O
generation
of vipers, who hath warned you JIatt" 3, to flee from the wrath to come ?
Augustine - Exposition on the Psalms - v6
!
):3
he adds, nor mine eyelids to slumber, neither the temples of Ver. my head to take any rest, until Ifind out a place for the 1,a'
Lord; an habitation for the God of Jacob.
Where did he meek, he sought it in himself. For how is one a place for the Lord ? Hear the
seek a place for the Lord ?
If he was
Prophet : Upon whom shall My Spirit rest ? Even upon Is. 66,2. him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at
My words. Dost thou wish to be a place for the Lord ? Be
thou poor in spirit, and contrite, and trembling at the word
of God, and thou wilt thyself be made what thou seekest. For if what thou seekest be not realized in thyself, what
doth it profit thee in another. God indeed
worketh the salvation of another through the preacher only, if he preach and do not ; and through his tongue there is made in another a place for the Lord, but he becometh not himself a place for the Lord. But he who doth well what he teacheth, and teacheth well also, becometh a place for the Lord, together with him whom he teacheth, because all believers constitute one place for the Lord. For the Lord hath His place in the heart; for the heart of all joined together in love is one.
5. How many thousands believed, my brethren, when they laid down the price of their possessions at the Apostles' feet! But what saith Scripture of them? Surely they are become a temple of God; not only each respectively a temple of God, but also all a temple of God together. They have therefore become a place for the Lord. And that ye may know that one place is made for the Lord in all, Scrip
sometimes
ture saith, They were of one heart and one soul toward Acts 4, /. 4 32 35
God. But many, so as not to make a place for the Lord, seek their own things, love their own things, delight in their own power, are greedy for their private interests. Whereas he who wisheth to make a place for the Lord, should rejoice not in his private, but the common good. They did this with their private goods; they made them common. Did
they love what they had of their own ?
goods alone, and each man had his own, he would have that only which he had of his own ; but when he made that which was his special property common, those things also
If they held their
94 Private possessions renounced moke mom for God.
Psalm which belonged to others were made his own. Consider pxxxn. this, beloved ; that on account of private possessions exist
lawsuits, enmities, discords, wars among men, riots, dissen sions against one another, offences, sins, iniquities, murders. On account of what ? On account of what we each possess. Do we litigate in behalf of what we possess in common ?
In common we inhale this air, in common we all behold the sun. Blessed then are they who so make a place for the Lord, as not to rejoice in their private goods. Such a one indeed the Psalmist describes in the words, / will not come within the tabernacle of mine house. This was private. He knew that he was hindered by what was his own only, so that he could not make a place for the Lord ; and he men
tions what belonged to himself:
tabernacle of mine house, until I find
thou hast found a place for the Lord, wilt thou come within
thy tabernacle ? Or will itself be thy tabernacle, when thou shalt have found a place for the Lord ? Wherefore? Because thou wilt thyself be the place of the Lord, and thou wilt be one with those who shall be the Lord's place.
6. Let us therefore, brethren, abstain from the possession of private property; or from the love of we may not from its possession and we make place for the Lord. It
too much for me, saith some one. But consider who thou art, who art about to make place for the Lord. If any senator wished to be entertained at your house, say not senator, the deputy of some great man of this world, and should say, something offends me in thy house; though thou shouldest love thou wouldest remove nevertheless, lest thou shouldest offend him, whose friendship thou wast
courting. And what doth man's friendship profit thee Perchance thou wouldest find there not merely no aid, but even danger. For many were not endangered before they
combined with greater men they earnestly desired the friendship of the great, but to incur greater dangers. Desire the friendship of Christ without fear He wishes to be entertained at thy house make room for Him. What is, make room for Him Love not thyself, love Him. If thou
love thyself, thou shuttest the door against Him if thou
I will not
out : what? when
come within the
;
I
?
;
:
it,
;
a
a
?
it,
is
;
it, if
Earthly riches are but a dream of our sleep. 95
lore Him, thou openest unto Him : and if thou open and He Ver. enter, thou shalt not be lost by loving thyself, but shalt find 9' *' thyself with Him Who loveth thee.
7. Ver. 3. / will not come within the tabernacle of mine house, nor climb up into the couch of my bed. For private property of itself, where a man yields to its influence, makes
him proud: therefore he said,
property which any man possesses of his own, he must needs be proud; for on that account man stretches himself before man, though both be flesh. What is a man, brethren ? Flesh ? And what is the other man ? Another piece of flesh. Nevertheless, the rich flesh stretcheth out itself against the poor flesh ; as if that flesh brought any thing when it was born, or taketh away any thing when it dieth. It had more only to swell the more. But the Psalmist who wisheth to find a place for the Lord, sailh, / will not climb up into
Iwill not climb up. In
the couch of my bed.
8. Ver. 4. /will not yice sleep to mine eyes. For many
when they sleep, make not a place for the Lord. Such the Apostle arouseth : Awake, thou that steepest, and arisefrom Ephes. the dead, and Christ shall give thee light; and in another8'1*' passage, Ye are all the children of the day; weave nol ofi TheTM. the night, nor of darkness; therefore let us not sleep as do5''8 8' others ; but let us watch and be sober. For they that sleep,
sleep in the night; and they that be drunken, are drunken
in the night. Meaning by the night iniquity, wherein they
go to sleep because they desire these earthly things. And
all these seeming sources of worldly happiness, are the dreams of sleepers. And as he who seeth treasures in his
sleep, while he sleeps is rich ; but will sometimes awake,
and be poor; thus it is in sleep that men rejoice in all those vanities of this world that please them ; but they will awake
when they would not, if they wake not now when it is pro
fitable for them ; and they will find those to have been dreams, that have passed away, as Scripture saith, As a Pa. "3. dream when one awaketh; and in another passage, They\^_i6,5. have slept their sleep, and all the men whose hands are
mighty have found nothing. They have slept their sleep,
their sleep is over, and they have found nothing in their
hands ; because they beheld transitory riches in their sleep.
any
96 Sleep refused. A Tabernacle here, a Temple hereafter.
Psalm The Psalmist therefore, wishing to find a place for the Lord, CxxxII. saith, / will not give sleep to mine eyes. But there are some who sleep not, but slumber. They in a great degree draw themselves off from the love of temporal things, and are again rolled back into it; like slumberers, they often
nod their heads. Awake, shake off sleep; by slumber ing thou wilt fall. The Psalm wisheth not that he who desires to find a place for the Lord, should give sleep to his eyes or slumber to his eyelids.
9. Ver. 5. Neither rest, he saith, to the temples of my head. From the rest of the temples sleep cometh to the
The temples are around the eyes. Heaviness of the temples is as it were impending sleep. For when men are about to sleep, their temples begin to feel heavy; and when they feel their temples heavy, then sleep commenceth : if sleep is to be imparted to the eyes, they give their temples rest, and sleep cometh ; if they give not rest to their temples, sleep cometh not. When therefore any temporal pleasure beginneth to delight thee unto sin, already thy temples are heavy. Dost thou wish to keep awake, and not to sleep,
nor to slumber? Trust not thyself to such pleasure; it will give greater pain than sweetness. Rubbing thy forehead as it were with this thought, thou shakest off sleep, and pre- parest a place for the Lord.
4' 7'
how much soever thou mayest reflect upon that peace, the
eyes.
10. Until Ifind
a tabernacle for the mighty God of Jacob. Although the tabernacle of God is sometimes called the house of God, and the house of God the tabernacle of God ; yet in a more definite sense, dearest brethren, the tabernacle means the Church of this world ; the ' house' the Church of the heavenly Jerusalem, whither we shall go. For a tabernacle applies rather to soldiers in the field: tabernacles are used for sol diers ready for action, on an expedition ; whence they are called contubernales1, as having the same tents and dwell-
out a place
for
the temple the Lord, of
1 i. e.
feliows. inS m them. As long therefore as we have an enemy with
whom to fight, we make a tabernacle for God. But when the time for fighting hath passed by, and that peace hath come which passeth all understanding, as the Apostle saith,
Philip, the peace of Christ which passeth all understanding; for
A 'place for the Lord' found in the unfilled Wood. 97
mind is scarce able to conceive it while set amid the heavi- Vrr. ness of the body ; when that country hath come, then it -----
will be the house, which no adversary will attempt, so as to
cause it to be styled a tabernacle. We shall not sally forth
to conflict, but we shall abide for praise-giving. For what
is said of that house ? Blessed are they that dwell in Thy Ps. 84,4. house: they will be alway praising Thee. In the tabernacle
we as yet groan: in the house we shall praise. Why? Because groaning is for pilgrims, praise for those who have reached their country. Here first be there sought a taber nacle for the God of Jacob.
11. Ver. 6. Lo, we heard of the same at Ephrata. What? A place for the Lord. We heard of it at Ephrata : and found it in the plains of the forests. (We hear those things
in Ephrata, we find them in the woodland plains'. ) Did he1 Oxf. hear it where he found it? or did he hear it in one place,
find it in another? Let us therefore enquire what hh1hratathese is, where he heard it; let us also . what mean the word*.
enquire plains of the forests, where he found it. Ephrata, a Hebrew word,
is rendered in Latin by Speculum*, &s the translators of Hebrew 'Mirror, words in the Scriptures have handed down to us, that we
might understand them. They have translated from Hebrew
into Greek, and from Greek we have versions into Latin.
For there have been who watched in the Scriptures. If therefore Ephrata meaneth a mirror, that house which was found in the woodland plains, was heard of in a mirror. A mirror hath an image : all prophecy is an image of things future. The future house of God, therefore, was declared in the image of prophecy. For we have heard of it in the mirror, that is, we have heard of it in Ephrata. We have found it in the plains of the forests. What are the plains of
the forests3? ' Saltus' is not here used in its common sense, 'sal. as a plot of ground of so many hundred acres'; saltus pro-tuum' perly signifies a spot as yet untilled and woody. For some copies read, in the plains of the wood. What then were the woodland plains, save nations yet untilled ? what were they,
save regions yet covered with the thorns of idolatry ? Thus, though there were thorns of idolatry there, still we find a place for the Lord there, a tabernacle for the God of Jacob. c Centuriarum -- then 200 acres. See laid. Etym. xv. c. 15. ? . 7.
VOL. VI. H
! )S God dwells in those who dwell in His House.
Psalm What we heard of in Ephrata, we found in the plains of CxxXI1- the forests; what was declared in the image to the Jews,
was manifested in the faith of the Gentiles.
12. Ver. 7. We will go into His tabernacles. Whose ?
Those of the Lord God of Jacob. They who enter to dwell therein, are the very same who enter that they may be dwelt in. Thou enterest into thy house, that thou mayest dwell therein ; into the house of God, that thou mayest be dwelt in. For the Lord is better, and when He hath begun to dwell in thee, He will make thee happy. For if thou be not dwelt in by Him, thou wilt be miserable. That son who
Lukeis, said, Father, give me the portion of the goods that falleth to ~ ' me, wished to be his own master. It was well kept in his father's hands, that it might not be wasted with harlots. He received was given into his own power; going to far country, he squandered all with harlots. At length he
suffered hunger, he remembered his father; he returned, that he might be satisfied with bread. Enter therefore, that thou mayest be dwelt in and mayest be not thine own, so to speak, but His We will go into His tabernacles.
13. We will worship on the spot where His feet stood. Whose feet The Lord's, or those of the house of the Lord itself? For that the Lord's house, wherein he saith He ought to be worshipped. We will worship on the spot where His feet stood. Beside His house, the Lord heareth
not unto eternal life for he belongeth to God's house, who hath in charity been built in with living stones. But he who hath not charity, falleth and while he falls, the house stands. Let no one then threaten the house, where he beginneth to be as stone, as should he choose to fall, he injureth the house in any way. Such had been the pride of the first nation of the Jews, who said, God will surely not deceive our father Abraham, to whom He pro mised so great things from his seed and they did all evil deeds as though safe in the promise of God, because He spared them, not for their own merit, who committed crimes, but for the merit of Abraham, and would
gather together all the wicked children of Abraham into His own house unto everlasting life. But what saith John generation of vipers! When these very children of Abraham came
? O
:
a;
is
;
; if,
?
it, it
:
it
a
His true House are those who persevere. ! ><> unto him to be baptlzed in the water of repentance, he said Ves-
--
not unto them, Generation of Abraham, but, of vipers. Such
were they, as were those whom they imitated : not the children of Abraham, but children of the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Gergesite, the Jebusite, and of all who offended God: they were their children, because they followed
their deeds.
O generation of vipers, who hath warned you JIatt" 3, to flee from the wrath to come ? Bring forth therefore '
fruits meet for repentance. And think not to say to your selves, We have Abraham to our father ; for God is able out of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. There were certain stones then which he saw in the ' wood land plains,' out of which children were raised up to
Abraham. For they are rather children who imitated his faith, than they who were born of the flesh. Let no man therefore threaten the house of God, as much as to say, I withdraw myself, and the house will fall. For it is good for him that he be built up together, and that he have charity. For if he himself fall, the house will stand. There fore, brethren, the house of God is in those whom He hath predestined, and who He foreknew would persevere : of these it was said, Where His feet stood. For there are those who persevere not, and His feet stand not in them. They therefore are not the Church ; they belong not to that which is now a tabernacle, but will then be the house. But where
did His feet stand? Because iniquity shall abound, //<<? Mat. 24, 1. 1213
love of many shall wax cold. Among those in whom love waxeth cold, His feet stand not. But what doth He proceed to say ? But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. Lo, in whom His feet have stood : on that spot worship thou, that is, be thou among those in whom the Lord's feet have stood.
14. But if ye incline to understand it of the house itself,
where the feet of that house have stood ; let thy feet stand
in Christ. They will then stand, if thou shalt persevere in Christ. For what is said of the devil ? He was a murderer John 8,
from the beginning, and stood not in the truth. The feet
of the devil therefore stood not. Also what saith he of the proud? O let not the foot of pride come against me; and? *-TM' let not the hand of the ungodly cast me down. There are
H2
100 We stand not in ourselves but in Christ. His Rising.
Psalm they fallen, all that work wickedness: they are cast down, cxxyil'qii</ were not able to stand. That then is the house of God, whose feet stand. Whence John rejoicing, saith : what? He
that hath the bride is the bridegroom : but the friend of the
bridegroom slandeth and heareth him. If he stand not, he John 3, heareth him not. And rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice. Justly he standeth, because he rejoiceth on account of the bridegroom's voice : for if he rejoiced because of his own voice, he would fall. Now therefore ye see why they fell, who rejoice because of their own voice.
John l, That friend of the Bridegroom said, Tlie same is He Which baptizeth. Some say, We baptize : rejoicing in their own voice, they could not stand ; and belong not to that house of which it is said, where His feet stood.
Dona- tists.
15. Ver. 8. Arise, O Lord, into Thy resting place. He saith unto the Lord sleeping, Arise. Ye know already Who slept, and Who rose again. For He Himself saith in a
Ps. 57,4. certain passage of the Psalms, /
slept disturbed. Well is it said unto Him, Arise, O Lord, unto Thy resting place. Rom. 6, No more wilt Thou be disturbed, since Christ, being raised
from the dead, dieth no more, and death shall no more have dominion over Him. It is His voice in another Psalm that
/ laid me down and and rose the slept, again, for
Ps. 3,5. saith,
Lord shall sustain me. He Himself slept; unto Him is said, Arise, O Lord, into Thy resting place, Thou, and the ark of Thy sanctification : that is, Arise, that the ark of Thy sanctification, which Thou hast sanctified, may arise also. He is our Head; His ark is His Church : He arose first, the Church will arise also. The body would not dare to
itself resurrection, save the Head arose first. O Lord, arise into Thy resting place, Tliou, and the ark of Thy sanctification. The Body of Christ, that was born of Mary, hath been understood by some to be the ark of sanctification; so that the words, Arise, O Lord, into Thy resting place, Thou, and the ark of Thy sanctification, mean, Arise with Thy Body, that they who believe not may handle. Arise, O Lord, into Thy resting place, TJiou, and
the ark of Thy sanctification.
16. Ver. 9. Let Thy priests be clothed with righteousness,
and let Thy saints sing with joyfulness. When Thou risest
promise
as
God is entreated not to reject the Remnant. 101
from the dead, and goest unto Thy Father, let that royal Veh. Priesthood be clothed with faith, since the righteous liveth K<^' by faith; and, receiving the pledge of the Holy Spirit, let 17.
the members rejoice in the hope of resurrection, which went before in the Head: for to them the Apostle saith, Rejoicing Rom. 13, in hope.
17. Ver. 10. For Thy servant David's sake, turn not away
the face of Thine Anointed. These words are addressed
unto God the Father. For Thy servant David's sake, turn
not away the face of Thine Anointed. The Lord was cruci
fied in Judaea; He was crucified by the Jews; harassed by them, He slept. He arose to judge those among whose savage hands He slept: and He saith elsewhere, Raise ThouP*- *1, Ale up again, and I shall reward them. He both hath rewarded them, and will reward them. The Jews well know themselves how great were their sufferings after the Lord's death. They were all expelled from the very city, where
they slew Him. What then ? have all perished even from
the root of David and from the tribe of Judah ? No : for
some of that stock believed, and in fact many thousands of
men of that stock believed, and this after the Lord's resur rection. They raged and crucified Him : and afterwards
began to see miracles wrought in the Name of Him Cruci
fied; and they trembled still more that His Name should
have so much power, since when in their hands He seemed unable to work any; and pricked at heart, at length believing
that there was some hidden divinity in Him Whom they
had believed like other men, and asking counsel of the Apostles, they were answered, Repent, and be baptized Acts 2, every one of you in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Since then Christ arose to judge those by whom He had
been crucified, and turned away His Presence from the
Jews, turning His Presence towards the Gentiles; God
seemeth, besought in behalf of the remnant of Israel;
and said unto Him, For Thy servant David's sake, turn
not away the presence of Thine Anointed. If the chaff be condemned, let the wheat be gathered together. May the remnant be saved, as Isaiah saith, And the remnant hath Is. 10,
, '
*22, out of them more than five hundred brethren, to whom the
clearly been saved: for out of them were the twelve Apostles,
it it is
is,
29. '
for He not a man that He should repent. When there fore He changeth His works through His immutable counsel, He said to repent on account of this very change, not of His counsel, but of His work. But He promised this so as
102 God's repentance changes His action, not His purpose.
Psalm Lord shewed Himself after His Resurrection : out of their
Thus then
Thy
<1XX x J 1. nunluer were so many thousands baptized, who laid the rCorT
price of their possessions at the Apostles' feet. prayer
15, 6.
Acts 2 ' was fulfilled the here made to God : For
41.
servant David's sake, turn not away the presence of Thine Anointed. 18. Ver. 11. The Lord hath made a faithful oath unto Darid, and He shall not repent. What meaneth, hath
made an oath / Hath confirmed a promise through Himself. What meaneth, He shall not repent ? He will not change. For God sufTereth not the pain of repentance, nor is He deceived in any matter, so that He would wish to correct
that wherein He hath erred. But as when a man repents of any thing, he wisheth to change what he hath done ; thus where thou hearest that God repenteth, look for an actual change. God doth it differently from thee, although He calleth it by the name of repentance ; for thou dost be cause thou hadst erred while He doth because He
avengeth, or freeth. He changed Saul's kingdom, when He
repented, as said: and in the very passage where the Sam. Scripture saith, It repented Him; said little after,
P<<. no, not to change it. Just as this passage also saith: Tlie Lord aware, and will not repent, Thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Melchizedec so also since this was promised so that should not be changed, because must needs happen and be permanent he saith, The Lord hath made a faithful oath unto David, and He shall not repent; Of the fruit of thy body shall set upon thy seat. He might have said, 'of the fruit of thy loins,' wherefore did He choose to say, Of the fruit of thy body Had He said that also, would have been true but He chose to say with a
further meaning, Ex fructu ventris,' because Christ was born of a woman without the man.
19. Ver. 12. What then? The Lord hath made a faithful oath unto David, and He shall not shrink from it; Of the
fruit thy body shall set upon thy seat. Ifthy children will keep My covenant and My testimonies that shall
I
it,
of
it
is
is
I
;I
; ;
;
' '
it is
? '
it is
it
it
it, a
l
' Children interpreted of mens Works. 103
learn them, their children also shall sit upon thy seat for Ver. evermore. If thy children keep My covenant, their children --i^-- also shall sit for evermore. The parents establish a desert
on behalf of their children. What if his children should
keep the covenant, and their children should not keep it ? Why is the happiness of the children promised in relation to their parents' deservings? For what saith He, If thy children will keep My covenant, their children also shall sit for ever more--He saith not, if thy children keep My covenant, they shall sit upon thy seat ; and if their children keep My covenant, they also shall sit upon thy seat : but he saith, If thy children keep My covenant, their children also shall sit upon thy seat for evermore -- except because He here wished their fruit to be understood by their children ? If thy children, He saith, will keep My covenant, and if thy children shall keep My testimonies that Ishall learn them; their children also shall sit upon thy seat : that is, this will be their fruit, that they sit upon thy seat. For in this life, brethren, do all of us who labour in Christ, all of us who tremble at His words, who in any way endeavour to execute His will, and groan while we pray His help that we may fulfil what He commandeth; do we already sit in those seats of bliss which are promised us? No: but holding His com mandments, we hope this will come to pass. This hope is spoken of under the figure of sons ; because sons are the
hope of man living in this life, sons are his fruit. For this reason also men, when excusing their avarice, allege that they are reserving for their children what they hoard up ; and, unwilling to give to the destitute, excuse themselves under the name of piety, because their children are their hope. For all men who live according to this world, declare it to be their hope, to be fathers of children they may leave behind them. Thus then He describes hope generally under the name of children, and saith, If thyIchildren will
My covenant and My testimonies that
their children also shall sit upon thy seat for evermore: that is, they shall have such fruits, that their hope shall not deceive them, that they may come there where they hope to come. At present therefore they are as fathers, men of
keep shall learn them,
104 If Children' literally, then faithful children.
Psalm hope for the future; but when they have attained what they
cxxxii.
i ' in P0,te- rum. ' *'po>>te- ntas'
I
John
Lord saith openly, Ifye were Abraham's children, ye would do the works of Abraham. He thereby denied them to be children, because they did not the works,) how do we call ourselves David's children, who are not of his race according to the flesh? follows then that we are not children, save by imitating his faith, save by worshipping God, as he worshipped. If therefore what thou hopest not through
descent, thou wilt not endeavour to obtain by works; how shall the sitting upon David's seat be fulfilled in thee And shall not be fulfilled in thee, thinkest thou that shall
h0pe, tlJev are children ; because they have brought forth and produced in their works that which they gain. And this is preserved unto them for the future1, because futurity * itself commonly signifieth children,
J?
20. Or if thou understand actual men to be meant by
children, the words, If thy children will keep My covenant
I
If thy children will keep My covenant and testimonies
and My testimonies that
shall teach them, may mean,
shall teach them, and their children also; that is, if they too keep My covenant; so that here thou must make a slight pause, and then infer that they shall sit upon thy seal for evermore; that is, both thy children and their children, but all if they keep My covenant. What then, if they keep it not? Hath the promise of God failed? No: but it is said and promised for this reason, that God foresaw: what, save that they would believe ? But that no man should as it were threaten God's promises, and prefer to place in his own power the fulfilment of what God promised : for this reason he saith, He made an oath: whereby he sheweth that it will without doubt take place. How then hath He said here, If they will keep my covenant ? Glory not in the promises, and leave out thy failing to keep the covenant. Then wilt thou be the son of David, if thou shalt keep the covenant; but if thou dost not
thou wilt not be David's son. God promised to the sons of David. Say not, am David's son, thou degenerate. If the Jews, who were born of this very stock, say not this, (nay, they say but they are under delusion. For the
that
keep
if it
it ?
It
it,
I
8,
a
if
it,
The Church, in her pilgrimage, a Widow. 105
not be fulfil led at all ? And how hath He found it in the ver. woodland tracts ? and how did His feet stand ? Whatsoever 13~15- iheu thou mayest be, that house will stand.
21. Ver. 13. For the Lord hath chosen Sion to be an habitation for Himself. Sion is the Church Herself; She is also that Jerusalem unto whose peace we are running, who is in pilgrimage not in the Angels, but in us, who in her better part waiteth for the part that will return ; whence letters have come unto us, which are every day read. This
city is that very Sion, whom the Lord hath chosen.
22. Ver. 14. This shall be My rest for ever. These are
the words of God. My rest : I rest there. How greatly doth God love us, brethren, since, because we rest, He saith that He also resteth ! For He is not sometimes Himself disturbed, nor doth He rest as we do ; but He saith that He resteth there, becaIuse we shall have rest in Him. Here
will I dwell : for
have a delight therein.
/will bless her widow with blessings, and
23. Ver. 15.
will satisfy her poor with bread. Every soul that is aware
that it is bereft of all help, save of God alone, is widowed.
For how doth the Apostle describe a widow ? She that is lTim. fi, a widow indeed and desolate, trusteth in God. He was5-6' speaking of those whom we all call Widows in the Church.
He saith, She that liveth in pleasure, is dead while she liceth ; and he numbereth her not among the widows. But in describing true widows, what saith he ? She that is a widow indeed and desolate, trusteth in God, and continueth in supplications and prayers night and day. Here he addeth, but she that liveth in pleasure, is dead while she liveth. What then makes a widow ? That she hath no aid from any other source, save from God alone. They that
have husbands, take pride in the protection of their hus bands : widows seem desolate, and their aid is a stronger one. The whole Church therefore is one widow, whether in men or in women, in married men or married women, in young men or in old, or in virgins: the whole Church is one widow, desolate in this world, if she feel this, if she is
aware of her widowhood : for then is help at hand for her.
Do ye not recognise this widow in the Gospel, my brethren,
when the Lord declared that men ought always to pray andLutelS,
10t/ Who are the Poor, who shall be satisfied.
Psalm not to faint ? There was in a city a judge, He said, which cxxxlIifeared not God, neither regarded man. And there was a widow in that city ; and she came unto him day by day,
saying, Avenge me ofmine adversary. The widow, by daily importunity, prevailed with him : for the judge said within
I
because this woman troublet h me,
himself, Though
not God, neither regard man, yet I will avenge her. If the wicked judge heard the widow, that he might not be molested; heareth not God His Church, whom He exhorteth
fear
to pray ?
24.
he adds, nor mine eyelids to slumber, neither the temples of Ver. my head to take any rest, until Ifind out a place for the 1,a'
Lord; an habitation for the God of Jacob.
Where did he meek, he sought it in himself. For how is one a place for the Lord ? Hear the
seek a place for the Lord ?
If he was
Prophet : Upon whom shall My Spirit rest ? Even upon Is. 66,2. him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at
My words. Dost thou wish to be a place for the Lord ? Be
thou poor in spirit, and contrite, and trembling at the word
of God, and thou wilt thyself be made what thou seekest. For if what thou seekest be not realized in thyself, what
doth it profit thee in another. God indeed
worketh the salvation of another through the preacher only, if he preach and do not ; and through his tongue there is made in another a place for the Lord, but he becometh not himself a place for the Lord. But he who doth well what he teacheth, and teacheth well also, becometh a place for the Lord, together with him whom he teacheth, because all believers constitute one place for the Lord. For the Lord hath His place in the heart; for the heart of all joined together in love is one.
5. How many thousands believed, my brethren, when they laid down the price of their possessions at the Apostles' feet! But what saith Scripture of them? Surely they are become a temple of God; not only each respectively a temple of God, but also all a temple of God together. They have therefore become a place for the Lord. And that ye may know that one place is made for the Lord in all, Scrip
sometimes
ture saith, They were of one heart and one soul toward Acts 4, /. 4 32 35
God. But many, so as not to make a place for the Lord, seek their own things, love their own things, delight in their own power, are greedy for their private interests. Whereas he who wisheth to make a place for the Lord, should rejoice not in his private, but the common good. They did this with their private goods; they made them common. Did
they love what they had of their own ?
goods alone, and each man had his own, he would have that only which he had of his own ; but when he made that which was his special property common, those things also
If they held their
94 Private possessions renounced moke mom for God.
Psalm which belonged to others were made his own. Consider pxxxn. this, beloved ; that on account of private possessions exist
lawsuits, enmities, discords, wars among men, riots, dissen sions against one another, offences, sins, iniquities, murders. On account of what ? On account of what we each possess. Do we litigate in behalf of what we possess in common ?
In common we inhale this air, in common we all behold the sun. Blessed then are they who so make a place for the Lord, as not to rejoice in their private goods. Such a one indeed the Psalmist describes in the words, / will not come within the tabernacle of mine house. This was private. He knew that he was hindered by what was his own only, so that he could not make a place for the Lord ; and he men
tions what belonged to himself:
tabernacle of mine house, until I find
thou hast found a place for the Lord, wilt thou come within
thy tabernacle ? Or will itself be thy tabernacle, when thou shalt have found a place for the Lord ? Wherefore? Because thou wilt thyself be the place of the Lord, and thou wilt be one with those who shall be the Lord's place.
6. Let us therefore, brethren, abstain from the possession of private property; or from the love of we may not from its possession and we make place for the Lord. It
too much for me, saith some one. But consider who thou art, who art about to make place for the Lord. If any senator wished to be entertained at your house, say not senator, the deputy of some great man of this world, and should say, something offends me in thy house; though thou shouldest love thou wouldest remove nevertheless, lest thou shouldest offend him, whose friendship thou wast
courting. And what doth man's friendship profit thee Perchance thou wouldest find there not merely no aid, but even danger. For many were not endangered before they
combined with greater men they earnestly desired the friendship of the great, but to incur greater dangers. Desire the friendship of Christ without fear He wishes to be entertained at thy house make room for Him. What is, make room for Him Love not thyself, love Him. If thou
love thyself, thou shuttest the door against Him if thou
I will not
out : what? when
come within the
;
I
?
;
:
it,
;
a
a
?
it,
is
;
it, if
Earthly riches are but a dream of our sleep. 95
lore Him, thou openest unto Him : and if thou open and He Ver. enter, thou shalt not be lost by loving thyself, but shalt find 9' *' thyself with Him Who loveth thee.
7. Ver. 3. / will not come within the tabernacle of mine house, nor climb up into the couch of my bed. For private property of itself, where a man yields to its influence, makes
him proud: therefore he said,
property which any man possesses of his own, he must needs be proud; for on that account man stretches himself before man, though both be flesh. What is a man, brethren ? Flesh ? And what is the other man ? Another piece of flesh. Nevertheless, the rich flesh stretcheth out itself against the poor flesh ; as if that flesh brought any thing when it was born, or taketh away any thing when it dieth. It had more only to swell the more. But the Psalmist who wisheth to find a place for the Lord, sailh, / will not climb up into
Iwill not climb up. In
the couch of my bed.
8. Ver. 4. /will not yice sleep to mine eyes. For many
when they sleep, make not a place for the Lord. Such the Apostle arouseth : Awake, thou that steepest, and arisefrom Ephes. the dead, and Christ shall give thee light; and in another8'1*' passage, Ye are all the children of the day; weave nol ofi TheTM. the night, nor of darkness; therefore let us not sleep as do5''8 8' others ; but let us watch and be sober. For they that sleep,
sleep in the night; and they that be drunken, are drunken
in the night. Meaning by the night iniquity, wherein they
go to sleep because they desire these earthly things. And
all these seeming sources of worldly happiness, are the dreams of sleepers. And as he who seeth treasures in his
sleep, while he sleeps is rich ; but will sometimes awake,
and be poor; thus it is in sleep that men rejoice in all those vanities of this world that please them ; but they will awake
when they would not, if they wake not now when it is pro
fitable for them ; and they will find those to have been dreams, that have passed away, as Scripture saith, As a Pa. "3. dream when one awaketh; and in another passage, They\^_i6,5. have slept their sleep, and all the men whose hands are
mighty have found nothing. They have slept their sleep,
their sleep is over, and they have found nothing in their
hands ; because they beheld transitory riches in their sleep.
any
96 Sleep refused. A Tabernacle here, a Temple hereafter.
Psalm The Psalmist therefore, wishing to find a place for the Lord, CxxxII. saith, / will not give sleep to mine eyes. But there are some who sleep not, but slumber. They in a great degree draw themselves off from the love of temporal things, and are again rolled back into it; like slumberers, they often
nod their heads. Awake, shake off sleep; by slumber ing thou wilt fall. The Psalm wisheth not that he who desires to find a place for the Lord, should give sleep to his eyes or slumber to his eyelids.
9. Ver. 5. Neither rest, he saith, to the temples of my head. From the rest of the temples sleep cometh to the
The temples are around the eyes. Heaviness of the temples is as it were impending sleep. For when men are about to sleep, their temples begin to feel heavy; and when they feel their temples heavy, then sleep commenceth : if sleep is to be imparted to the eyes, they give their temples rest, and sleep cometh ; if they give not rest to their temples, sleep cometh not. When therefore any temporal pleasure beginneth to delight thee unto sin, already thy temples are heavy. Dost thou wish to keep awake, and not to sleep,
nor to slumber? Trust not thyself to such pleasure; it will give greater pain than sweetness. Rubbing thy forehead as it were with this thought, thou shakest off sleep, and pre- parest a place for the Lord.
4' 7'
how much soever thou mayest reflect upon that peace, the
eyes.
10. Until Ifind
a tabernacle for the mighty God of Jacob. Although the tabernacle of God is sometimes called the house of God, and the house of God the tabernacle of God ; yet in a more definite sense, dearest brethren, the tabernacle means the Church of this world ; the ' house' the Church of the heavenly Jerusalem, whither we shall go. For a tabernacle applies rather to soldiers in the field: tabernacles are used for sol diers ready for action, on an expedition ; whence they are called contubernales1, as having the same tents and dwell-
out a place
for
the temple the Lord, of
1 i. e.
feliows. inS m them. As long therefore as we have an enemy with
whom to fight, we make a tabernacle for God. But when the time for fighting hath passed by, and that peace hath come which passeth all understanding, as the Apostle saith,
Philip, the peace of Christ which passeth all understanding; for
A 'place for the Lord' found in the unfilled Wood. 97
mind is scarce able to conceive it while set amid the heavi- Vrr. ness of the body ; when that country hath come, then it -----
will be the house, which no adversary will attempt, so as to
cause it to be styled a tabernacle. We shall not sally forth
to conflict, but we shall abide for praise-giving. For what
is said of that house ? Blessed are they that dwell in Thy Ps. 84,4. house: they will be alway praising Thee. In the tabernacle
we as yet groan: in the house we shall praise. Why? Because groaning is for pilgrims, praise for those who have reached their country. Here first be there sought a taber nacle for the God of Jacob.
11. Ver. 6. Lo, we heard of the same at Ephrata. What? A place for the Lord. We heard of it at Ephrata : and found it in the plains of the forests. (We hear those things
in Ephrata, we find them in the woodland plains'. ) Did he1 Oxf. hear it where he found it? or did he hear it in one place,
find it in another? Let us therefore enquire what hh1hratathese is, where he heard it; let us also . what mean the word*.
enquire plains of the forests, where he found it. Ephrata, a Hebrew word,
is rendered in Latin by Speculum*, &s the translators of Hebrew 'Mirror, words in the Scriptures have handed down to us, that we
might understand them. They have translated from Hebrew
into Greek, and from Greek we have versions into Latin.
For there have been who watched in the Scriptures. If therefore Ephrata meaneth a mirror, that house which was found in the woodland plains, was heard of in a mirror. A mirror hath an image : all prophecy is an image of things future. The future house of God, therefore, was declared in the image of prophecy. For we have heard of it in the mirror, that is, we have heard of it in Ephrata. We have found it in the plains of the forests. What are the plains of
the forests3? ' Saltus' is not here used in its common sense, 'sal. as a plot of ground of so many hundred acres'; saltus pro-tuum' perly signifies a spot as yet untilled and woody. For some copies read, in the plains of the wood. What then were the woodland plains, save nations yet untilled ? what were they,
save regions yet covered with the thorns of idolatry ? Thus, though there were thorns of idolatry there, still we find a place for the Lord there, a tabernacle for the God of Jacob. c Centuriarum -- then 200 acres. See laid. Etym. xv. c. 15. ? . 7.
VOL. VI. H
! )S God dwells in those who dwell in His House.
Psalm What we heard of in Ephrata, we found in the plains of CxxXI1- the forests; what was declared in the image to the Jews,
was manifested in the faith of the Gentiles.
12. Ver. 7. We will go into His tabernacles. Whose ?
Those of the Lord God of Jacob. They who enter to dwell therein, are the very same who enter that they may be dwelt in. Thou enterest into thy house, that thou mayest dwell therein ; into the house of God, that thou mayest be dwelt in. For the Lord is better, and when He hath begun to dwell in thee, He will make thee happy. For if thou be not dwelt in by Him, thou wilt be miserable. That son who
Lukeis, said, Father, give me the portion of the goods that falleth to ~ ' me, wished to be his own master. It was well kept in his father's hands, that it might not be wasted with harlots. He received was given into his own power; going to far country, he squandered all with harlots. At length he
suffered hunger, he remembered his father; he returned, that he might be satisfied with bread. Enter therefore, that thou mayest be dwelt in and mayest be not thine own, so to speak, but His We will go into His tabernacles.
13. We will worship on the spot where His feet stood. Whose feet The Lord's, or those of the house of the Lord itself? For that the Lord's house, wherein he saith He ought to be worshipped. We will worship on the spot where His feet stood. Beside His house, the Lord heareth
not unto eternal life for he belongeth to God's house, who hath in charity been built in with living stones. But he who hath not charity, falleth and while he falls, the house stands. Let no one then threaten the house, where he beginneth to be as stone, as should he choose to fall, he injureth the house in any way. Such had been the pride of the first nation of the Jews, who said, God will surely not deceive our father Abraham, to whom He pro mised so great things from his seed and they did all evil deeds as though safe in the promise of God, because He spared them, not for their own merit, who committed crimes, but for the merit of Abraham, and would
gather together all the wicked children of Abraham into His own house unto everlasting life. But what saith John generation of vipers! When these very children of Abraham came
? O
:
a;
is
;
; if,
?
it, it
:
it
a
His true House are those who persevere. ! ><> unto him to be baptlzed in the water of repentance, he said Ves-
--
not unto them, Generation of Abraham, but, of vipers. Such
were they, as were those whom they imitated : not the children of Abraham, but children of the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Gergesite, the Jebusite, and of all who offended God: they were their children, because they followed
their deeds.
O generation of vipers, who hath warned you JIatt" 3, to flee from the wrath to come ? Bring forth therefore '
fruits meet for repentance. And think not to say to your selves, We have Abraham to our father ; for God is able out of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. There were certain stones then which he saw in the ' wood land plains,' out of which children were raised up to
Abraham. For they are rather children who imitated his faith, than they who were born of the flesh. Let no man therefore threaten the house of God, as much as to say, I withdraw myself, and the house will fall. For it is good for him that he be built up together, and that he have charity. For if he himself fall, the house will stand. There fore, brethren, the house of God is in those whom He hath predestined, and who He foreknew would persevere : of these it was said, Where His feet stood. For there are those who persevere not, and His feet stand not in them. They therefore are not the Church ; they belong not to that which is now a tabernacle, but will then be the house. But where
did His feet stand? Because iniquity shall abound, //<<? Mat. 24, 1. 1213
love of many shall wax cold. Among those in whom love waxeth cold, His feet stand not. But what doth He proceed to say ? But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. Lo, in whom His feet have stood : on that spot worship thou, that is, be thou among those in whom the Lord's feet have stood.
14. But if ye incline to understand it of the house itself,
where the feet of that house have stood ; let thy feet stand
in Christ. They will then stand, if thou shalt persevere in Christ. For what is said of the devil ? He was a murderer John 8,
from the beginning, and stood not in the truth. The feet
of the devil therefore stood not. Also what saith he of the proud? O let not the foot of pride come against me; and? *-TM' let not the hand of the ungodly cast me down. There are
H2
100 We stand not in ourselves but in Christ. His Rising.
Psalm they fallen, all that work wickedness: they are cast down, cxxyil'qii</ were not able to stand. That then is the house of God, whose feet stand. Whence John rejoicing, saith : what? He
that hath the bride is the bridegroom : but the friend of the
bridegroom slandeth and heareth him. If he stand not, he John 3, heareth him not. And rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice. Justly he standeth, because he rejoiceth on account of the bridegroom's voice : for if he rejoiced because of his own voice, he would fall. Now therefore ye see why they fell, who rejoice because of their own voice.
John l, That friend of the Bridegroom said, Tlie same is He Which baptizeth. Some say, We baptize : rejoicing in their own voice, they could not stand ; and belong not to that house of which it is said, where His feet stood.
Dona- tists.
15. Ver. 8. Arise, O Lord, into Thy resting place. He saith unto the Lord sleeping, Arise. Ye know already Who slept, and Who rose again. For He Himself saith in a
Ps. 57,4. certain passage of the Psalms, /
slept disturbed. Well is it said unto Him, Arise, O Lord, unto Thy resting place. Rom. 6, No more wilt Thou be disturbed, since Christ, being raised
from the dead, dieth no more, and death shall no more have dominion over Him. It is His voice in another Psalm that
/ laid me down and and rose the slept, again, for
Ps. 3,5. saith,
Lord shall sustain me. He Himself slept; unto Him is said, Arise, O Lord, into Thy resting place, Thou, and the ark of Thy sanctification : that is, Arise, that the ark of Thy sanctification, which Thou hast sanctified, may arise also. He is our Head; His ark is His Church : He arose first, the Church will arise also. The body would not dare to
itself resurrection, save the Head arose first. O Lord, arise into Thy resting place, Tliou, and the ark of Thy sanctification. The Body of Christ, that was born of Mary, hath been understood by some to be the ark of sanctification; so that the words, Arise, O Lord, into Thy resting place, Thou, and the ark of Thy sanctification, mean, Arise with Thy Body, that they who believe not may handle. Arise, O Lord, into Thy resting place, TJiou, and
the ark of Thy sanctification.
16. Ver. 9. Let Thy priests be clothed with righteousness,
and let Thy saints sing with joyfulness. When Thou risest
promise
as
God is entreated not to reject the Remnant. 101
from the dead, and goest unto Thy Father, let that royal Veh. Priesthood be clothed with faith, since the righteous liveth K<^' by faith; and, receiving the pledge of the Holy Spirit, let 17.
the members rejoice in the hope of resurrection, which went before in the Head: for to them the Apostle saith, Rejoicing Rom. 13, in hope.
17. Ver. 10. For Thy servant David's sake, turn not away
the face of Thine Anointed. These words are addressed
unto God the Father. For Thy servant David's sake, turn
not away the face of Thine Anointed. The Lord was cruci
fied in Judaea; He was crucified by the Jews; harassed by them, He slept. He arose to judge those among whose savage hands He slept: and He saith elsewhere, Raise ThouP*- *1, Ale up again, and I shall reward them. He both hath rewarded them, and will reward them. The Jews well know themselves how great were their sufferings after the Lord's death. They were all expelled from the very city, where
they slew Him. What then ? have all perished even from
the root of David and from the tribe of Judah ? No : for
some of that stock believed, and in fact many thousands of
men of that stock believed, and this after the Lord's resur rection. They raged and crucified Him : and afterwards
began to see miracles wrought in the Name of Him Cruci
fied; and they trembled still more that His Name should
have so much power, since when in their hands He seemed unable to work any; and pricked at heart, at length believing
that there was some hidden divinity in Him Whom they
had believed like other men, and asking counsel of the Apostles, they were answered, Repent, and be baptized Acts 2, every one of you in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Since then Christ arose to judge those by whom He had
been crucified, and turned away His Presence from the
Jews, turning His Presence towards the Gentiles; God
seemeth, besought in behalf of the remnant of Israel;
and said unto Him, For Thy servant David's sake, turn
not away the presence of Thine Anointed. If the chaff be condemned, let the wheat be gathered together. May the remnant be saved, as Isaiah saith, And the remnant hath Is. 10,
, '
*22, out of them more than five hundred brethren, to whom the
clearly been saved: for out of them were the twelve Apostles,
it it is
is,
29. '
for He not a man that He should repent. When there fore He changeth His works through His immutable counsel, He said to repent on account of this very change, not of His counsel, but of His work. But He promised this so as
102 God's repentance changes His action, not His purpose.
Psalm Lord shewed Himself after His Resurrection : out of their
Thus then
Thy
<1XX x J 1. nunluer were so many thousands baptized, who laid the rCorT
price of their possessions at the Apostles' feet. prayer
15, 6.
Acts 2 ' was fulfilled the here made to God : For
41.
servant David's sake, turn not away the presence of Thine Anointed. 18. Ver. 11. The Lord hath made a faithful oath unto Darid, and He shall not repent. What meaneth, hath
made an oath / Hath confirmed a promise through Himself. What meaneth, He shall not repent ? He will not change. For God sufTereth not the pain of repentance, nor is He deceived in any matter, so that He would wish to correct
that wherein He hath erred. But as when a man repents of any thing, he wisheth to change what he hath done ; thus where thou hearest that God repenteth, look for an actual change. God doth it differently from thee, although He calleth it by the name of repentance ; for thou dost be cause thou hadst erred while He doth because He
avengeth, or freeth. He changed Saul's kingdom, when He
repented, as said: and in the very passage where the Sam. Scripture saith, It repented Him; said little after,
P<<. no, not to change it. Just as this passage also saith: Tlie Lord aware, and will not repent, Thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Melchizedec so also since this was promised so that should not be changed, because must needs happen and be permanent he saith, The Lord hath made a faithful oath unto David, and He shall not repent; Of the fruit of thy body shall set upon thy seat. He might have said, 'of the fruit of thy loins,' wherefore did He choose to say, Of the fruit of thy body Had He said that also, would have been true but He chose to say with a
further meaning, Ex fructu ventris,' because Christ was born of a woman without the man.
19. Ver. 12. What then? The Lord hath made a faithful oath unto David, and He shall not shrink from it; Of the
fruit thy body shall set upon thy seat. Ifthy children will keep My covenant and My testimonies that shall
I
it,
of
it
is
is
I
;I
; ;
;
' '
it is
? '
it is
it
it
it, a
l
' Children interpreted of mens Works. 103
learn them, their children also shall sit upon thy seat for Ver. evermore. If thy children keep My covenant, their children --i^-- also shall sit for evermore. The parents establish a desert
on behalf of their children. What if his children should
keep the covenant, and their children should not keep it ? Why is the happiness of the children promised in relation to their parents' deservings? For what saith He, If thy children will keep My covenant, their children also shall sit for ever more--He saith not, if thy children keep My covenant, they shall sit upon thy seat ; and if their children keep My covenant, they also shall sit upon thy seat : but he saith, If thy children keep My covenant, their children also shall sit upon thy seat for evermore -- except because He here wished their fruit to be understood by their children ? If thy children, He saith, will keep My covenant, and if thy children shall keep My testimonies that Ishall learn them; their children also shall sit upon thy seat : that is, this will be their fruit, that they sit upon thy seat. For in this life, brethren, do all of us who labour in Christ, all of us who tremble at His words, who in any way endeavour to execute His will, and groan while we pray His help that we may fulfil what He commandeth; do we already sit in those seats of bliss which are promised us? No: but holding His com mandments, we hope this will come to pass. This hope is spoken of under the figure of sons ; because sons are the
hope of man living in this life, sons are his fruit. For this reason also men, when excusing their avarice, allege that they are reserving for their children what they hoard up ; and, unwilling to give to the destitute, excuse themselves under the name of piety, because their children are their hope. For all men who live according to this world, declare it to be their hope, to be fathers of children they may leave behind them. Thus then He describes hope generally under the name of children, and saith, If thyIchildren will
My covenant and My testimonies that
their children also shall sit upon thy seat for evermore: that is, they shall have such fruits, that their hope shall not deceive them, that they may come there where they hope to come. At present therefore they are as fathers, men of
keep shall learn them,
104 If Children' literally, then faithful children.
Psalm hope for the future; but when they have attained what they
cxxxii.
i ' in P0,te- rum. ' *'po>>te- ntas'
I
John
Lord saith openly, Ifye were Abraham's children, ye would do the works of Abraham. He thereby denied them to be children, because they did not the works,) how do we call ourselves David's children, who are not of his race according to the flesh? follows then that we are not children, save by imitating his faith, save by worshipping God, as he worshipped. If therefore what thou hopest not through
descent, thou wilt not endeavour to obtain by works; how shall the sitting upon David's seat be fulfilled in thee And shall not be fulfilled in thee, thinkest thou that shall
h0pe, tlJev are children ; because they have brought forth and produced in their works that which they gain. And this is preserved unto them for the future1, because futurity * itself commonly signifieth children,
J?
20. Or if thou understand actual men to be meant by
children, the words, If thy children will keep My covenant
I
If thy children will keep My covenant and testimonies
and My testimonies that
shall teach them, may mean,
shall teach them, and their children also; that is, if they too keep My covenant; so that here thou must make a slight pause, and then infer that they shall sit upon thy seal for evermore; that is, both thy children and their children, but all if they keep My covenant. What then, if they keep it not? Hath the promise of God failed? No: but it is said and promised for this reason, that God foresaw: what, save that they would believe ? But that no man should as it were threaten God's promises, and prefer to place in his own power the fulfilment of what God promised : for this reason he saith, He made an oath: whereby he sheweth that it will without doubt take place. How then hath He said here, If they will keep my covenant ? Glory not in the promises, and leave out thy failing to keep the covenant. Then wilt thou be the son of David, if thou shalt keep the covenant; but if thou dost not
thou wilt not be David's son. God promised to the sons of David. Say not, am David's son, thou degenerate. If the Jews, who were born of this very stock, say not this, (nay, they say but they are under delusion. For the
that
keep
if it
it ?
It
it,
I
8,
a
if
it,
The Church, in her pilgrimage, a Widow. 105
not be fulfil led at all ? And how hath He found it in the ver. woodland tracts ? and how did His feet stand ? Whatsoever 13~15- iheu thou mayest be, that house will stand.
21. Ver. 13. For the Lord hath chosen Sion to be an habitation for Himself. Sion is the Church Herself; She is also that Jerusalem unto whose peace we are running, who is in pilgrimage not in the Angels, but in us, who in her better part waiteth for the part that will return ; whence letters have come unto us, which are every day read. This
city is that very Sion, whom the Lord hath chosen.
22. Ver. 14. This shall be My rest for ever. These are
the words of God. My rest : I rest there. How greatly doth God love us, brethren, since, because we rest, He saith that He also resteth ! For He is not sometimes Himself disturbed, nor doth He rest as we do ; but He saith that He resteth there, becaIuse we shall have rest in Him. Here
will I dwell : for
have a delight therein.
/will bless her widow with blessings, and
23. Ver. 15.
will satisfy her poor with bread. Every soul that is aware
that it is bereft of all help, save of God alone, is widowed.
For how doth the Apostle describe a widow ? She that is lTim. fi, a widow indeed and desolate, trusteth in God. He was5-6' speaking of those whom we all call Widows in the Church.
He saith, She that liveth in pleasure, is dead while she liceth ; and he numbereth her not among the widows. But in describing true widows, what saith he ? She that is a widow indeed and desolate, trusteth in God, and continueth in supplications and prayers night and day. Here he addeth, but she that liveth in pleasure, is dead while she liveth. What then makes a widow ? That she hath no aid from any other source, save from God alone. They that
have husbands, take pride in the protection of their hus bands : widows seem desolate, and their aid is a stronger one. The whole Church therefore is one widow, whether in men or in women, in married men or married women, in young men or in old, or in virgins: the whole Church is one widow, desolate in this world, if she feel this, if she is
aware of her widowhood : for then is help at hand for her.
Do ye not recognise this widow in the Gospel, my brethren,
when the Lord declared that men ought always to pray andLutelS,
10t/ Who are the Poor, who shall be satisfied.
Psalm not to faint ? There was in a city a judge, He said, which cxxxlIifeared not God, neither regarded man. And there was a widow in that city ; and she came unto him day by day,
saying, Avenge me ofmine adversary. The widow, by daily importunity, prevailed with him : for the judge said within
I
because this woman troublet h me,
himself, Though
not God, neither regard man, yet I will avenge her. If the wicked judge heard the widow, that he might not be molested; heareth not God His Church, whom He exhorteth
fear
to pray ?
24.
