but in the
reward of everlasting life, if he loved these things.
7. Let us therefore so hear this Psalm, as considering it to be spoken of Christ: and all of us who cling unto the
Body of Christ, and have been made members of Christ, walk in the ways of the Lord ; and let us fear the Lord with a chaste fear, with a fear that abideth for ever. For it is another fear which charity excludeth, as St.
equal with Him by Whom He was begotten. But what did
He do ? He made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Phil. 2, Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of6, 9" men : and being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of
the Cross. This is His sitting. Now hear of His rising again. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above every name. Ye are now hastening unto that name : rise, but after ye have sat down. Ye wish to rise: but first sit: and rising from humility, thou readiest the kingdom. For if thou art in a hurry to reach the kingdom, thou fullest from the kingdom before thou risest. Are ye able, He saith, to drink of the cup which I shall drink
of? They reply, We are able. He answereth, Ye shall drink Mat. 20,
.
indeed of My Cup; but to sit on My right hand and on My
left, is not Mine to give unto you, but it is prepared of My Father for others. What meaneth, It is not Mine to give? It is not Mine to give to the proud: for such they as yet were. But if ye wish to receive this, be not what ye are. It is pre pared for others: do ye become others, and for you it is pre pared. What meaneth, Become others? Do ye who already wish to be exalted, first be humbled. They therefore under stood that humility would benefit them, and were rebuked. Let us too therefore listen to this, for this Psalm giveth us the same lesson in these words : Rise after ye hare sat down.
22 23
6. But lest any one should imagine that he sitteth that he
may be honoured ; that he might shew that by this sitting his intent was to enjoin humility ; that no man might suppose
that he was ordered to sit either for judgment, or banquetting
and rejoicing, and thereby seek a higher pride ; to signify humility he hath added, Ye that eat the bread of grief.
They therefore eat the bread of grief, who groan in this pilgrimage. They are in the vale of misery. For God placeth ascending steps in the heart. Where hath he placed them? He hath set, saith the Psalmist, steps of ascent in P*. S4, his heart. Who? God. If steps of ascent in the heart,5- therefore they sing the Song of steps. Let us be humbled in
24 The Churchfrom Christ dying, as Eve from Adam sleeplng.
Psalm the world, let usa ascend. How ? in the heart Because CX xVII. : the ascent of the heart itself riseth from the vale of misery.
In the vale, saith he, of misery. As the mountains are erect, so do the valleys sit : for by valleys are meant the low spots of the earth ; while hills signify the eminences of lower height than mountains: very high spots of the earth are called mountains. It is not enough ; he saith not, rise from the hills ; nor, from the plain ; but, from the valley, meaning something more lowly than the plain. If therefore thou eatest the bread of grief in the valley of misery, and sayest,
Ps. 42,3. My tears have been my meat day and night : while they say unto me, Where is now thy God? thou risest rightly, because thou hast sat down.
7. And as if thou shouldest say, When shall we rise ? we are ordered now to sit: when will be our rising? When the Lord's was. Look unto Him, Who went before thee : for if thou heedest not Him, it is lost labour for thee to rise before dawn. When was He raised ? When He had died. Hope therefore for thine uplifting after thy death : have hope in the resurrection of the dead, because He rose again and ascended. But where did He sleep ? On the Cross. When
He slept on the Cross, He bore a sign, yea, He fulfilled
what had been signified in Adam : for when Adam was Gen. 2, asleep, a rib was drawn from him, and Eve was created ; so 21 22. also while the Lord slept on the Cross, His side was trans- Johni9, fixed with a spear, and the Sacraments flowed forth, whence
the Church was born. For the Church the Lord's Bride was created from His side, as Eve was created from the side of Adam. But as she was made from his side no otherwise than while sleeping, so the Church was created from His side no otherwise than while dying. If therefore He rose not from the dead save when He had died, dost thou hope for
exaltation save after this life? But that this Psalm might teach thee, in case thou shouldest ask, When shall 1 rise ? perhaps before I have sat down ? he addeth, When He hath
given His beloved sleep. God giveth this when His beloved have fallen asleep ; then His beloved, that Christ's, shall rise. For all indeed shall rise, but not as His beloved.
There resurrection of all the dead but what saith the Oxf. Mss. that we may. '
>>
'
is a
;
is,
Our rising from sleep. Children of the spiritual Eve. 25
Apostle ? We shall all rise, but we shall not all be changed. Vhr. They rise unto punishment: we rise as our Lord rose, that. -r^-- we may follow our Head, if we are members of Him. And is, Si. if we are members of His, then are we His beloved; then pertaineth unto us that resurrection which went before in the
Lord, so that the Light rose before us, we after the Light ; because it is but lost labour for us to rise before light, that is, to seek exaltation before we die; since Christ our Light was not exalted in the flesh, save after He had died. Con stituted then His members, and in His members His beloved,
when we have received our sleep, then shall we rise in the resurrection ofthe dead. One hath risen from the dead, to die
no more. Lazarus rose, but to die: the daughter of the ruler Jobnil, of the Synagogue rose, but to die; the widow's son rose, but Matt. 9, to die; Christ rose, no more to die. Hear the Apostle: Christ20-
being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more 15. dominion over Him. Hope for such a resurrection; and for^? 1"'6' the sake of this be a Christian, not for the sake of this world's happiness. For if thou wish to be a Christian for the sake of
this world's happiness, since He thy Light sought not worldly happiness; thou art wishing to rise before the light; thou
must needs continue in darkness. Be changed, follow thy Light; rise whereb He rose again: first sit down, and thus rise, when He giveth His beloved sleep.
8. Ver. 3. As if thou shouldest ask again, Who are the
beloved? Lo, children, the reward the f the of fruit of
womb, are an heritage of the Lord'. Since he saith, ruit of the womb, these children have been born in travail. There is a certain woman, in whom what was said unto Eve, in sorrow shall thou bring forth children, is shewn after a spiritual manner. The Church beareth children, the Bride of Christ ; and if she beareth them, she travaileth of them.
In figure of her, Eve was called also the Mother of all living. Gen. 3, He who said, My little children, of whom 1 travail in bii7/t 4* again, until Christ be formed in you, was amongst the IB, members of her who travaileth. But she travailed not in
vain, nor brought forth in vain : there will be a holy seed
b So Oxf. Mss. ' qua resurrexit. ' children, the heritage of the Lord, is Ben. * quart* surrexir. ' the reward of the fruit of the womb. '
e Perhaps he inteuds to read f. o, Making filii' vocative.
it, '
'
26 The saints the reward of the Church's travail.
Psalm at the resurrection of the dead : the righteous who are at cxxvn. : present scattered over the whole world shall abound. The Church groaneth for them, the Church travaileth of them ; but in that resurrection of the dead, the offspring of the
Church shall appear, pain and groaning shall pass away.
And what shall be said ? Lo, children, the reward of the fruit of the womb, are an heritage of the Lord. The word fruit is in the possessive cased. It is, the reward of the fruit of the womb. What is this reward? Resurrection from
the dead. What is this reward ? To rise, after thou hast sat down. What is this reward ? Rejoicing, after thou hast eaten the bread of sorrow. Of what womb ? Of the Church:
Gen. 25, in whose womb, for Rebecca was her type, those two twins 22' 23* as two people strove. One mother contained in her womb brethren, who disagreed before they were bprn; they agitated
Mai. 1, 2 3 Roni. 9, 13.
loved, sa^ Cod, but Esau have 1 hated. Both went forth from
their mother's womb with internal discords; she groaned, and suffered violence -r but when she brought forth, she discerned what twins she had endured when pregnant. Thus also now, brethren, as long as groans are given unto the Church, as long as the Church travaileth, there are within her both good and evil. But the fruit of theIwomb
was in Jacob, for his mother loved him. Jacob have
one womb ; one deserved to be loved, the other to be repro bated. Her fruit will be, therefore, among the beloved.
The fruit of the womb, therefore, hath a reward.
9. Ver. 4. Like as the arrows in the hand of the mighty one, even so are the children of those that are shot out. Whence hath sprung this heritage, brethren ? Whence hath sprung so numerous a heritage, as that whereof he saith at the end, Lo, children, the reward of the fruit of the womb, are an
heritage of the Lord ? Some have been shot out from the Lord's hand, as arrows, and have gone far, and have filled the whole earth, whence the Saints spring. For this
Ps. 2, 8. is the heritage whereof it is said, Desire of Me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the utter most parts of the earth for thy possession. And how doth this possession extend and increase unto the world's utter most parts ? Because, like as the arrows in the hand of the
? : ' Hujus fructflg, non hie fructus. '
Children of those shot out, successors of the Apostles. 27
mighty one, even so are the children of those that are shot out. Ver. Arrows are shot forth from the bow, and the stronger the ------ arm which hath sent it forth, the farther flieth the arrow.
But what is stronger than the darting of the Lord ? From
His bow He sendeth forth His Apostles: there could not be a spot left where an arrow shot by so strong an arm would not reach ; it hath reached unto the uttermost parts of the earth. The reason it went no farther was, that there were no more of the human race beyond. For He hath such strength, that even if there were a spot beyond, whither the arrow could fly, He would dart the arrow thither. Such are the children of those who are shot forth as they that are shot forth. It hath been a question respecting this word, agitated by those who before us have treated these subjects, why they are called children of those who have been shot forth, or who are to be understood by the sons of those who have been shaken forth ; and to some it hath appeared, as 1 have just said, that the children of those who have been shaken forth, are the children of the Apostles.
10. Beloved, listen for a short season. The question hath
been raised, why the Apostles are 'shot* or ' shaken' out:
some allege, that they are thus styled, because the Lord enjoined them, When ye depart out of that house, or of that Mat. 10, city, shake off the dust from off your feet. Another saith, 14' They ought not then to be called the sons of those who
have been shaken forth, but the sons of those who shake
out; for the Lord made those unto whom He said, Shake
off the dust from off your feet ; shaking out, not shaken off.
He indeed who before us treated this subject, wished with subtilty to contradict the foregoing opinion : nevertheless
we, with the Lord's help, seeking in what sense they might rightly be called shaken out, unto whom our Lord saith,
Shake off the dust from off your feet, find that they can thus be termed without absurdity. For although they them selves shook ott", they shook themselves out. I mean this : he who shaketh out, either shaketh himself out, or something
else ; if he shaketh off any thing else, he shaketh out, he is not shaken out ; but if he shake out himself, he both shaketh out and hath been shaken out. Listen, I will say this more clearly, if I can. If he shake out any thing else, he shaketh
28 The Prophets, shaken out, reveal Gospel mysteries.
Psalm out, and is not shaken out ; If he be shaken out by another, CxX VII 'he is shaken out, and doth not shake out; but if he shake out himself, he shaketh out, because he shaketh out himself;
Is. 1,3.
and is shaken out, because he is shaken out by himself. A question, therefore, is raised, whom the Apostles shook out? Themselves, surely: for they shook off dust from their own feet. But some one saith, They shook not out them selves, but the dust. This is clearly a cavil. For we say, that something is shaken out in two ways : either that which is shaken out thence, or that whence it is shaken out. For we say both the dust hath been shaken out, and the garment hath been shaken out. Some hold and shake the garment ; and thence issueth dust, that had clung unto it. What sayest thou of the dust? The dust hath been shaken out. What sayest thou of the garment ? The garment hath been shaken out. If, therefore, both that which issueth forth from the shaking, and that from which the dust issueth forth, is said to be shaken out; both the dust hath been shaken out, and the Apostles have been shaken out. Why then are not the children of those that have been shaken out, called the children of the Apostles?
11. But there is another opinion also which we ought not to pass over. For perhaps the words are rather obscurely expressed for this reason, that they may call forth many understandings, and that men may go away the richer, because they have found that closed which might be opened in many ways, than if they could open and discover it by one interpretation. We say also that any thing is shaken out; that what is perhaps concealed may come out thence. For we say with one meaning that a garment is shaken, that they may shake out dust thence ; and in another sense we say
that a sack is shaken, that what lay concealed within may issue forth. I understand therefore, brethren, as far as I am able, that perhaps the Apostles themselves are styled the sons of those who have been shaken out, the sons of the Prophets. For the Prophets comprised closed and covered mysteries: they were shaken, that they might come forth thence manifestly. Suppose therefore, a Prophet to have said, as one truly saith, The ox knoweth his owner and the ass his master's crib: but Israel doth nut know Me. This
Hidden meanings; the Ox, the Jew; the Ass, the Oentile. 29 illustration cometh before my mind at present, to speak of a Ver.
prophet; had another occurred, I would have adduced it. When a man heareth this, if he think of an ass and an
ox, and cattle, and beasts of burden, he will be treating an interior meaning in its outward aspect, ignorant of the latent sense. The ass and the ox signify something. What then
is said unto a man who wisheth to know how to preach the truth?
Wait; what thou art touching is closed, shake off
the covering; the Prophet conceals something beneath this
veil of language ; he meaneth something by the ass, some
thing by the ox. For the ass, figuring the people of God, is God's beast of burden, carrying the Lord its Rider, that it
may not stray in its path: and that ox whereof the Apostle
saith, Thou shall not muzzle the mouth of the ox that Dent. ireadeth out the corn: doth God take care for oxen, he asks, ifctl 9 or saith He it altogether for our sakes? For our sokes, 9. 10. he saith, without doubt this is written. Every preacher of God's Word, therefore, warneth, chideth, frighteneth, thresh-
eth the floor, and filleth the office of the ox. The ox came from the Jews' nation ; for thence came the Apostles, Preachers : the ass came from the nation of the uncircum- cised, that from the Gentiles. He came to carry the Lord and therefore the Lord sat upon an ass that never had carried man; since the Law was not sent to the Gentiles, nor the Prophets. Since therefore our Lord Jesus Christ willed to be our meat, and on this account was laid in the manger at His birth, the ox knew his owner, and the ass his master's crib. But would these meanings issue forth, unless the bag were shaken out? Except the prophecy involved were sifted with diligence, would the concealed meanings come forth unto us? All these meanings were therefore closed before the Lord's advent. The Lord came, and shook out these hidden meanings, and they were made manifest the Prophets were shaken out, and the Apostles were born. Since then they were born of the Prophets who had been shaken out, the Apostles are sons of those that were shaken out. They, placed as the arrows in the hand of the giant, have reached the uttermost parts of the earth. How must needs be said of the end, Lo, children, the reward of the fruit of the womb, are the heritage of the
*'
it
is,
;
:
30 Blessing of those whose desire is for true good.
Psalm Lord. Because this heritage is gathered from the uttermost CXxVI1. parts of the earth : because, Like as the arrows in the hand of the mighty one, even so are the children of them that are
shaken out; that is, the Apostles the sons of the Prophets have been like as the arrows in the hand of a mighly one. If He is mighty, He hath shaken them out with a mighty hand; if He hath shaken them out with a mighty hand, they whom He hath shaken forth have arrived even at the uttermost parts of the earth.
12. Ver. 5. Blessed is the man who hath filled his desire from them. Well, my brethren, who filleth his desire from them ? Who loveth not the world. He who is filled with
the desire of the world, hath no room for that to enter which they have preached. Pour forth what thou earnest, and become fit for that which thou hast not. That is, thou desirest riches: thou canst not fill thy desire from them : thou desirest honours upon earth, thou desirest those things which God hath given even unto beasts of burden, that is, temporal pleasure, bodily health, and the like ; thou wilt not fulfil thy
Ps. 42,i. desire from them. But if thou desirest thus, even as the Ps. 84,2. hart longeth for the streams of waters; if thou sayest, My soul hath a desire and longing to enter into the courts of the
Lord ; thou fillest thy desire from them ; not that they can fulfil such a desire, but by imitating such thou comest unto Him Who hath filled their desire.
13. He shall not be ashamed, when he speaketh with his enemies in the gate. Brethren, let us speak in the gate, that is, let all know what we speak. For he who chooseth not to speak in the gate, wisheth what he speaketh to be hidden, and perhaps wisheth it to be hidden for this reason, that it is evil. If he be confident, let him speak in the gate ;
Prov. 8, as it is said of Wisdom, She crieth at the gales, at the entry of
3"
the city. As long as they hold unto righteousness in inno- cency, they shall not be ashamed : this is to preach at the gate. And who is he who preacheth at the gate ? He who preacheth in Christ; because Christ is the gate whereby we
Johnio, enter into that city. I lie, had He not Himself said ; / am the door. If He be the door, He is also the gate; for door is applied to a house ; the door of a city is its gate, the gate of a house is its door. But perhaps the term gate is not
They speak boldly in the ' Gate,' who speak in Christ. 31
aptly used : if that which is called a house be not rightly vTM' termed a city. For both are said a little before : Except
the Lord build the house, their labour is but lost that build
it; and lest thou shouldest think this house some small thing,
he addeth, Except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain. The house, therefore, and the city are
the same. The city hath a door like a house, and hath a
gate as a city. He, therefore, Who is the door of the house,
is Himself the gate of the city. If, therefore, Christ be the
gate of the city, he is not ashamed who standeth in Christ,
and thus preacheth. But he who preacheth against Christ, against him the gate is shut. Who are they who preach against Christ? They who deny that the arrows are sentDona- from the hand of the Mighty One, and have reached the utter
most parts of the earth
of which it is said, Desire of Me, and
heathen for thy inheritance, and the utmost parts of the earth for thy possession. It was preached, it was listened to, before it was fulfilled ; and now that it hath been fulfilled, they refuse to acknowledge it. They, therefore, who speak against Christ, are without the gate; because they seek their own honours, not those of Christ. But he who preacheth in the gate, seeketh Christ's honour, not his own : and, there fore, he who preacheth in the gate, saith, Trust not in me ; for ye will not enter through me, but through the gate. While they who wish men to trust in themselves, wish them not to enter through the gate : it is no marvel if the gate be closed against them, and if they vainly knock for it to be opened. Be present in mind, therefore, brethren, on account of to-morrow's discourse also, which shall be delivered to you, according to our promise, by the Lord's help, from the Gospel concerning the dovee. In Whose Name we have promised, in His mercy we will fulfil our promise. But, that we may fulfil it worthily, and may not have been too daring in promising, do ye pray for us.
' Vid. Tract, iv. on St. John i. 31, 32. ? . 16. cf. Tract v. and vi.
and this is the I of Lord, ; heritage the
shall give thee theVt. 2, 8.
Lat. CxxVII.
i Cor. 2,
32 Some are misled by the promise of temporal blessings.
PSALM CXXV1II.
EXPOSITION.
A Sermon to the People, on the day of St. Felix the Martyr.
1. Ver. 1 -- 4. As the Apostle saith, dearest brethren, Com paring spiritual things with spiritual ; but the natural man receiveth not the things that are of the Spirit of God; we
must be on our guard lest natural men, not receiving the things that are of the Spirit of God, may rather be scan dalized than edified by this Psalm. For briefly (though we heard it in the singing) I am running through since is brief, not expounding, but reading it. Now consider that if every man hath desired such things as great gift from God, as this Psalm mentioueth and perhaps, not because he
forsaken by God, but because he more loved, hath not received them and seeth that what he hath here heard described as the rewards of them that fear God, abound unto those who fear not God his steps totter, and his footsteps slip, and he saith in his heart, that he hath feared God without a cause, since he hath not received those rewards which God hath promised to them that fear Him; while they have received over and above, who not only have not feared, but have even blasphemed Him. Consider what he saith, Blessed are all they that fear the Lord, and walk in His ways. For thou shall eat the labours of thy hands. well is thee, and happy shalt thou be. We may, as far as this, though we be natural men, think of the bliss of future life but consider what followeth Thy wife shall be as the
fruitful vine upon the walls of thine house. Thy children like the olive-branches, round about thy table. Lo, thus shall the man be blessed, that feareth the Lord. How In that his wife shall be as the fruitful vine, upon the walls of his house and his children like the olive-branches, round
about his table. Have they then, who for God's sake have even refused to marry, lost their reward No he who
?
:
:
?
O
: is
:
a
it, it
:
;
;
is
a
Something beyond this life must be understood. 33
refuseth to marry saith: God will bless me in other ways. Ver. Nay truly: either He will bless thee thus, or He will not ----- bless thee at all ; the language of the Psalm is plain, Lo,
thus shall the man be blessed, thatfeareth the Lord.
2. What then, brethren, is the meaning of this ? That we
may not, by desiring temporal and earthly
our heavenly happiness, the Prophet setteth before us a sort
of veil, this veil hath 1 know not what within. You remem
ber, beloved, when I was expounding the preceding Psalm to
you, which goeth before this, we met with a certain obscure
verse, where it was said, Like as the arrows in the hand of a Pa. 12", mighty one, so are the sons of them that are shaken out ; and 4' when we enquired who the sons of them that are shaken out
were, it seemed to us, that the Apostles (the Lord suggesting
this, as we believe) were termed the sons of them that were
shaken out, the sons of the Prophets: because the Prophets
spoke in enigmas, and under figures as with the veil of mysteries covered their meaning ; which meaning could not
issue forth unto men, unless these veils were shaken out; whence they were called the sons of those that are shaken
out, who gained spiritual profit by the opening out the Prophets. Let us too, therefore, shake out this one, that we
may not be deceived through the coverings, lest touching
what is within and not seeing it, we may perchance wood for gold, and tiles for silver. Let us shake it out, if it seem good unto you, beloved; the Lord will aid, that what is within may come forth ; especially, my brethren, as we are celebrating the birthdays of the Martyrs. How great evils have the Martyrs endured, what deaths, what terrible tortures, what filthy prisons, pinching of chains, fury of wild beasts, heat of flames, stings of insults! Would they have endured all these things, unless they saw somewhat, whither they were tending, not belonging to the happiness of this world ? Now it is shameful for us to celebrate the birthdays of the
Martyrs, that is, of those servants of God who despised this world for the sake of everlasting bliss, and understand what is here written in the sense of present happiness; so that we should say of any faithful man of God, citizen of that Jeru salem, to whom marriage may have brought no issue, This man feareth not the Lord ; for if he feared the Lord, his wife
VOL. VI.
d
blessings, lose
say
34 God does not always give Children to the Righteous.
Psalm would be as the fruitful vine upon the walls of his house, not cxxv'"' barren, so that she could give birth to none; and if this man feared the Lord, his sons would surround his table, like olive- branches. For if we should speak thus, we are natural men, not receiving the things that are of the Spirit of God. Let us also begin to shake them out, that we also may be the sons of them that are shaken out. For if we shall be the sons of them that are shaken out, we shall be like as the arrows in the hand of the giant, and He will dart us from His commandment into the hearts of men who do not as yet
love Him, that, struck by the arrows of God's words, they may love. For if we begin to preach to them such words as these, My sons, or my brethren, fear ye the Lord, that ye may have children and grandchildren, that your house may
be joyful; we are not leading them to love that everlasting Jerusalem ; they will remain in the love of earthly things, and seeing these things abound to the ungodly, though they dare not speak so to us, they will say in their heart, Why hath he who feareth not God, his house full of children ? And if perchance another say to him, As yet thou knowest not what may happen ; what if he shall have to bury them, because he feareth not God ; what if many sons were born unto him for this reason, that he might suffer greater pain from their death ? But if thou speak thus, he will answer
I know of a man who was ungodly, a heathen, sacri legious, a worshipper of idols, (and perhaps he doth know, and saith the truth, and knoweth not one only, nor even two or three only,) whom numerous sons and grandsons have carried to the grave, an old man, bowed down with years, who had died in his bed. Lo, he feared not the Lord, and yet a most numerous offspring of his house hath closed his eyes. What shall we say to this ? Nothing evil can happen to him, for he can never, in his lifetime, bury his children, since he hath already died, and been borne to an honourable tomb by his children.
3. Let us shake this out then, let us shake it out, if we wish to be the sons of them that are shaken out : let some meaning be educed from it. For there is a certain Man who is thus blessed : and no one feareth the Lord, except
he be in the members of this Man : and there are many men,
thee :
The Promise is to the Church, as one in Christ. 35
and there is one Man ; for there are many Christians, and Ver. there is One Christ. The Christians themselves with their ---- Head, Who hath ascended into heaven, are one Christ. He
is not One, and we many, but we many are one in That One.
Christ then is one Man, the Head of the Body. What is
His Body ? His Church, as the Apostle saith : We are Ephea. members of His Body ; and, ye are the body of Christ, and]'TM' His members in particular. Let us therefore understand 12,
the words of this Man, in whose body we are one man ; and we shall there see the true good things of Jerusalem. For thus he saith at the end : That thou mayest see the good things that are ofJerusalem. But if thou hast looked for these good things with an earthly eye, the abundance of children aud grandchildren, and the fecundity and fruitful. ness of his wife, are not the good things of that Jerusalem ; for these good things are in the land of the dying, that is the land of the living. Hold it not as a very great thing, if thou hast sons who will die, although not before thee, yet
certainly after thee. Dost thou wish to have children who will never die, and who will ever live with thee ? Be thou in His Body, of Whom it hath been said, Ye are the Body
of Christ, and His members in particular.
4. That this Psalm also might shew this, since it is so far
obscure that it admonisheth us to knock at so far covered that doth wish to be shaken out, beginneth with speak ing of many Blessed are all they that fear the Lord, and walk in His ways. He speaketh to many; but since these many are one in Christ, in the next words he speaketh in the singular For thou shall eat the labours of thy fruits. He had said above, Blessed are all they that fear the Lord, and walk in His ways why doth he now say, Thou shall eat the labours of thy fruits: and not, ye shall eat? and why, the labours of thy fruits, and not the labours of your fruits. Hath he forgotten that so lately as in the preceding verse he was speaking of more than one If thou hast already shaken out, what doth he answer thee When speak of Christians in the plural, understand one in the One Christ.
Ye are therefore many, and ye are one we are many, and we are one. How are we man}. , and yet one Because we
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it
it,
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I
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it :
it :
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-Head is in heaven, that His members may follow.
5. Let him therefore now go on with his description : for it is now clear Whom he is describing. Thus will all that followeth be open : only do ye fear the Lord, and walk in
36 The Martyrs, as St. Felix, rejoiced in hope.
Psalm cling unto Him Whose members we are ; and since our CxxV1H.
His ways, and do not envy those who walk not in His ways, when ye shall see them happy without happiness. For men of the world are happy without happiness; but the Martyrs were unhappy with happiness. For they were unhappy for a season, but happy for evermore ; and herein that they were unhappy for a season, they were thought to be more
2 Cor. 6, unhappy than they were. For what saith the Apostle? As
l0'
sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing. Why, alway? Both here and there : altogether both here and there. For whence do we rejoice here ? In hope. Whence shall we rejoice there ? In fulfilment. The hope of one rejoicing hath great joy,
Rom. 13, and if rejoicing in hope, see what followeth, patient in
12'
tribulation. The Martyrs were therefore patient in tribula tion, because they rejoiced in hope. But because that which is promised did not yet exist, what saith the Apostle ?
Id. 8,24. For hope which is seen is not hope: but if we hope for what we see not, then do we with patience wait for it. Behold the reason why the Martyrs endured all things, because they waited patiently for what they saw not. They who slew them, loved what they saw : they who were slain, sighed for those things which they saw not, and hastened to reach those things which they saw not; and in that they were put to a lingering death, thought they were delayed,
? i-e- Happy
6. Therefore, brethren, Felix the Martyr', truly Felix1 botn in nis name and his crown, whose birthday this is, despised the world. Was he, because he feared the Lord, thence happy, thence blessed, because his wife was as a fruitful vine upon the earth, and his children stood around his table ? All these blessings he hath perfectly, but in the
Body of Him Who is here described; and, because he understood them in this sense, he scorned things present, that he might receive things future. Ye are aware, brethren,
' He is said to have suffered martyr- from Hippo, on the sixth of November, dom at Xhiniasa, or Thimisa, not far Ben. (Mart. Rom. has Tuneti. )
Fear ofpunishment is not a pure fear of God. 37
that he suffered not the death that other martyrs suffered. Ver.
'. --
For he confessed, and was set aside for torments ; on another day his body was discovered lifeless. They had closed the prison to his body, not to his spirit. The exe cutioners found him gone; when they were preparing to torture, they spent their rage for nought. He was lying dead, without sense to them, that he might not be tortured ; with sense with God, that he might be crowned.
Whence was he also happy, brethren, not only in name, but in the
reward of everlasting life, if he loved these things.
7. Let us therefore so hear this Psalm, as considering it to be spoken of Christ: and all of us who cling unto the
Body of Christ, and have been made members of Christ, walk in the ways of the Lord ; and let us fear the Lord with a chaste fear, with a fear that abideth for ever. For it is another fear which charity excludeth, as St.
