If in the members there be great distinction between the head and the rest of the members,
undoubtedly
all the members make one body, yet there is great difference between the head, and the rest of the members.
Augustine - Exposition on the Psalms - v1
9.
The Voice of the Lord perfecting the stags.
For the Voice of the Lord hath first perfected them that overcame and repelled the envenomed tongues *.
And will reveal the woods.
And then will He reveal to them the darknesses of the Divine books, and the shadowy depths of the mysteries, where they may feed with freedom.
And in His temple doth
36.
Rom. ' '
fire.
" Plin. Hist. Nat. viii. 32. and x xviii. theirholes with theirbreath,and kill and
9. says, that they bring serpents out of eat them. See S. Greg. Mor. ik.
The Lord in the Tent now, in the House hereafter. 213
every man speak of His glory. And in His Church all born Ver. again to an eternal hope praise God, each for His own gift, 10' ll. ? which He hath received from the Holy Spirit.
10. Ver. 10. The Lord inhabiteth the deluge. The Lord therefore first inhabiteth the deluge of this world in His Saints, kept safely in the Church, as in the ark. And the Lord shall sit a King for ever. And afterward He will sit reigning in them for ever.
11. Ver. 11. The Lord will give strength to His people.
For the Lord will give strength to His people fighting against
the storms and whirlwinds of this world, for peace in this
world He hath not promised them. The Lord will bless His Johnl6,
people in peace. And the same Lord will bless His33, peopleI, affording them peace in Himself; for, saith He, My John 14,
peace
leave with
you, peace you.
give unto My I
27.
xxix.
PSALM XXX. FIRST EXPOSITION.
To the end, the Psalm of the Canticle of the Dedication of the House, of David himself.
1. To the end, a Psalm of the joy of the Resurrection, and the change, the renewing of the body to an immortal state, and not only of the Lord, but also of the whole Church. For in the former Psalm the tabernacle was finished, wherein we dwell in the time of war: but now the house is dedicated, which will abide in peace everlasting.
2. It is then whole Christ Who speaketh. (Ver. 1. ) / wilt exalt Thee, O Lord, for Thou hast taken Me up. I will praise Thy high Majesty, O Lord, for Thou hast taken Me up.
Thou hast not made Mine enemies to rejoice over Me. And those, who have so often endeavoured to oppress Me with various persecutions throughout the world, Thou hast not made to rejoice over Me. I
have cried unto Thee, and Thou hast healed Me. O Lord, My God, I have cried unto
3. Ver. 2. O Lord, My God,
Q 1 4 Praise to God in prophecy of resurrection and revival.
Psalm Thee, and I no longer bear about a body enfeebled and sick Exp. I. by mortality.
4. Ver. 3. O Lord, Thou hast brought back My Soul from hell, and Thou hast saved Me from them that go down into the pit. Thou hast saved Me from the condition of profound darkness, and the lowest slough of corruptible flesh.
5. Ver. 4. Sing to the Lord, 0 ye saints of His. The prophet seeing these future things, rejoiceth, and saith, Sing to the Lord, Oye saints of His. And make confession of the remembrance of His holiness. And make confession to Him, that He hath not forgotten the sanctification, wherewith He hath sanctified you, although all this intermediate period be long to your desires.
6. Ver. 5. For in His indignation is wrath. For He hath avenged against you the first sin, for which you have paid by death. And life in His will And life eternal, whercnnto you could not return by any strength of your own, hath He given, because He so would. In the evening weep ing uill tairy. Evening began, when the light of wisdom withdrew from sinful man, when he was condemned to death: from this evening weeping will tarry, as long as God's people are, amid labours and temptations, awaiting the day of the Lord. And exultation in the morning. Even to the morn ing, when there will be the exultation of the resurrection, which hath shone forth by anticipation in the morning resurrection of the ILord. I
shall not be moved for ever. But I, that people which was speaking from the first, sIaid in mine abundance, suffering now no
7. Ver. 6. But
said in my abundance,
shall not be moved ever. for
more any want,
8. Ver. 7. O Lord, in Thy will Thou hast afforded strength
unto my beauty. But that this my abundance, O Lord, is not of myself, but that in Thy will Thou hast afforded strength unto my beauty, I have learnt from this, Thou
furnedst away Thy Face from me, and I
became troubled; for Thou hast sometimes turned away Thy Face from the sinner, and I became troubled, when the illumination of Thy
knowledge withdrew from me.
9. Ver. 8. Unto Thee, O Lord, will Icry, and unto my
God uill T pray. And bringing to mind that time of my
The Church savedfrom sin, sorrow, and fear. 215
trouble and misery, and as it were established therein, I Ver. hear the voice of Thy First-Begotten, my Head, about to die --1 '
for me, and saying, Unto Thee, 0 Lord, will I
cry, and unto
I
10. Ver. 9. What profit is there in My blood, whilst
My God will
pray.
I down to corruption ? What profit is there in the shedding of
My blood, whilst I go down to corruption ? Shall dust confess unto Thee? For if I shall not rise immediately, and My body shall become corrupt, shall dust confess unto Thee ? that is, the crowd of the ungodly, whom I shall justify by My resurrection ? Or declare Thy truth ? Or for the salvation of the rest declare Thy truth ?
1 1. Ver. 10. The Lord hath heard, and had mercy on Me,
the Lord hath become My helper. Nor did He suffer His Ps. 16, holy One to see corruption.
12. Ver. 11. Thou hast turned My mourning into joy
to Me. Whom I, the Church, having received, the First- Begotten from the dead, now in the dedication of Thine Rev. l, house, say, Thou hast turned my mourning into joy to me. 5'
Thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with glad ness. Thou hast torn off the veil of my sins, the sadness of my mortality ; and hast girded me with the first robe, with immortal gladness. I
13. Ver. 12. That my glory should sing unto Thee, and should not be pricked. That now, not my humiliation, but my glory should not lament, but should sing unto Thee, for that now out of humiliation Thou hast exalted me ; and that I should not be pricked with the consciousness of sin, with the fear of death, with the fear of judgment. 0 Lord, my
God,
glory, O Lord, my God, that I should confess unto Thee for
ever, that I have nothing of myself, but that all my good is i Cor.
of Thee, Who art God, All in all.
PSALM XXX. SECOND EXPOSITION.
1. This truly have we sung: (ver. I. ) Iwill magnify Thee, 0 Lord, for Thou hast taken me up, and hast not
,5, 28.
go
I will unto Thee ever. And this is my confess for
216 Christ prayed as Man, not in His Godhead.
Psalm made mine enemies to rejoice over me. If we shall know XXX
Exp. ii. from tne holy Scriptures who our enemies are, we recognise ~ the truth of this Canticle : but if the wisdom of the flesh Eph. 6, deceive uS, so tnat we recognise not against whom our
wrestling is, in the very commencement of this Psalm we find a difficulty, which we cannot solve. For whose voice do we suppose his to be, who praiseth God, and giveth thanks, and rejoiceth, and sailh, /will magnify Thee, 0 Lord, for Thou hast taken me up, and hast not made mine enemies to rejoice over me ? First let us consider the Lord Himself, Who in that He vouchsafed to be Man, could by a prophecy going before apply these words not unsuitably to Himself. For wherein He was Man, therein also was He weak : wherein weak, therein also praying. For as we have
just now heard, when the Gospel was being read, how He even retired into the desert from His disciples, whither they followed and found Him : but He retiring thither prayed,
****1, and it was said by His disciples who found Him, Men seek
Thee. But He answered, Let us go to oIther places and
come. If thou dost consider the Divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who is it that prays ? to Whom doth He pray ? why doth He pray ? doth God pray ? doth He pray to One Equal to Him ? But what occasion for prayer hath the ever Blessed, the ever
Almighty, the ever Unchangeable, the Eternal and Coeternal
with the Father? Regarding then what Himself hath thun John l, dered forth by John, as (so to say) by a cloud of His, saying, In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God; the Same was in the beginning with God: all things were made by Him, and without Him was not any thing made : what was made in Him is Life, and the Life was the Light ofmen, and the
Light shineth in darkness, and the darkness comprehended it not. Reading thus far we find no prayer, nor cause for praying, no occasion for praying, no disposition for praying.
John 1, But since ne saitn a little afterwards, And the Word was madeflesh, and dwelt in us, thou hast the Majesty to which to pray, thou hast the Humanity to pray for thee. For it was said by the Apostle, even after the resurrection of our Lord
^im8, Jesus Christ; Who sitteth, saith he, at the right hand of
teu"
villages1 also to preach; for therefore have
The Word made Flesh. Mediator between God and men.
God, Who also maketh intercession for us. Why doth He Ver. make intercession for us ? Because He vouchsafed to be a ^-- Mediator. What is it to be a Mediator between God and lTim. 2, men ? Not between the Father and men, but between GodS'
and men. What is God? Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
What are men ? Sinners, ungodly, mortals. Between that Trinity, and the weakness and wickedness of men, Man was
made Mediator, not wicked but yet weak ; that inasmuch as
He was not wicked He might join thee to God, inasmuch as
He was weak He might draw near unto thee: and so, that
there might be a Mediator between man and God, the Word
was made Flesh, that is, the Word was made Man. For
men are called by the name of flesh. Hence, And all flesh Luke 3,
shall see the salvation of God. By all flesh is meant all men. 6' And the Apostle, We wrestle not against flesh and blood,EPh. 6, (that is, against men,) but against princes and powers, and12' the rulers of the world, of this darkness: of which we will speak, if God help us, in what follows. For this distinction
bears upon the exposition of the Psalm, which we have undertaken in the Name of the Lord to unfold to you, holy Brethren. Yet I have mentioned these examples for this reason, that ye may know that men are called flesh, and
understand that by the saying, And the Word was made Flesh, is meant, And the Word was made Man.
2. Nor have I said this without reason. Ye should know,
holy Brethren, that there existed a certain heresy, or haply
that the remains are still found of certain men, who were
called Apollinarians. For some of them said that the Man ', i homi- which the Wisdom of God assumed, (and in which He mani- nem. fasted forth His Person, not as in other men, but as it is said
in the Psalm, God, even Thy God, hath anointed Thee with Ps. 45,8. the oil of gladness above Thy fellows, that is, more than Thy fellows : that it should not be supposed that Christ was anointed as other men, as other righteous men, as the Patriarchs, Prophets, Apostles, and Martyrs, and whatsoever
there is great among mankind. Since among mankind there
hath not appeared aught greater than John the Baptist, neither hath risen among them that are born of women. Mat. i1, If thou lookest for excellency in man, John the Baptist is it.
But He, of Whom John saith that he is not worthy to unloose Mark l, 7.
217
218 Apollinarians held the Soul of Christ not rational.
Psalm the latchet of His shoes, what was He but greater than other Ejtp. ll. men ? Even in His very Manhood greater than other men. For as to His being God, and as to His Divinity, and as to
His being in the beginning the Word, and the Word being with the Father, and the Word being God, He is above every creature, equal to the Father: but we speak of His Manhood. Perhaps some one of you, Brethren, may imagine, that the Man assumed by the Wisdom of God, was equal to other men.
If in the members there be great distinction between the head and the rest of the members, undoubtedly all the members make one body, yet there is great difference between the head, and the rest of the members. For in the other members thou hast only perception by touch ; by touching thou hast perception in the other members ; but in the head thou both seest, and hearest, and smellest, and tastest, and touchest: if the excellence of the head as com pared with the rest of the members be so great, how great is the excellence of the Head of the Church universal, that is, of that Man, Whom God hath willed to be the Mediator between God and men? ) Those heretics then said, that That Man, Which the Word assumed when the Word was made Flesh, had no human mind, but was only life without human intelligence. For you know, of what man consists; of a
1 anima principle of life ' and a body. But this same principle of life of man has somewhat, which the living principle in beasts has not. For even beasts have animal life, and are called animals'"; for they would not be called animals, but from
>> anima animal life1; and we see that they too live. But what has Gen. l, man more, wherein he was made after the image of God ?
In that he has intelligence and wisdom, in that he distin guishes good from evil : herein was he made after the image and likeness of God. He has then somewhat which beasts have not. And in that he despises, in himself, that wherein he is superior to the beasts, he destroys in himself or defaces,
and in a manner effaces the image of God, so that to such it Ps. 32, is said, Be ye not like to horse and mule, which have no understanding. These heretics then said that our Lord
Jesus Christ had no human mind, nor that which the Greeks call Xoyixov, and we rationale, that wherewith man reasons,
b Tecora animam habent, et animalia vocantur.
Certain others denied Him even the animal soul. 219 which the other animals have not. But what say they ? Ver.
That the Very Word of God was in That Man in the place of mind. These have been shut out, the Catholic faith hath rejected them, and they have made a heresy. It hath been established in the Catholic faith, that That Man, which the Wisdom of God assumed, had nothing less than other men, as far as relates to entireness of nature ; but as far as relates to excellency of Person, something else than other men. For other men may be called partakers of the Word of God, as having the Word of God : but no one of them can be called the Word of God, Which He was called, forasmuch as it is said, The Word was made Flesh.
--
John ir 3. There have not been wanting some others too, pro 14.
ceeding from this same error, to say not only that That
Man, Christ the Mediator between God and men, had no
mind, but no principle of life either : but they have said merely, He was the Word and Flesh, and no human animal
life was in Him, neither was human mind in Him. This
have they said. But what was He ? The Word and Flesh.
The Catholic Church rejecteth these too, and driveth them
out from among the sheep, and from the simple and true
faith : and it hath been established, as I said, that That
Man, the Mediator, had all that is man's, except sin. For if
He did many things after the body, whereby we may under
stand that He had a Body, not in falsehood, but in truth ;
as, for instance, how do we understand that He had a Body?
He walked, sat, slept, was seized, was scourged, was buffeted,
was crucified, died. Take away the body, none of these
things could have been done. As then from these signs we recognise in the Gospel that He had a true Body, as Himself
also said even after the resurrection, Handle, and see ; for <<Luke24, spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see Me have : as from ' these circumstances, from these actions, we believe, and understand, and know, that the Lord Jesus had a Body, so
also from certain other natural functions that He had animal life. To be hungry, to be thirsty, these are functions of animal life: take away animal life, a lifeless body will not be able to be so. But if they say these were unreal, those things too will be unreal which are believed of the Body : but if the Body be therefore real, because the functions of
220 Enemies have outwardly rejoiced over Christ and His People.
Psalm the body are real ; the animal life is therefore real, because
Exp i{
its functions are real.
4. What then ? Because the Lord was made weak for
thee, O man, who hearest me, compare not thyself with God. For thou art a creature, He thy Creator. And compare not thyself with That Man, because thy God, and the Word the Son of God, was Man for thee: but prefer That Man to thyself, as the Mediator, yet God above every creature : and so understand, that He Who was made Man for thee, not unsuitably prayeth for thee. If therefore He doth not unsuitably pray for thee, He could also not unsuitably say
for Himself. For how is it true, if the Lord Christ speak,
' Oxf. 'md
magnify Thee, O Lord, for Thou hast taken Me up1? In His
character as man, in His character of weakness, in His
1lc/ *"h"
those words for thy sake,
/ will magnify Thee, O Lord,
Thou hast taken me up, and hast not made mine enemies to
rejoice over Me. But these words, if we do not understand
enemies, will be false, when we think of the Lord Jesus CIhrist
host not character of flesh, how is it true? Since His enemies did
rejoice over Him, when they crucified Him, held, scourged,
Mat. 26, and buffeted Him, saying, Prophesy unto us, O Christ. This
rejoicing of theirs as it were compels us to think what is said, Thou hast not made mine enemies to rejoice over Me, to be false. And afterwards, when He was hanging on the Cross, and they were passing by, or standing, and looking, and wagging their heads, and saying, See the Son of God; Mat. 27, He saved others, Himself He cannot save: let Him come down from the Cross, and we will believe on Him : were they not in speaking thus rejoicing over Him ? Where then is that saying, / will magnify Thee, O Lord, for Thou hast taken Me up, and hast not made mine enemies to rejoice
over Me ?
5. Perhaps this is not the voice of our Lord Jesus Christ,
but of man as such, of the universal Church of the Christian People : for that all men are in Christ one Man, and the unity of Christians is one Man. Perhaps Man as such, that is, the very unity of Christians saith, / will magnify Thee, O Lord, for Thou hast taken me up, and hast not made mine enemies to triumph over me. And how is this true of them ? Were not the Apostles seized, were they not beaten,
will
When God's House is dedicated, evil triumphs no more. 221
were they not scourged, were they not slain, were they not Ver.
crucified, were they not burnt alive, fought not they with wild --
'. -- beasts, whose memories we solemnize ? And since men thus treated them, did they not rejoice over them ? How then
can either the Christian People say,
O Lord, for Thou hast taken me up, and hast not made mine enemies to rejoice over me ?
6. We shall understand this, if we look first to the title of
the Psalm. This is, To the end, a Psalm of the canticle of
the dedication of the house, of David himself. In this title
lies all the expectation, and the whole mystery of the solution
of this difficulty. The house will sometime be dedicated, univer- which is now in building. For now the house, that is, the "r^Inen". Church, is in building : hereafter it will be dedicated. In tum. the dedication will appear the glory of the Christian People,
which is now hidden. Now let our enemies rage, let them humble us, let them do, not whatever they wish, but whatever
they are permitted to do from above. For we must not set
down whatever we have suffered from our enemies to our
enemies, and not to the Lord our God. Seeing that by His
Own example the Mediator hath shewn, when from above
He permitteth men to injure, that not the will to injure is
given from above, but the power. For every evil man hath
in himself the will to injure ; but the ability to injure is not
in his power. That he hath the will, he is at once guilty :
that he hath the power, by the hidden dispensation of God's providence it is permitted him against one for punishment, against another it is permitted for his trial, against another it
is permitted for his crown. For punishment: as the aAAo'puXoi, Judges that is, foreigners were permitted to take captive the people
of Israel, because they sinned against God. But for trial (Philis- permission was given to the devil against Job: Job was tried, J0b2,3. the devil was put to confusion. But for a crown has per mission been given to persecutors against Martyrs: the
Martyrs have been slain, their persecutors fancied they had
/ will magnify Thee,
in the open sight of men unreally, the others were in secret truly crowned. Therefore against whom permission given, matter of the hidden of God's providence but the will to injure man's own, for he does not forthwith slay whom he would.
conquered they triumphed dispensation
is
:
a
is
is
:
13' J,
2'22 All that enemies can do is by God's permission.
Psalm 7. Accordingly the Lord Himself, the Judge of quick and Exp. ii. dead, standing before a human judge, affording us a pattern of humility and patience, not conquered, but exhibiting to
the soldier an example for fighting, when the judge was Johnl9, threatening, andIswelling with pride, and saying, Knowest
have power to release, and to slay Thee ? took away the pride of the boaster, and giving back as it were the breathing by which his swelling might go down, answered, Thou couldest have no power against Me, except it were given thee from above. Job too, (now the devil has
slain his children, the devil has taken away all his substance,) Joh l, what did he say too ? The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; as it hath pleased the Lord, so hath it been
done ; blessed be the name of the Lord. Let not the enemy triumph, because he hath done it : I know, saith he, by Whom permission hath been given him : to the devil let there be assigned the will to injure, to my Lord the power of proving. Even under his bodily sores, his wife, who was left, comes up to him, like Eve, the devil's helper, not her husband's comforter, tempts him, and among many re-
Job 2,9. proaches says, Speak some word against God, and die. And that Adam on the dunghill was more guarded than Adam in Paradise. For Adam in Paradise consented to the woman, that he should be sent out of Paradise : Adam on the dunghill rejected the woman, that he should be admitted into Paradise. What then does that Adam on the dunghill, travailing with immortality within, without overspread with worms, what says he to the
,0"
What ? If we hare received good at the hand of the Lord, shall we not bear with evil ? Here again too he acknowledged in himself the hand of the Lord, because the devil had smitten him : for he did not attend to who smote, but Who permitted. For even the devil himself called the same power, which he wished to be given him, the hand of
the Lord. For accusing that just man, to whom the Lord
Thou not that
Job 2, woman ? Thou hast spoken as one of the foolish women.
bare testimony, he says to God, Doth Job fear the Lord for
Joh l ,
~ ' nought? Hast not Thou made a hedge about him, and
about his house, and about all that he hath on every side ? Thou hast blessed the works of his hands, and his substance
Christ's People, now troubled, shall triumph at His coming, 223
is increased in the land. So great goods hast Thou given Ver.
-- Thine hand, and touch all that he hath, and verily he will
bless Thee to Thy face ! What is, Put forth Thine hand,
when he wished himself to put it forth ? But because he
could not put forth his own hand, he called this very power,
which he received of God, the hand of God.
8. What follows then, Brethren, because the enemies have
done so great things against Christians, and have exulted, and rejoiced over them ? But when will it appear, that they have not really rejoiced over them ? When they shall be confounded, and these shall rejoice at the coming of the Lord our God, when He shall come bearing retribution in His hand, damnation to the ungodly, a kingdom to the righteous, fellowship with the devil to the unrighteous,
with Christ to the faithful. When, I say, He
shall shew this, when the righteous shall stand in great boldness, (I speak from the Scriptures : you remember the lesson from the book of Wisdom : Then shall the righteous Wisd. 5, stand in great boldness against them that have afflicted
them but they repenting and groaning for anguish of spirit
shall say among themselves, What hath pride profited us?
or what good hath the vaunting of riches done us For all
those things are passed away like a shadow. And what will
they say of the righteous . How are they reckoned among
the children of God, and their lot is among the saints! )
then will the dedication of the house be, which now being
built in tribulation then will that People rightly say, will
exalt Thee, Lord, for Thou hast taken me up, and hast
not made mine enemies to rejoice over me. These words
then will be verified in the People of God, the People that
now in straitness, now in tribulation with so great temptations, so great offences, so great persecution, so great pressure. These torments of soul he doth not feel in the
Church, who maketh no progress, for he thinks all peace
but let him begin to make progress, and then he will see
in what pressure he for when the blade had increased, Mat. 13, and had brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also.
And he that increaseth knowledge, increaseth sorrow. Let Eccies. him make progress, and he will see where he let there be
fruit, and tares will appear. It true saying of the
him, and therefore doth he honour Thee. But put forth
fellowship
is a
is :
is is I
'
9'. 5J
is ;
:
is
:
0
;
?
?
224 Patient waiting.
What to build on Christ, the Foundation.
Psalm Apostle, and cannot be destroyed from the beginning unto ? *ff the end : Yea, and all, saith he, that will live godly in
2Tl^T3, Christ suffer persecution. But malignant men and seducers 12,18. 't<<KB worse and worse, themselves deceived, and deceiving
Ps. 27, others. And whence are those words of the Psalm, Wait on U' the Lord, quit thyself like a man, and let thine heart be
yea, wait on the Lord? It were not enough once, Wait on the Lord, if it were not repeated : unless haply he might wait two days, three days, four days, and the pressure and tribulation still remain, and therefore he added,
Quit thyself like a man : and again, let thine heart be strengthened. And because it will be so from the beginning even to the end, what the sentence has in the beginning, the same it has at the end, Yea, wait on the Lord. These
things which press upon thee will pass away, and He will come, on Whom thou waitest, and wipe away thy sweat: He will dry the tear, thou shalt weep no more. But now
Joh 7, l. we must groan in tribulations, as Job saith, Is not man's life
upon earth a trial ?
9. Nevertheless, Brethren, before the day of the dedication
of the house come, let us consider that our Head hath
already been dedicated : already hath the dedication of the house taken place in the Head, as the dedication of the
strengthened,
The Head is above, the foundation below : we not perhaps have spoken amiss in saying that Christ is the foundation ; He is rather the top. He hath ascended into heaven, He sitteth at the right Hand of the " Father. " But I think we have made no mistake. For
l Cor. 3, the Apostle hath said, For other foundation can no man lay
II" 12'
than that is laid, which is Christ Jesus. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones. They who live godly, who honour and praise God, who are
in tribulations, who long for their country, these build gold, silver, precious stones : but they who still love the things of this world, and are involved in earthly business, and are given up to certain bonds and affections of the flesh, to their homes, wives, possessions ; and yet are Christians, so that their heart doth not withdraw from Christ, and that they place nothing before Christ, as in building nothing is placed before the foundation ; these indeed build wood, hay, stubble : but what hath he gone on
foundation. may
patient
Earthly affections, hay. Christ both Head and Foundation.
to say ? The fire shall try every man's work of what sort it Ver.
is. The fire of tribulation and of trial.
many martyrs here, but in the end it trieth all the human i3. ? r" ' race. Martyrs have been found, who possessed these worldly
goods. How many rich men and senators have suffered?
Yet some of them did build wood, hay, stubble, in their ib. 12. affection for carnal and worldly cares: but still, because they
had Christ for a foundation upon which they built, the hay
was burnt, and they were left on the foundation. So saith
the Apostle, Ifany man's work abide, he shall receive a reward, and shall lose nothing ; because what he loved, this
shall he find. What then hath the fire of tribulation
done
for them ? if If abide, ib. 15.
It hath tried them. any man's work
he shall receive a reward : any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss : but he himself shall be saved ; yet so as by fire. But it is one thing not to be injured by the fire, another thing to be saved through the fire. And whence? Because of the foundation. Let not then the foundation withdraw from thine heart. Lay not the found ation upon hay, that is, lay not hay before the foundation,
This fire has tried -
225
that the hay should have the first place in thine heart and Christ the second : but if now it must needs be that there be hay there, at least let Christ have the first place there, and the hay the second.
10. Christ then is the Foundation. As I said, our Head hath been dedicated, the Head is Itself the Foundation. But a foundation is usually below, and a head above. May you, holy brethren, understand my words : peradventure I
shall explain this in the Name of Christ. Weights are of two kinds. For a weight is a certain force in any substance, struggling as it were to gain its proper place : this is a weight. You carry a stone in your hand, you bear the pressure of its weight, it presses down your hand, because it seeks its proper place. And would you know what it seeks? Withdraw your hand, it comes to the ground, it rests on the earth, it has arrived where it tended, it has found its proper
That weight, therefore, was, as it were, spontaneous motion, without life, without sensation. There are other things, which seek their place upwards. For if you pour water upon oil, by its own weight it goes to the bottom.
Q.
place.
226 The Church, tending upward, hath herfoundation above.
Psalm For it seeks its proper place, it seeks to be duly ordered ; for Exp. ll. water aoove oil is out of its order. Until it arrives then at its proper order, there is a restless motion, till it occupies its
On the other hand, let out oil under water ; as, for instance, if a vessel of oil fall into water, into the deep, into the sea, and be broken, the oil does not rest
below. As the water poured upon oil, by its weight towards the bottom seeks its proper place ; so oil poured out under water by its weight seeks its proper place towards the top. If then this be so, brethren, whither does fire and water tend ? Fire is borne upwards, it seeks its proper place ; and water seeks its proper place by its own weight. Stone seeks the bottom, and the wood, and the pillars, and the earth, wherewith these houses are built : they are then of that kind of substances, which, by their own weight, are borne down wards. It is clear then, that they receive their foundation down below, because they are by their own weight borne downwards ; and except there is something to sustain the whole falls, because the whole tends towards the earth. With things then that have downward tendency, the foundation laid below but the Church of God which laid below tendeth towards heaven. Our foundation there fore hath been laid there, even our Lord Jesus Christ sitting at the right Hand of the Father. If then ye have understood, holy brethren, how that our Foundation hath been already dedicated, let us shortly listen to, and run through, the Psalm.
11. will exalt Thee, Lord, for Thou hast taken Me up, and hast not made Mine enemies to rejoice over Me.
36.
Rom. ' '
fire.
" Plin. Hist. Nat. viii. 32. and x xviii. theirholes with theirbreath,and kill and
9. says, that they bring serpents out of eat them. See S. Greg. Mor. ik.
The Lord in the Tent now, in the House hereafter. 213
every man speak of His glory. And in His Church all born Ver. again to an eternal hope praise God, each for His own gift, 10' ll. ? which He hath received from the Holy Spirit.
10. Ver. 10. The Lord inhabiteth the deluge. The Lord therefore first inhabiteth the deluge of this world in His Saints, kept safely in the Church, as in the ark. And the Lord shall sit a King for ever. And afterward He will sit reigning in them for ever.
11. Ver. 11. The Lord will give strength to His people.
For the Lord will give strength to His people fighting against
the storms and whirlwinds of this world, for peace in this
world He hath not promised them. The Lord will bless His Johnl6,
people in peace. And the same Lord will bless His33, peopleI, affording them peace in Himself; for, saith He, My John 14,
peace
leave with
you, peace you.
give unto My I
27.
xxix.
PSALM XXX. FIRST EXPOSITION.
To the end, the Psalm of the Canticle of the Dedication of the House, of David himself.
1. To the end, a Psalm of the joy of the Resurrection, and the change, the renewing of the body to an immortal state, and not only of the Lord, but also of the whole Church. For in the former Psalm the tabernacle was finished, wherein we dwell in the time of war: but now the house is dedicated, which will abide in peace everlasting.
2. It is then whole Christ Who speaketh. (Ver. 1. ) / wilt exalt Thee, O Lord, for Thou hast taken Me up. I will praise Thy high Majesty, O Lord, for Thou hast taken Me up.
Thou hast not made Mine enemies to rejoice over Me. And those, who have so often endeavoured to oppress Me with various persecutions throughout the world, Thou hast not made to rejoice over Me. I
have cried unto Thee, and Thou hast healed Me. O Lord, My God, I have cried unto
3. Ver. 2. O Lord, My God,
Q 1 4 Praise to God in prophecy of resurrection and revival.
Psalm Thee, and I no longer bear about a body enfeebled and sick Exp. I. by mortality.
4. Ver. 3. O Lord, Thou hast brought back My Soul from hell, and Thou hast saved Me from them that go down into the pit. Thou hast saved Me from the condition of profound darkness, and the lowest slough of corruptible flesh.
5. Ver. 4. Sing to the Lord, 0 ye saints of His. The prophet seeing these future things, rejoiceth, and saith, Sing to the Lord, Oye saints of His. And make confession of the remembrance of His holiness. And make confession to Him, that He hath not forgotten the sanctification, wherewith He hath sanctified you, although all this intermediate period be long to your desires.
6. Ver. 5. For in His indignation is wrath. For He hath avenged against you the first sin, for which you have paid by death. And life in His will And life eternal, whercnnto you could not return by any strength of your own, hath He given, because He so would. In the evening weep ing uill tairy. Evening began, when the light of wisdom withdrew from sinful man, when he was condemned to death: from this evening weeping will tarry, as long as God's people are, amid labours and temptations, awaiting the day of the Lord. And exultation in the morning. Even to the morn ing, when there will be the exultation of the resurrection, which hath shone forth by anticipation in the morning resurrection of the ILord. I
shall not be moved for ever. But I, that people which was speaking from the first, sIaid in mine abundance, suffering now no
7. Ver. 6. But
said in my abundance,
shall not be moved ever. for
more any want,
8. Ver. 7. O Lord, in Thy will Thou hast afforded strength
unto my beauty. But that this my abundance, O Lord, is not of myself, but that in Thy will Thou hast afforded strength unto my beauty, I have learnt from this, Thou
furnedst away Thy Face from me, and I
became troubled; for Thou hast sometimes turned away Thy Face from the sinner, and I became troubled, when the illumination of Thy
knowledge withdrew from me.
9. Ver. 8. Unto Thee, O Lord, will Icry, and unto my
God uill T pray. And bringing to mind that time of my
The Church savedfrom sin, sorrow, and fear. 215
trouble and misery, and as it were established therein, I Ver. hear the voice of Thy First-Begotten, my Head, about to die --1 '
for me, and saying, Unto Thee, 0 Lord, will I
cry, and unto
I
10. Ver. 9. What profit is there in My blood, whilst
My God will
pray.
I down to corruption ? What profit is there in the shedding of
My blood, whilst I go down to corruption ? Shall dust confess unto Thee? For if I shall not rise immediately, and My body shall become corrupt, shall dust confess unto Thee ? that is, the crowd of the ungodly, whom I shall justify by My resurrection ? Or declare Thy truth ? Or for the salvation of the rest declare Thy truth ?
1 1. Ver. 10. The Lord hath heard, and had mercy on Me,
the Lord hath become My helper. Nor did He suffer His Ps. 16, holy One to see corruption.
12. Ver. 11. Thou hast turned My mourning into joy
to Me. Whom I, the Church, having received, the First- Begotten from the dead, now in the dedication of Thine Rev. l, house, say, Thou hast turned my mourning into joy to me. 5'
Thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with glad ness. Thou hast torn off the veil of my sins, the sadness of my mortality ; and hast girded me with the first robe, with immortal gladness. I
13. Ver. 12. That my glory should sing unto Thee, and should not be pricked. That now, not my humiliation, but my glory should not lament, but should sing unto Thee, for that now out of humiliation Thou hast exalted me ; and that I should not be pricked with the consciousness of sin, with the fear of death, with the fear of judgment. 0 Lord, my
God,
glory, O Lord, my God, that I should confess unto Thee for
ever, that I have nothing of myself, but that all my good is i Cor.
of Thee, Who art God, All in all.
PSALM XXX. SECOND EXPOSITION.
1. This truly have we sung: (ver. I. ) Iwill magnify Thee, 0 Lord, for Thou hast taken me up, and hast not
,5, 28.
go
I will unto Thee ever. And this is my confess for
216 Christ prayed as Man, not in His Godhead.
Psalm made mine enemies to rejoice over me. If we shall know XXX
Exp. ii. from tne holy Scriptures who our enemies are, we recognise ~ the truth of this Canticle : but if the wisdom of the flesh Eph. 6, deceive uS, so tnat we recognise not against whom our
wrestling is, in the very commencement of this Psalm we find a difficulty, which we cannot solve. For whose voice do we suppose his to be, who praiseth God, and giveth thanks, and rejoiceth, and sailh, /will magnify Thee, 0 Lord, for Thou hast taken me up, and hast not made mine enemies to rejoice over me ? First let us consider the Lord Himself, Who in that He vouchsafed to be Man, could by a prophecy going before apply these words not unsuitably to Himself. For wherein He was Man, therein also was He weak : wherein weak, therein also praying. For as we have
just now heard, when the Gospel was being read, how He even retired into the desert from His disciples, whither they followed and found Him : but He retiring thither prayed,
****1, and it was said by His disciples who found Him, Men seek
Thee. But He answered, Let us go to oIther places and
come. If thou dost consider the Divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who is it that prays ? to Whom doth He pray ? why doth He pray ? doth God pray ? doth He pray to One Equal to Him ? But what occasion for prayer hath the ever Blessed, the ever
Almighty, the ever Unchangeable, the Eternal and Coeternal
with the Father? Regarding then what Himself hath thun John l, dered forth by John, as (so to say) by a cloud of His, saying, In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God; the Same was in the beginning with God: all things were made by Him, and without Him was not any thing made : what was made in Him is Life, and the Life was the Light ofmen, and the
Light shineth in darkness, and the darkness comprehended it not. Reading thus far we find no prayer, nor cause for praying, no occasion for praying, no disposition for praying.
John 1, But since ne saitn a little afterwards, And the Word was madeflesh, and dwelt in us, thou hast the Majesty to which to pray, thou hast the Humanity to pray for thee. For it was said by the Apostle, even after the resurrection of our Lord
^im8, Jesus Christ; Who sitteth, saith he, at the right hand of
teu"
villages1 also to preach; for therefore have
The Word made Flesh. Mediator between God and men.
God, Who also maketh intercession for us. Why doth He Ver. make intercession for us ? Because He vouchsafed to be a ^-- Mediator. What is it to be a Mediator between God and lTim. 2, men ? Not between the Father and men, but between GodS'
and men. What is God? Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
What are men ? Sinners, ungodly, mortals. Between that Trinity, and the weakness and wickedness of men, Man was
made Mediator, not wicked but yet weak ; that inasmuch as
He was not wicked He might join thee to God, inasmuch as
He was weak He might draw near unto thee: and so, that
there might be a Mediator between man and God, the Word
was made Flesh, that is, the Word was made Man. For
men are called by the name of flesh. Hence, And all flesh Luke 3,
shall see the salvation of God. By all flesh is meant all men. 6' And the Apostle, We wrestle not against flesh and blood,EPh. 6, (that is, against men,) but against princes and powers, and12' the rulers of the world, of this darkness: of which we will speak, if God help us, in what follows. For this distinction
bears upon the exposition of the Psalm, which we have undertaken in the Name of the Lord to unfold to you, holy Brethren. Yet I have mentioned these examples for this reason, that ye may know that men are called flesh, and
understand that by the saying, And the Word was made Flesh, is meant, And the Word was made Man.
2. Nor have I said this without reason. Ye should know,
holy Brethren, that there existed a certain heresy, or haply
that the remains are still found of certain men, who were
called Apollinarians. For some of them said that the Man ', i homi- which the Wisdom of God assumed, (and in which He mani- nem. fasted forth His Person, not as in other men, but as it is said
in the Psalm, God, even Thy God, hath anointed Thee with Ps. 45,8. the oil of gladness above Thy fellows, that is, more than Thy fellows : that it should not be supposed that Christ was anointed as other men, as other righteous men, as the Patriarchs, Prophets, Apostles, and Martyrs, and whatsoever
there is great among mankind. Since among mankind there
hath not appeared aught greater than John the Baptist, neither hath risen among them that are born of women. Mat. i1, If thou lookest for excellency in man, John the Baptist is it.
But He, of Whom John saith that he is not worthy to unloose Mark l, 7.
217
218 Apollinarians held the Soul of Christ not rational.
Psalm the latchet of His shoes, what was He but greater than other Ejtp. ll. men ? Even in His very Manhood greater than other men. For as to His being God, and as to His Divinity, and as to
His being in the beginning the Word, and the Word being with the Father, and the Word being God, He is above every creature, equal to the Father: but we speak of His Manhood. Perhaps some one of you, Brethren, may imagine, that the Man assumed by the Wisdom of God, was equal to other men.
If in the members there be great distinction between the head and the rest of the members, undoubtedly all the members make one body, yet there is great difference between the head, and the rest of the members. For in the other members thou hast only perception by touch ; by touching thou hast perception in the other members ; but in the head thou both seest, and hearest, and smellest, and tastest, and touchest: if the excellence of the head as com pared with the rest of the members be so great, how great is the excellence of the Head of the Church universal, that is, of that Man, Whom God hath willed to be the Mediator between God and men? ) Those heretics then said, that That Man, Which the Word assumed when the Word was made Flesh, had no human mind, but was only life without human intelligence. For you know, of what man consists; of a
1 anima principle of life ' and a body. But this same principle of life of man has somewhat, which the living principle in beasts has not. For even beasts have animal life, and are called animals'"; for they would not be called animals, but from
>> anima animal life1; and we see that they too live. But what has Gen. l, man more, wherein he was made after the image of God ?
In that he has intelligence and wisdom, in that he distin guishes good from evil : herein was he made after the image and likeness of God. He has then somewhat which beasts have not. And in that he despises, in himself, that wherein he is superior to the beasts, he destroys in himself or defaces,
and in a manner effaces the image of God, so that to such it Ps. 32, is said, Be ye not like to horse and mule, which have no understanding. These heretics then said that our Lord
Jesus Christ had no human mind, nor that which the Greeks call Xoyixov, and we rationale, that wherewith man reasons,
b Tecora animam habent, et animalia vocantur.
Certain others denied Him even the animal soul. 219 which the other animals have not. But what say they ? Ver.
That the Very Word of God was in That Man in the place of mind. These have been shut out, the Catholic faith hath rejected them, and they have made a heresy. It hath been established in the Catholic faith, that That Man, which the Wisdom of God assumed, had nothing less than other men, as far as relates to entireness of nature ; but as far as relates to excellency of Person, something else than other men. For other men may be called partakers of the Word of God, as having the Word of God : but no one of them can be called the Word of God, Which He was called, forasmuch as it is said, The Word was made Flesh.
--
John ir 3. There have not been wanting some others too, pro 14.
ceeding from this same error, to say not only that That
Man, Christ the Mediator between God and men, had no
mind, but no principle of life either : but they have said merely, He was the Word and Flesh, and no human animal
life was in Him, neither was human mind in Him. This
have they said. But what was He ? The Word and Flesh.
The Catholic Church rejecteth these too, and driveth them
out from among the sheep, and from the simple and true
faith : and it hath been established, as I said, that That
Man, the Mediator, had all that is man's, except sin. For if
He did many things after the body, whereby we may under
stand that He had a Body, not in falsehood, but in truth ;
as, for instance, how do we understand that He had a Body?
He walked, sat, slept, was seized, was scourged, was buffeted,
was crucified, died. Take away the body, none of these
things could have been done. As then from these signs we recognise in the Gospel that He had a true Body, as Himself
also said even after the resurrection, Handle, and see ; for <<Luke24, spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see Me have : as from ' these circumstances, from these actions, we believe, and understand, and know, that the Lord Jesus had a Body, so
also from certain other natural functions that He had animal life. To be hungry, to be thirsty, these are functions of animal life: take away animal life, a lifeless body will not be able to be so. But if they say these were unreal, those things too will be unreal which are believed of the Body : but if the Body be therefore real, because the functions of
220 Enemies have outwardly rejoiced over Christ and His People.
Psalm the body are real ; the animal life is therefore real, because
Exp i{
its functions are real.
4. What then ? Because the Lord was made weak for
thee, O man, who hearest me, compare not thyself with God. For thou art a creature, He thy Creator. And compare not thyself with That Man, because thy God, and the Word the Son of God, was Man for thee: but prefer That Man to thyself, as the Mediator, yet God above every creature : and so understand, that He Who was made Man for thee, not unsuitably prayeth for thee. If therefore He doth not unsuitably pray for thee, He could also not unsuitably say
for Himself. For how is it true, if the Lord Christ speak,
' Oxf. 'md
magnify Thee, O Lord, for Thou hast taken Me up1? In His
character as man, in His character of weakness, in His
1lc/ *"h"
those words for thy sake,
/ will magnify Thee, O Lord,
Thou hast taken me up, and hast not made mine enemies to
rejoice over Me. But these words, if we do not understand
enemies, will be false, when we think of the Lord Jesus CIhrist
host not character of flesh, how is it true? Since His enemies did
rejoice over Him, when they crucified Him, held, scourged,
Mat. 26, and buffeted Him, saying, Prophesy unto us, O Christ. This
rejoicing of theirs as it were compels us to think what is said, Thou hast not made mine enemies to rejoice over Me, to be false. And afterwards, when He was hanging on the Cross, and they were passing by, or standing, and looking, and wagging their heads, and saying, See the Son of God; Mat. 27, He saved others, Himself He cannot save: let Him come down from the Cross, and we will believe on Him : were they not in speaking thus rejoicing over Him ? Where then is that saying, / will magnify Thee, O Lord, for Thou hast taken Me up, and hast not made mine enemies to rejoice
over Me ?
5. Perhaps this is not the voice of our Lord Jesus Christ,
but of man as such, of the universal Church of the Christian People : for that all men are in Christ one Man, and the unity of Christians is one Man. Perhaps Man as such, that is, the very unity of Christians saith, / will magnify Thee, O Lord, for Thou hast taken me up, and hast not made mine enemies to triumph over me. And how is this true of them ? Were not the Apostles seized, were they not beaten,
will
When God's House is dedicated, evil triumphs no more. 221
were they not scourged, were they not slain, were they not Ver.
crucified, were they not burnt alive, fought not they with wild --
'. -- beasts, whose memories we solemnize ? And since men thus treated them, did they not rejoice over them ? How then
can either the Christian People say,
O Lord, for Thou hast taken me up, and hast not made mine enemies to rejoice over me ?
6. We shall understand this, if we look first to the title of
the Psalm. This is, To the end, a Psalm of the canticle of
the dedication of the house, of David himself. In this title
lies all the expectation, and the whole mystery of the solution
of this difficulty. The house will sometime be dedicated, univer- which is now in building. For now the house, that is, the "r^Inen". Church, is in building : hereafter it will be dedicated. In tum. the dedication will appear the glory of the Christian People,
which is now hidden. Now let our enemies rage, let them humble us, let them do, not whatever they wish, but whatever
they are permitted to do from above. For we must not set
down whatever we have suffered from our enemies to our
enemies, and not to the Lord our God. Seeing that by His
Own example the Mediator hath shewn, when from above
He permitteth men to injure, that not the will to injure is
given from above, but the power. For every evil man hath
in himself the will to injure ; but the ability to injure is not
in his power. That he hath the will, he is at once guilty :
that he hath the power, by the hidden dispensation of God's providence it is permitted him against one for punishment, against another it is permitted for his trial, against another it
is permitted for his crown. For punishment: as the aAAo'puXoi, Judges that is, foreigners were permitted to take captive the people
of Israel, because they sinned against God. But for trial (Philis- permission was given to the devil against Job: Job was tried, J0b2,3. the devil was put to confusion. But for a crown has per mission been given to persecutors against Martyrs: the
Martyrs have been slain, their persecutors fancied they had
/ will magnify Thee,
in the open sight of men unreally, the others were in secret truly crowned. Therefore against whom permission given, matter of the hidden of God's providence but the will to injure man's own, for he does not forthwith slay whom he would.
conquered they triumphed dispensation
is
:
a
is
is
:
13' J,
2'22 All that enemies can do is by God's permission.
Psalm 7. Accordingly the Lord Himself, the Judge of quick and Exp. ii. dead, standing before a human judge, affording us a pattern of humility and patience, not conquered, but exhibiting to
the soldier an example for fighting, when the judge was Johnl9, threatening, andIswelling with pride, and saying, Knowest
have power to release, and to slay Thee ? took away the pride of the boaster, and giving back as it were the breathing by which his swelling might go down, answered, Thou couldest have no power against Me, except it were given thee from above. Job too, (now the devil has
slain his children, the devil has taken away all his substance,) Joh l, what did he say too ? The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; as it hath pleased the Lord, so hath it been
done ; blessed be the name of the Lord. Let not the enemy triumph, because he hath done it : I know, saith he, by Whom permission hath been given him : to the devil let there be assigned the will to injure, to my Lord the power of proving. Even under his bodily sores, his wife, who was left, comes up to him, like Eve, the devil's helper, not her husband's comforter, tempts him, and among many re-
Job 2,9. proaches says, Speak some word against God, and die. And that Adam on the dunghill was more guarded than Adam in Paradise. For Adam in Paradise consented to the woman, that he should be sent out of Paradise : Adam on the dunghill rejected the woman, that he should be admitted into Paradise. What then does that Adam on the dunghill, travailing with immortality within, without overspread with worms, what says he to the
,0"
What ? If we hare received good at the hand of the Lord, shall we not bear with evil ? Here again too he acknowledged in himself the hand of the Lord, because the devil had smitten him : for he did not attend to who smote, but Who permitted. For even the devil himself called the same power, which he wished to be given him, the hand of
the Lord. For accusing that just man, to whom the Lord
Thou not that
Job 2, woman ? Thou hast spoken as one of the foolish women.
bare testimony, he says to God, Doth Job fear the Lord for
Joh l ,
~ ' nought? Hast not Thou made a hedge about him, and
about his house, and about all that he hath on every side ? Thou hast blessed the works of his hands, and his substance
Christ's People, now troubled, shall triumph at His coming, 223
is increased in the land. So great goods hast Thou given Ver.
-- Thine hand, and touch all that he hath, and verily he will
bless Thee to Thy face ! What is, Put forth Thine hand,
when he wished himself to put it forth ? But because he
could not put forth his own hand, he called this very power,
which he received of God, the hand of God.
8. What follows then, Brethren, because the enemies have
done so great things against Christians, and have exulted, and rejoiced over them ? But when will it appear, that they have not really rejoiced over them ? When they shall be confounded, and these shall rejoice at the coming of the Lord our God, when He shall come bearing retribution in His hand, damnation to the ungodly, a kingdom to the righteous, fellowship with the devil to the unrighteous,
with Christ to the faithful. When, I say, He
shall shew this, when the righteous shall stand in great boldness, (I speak from the Scriptures : you remember the lesson from the book of Wisdom : Then shall the righteous Wisd. 5, stand in great boldness against them that have afflicted
them but they repenting and groaning for anguish of spirit
shall say among themselves, What hath pride profited us?
or what good hath the vaunting of riches done us For all
those things are passed away like a shadow. And what will
they say of the righteous . How are they reckoned among
the children of God, and their lot is among the saints! )
then will the dedication of the house be, which now being
built in tribulation then will that People rightly say, will
exalt Thee, Lord, for Thou hast taken me up, and hast
not made mine enemies to rejoice over me. These words
then will be verified in the People of God, the People that
now in straitness, now in tribulation with so great temptations, so great offences, so great persecution, so great pressure. These torments of soul he doth not feel in the
Church, who maketh no progress, for he thinks all peace
but let him begin to make progress, and then he will see
in what pressure he for when the blade had increased, Mat. 13, and had brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also.
And he that increaseth knowledge, increaseth sorrow. Let Eccies. him make progress, and he will see where he let there be
fruit, and tares will appear. It true saying of the
him, and therefore doth he honour Thee. But put forth
fellowship
is a
is :
is is I
'
9'. 5J
is ;
:
is
:
0
;
?
?
224 Patient waiting.
What to build on Christ, the Foundation.
Psalm Apostle, and cannot be destroyed from the beginning unto ? *ff the end : Yea, and all, saith he, that will live godly in
2Tl^T3, Christ suffer persecution. But malignant men and seducers 12,18. 't<<KB worse and worse, themselves deceived, and deceiving
Ps. 27, others. And whence are those words of the Psalm, Wait on U' the Lord, quit thyself like a man, and let thine heart be
yea, wait on the Lord? It were not enough once, Wait on the Lord, if it were not repeated : unless haply he might wait two days, three days, four days, and the pressure and tribulation still remain, and therefore he added,
Quit thyself like a man : and again, let thine heart be strengthened. And because it will be so from the beginning even to the end, what the sentence has in the beginning, the same it has at the end, Yea, wait on the Lord. These
things which press upon thee will pass away, and He will come, on Whom thou waitest, and wipe away thy sweat: He will dry the tear, thou shalt weep no more. But now
Joh 7, l. we must groan in tribulations, as Job saith, Is not man's life
upon earth a trial ?
9. Nevertheless, Brethren, before the day of the dedication
of the house come, let us consider that our Head hath
already been dedicated : already hath the dedication of the house taken place in the Head, as the dedication of the
strengthened,
The Head is above, the foundation below : we not perhaps have spoken amiss in saying that Christ is the foundation ; He is rather the top. He hath ascended into heaven, He sitteth at the right Hand of the " Father. " But I think we have made no mistake. For
l Cor. 3, the Apostle hath said, For other foundation can no man lay
II" 12'
than that is laid, which is Christ Jesus. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones. They who live godly, who honour and praise God, who are
in tribulations, who long for their country, these build gold, silver, precious stones : but they who still love the things of this world, and are involved in earthly business, and are given up to certain bonds and affections of the flesh, to their homes, wives, possessions ; and yet are Christians, so that their heart doth not withdraw from Christ, and that they place nothing before Christ, as in building nothing is placed before the foundation ; these indeed build wood, hay, stubble : but what hath he gone on
foundation. may
patient
Earthly affections, hay. Christ both Head and Foundation.
to say ? The fire shall try every man's work of what sort it Ver.
is. The fire of tribulation and of trial.
many martyrs here, but in the end it trieth all the human i3. ? r" ' race. Martyrs have been found, who possessed these worldly
goods. How many rich men and senators have suffered?
Yet some of them did build wood, hay, stubble, in their ib. 12. affection for carnal and worldly cares: but still, because they
had Christ for a foundation upon which they built, the hay
was burnt, and they were left on the foundation. So saith
the Apostle, Ifany man's work abide, he shall receive a reward, and shall lose nothing ; because what he loved, this
shall he find. What then hath the fire of tribulation
done
for them ? if If abide, ib. 15.
It hath tried them. any man's work
he shall receive a reward : any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss : but he himself shall be saved ; yet so as by fire. But it is one thing not to be injured by the fire, another thing to be saved through the fire. And whence? Because of the foundation. Let not then the foundation withdraw from thine heart. Lay not the found ation upon hay, that is, lay not hay before the foundation,
This fire has tried -
225
that the hay should have the first place in thine heart and Christ the second : but if now it must needs be that there be hay there, at least let Christ have the first place there, and the hay the second.
10. Christ then is the Foundation. As I said, our Head hath been dedicated, the Head is Itself the Foundation. But a foundation is usually below, and a head above. May you, holy brethren, understand my words : peradventure I
shall explain this in the Name of Christ. Weights are of two kinds. For a weight is a certain force in any substance, struggling as it were to gain its proper place : this is a weight. You carry a stone in your hand, you bear the pressure of its weight, it presses down your hand, because it seeks its proper place. And would you know what it seeks? Withdraw your hand, it comes to the ground, it rests on the earth, it has arrived where it tended, it has found its proper
That weight, therefore, was, as it were, spontaneous motion, without life, without sensation. There are other things, which seek their place upwards. For if you pour water upon oil, by its own weight it goes to the bottom.
Q.
place.
226 The Church, tending upward, hath herfoundation above.
Psalm For it seeks its proper place, it seeks to be duly ordered ; for Exp. ll. water aoove oil is out of its order. Until it arrives then at its proper order, there is a restless motion, till it occupies its
On the other hand, let out oil under water ; as, for instance, if a vessel of oil fall into water, into the deep, into the sea, and be broken, the oil does not rest
below. As the water poured upon oil, by its weight towards the bottom seeks its proper place ; so oil poured out under water by its weight seeks its proper place towards the top. If then this be so, brethren, whither does fire and water tend ? Fire is borne upwards, it seeks its proper place ; and water seeks its proper place by its own weight. Stone seeks the bottom, and the wood, and the pillars, and the earth, wherewith these houses are built : they are then of that kind of substances, which, by their own weight, are borne down wards. It is clear then, that they receive their foundation down below, because they are by their own weight borne downwards ; and except there is something to sustain the whole falls, because the whole tends towards the earth. With things then that have downward tendency, the foundation laid below but the Church of God which laid below tendeth towards heaven. Our foundation there fore hath been laid there, even our Lord Jesus Christ sitting at the right Hand of the Father. If then ye have understood, holy brethren, how that our Foundation hath been already dedicated, let us shortly listen to, and run through, the Psalm.
11. will exalt Thee, Lord, for Thou hast taken Me up, and hast not made Mine enemies to rejoice over Me.
