(We hear those things
in Ephrata, we find them in the woodland plains'.
in Ephrata, we find them in the woodland plains'.
Augustine - Exposition on the Psalms - v6
How he swarc unto the Lord, and vowed a vow unto the Almighty
God of Jacob. David according to the truth of history was one man, king of Israel, son of Jesse. He was indeed meek, as the Divine Scriptures themselves mark and command him, and so meek that he did not even render evil for evil to his persecutor Saul. He preserved towards him so great
* Ed. Ben. supposes this to be Seve- Exp. of Ps>> xcvi. ? . 1. and 5. rus, Bishop of Milevis; and refers to
JJavid prays to be enabled to fulfil his void. 91
humility, that he acknowledged him a king, and himself a Ver. dog : and answered the king not proudly nor rudely, though --
he was more powerful in God ; but he rather endeavoured to appease him by humility, than to provoke him by pride.
Saul was even given into his power, and this by the Lord
God, that he might do to him what he listed : but since he
was not commanded to slay him, but had it only placed in
his power ;--now a man is permitted to use his power ;--he
rather turned towards mercy what God gave him. If he
had chosen to slay him, he would have been rid of an enemy; but how could he then say, Forgive me my trespasses, Matt. 6, as I forgive them that trespass against me ? Saul entered into l2,
a cavern where David was, not knowing that David was
there. He went in for the occasions of the body. David arose privily, and cut off the skirt of his robe, that he might shew
it to him, to convince him that he had him in his power;
and that he had spared him not of compulsion but of free- 1 Sam. will, and chose not to slay him. He perhaps was commend- and 26? ' ing this very act of meekness in the words, Lord, remember
David, and all his meekness. This is according to the truth of history, which Holy Writ, as I have said, containeth.
But our practice is in the Psalms not to heed the letter, as in all prophecy, but to search mysteries through the letter. You remember, Beloved, that we are wont to hear the voice of one Man in all the Psalms; that One Who hath Head and
The Head is in heaven, the body on the earth : but the body also will follow whither the Head hath gone before. I no longer explain who is the Head, who the body ; because I am speaking to those that know.
3. The humility of David is therefore commended, the meekness of David is commended ; and it is said to God, Lord, remember David, and all his meekness. For what purpose saith he, Lord, remember David? -- How he sware unto the Lord, and vowed a vote unto the Almighty God of Jacob. Therefore remember for this, that he may fulfil what he hath promised. David himself vowed as though he had it in his power, and he prayeth God to fulfil his vow:
there is devotion in the vow, but there is humility in the
body.
Let no one presume to think he fulfilleth by his own strength what he hath vowed. He who exhorteth thee
prayer.
93 David a type of Christ. The Church blessed in being
Psalm to vow, Himself aideth thee to fulfil. Let us therefore see CVXXII. what he vowed, and hence we comprehend how David should be understood in a figure. ' David' is interpreted, ' Strong of hand,' for he was a great warrior. Trusting indeed in the Lord his God, he despatched all wars, he laid low all his
enemies, God helping him, according to the dispensation of that kingdom ; prefiguring nevertheless some One strong of hand to destroy His enemies, the devil and his angels. These enemies the Church warreth against, and conquereth. And how conquereth she ? by meekness. For by meekness, our King Himself overcame the devil. The devil raged :
He endured ; he who raged was overcome ; He who endured conquered. With this meekness the body of Christ, which is the Church, conquereth her enemies. Let her be strong of hand, let her overcome by working. But since the Body of Christ is both a temple, and a house, and a city; and He Who is the Head of the Body, is also the Dweller in the House, and the Sanctifier of the temple, and the King of the city: as the Church is all those things, so Christ is all these. What therefore have we vowed unto God, save to be His
temple? We cannot offer unto Him any thing more accept- Is. 26, able, than in saying with Isaiah, Lord, possess us. In LXX. earthly possessions indeed a benefit is given to the master of
a house, when possession is given him : not thus is it with that possession which is the Church ; the benefit is given the possession itself, that it may be possessed by such a one.
4. What then doth he mean, How he sware unto the Lord, and vowed a vow unto the God of Jacob ? Let us see what vow is this ? We can offer God nothing more pleasing than to swear'. Now to swear is to promise firmly. Consider this vow, that is, with what ardour he vowed what he vowed, with what love, with what longing ; nevertheless, he prayeth the Lord to fulfil it in these words, O Lord, remember David, and all his meekness. In this temper he vowed his vow,
that there should be a house of God :
the tabernacle of mine house, nor climb up into my bed ;
not suffer mine eyes to sleep. This seemeth not enough ;
b Ben. thinks these words are re- and come in very much after the peated by mistake from above, in some manner of St. Augustine.
Mss. but they are also in our copies,
J will not come within
I will
God's Temple. Meekness the way to become so. ! ):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.
God of Jacob. David according to the truth of history was one man, king of Israel, son of Jesse. He was indeed meek, as the Divine Scriptures themselves mark and command him, and so meek that he did not even render evil for evil to his persecutor Saul. He preserved towards him so great
* Ed. Ben. supposes this to be Seve- Exp. of Ps>> xcvi. ? . 1. and 5. rus, Bishop of Milevis; and refers to
JJavid prays to be enabled to fulfil his void. 91
humility, that he acknowledged him a king, and himself a Ver. dog : and answered the king not proudly nor rudely, though --
he was more powerful in God ; but he rather endeavoured to appease him by humility, than to provoke him by pride.
Saul was even given into his power, and this by the Lord
God, that he might do to him what he listed : but since he
was not commanded to slay him, but had it only placed in
his power ;--now a man is permitted to use his power ;--he
rather turned towards mercy what God gave him. If he
had chosen to slay him, he would have been rid of an enemy; but how could he then say, Forgive me my trespasses, Matt. 6, as I forgive them that trespass against me ? Saul entered into l2,
a cavern where David was, not knowing that David was
there. He went in for the occasions of the body. David arose privily, and cut off the skirt of his robe, that he might shew
it to him, to convince him that he had him in his power;
and that he had spared him not of compulsion but of free- 1 Sam. will, and chose not to slay him. He perhaps was commend- and 26? ' ing this very act of meekness in the words, Lord, remember
David, and all his meekness. This is according to the truth of history, which Holy Writ, as I have said, containeth.
But our practice is in the Psalms not to heed the letter, as in all prophecy, but to search mysteries through the letter. You remember, Beloved, that we are wont to hear the voice of one Man in all the Psalms; that One Who hath Head and
The Head is in heaven, the body on the earth : but the body also will follow whither the Head hath gone before. I no longer explain who is the Head, who the body ; because I am speaking to those that know.
3. The humility of David is therefore commended, the meekness of David is commended ; and it is said to God, Lord, remember David, and all his meekness. For what purpose saith he, Lord, remember David? -- How he sware unto the Lord, and vowed a vote unto the Almighty God of Jacob. Therefore remember for this, that he may fulfil what he hath promised. David himself vowed as though he had it in his power, and he prayeth God to fulfil his vow:
there is devotion in the vow, but there is humility in the
body.
Let no one presume to think he fulfilleth by his own strength what he hath vowed. He who exhorteth thee
prayer.
93 David a type of Christ. The Church blessed in being
Psalm to vow, Himself aideth thee to fulfil. Let us therefore see CVXXII. what he vowed, and hence we comprehend how David should be understood in a figure. ' David' is interpreted, ' Strong of hand,' for he was a great warrior. Trusting indeed in the Lord his God, he despatched all wars, he laid low all his
enemies, God helping him, according to the dispensation of that kingdom ; prefiguring nevertheless some One strong of hand to destroy His enemies, the devil and his angels. These enemies the Church warreth against, and conquereth. And how conquereth she ? by meekness. For by meekness, our King Himself overcame the devil. The devil raged :
He endured ; he who raged was overcome ; He who endured conquered. With this meekness the body of Christ, which is the Church, conquereth her enemies. Let her be strong of hand, let her overcome by working. But since the Body of Christ is both a temple, and a house, and a city; and He Who is the Head of the Body, is also the Dweller in the House, and the Sanctifier of the temple, and the King of the city: as the Church is all those things, so Christ is all these. What therefore have we vowed unto God, save to be His
temple? We cannot offer unto Him any thing more accept- Is. 26, able, than in saying with Isaiah, Lord, possess us. In LXX. earthly possessions indeed a benefit is given to the master of
a house, when possession is given him : not thus is it with that possession which is the Church ; the benefit is given the possession itself, that it may be possessed by such a one.
4. What then doth he mean, How he sware unto the Lord, and vowed a vow unto the God of Jacob ? Let us see what vow is this ? We can offer God nothing more pleasing than to swear'. Now to swear is to promise firmly. Consider this vow, that is, with what ardour he vowed what he vowed, with what love, with what longing ; nevertheless, he prayeth the Lord to fulfil it in these words, O Lord, remember David, and all his meekness. In this temper he vowed his vow,
that there should be a house of God :
the tabernacle of mine house, nor climb up into my bed ;
not suffer mine eyes to sleep. This seemeth not enough ;
b Ben. thinks these words are re- and come in very much after the peated by mistake from above, in some manner of St. Augustine.
Mss. but they are also in our copies,
J will not come within
I will
God's Temple. Meekness the way to become so. ! ):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.
