Let us too
therefore
listen to this, for this Psalm giveth us the same lesson in these words : Rise after ye hare sat down.
Augustine - Exposition on the Psalms - v6
He replied not,
/
word Samaritan meaneth, a Keeper. If He had said, I am not a Samaritan, He would have denied that He was a Guardian. And who else could guard us ? Then figuring
I am not a Samaritan; but,
have not a devil. For the
36*87? ' ^e l0ve o^ ^0<^' an<* tne *ove o^ our neighbour : for on these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets. He said also unto the host, Whatsoever thou spendest more,
I will repay thee. The Apostle spent more; for, though it was allowed unto all the Apostles to J Cor. 4, receive, as Christ's soldiers, pay from Christ's subjects that l Thess. Apostle, nevertheless, toiled with his own hands, and excused
2'xhegj tne subjects the maintenance owing to him. All this hath 3,8. 9. already happened: if we have descended, and have been
, Pro- when aiibus.
I
come again,
This song of degrees, why called Solomon's. 17
wounded ; let us ascend, let us sing, and make progress, in Veh. order that we may arrive.
PSALM CXXVII. EXPOSITION.
A Sermon to the Common People.
L*t. CXXVI.
1. Among all the Songs entitled the Song of degrees, this Psalm hath a further addition in the title, that it is Solomon's. For thus it is entitled, A Song of degrees of Solomon. It hath therefore aroused our attention, and caused us to enquire the reason of this addition, of Solomon. For it is needless to repeat explanations of the other words, Song of degrees; for much has been said on this subject, for the voice of one ascending singeth with feelings of piety and love for that heavenly Jerusalem, for whom we sigh while absent from her, and wherein we shall rejoice on our return from our wandering. Every man who is amending ascendeth towards her. Every man who is losing ground falleth away from her. Think not that thou descendest by thy feet, nor seek to rise by thy feet ; by loving God, thou risest: by loving the world, thou fallest. These then are the songs of those who love, who burn with a sort of holy
longing. They who sing these verses from their heart burn, and their ardent heart is discovered also in their conduct, in good conversation, in works according to the command ments of God, in contempt of temporal things, in love of things eternal. I will now explain to you, beloved, as far as the Lord shall allow me, the meaning of the additional word, Solomon's.
2. Solomon was in his time David's son, a great man, through whom many holy precepts and healthful admonitions
and divine mysteries have been wrought by the Holy Spirit
in the Scriptures. Solomon himself was a lover of women,
and was rejected by God: and this lust was so great a snare
unto him, that he was induced by women even to sacrifice i Kings
to idols, as Scripture wituesseth concerning him. But by ll, vol. vi.
c
,
if,
8.
18 Christ theirue Peace-maker, and Builder of God's Temple.
Psalm his fall what was delivered through him were blotted out, Cx x V 11 it would be judged that he had himself delivered these precepts, and not that they were delivered through him. The mercy of God, therefore, and His Spirit, excellently wrought that whatever of good was declared through Solomon, might be attributed unto God ; and the man's sin, unto the
man. What marvel that Solomon fell among God's people? Did not Adam fall in Paradise ? Did not an angel fall from heaven, and become the devil ? We are thereby taught, that no hope must be placed in any among men. Since
l Kings that very Solomon had built a temple to the Lord, in the type and figure of the Church which was to come, and of
John 2,
the Lord's Body ; whence He saith in the Gospel, Destroy this Temple, and in three days I will raise it up; since then He had Himself built, I say, this Temple, the True Solomon, our Lord Jesus Christ, the True Peacemaker, built unto Himself a Temple. For the name of Solomon is interpreted to mean peacemaker: now He is the True Peace-
Eph. 2, maker, of Whom the Apostle saith, He is our Peace, Who 14 2*. ll<ltJt made both one. He is the True Peacemaker, Who joined together in Himself two walls coming from different sides, wherein He became the chief Corner Stone, both to the believing host who came from circumcision, and to the believing people who came from the uncircumcision of the
Gentiles; He made one Church of two nations, He became unto them a chief Corner Stone, and for this reason was the True Peacemaker. Since, therefore, He is the true Solomon ; for that Solomon, who was the son of David of the woman Bersabe, the king of Israel, was the figure of this Peace maker, when he built the temple ; that thou mayest not think he who built the house unto God was the true Solomon, Scripture shewing unto thee another Solomon thus com mences this Psalm: (ver. 1. ) Except the Lord build the house, their labour is but lost that build it. The Lord, therefore, buildeth the house, the Lord Jesus Christ buildeth
His own house. Many toil in building: but, except He build, their labour is but lost that build it. Who are they who toil in building it ? All who preach the word of God in the Church, the ministers of God's mysteries. We are all running, we are all toiling, we are all building now ; and
His Ministers build and keep guard under Him. 19
before us others have run, toiled, and built: but except the Ver. Lord build the house, their labour is but lost that build it.
Thus the Apostles seeing some fall ; and Paul in particular
sIaith, Ye observe days and months and times and years ; Gal. 4, am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in 10' vain. Because he knew that he himself was builded inwardly
by the Lord, he bewailed these men, in that he had laboured
in vain for them. We, therefore, speak without, He buildeth within. We can observe with what attention ye hear us; He alone Who knoweth your thoughts, knoweth what ye think. He Himself buildeth, He Himself admonisheth, He Himself openeth the understanding, He Himself kindleth your understanding unto faith; nevertheless, we also toil like workmen ; but, except the Lord build the house, their labour is but lost that build it.
3. But that which is the house of God is also a city. For the house of God is the people of God; for the house of God is the temple of God. And what doth the Apostle say?
The temple of God is holy, which are ye. But all the l Cor. 3, faithful, who are the house of God, not only those who now ^' exist, but those also who have been before us and have already slept, and they who are to come after us, unto the world's end, innumerable hosts of the faithful gathered into
one body, but counted by the Lord, of whom the Apostle
6aith, The Lord knoweth them that are His; those grains 2 Tim. 2, of wheat which as yet groan among the chaff, which will19- constitute one mass, when the floor shall in the end have Mat. 3, been winnowed : the whole number of faithful Saints, destined 12'
to be changed from the human state, that they become equal
with the Angels of God; themselves joined unto the Angels,
who are no longer pilgrims, but are awaiting us on our
return from our pilgrimage ; all make together one house of
God, and one city. This is Jerusalem : she hath guards :
as she hath builders, labouring at her building up, so also
hath she guards. To this guardianship these words of the Apostle relate; /fear, lest by any means, as the serpent 2Cor. 1l,
beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be3' corrupted from the simplicity which is in Christ. He was guarding the Church. He kept watch, to the utmost of his power, over those over whom he was set. The Bishops also
c2
20 Bishops watch without, Christ alone sees within.
Psalm do this. For a higher place was for this reason given the CXXVII .
''
Keeper of Israel neither sleepeth nor slumbereth. Yea, brethren, if we wish to be kept beneath the shadow of God's wings, let us be Israel. For we guard you in our office of stewards ; but we wish to be guarded together with you. We are as it were shepherds unto you ; but beneath that Shepherd we are fellow-sheep with you. We are as it were your teachers from this station; but beneath Him, the One Master, we are schoolfellows with you in this school.
4. Ver. 2. If we wish to be guarded by Him Who was humbled for our sakes, and Who was exalted to keep us, let us be humble. Let no one assume any thing unto himself. No man hath any good, except he hath received it from Him Who alone is good. But he who chooseth to arrogate wisdom unto himself, is a fool. Let him be humble, that wisdom may come, and may enlighten him. But before
'Bishops, that they might be themselves the superintendents and as it were the guardians of the people. For the Greek word Episcopus, and the vernacular Superintendent, are the same ; for the Bishop superintends, in that he looks over. As a higher place is assigned to the vinedresser in the charge of the vineyard, so also to the Bishops a more exalted station is allotted. And a perilous account is rendered of this high station, except we stand here with a heart that causeth us to stand beneath your feet in humility, and pray for you, that He Who knoweth your minds may be Himself your keeper. Since we can see you both coming in and going out; but we are so unable to see what are the thoughts of your hearts, that we cannot even see what ye do in your houses. How then can we guard you ? As men : as far as we are able, as far as we have received power. And because we guard you like men, and cannot
guard you perfectly, shall ye therefore remain without a keeper ? Far be it ! For where is He of Whom it is said, Except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain ? We are watchful on our guard, but vain in our watchfulness, except
He Who seeth your thoughts guard you. He keepeth guard while ye are awake, He keepeth guard also whilst ye are asleep. For He hath once slept on the Cross, and hath
Ps. 131, risen again; He no longer sleepeth. Be ye Israel: for the
if,
It is in vain to rise before light, i. e. before Christ. 21
wisdom cometh unto him, he imagine that he is wise; he Vf. r. riseth before light, and walketh in darkness. What doth he '? -- hear in this Psalm? It is but lost labour that ye haste to
rise up before dawn. What meaneth this? If ye arise
before light ariseth, ye must needs lose your labour, because ye will be in the dark. Our light, Christ, hath
arisen ; it is good for thee to rise after Christ, not to rise
before Christ. Who rise before Christ? They who choose
to prefer themselves to Christ. And who are they who wish
to prefer themselves to Christ? They who wish to be exalted
here, where He was humble. Let them, therefore, be humble
here, if they wish to be exalted there, where Christ is exalted. For He saith of those who had clung in faith unto
Him, among whom we also are, if we too believe on Him
with a pure heart: Father, Iwill thaIt they also, whom T7iou3ohul7, hast given Me, be with Me where
great grace, a great promise, my brethren ! And who doth
not wish to be with Christ, where Christ is? But Christ
is now exalted ; dost thou wish to be there where He is exalted ? He thou humble, where He also was humble.
On this account the Light Himself saith unto them, TheMa^? < disciple is not above his Master, nor the servant above his
Lord. The disciples who wished to be above their Master, and the servants who wished to be above their Lord, wished to rise before light; their labour was lost, because they went not forth after the light. To them, therefore, this Psalm saith, It is but lost labour that ye rise before dawn. Such were the sons of Zebedee, who, before they were humbled according to the Lord's Passion, were already choosing themselves places, where they might sit, the one on the right hand, the other on the left ; they wished to rise before dawn ; for this reason their labour was lost. The Lord recalled them to humility, when He heard this, and
said unto them, Are ye able to drink of the cup that
I shall
Mat. 20, drink of? I came to be humble : and are ye wishing to be
exalted before Me? The way I go, do ye follow, He saith. For if ye choose to go this way where 1 do not go, your labour is lost, in rising before dawn. Peter too had risen before the light, when he wished to give the Lord advice, deterring Him from suffering for us. He had spoken of His
am. A great a24' gift,
22 Christians must follow Christ through humiliation.
Psalm Passion, wherein we were to be saved, of humiliation itself; CxxV1I ' for He suffered humbly : when, therefore, He was foretelling His destined Passion, Peter was alarmed, though he had called Him, a little before, the Son of God ; he feared lest He should die, and said unto Him, Be it far from Thee, Lord: this shall not be unto Thee. He was wishing to rise before the Light, and to give counsel unto the Light. But what did our Lord do ? He caused him to rise after the Mat. 16, Light: Get thee behind Me, Satan. He was Satan, because 21 23' he wished to rise before Light. Get thee behind Me: that I may precede, thou mayest follow : where I go, there thou mayest go ; and mayest not wish to lead Me, where thou
wouldest go.
5. The Psalm then saith unto those who wished to rise
before light, // is but lost labour that ye haste to rise before light. When shall we rise, then ? When we have been humbled: Rise after ye have sitten. Rising signifieth exaltation : sitting signifieth humility. In some passages sitting is understood of judging in honour, in others it meaneth humility. How does sitting signify judging in
Mat. 19, honour ? Ye shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. How is sitting a sign of humility ? John 4, About the sixth hour, Jesus being wearied, sat upon the well. The Lord's weariness was the weakness of the Lord, the weakness of Power, the weakness of Wisdom : but this very
weakness is humility. If therefore He sat down from weak
ness, that sitting down signifieth humility. And this His l Cor. l, sitting, that is His humility, saved us; because, The weak
ness of God is stronger than men. He therefore saith in Vs. 139, a certain Psalm, Lord, Thou knowest my down-silting, and
mine up-rising; that is, my humility and mine exaltation. Why then do ye, O sons of Zebedee, wish to be exalted before light ? For let us thus speak, and rather make men tion of them, who are not angry with us; for these things are written concerning them for this reason, that others might beware of that pride for which they were corrected. Why then do ye wish to rise before the light? Your labour is lost. Do ye wish to be exalted, before ye are humbled ? Your Lord Himself, Who is your light, was humbled that
He might be exalted. Hear Paul saying, Who being in the
Sons of Zebedee taught not to seek honour at once. 23
form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God. Ver. How was it not robbery in Him? Because it was His ----- nature, because He was born for this, that He might be
equal with Him by Whom He was begotten. But what did
He do ? He made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Phil. 2, Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of6, 9" men : and being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of
the Cross. This is His sitting. Now hear of His rising again. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above every name. Ye are now hastening unto that name : rise, but after ye have sat down. Ye wish to rise: but first sit: and rising from humility, thou readiest the kingdom. For if thou art in a hurry to reach the kingdom, thou fullest from the kingdom before thou risest. Are ye able, He saith, to drink of the cup which I shall drink
of? They reply, We are able. He answereth, Ye shall drink Mat. 20,
.
indeed of My Cup; but to sit on My right hand and on My
left, is not Mine to give unto you, but it is prepared of My Father for others. What meaneth, It is not Mine to give? It is not Mine to give to the proud: for such they as yet were. But if ye wish to receive this, be not what ye are. It is pre pared for others: do ye become others, and for you it is pre pared. What meaneth, Become others? Do ye who already wish to be exalted, first be humbled. They therefore under stood that humility would benefit them, and were rebuked.
Let us too therefore listen to this, for this Psalm giveth us the same lesson in these words : Rise after ye hare sat down.
22 23
6. But lest any one should imagine that he sitteth that he
may be honoured ; that he might shew that by this sitting his intent was to enjoin humility ; that no man might suppose
that he was ordered to sit either for judgment, or banquetting
and rejoicing, and thereby seek a higher pride ; to signify humility he hath added, Ye that eat the bread of grief.
They therefore eat the bread of grief, who groan in this pilgrimage. They are in the vale of misery. For God placeth ascending steps in the heart. Where hath he placed them? He hath set, saith the Psalmist, steps of ascent in P*. S4, his heart. Who? God. If steps of ascent in the heart,5- therefore they sing the Song of steps. Let us be humbled in
24 The Churchfrom Christ dying, as Eve from Adam sleeplng.
Psalm the world, let usa ascend. How ? in the heart Because CX xVII. : the ascent of the heart itself riseth from the vale of misery.
In the vale, saith he, of misery. As the mountains are erect, so do the valleys sit : for by valleys are meant the low spots of the earth ; while hills signify the eminences of lower height than mountains: very high spots of the earth are called mountains. It is not enough ; he saith not, rise from the hills ; nor, from the plain ; but, from the valley, meaning something more lowly than the plain. If therefore thou eatest the bread of grief in the valley of misery, and sayest,
Ps. 42,3. My tears have been my meat day and night : while they say unto me, Where is now thy God? thou risest rightly, because thou hast sat down.
7. And as if thou shouldest say, When shall we rise ? we are ordered now to sit: when will be our rising? When the Lord's was. Look unto Him, Who went before thee : for if thou heedest not Him, it is lost labour for thee to rise before dawn. When was He raised ? When He had died. Hope therefore for thine uplifting after thy death : have hope in the resurrection of the dead, because He rose again and ascended. But where did He sleep ? On the Cross. When
He slept on the Cross, He bore a sign, yea, He fulfilled
what had been signified in Adam : for when Adam was Gen. 2, asleep, a rib was drawn from him, and Eve was created ; so 21 22. also while the Lord slept on the Cross, His side was trans- Johni9, fixed with a spear, and the Sacraments flowed forth, whence
the Church was born. For the Church the Lord's Bride was created from His side, as Eve was created from the side of Adam. But as she was made from his side no otherwise than while sleeping, so the Church was created from His side no otherwise than while dying. If therefore He rose not from the dead save when He had died, dost thou hope for
exaltation save after this life? But that this Psalm might teach thee, in case thou shouldest ask, When shall 1 rise ? perhaps before I have sat down ? he addeth, When He hath
given His beloved sleep. God giveth this when His beloved have fallen asleep ; then His beloved, that Christ's, shall rise. For all indeed shall rise, but not as His beloved.
There resurrection of all the dead but what saith the Oxf. Mss. that we may. '
>>
'
is a
;
is,
Our rising from sleep. Children of the spiritual Eve. 25
Apostle ? We shall all rise, but we shall not all be changed. Vhr. They rise unto punishment: we rise as our Lord rose, that. -r^-- we may follow our Head, if we are members of Him. And is, Si. if we are members of His, then are we His beloved; then pertaineth unto us that resurrection which went before in the
Lord, so that the Light rose before us, we after the Light ; because it is but lost labour for us to rise before light, that is, to seek exaltation before we die; since Christ our Light was not exalted in the flesh, save after He had died. Con stituted then His members, and in His members His beloved,
when we have received our sleep, then shall we rise in the resurrection ofthe dead. One hath risen from the dead, to die
no more. Lazarus rose, but to die: the daughter of the ruler Jobnil, of the Synagogue rose, but to die; the widow's son rose, but Matt. 9, to die; Christ rose, no more to die. Hear the Apostle: Christ20-
being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more 15. dominion over Him. Hope for such a resurrection; and for^? 1"'6' the sake of this be a Christian, not for the sake of this world's happiness. For if thou wish to be a Christian for the sake of
this world's happiness, since He thy Light sought not worldly happiness; thou art wishing to rise before the light; thou
must needs continue in darkness. Be changed, follow thy Light; rise whereb He rose again: first sit down, and thus rise, when He giveth His beloved sleep.
8. Ver. 3. As if thou shouldest ask again, Who are the
beloved? Lo, children, the reward the f the of fruit of
womb, are an heritage of the Lord'. Since he saith, ruit of the womb, these children have been born in travail. There is a certain woman, in whom what was said unto Eve, in sorrow shall thou bring forth children, is shewn after a spiritual manner. The Church beareth children, the Bride of Christ ; and if she beareth them, she travaileth of them.
In figure of her, Eve was called also the Mother of all living. Gen. 3, He who said, My little children, of whom 1 travail in bii7/t 4* again, until Christ be formed in you, was amongst the IB, members of her who travaileth. But she travailed not in
vain, nor brought forth in vain : there will be a holy seed
b So Oxf. Mss. ' qua resurrexit. ' children, the heritage of the Lord, is Ben. * quart* surrexir. ' the reward of the fruit of the womb. '
e Perhaps he inteuds to read f. o, Making filii' vocative.
it, '
'
26 The saints the reward of the Church's travail.
Psalm at the resurrection of the dead : the righteous who are at cxxvn. : present scattered over the whole world shall abound. The Church groaneth for them, the Church travaileth of them ; but in that resurrection of the dead, the offspring of the
Church shall appear, pain and groaning shall pass away.
And what shall be said ? Lo, children, the reward of the fruit of the womb, are an heritage of the Lord. The word fruit is in the possessive cased. It is, the reward of the fruit of the womb. What is this reward? Resurrection from
the dead. What is this reward ? To rise, after thou hast sat down. What is this reward ? Rejoicing, after thou hast eaten the bread of sorrow. Of what womb ? Of the Church:
Gen. 25, in whose womb, for Rebecca was her type, those two twins 22' 23* as two people strove. One mother contained in her womb brethren, who disagreed before they were bprn; they agitated
Mai. 1, 2 3 Roni. 9, 13.
loved, sa^ Cod, but Esau have 1 hated. Both went forth from
their mother's womb with internal discords; she groaned, and suffered violence -r but when she brought forth, she discerned what twins she had endured when pregnant. Thus also now, brethren, as long as groans are given unto the Church, as long as the Church travaileth, there are within her both good and evil. But the fruit of theIwomb
was in Jacob, for his mother loved him. Jacob have
one womb ; one deserved to be loved, the other to be repro bated. Her fruit will be, therefore, among the beloved.
The fruit of the womb, therefore, hath a reward.
9. Ver. 4. Like as the arrows in the hand of the mighty one, even so are the children of those that are shot out. Whence hath sprung this heritage, brethren ? Whence hath sprung so numerous a heritage, as that whereof he saith at the end, Lo, children, the reward of the fruit of the womb, are an
heritage of the Lord ? Some have been shot out from the Lord's hand, as arrows, and have gone far, and have filled the whole earth, whence the Saints spring. For this
Ps. 2, 8. is the heritage whereof it is said, Desire of Me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the utter most parts of the earth for thy possession. And how doth this possession extend and increase unto the world's utter most parts ? Because, like as the arrows in the hand of the
? : ' Hujus fructflg, non hie fructus. '
Children of those shot out, successors of the Apostles. 27
mighty one, even so are the children of those that are shot out. Ver. Arrows are shot forth from the bow, and the stronger the ------ arm which hath sent it forth, the farther flieth the arrow.
But what is stronger than the darting of the Lord ? From
His bow He sendeth forth His Apostles: there could not be a spot left where an arrow shot by so strong an arm would not reach ; it hath reached unto the uttermost parts of the earth. The reason it went no farther was, that there were no more of the human race beyond. For He hath such strength, that even if there were a spot beyond, whither the arrow could fly, He would dart the arrow thither. Such are the children of those who are shot forth as they that are shot forth. It hath been a question respecting this word, agitated by those who before us have treated these subjects, why they are called children of those who have been shot forth, or who are to be understood by the sons of those who have been shaken forth ; and to some it hath appeared, as 1 have just said, that the children of those who have been shaken forth, are the children of the Apostles.
10. Beloved, listen for a short season. The question hath
been raised, why the Apostles are 'shot* or ' shaken' out:
some allege, that they are thus styled, because the Lord enjoined them, When ye depart out of that house, or of that Mat. 10, city, shake off the dust from off your feet. Another saith, 14' They ought not then to be called the sons of those who
have been shaken forth, but the sons of those who shake
out; for the Lord made those unto whom He said, Shake
off the dust from off your feet ; shaking out, not shaken off.
He indeed who before us treated this subject, wished with subtilty to contradict the foregoing opinion : nevertheless
we, with the Lord's help, seeking in what sense they might rightly be called shaken out, unto whom our Lord saith,
Shake off the dust from off your feet, find that they can thus be termed without absurdity. For although they them selves shook ott", they shook themselves out. I mean this : he who shaketh out, either shaketh himself out, or something
else ; if he shaketh off any thing else, he shaketh out, he is not shaken out ; but if he shake out himself, he both shaketh out and hath been shaken out. Listen, I will say this more clearly, if I can. If he shake out any thing else, he shaketh
28 The Prophets, shaken out, reveal Gospel mysteries.
Psalm out, and is not shaken out ; If he be shaken out by another, CxX VII 'he is shaken out, and doth not shake out; but if he shake out himself, he shaketh out, because he shaketh out himself;
Is. 1,3.
and is shaken out, because he is shaken out by himself. A question, therefore, is raised, whom the Apostles shook out? Themselves, surely: for they shook off dust from their own feet. But some one saith, They shook not out them selves, but the dust. This is clearly a cavil. For we say, that something is shaken out in two ways : either that which is shaken out thence, or that whence it is shaken out. For we say both the dust hath been shaken out, and the garment hath been shaken out. Some hold and shake the garment ; and thence issueth dust, that had clung unto it. What sayest thou of the dust? The dust hath been shaken out. What sayest thou of the garment ? The garment hath been shaken out. If, therefore, both that which issueth forth from the shaking, and that from which the dust issueth forth, is said to be shaken out; both the dust hath been shaken out, and the Apostles have been shaken out. Why then are not the children of those that have been shaken out, called the children of the Apostles?
11. But there is another opinion also which we ought not to pass over. For perhaps the words are rather obscurely expressed for this reason, that they may call forth many understandings, and that men may go away the richer, because they have found that closed which might be opened in many ways, than if they could open and discover it by one interpretation. We say also that any thing is shaken out; that what is perhaps concealed may come out thence. For we say with one meaning that a garment is shaken, that they may shake out dust thence ; and in another sense we say
that a sack is shaken, that what lay concealed within may issue forth. I understand therefore, brethren, as far as I am able, that perhaps the Apostles themselves are styled the sons of those who have been shaken out, the sons of the Prophets. For the Prophets comprised closed and covered mysteries: they were shaken, that they might come forth thence manifestly. Suppose therefore, a Prophet to have said, as one truly saith, The ox knoweth his owner and the ass his master's crib: but Israel doth nut know Me. This
Hidden meanings; the Ox, the Jew; the Ass, the Oentile. 29 illustration cometh before my mind at present, to speak of a Ver.
prophet; had another occurred, I would have adduced it. When a man heareth this, if he think of an ass and an
ox, and cattle, and beasts of burden, he will be treating an interior meaning in its outward aspect, ignorant of the latent sense. The ass and the ox signify something. What then
is said unto a man who wisheth to know how to preach the truth? Wait; what thou art touching is closed, shake off
the covering; the Prophet conceals something beneath this
veil of language ; he meaneth something by the ass, some
thing by the ox. For the ass, figuring the people of God, is God's beast of burden, carrying the Lord its Rider, that it
may not stray in its path: and that ox whereof the Apostle
saith, Thou shall not muzzle the mouth of the ox that Dent. ireadeth out the corn: doth God take care for oxen, he asks, ifctl 9 or saith He it altogether for our sakes? For our sokes, 9. 10. he saith, without doubt this is written. Every preacher of God's Word, therefore, warneth, chideth, frighteneth, thresh-
eth the floor, and filleth the office of the ox. The ox came from the Jews' nation ; for thence came the Apostles, Preachers : the ass came from the nation of the uncircum- cised, that from the Gentiles. He came to carry the Lord and therefore the Lord sat upon an ass that never had carried man; since the Law was not sent to the Gentiles, nor the Prophets. Since therefore our Lord Jesus Christ willed to be our meat, and on this account was laid in the manger at His birth, the ox knew his owner, and the ass his master's crib. But would these meanings issue forth, unless the bag were shaken out? Except the prophecy involved were sifted with diligence, would the concealed meanings come forth unto us? All these meanings were therefore closed before the Lord's advent. The Lord came, and shook out these hidden meanings, and they were made manifest the Prophets were shaken out, and the Apostles were born. Since then they were born of the Prophets who had been shaken out, the Apostles are sons of those that were shaken out. They, placed as the arrows in the hand of the giant, have reached the uttermost parts of the earth. How must needs be said of the end, Lo, children, the reward of the fruit of the womb, are the heritage of the
*'
it
is,
;
:
30 Blessing of those whose desire is for true good.
Psalm Lord. Because this heritage is gathered from the uttermost CXxVI1. parts of the earth : because, Like as the arrows in the hand of the mighty one, even so are the children of them that are
shaken out; that is, the Apostles the sons of the Prophets have been like as the arrows in the hand of a mighly one. If He is mighty, He hath shaken them out with a mighty hand; if He hath shaken them out with a mighty hand, they whom He hath shaken forth have arrived even at the uttermost parts of the earth.
12. Ver. 5. Blessed is the man who hath filled his desire from them.
/
word Samaritan meaneth, a Keeper. If He had said, I am not a Samaritan, He would have denied that He was a Guardian. And who else could guard us ? Then figuring
I am not a Samaritan; but,
have not a devil. For the
36*87? ' ^e l0ve o^ ^0<^' an<* tne *ove o^ our neighbour : for on these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets. He said also unto the host, Whatsoever thou spendest more,
I will repay thee. The Apostle spent more; for, though it was allowed unto all the Apostles to J Cor. 4, receive, as Christ's soldiers, pay from Christ's subjects that l Thess. Apostle, nevertheless, toiled with his own hands, and excused
2'xhegj tne subjects the maintenance owing to him. All this hath 3,8. 9. already happened: if we have descended, and have been
, Pro- when aiibus.
I
come again,
This song of degrees, why called Solomon's. 17
wounded ; let us ascend, let us sing, and make progress, in Veh. order that we may arrive.
PSALM CXXVII. EXPOSITION.
A Sermon to the Common People.
L*t. CXXVI.
1. Among all the Songs entitled the Song of degrees, this Psalm hath a further addition in the title, that it is Solomon's. For thus it is entitled, A Song of degrees of Solomon. It hath therefore aroused our attention, and caused us to enquire the reason of this addition, of Solomon. For it is needless to repeat explanations of the other words, Song of degrees; for much has been said on this subject, for the voice of one ascending singeth with feelings of piety and love for that heavenly Jerusalem, for whom we sigh while absent from her, and wherein we shall rejoice on our return from our wandering. Every man who is amending ascendeth towards her. Every man who is losing ground falleth away from her. Think not that thou descendest by thy feet, nor seek to rise by thy feet ; by loving God, thou risest: by loving the world, thou fallest. These then are the songs of those who love, who burn with a sort of holy
longing. They who sing these verses from their heart burn, and their ardent heart is discovered also in their conduct, in good conversation, in works according to the command ments of God, in contempt of temporal things, in love of things eternal. I will now explain to you, beloved, as far as the Lord shall allow me, the meaning of the additional word, Solomon's.
2. Solomon was in his time David's son, a great man, through whom many holy precepts and healthful admonitions
and divine mysteries have been wrought by the Holy Spirit
in the Scriptures. Solomon himself was a lover of women,
and was rejected by God: and this lust was so great a snare
unto him, that he was induced by women even to sacrifice i Kings
to idols, as Scripture wituesseth concerning him. But by ll, vol. vi.
c
,
if,
8.
18 Christ theirue Peace-maker, and Builder of God's Temple.
Psalm his fall what was delivered through him were blotted out, Cx x V 11 it would be judged that he had himself delivered these precepts, and not that they were delivered through him. The mercy of God, therefore, and His Spirit, excellently wrought that whatever of good was declared through Solomon, might be attributed unto God ; and the man's sin, unto the
man. What marvel that Solomon fell among God's people? Did not Adam fall in Paradise ? Did not an angel fall from heaven, and become the devil ? We are thereby taught, that no hope must be placed in any among men. Since
l Kings that very Solomon had built a temple to the Lord, in the type and figure of the Church which was to come, and of
John 2,
the Lord's Body ; whence He saith in the Gospel, Destroy this Temple, and in three days I will raise it up; since then He had Himself built, I say, this Temple, the True Solomon, our Lord Jesus Christ, the True Peacemaker, built unto Himself a Temple. For the name of Solomon is interpreted to mean peacemaker: now He is the True Peace-
Eph. 2, maker, of Whom the Apostle saith, He is our Peace, Who 14 2*. ll<ltJt made both one. He is the True Peacemaker, Who joined together in Himself two walls coming from different sides, wherein He became the chief Corner Stone, both to the believing host who came from circumcision, and to the believing people who came from the uncircumcision of the
Gentiles; He made one Church of two nations, He became unto them a chief Corner Stone, and for this reason was the True Peacemaker. Since, therefore, He is the true Solomon ; for that Solomon, who was the son of David of the woman Bersabe, the king of Israel, was the figure of this Peace maker, when he built the temple ; that thou mayest not think he who built the house unto God was the true Solomon, Scripture shewing unto thee another Solomon thus com mences this Psalm: (ver. 1. ) Except the Lord build the house, their labour is but lost that build it. The Lord, therefore, buildeth the house, the Lord Jesus Christ buildeth
His own house. Many toil in building: but, except He build, their labour is but lost that build it. Who are they who toil in building it ? All who preach the word of God in the Church, the ministers of God's mysteries. We are all running, we are all toiling, we are all building now ; and
His Ministers build and keep guard under Him. 19
before us others have run, toiled, and built: but except the Ver. Lord build the house, their labour is but lost that build it.
Thus the Apostles seeing some fall ; and Paul in particular
sIaith, Ye observe days and months and times and years ; Gal. 4, am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in 10' vain. Because he knew that he himself was builded inwardly
by the Lord, he bewailed these men, in that he had laboured
in vain for them. We, therefore, speak without, He buildeth within. We can observe with what attention ye hear us; He alone Who knoweth your thoughts, knoweth what ye think. He Himself buildeth, He Himself admonisheth, He Himself openeth the understanding, He Himself kindleth your understanding unto faith; nevertheless, we also toil like workmen ; but, except the Lord build the house, their labour is but lost that build it.
3. But that which is the house of God is also a city. For the house of God is the people of God; for the house of God is the temple of God. And what doth the Apostle say?
The temple of God is holy, which are ye. But all the l Cor. 3, faithful, who are the house of God, not only those who now ^' exist, but those also who have been before us and have already slept, and they who are to come after us, unto the world's end, innumerable hosts of the faithful gathered into
one body, but counted by the Lord, of whom the Apostle
6aith, The Lord knoweth them that are His; those grains 2 Tim. 2, of wheat which as yet groan among the chaff, which will19- constitute one mass, when the floor shall in the end have Mat. 3, been winnowed : the whole number of faithful Saints, destined 12'
to be changed from the human state, that they become equal
with the Angels of God; themselves joined unto the Angels,
who are no longer pilgrims, but are awaiting us on our
return from our pilgrimage ; all make together one house of
God, and one city. This is Jerusalem : she hath guards :
as she hath builders, labouring at her building up, so also
hath she guards. To this guardianship these words of the Apostle relate; /fear, lest by any means, as the serpent 2Cor. 1l,
beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be3' corrupted from the simplicity which is in Christ. He was guarding the Church. He kept watch, to the utmost of his power, over those over whom he was set. The Bishops also
c2
20 Bishops watch without, Christ alone sees within.
Psalm do this. For a higher place was for this reason given the CXXVII .
''
Keeper of Israel neither sleepeth nor slumbereth. Yea, brethren, if we wish to be kept beneath the shadow of God's wings, let us be Israel. For we guard you in our office of stewards ; but we wish to be guarded together with you. We are as it were shepherds unto you ; but beneath that Shepherd we are fellow-sheep with you. We are as it were your teachers from this station; but beneath Him, the One Master, we are schoolfellows with you in this school.
4. Ver. 2. If we wish to be guarded by Him Who was humbled for our sakes, and Who was exalted to keep us, let us be humble. Let no one assume any thing unto himself. No man hath any good, except he hath received it from Him Who alone is good. But he who chooseth to arrogate wisdom unto himself, is a fool. Let him be humble, that wisdom may come, and may enlighten him. But before
'Bishops, that they might be themselves the superintendents and as it were the guardians of the people. For the Greek word Episcopus, and the vernacular Superintendent, are the same ; for the Bishop superintends, in that he looks over. As a higher place is assigned to the vinedresser in the charge of the vineyard, so also to the Bishops a more exalted station is allotted. And a perilous account is rendered of this high station, except we stand here with a heart that causeth us to stand beneath your feet in humility, and pray for you, that He Who knoweth your minds may be Himself your keeper. Since we can see you both coming in and going out; but we are so unable to see what are the thoughts of your hearts, that we cannot even see what ye do in your houses. How then can we guard you ? As men : as far as we are able, as far as we have received power. And because we guard you like men, and cannot
guard you perfectly, shall ye therefore remain without a keeper ? Far be it ! For where is He of Whom it is said, Except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain ? We are watchful on our guard, but vain in our watchfulness, except
He Who seeth your thoughts guard you. He keepeth guard while ye are awake, He keepeth guard also whilst ye are asleep. For He hath once slept on the Cross, and hath
Ps. 131, risen again; He no longer sleepeth. Be ye Israel: for the
if,
It is in vain to rise before light, i. e. before Christ. 21
wisdom cometh unto him, he imagine that he is wise; he Vf. r. riseth before light, and walketh in darkness. What doth he '? -- hear in this Psalm? It is but lost labour that ye haste to
rise up before dawn. What meaneth this? If ye arise
before light ariseth, ye must needs lose your labour, because ye will be in the dark. Our light, Christ, hath
arisen ; it is good for thee to rise after Christ, not to rise
before Christ. Who rise before Christ? They who choose
to prefer themselves to Christ. And who are they who wish
to prefer themselves to Christ? They who wish to be exalted
here, where He was humble. Let them, therefore, be humble
here, if they wish to be exalted there, where Christ is exalted. For He saith of those who had clung in faith unto
Him, among whom we also are, if we too believe on Him
with a pure heart: Father, Iwill thaIt they also, whom T7iou3ohul7, hast given Me, be with Me where
great grace, a great promise, my brethren ! And who doth
not wish to be with Christ, where Christ is? But Christ
is now exalted ; dost thou wish to be there where He is exalted ? He thou humble, where He also was humble.
On this account the Light Himself saith unto them, TheMa^? < disciple is not above his Master, nor the servant above his
Lord. The disciples who wished to be above their Master, and the servants who wished to be above their Lord, wished to rise before light; their labour was lost, because they went not forth after the light. To them, therefore, this Psalm saith, It is but lost labour that ye rise before dawn. Such were the sons of Zebedee, who, before they were humbled according to the Lord's Passion, were already choosing themselves places, where they might sit, the one on the right hand, the other on the left ; they wished to rise before dawn ; for this reason their labour was lost. The Lord recalled them to humility, when He heard this, and
said unto them, Are ye able to drink of the cup that
I shall
Mat. 20, drink of? I came to be humble : and are ye wishing to be
exalted before Me? The way I go, do ye follow, He saith. For if ye choose to go this way where 1 do not go, your labour is lost, in rising before dawn. Peter too had risen before the light, when he wished to give the Lord advice, deterring Him from suffering for us. He had spoken of His
am. A great a24' gift,
22 Christians must follow Christ through humiliation.
Psalm Passion, wherein we were to be saved, of humiliation itself; CxxV1I ' for He suffered humbly : when, therefore, He was foretelling His destined Passion, Peter was alarmed, though he had called Him, a little before, the Son of God ; he feared lest He should die, and said unto Him, Be it far from Thee, Lord: this shall not be unto Thee. He was wishing to rise before the Light, and to give counsel unto the Light. But what did our Lord do ? He caused him to rise after the Mat. 16, Light: Get thee behind Me, Satan. He was Satan, because 21 23' he wished to rise before Light. Get thee behind Me: that I may precede, thou mayest follow : where I go, there thou mayest go ; and mayest not wish to lead Me, where thou
wouldest go.
5. The Psalm then saith unto those who wished to rise
before light, // is but lost labour that ye haste to rise before light. When shall we rise, then ? When we have been humbled: Rise after ye have sitten. Rising signifieth exaltation : sitting signifieth humility. In some passages sitting is understood of judging in honour, in others it meaneth humility. How does sitting signify judging in
Mat. 19, honour ? Ye shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. How is sitting a sign of humility ? John 4, About the sixth hour, Jesus being wearied, sat upon the well. The Lord's weariness was the weakness of the Lord, the weakness of Power, the weakness of Wisdom : but this very
weakness is humility. If therefore He sat down from weak
ness, that sitting down signifieth humility. And this His l Cor. l, sitting, that is His humility, saved us; because, The weak
ness of God is stronger than men. He therefore saith in Vs. 139, a certain Psalm, Lord, Thou knowest my down-silting, and
mine up-rising; that is, my humility and mine exaltation. Why then do ye, O sons of Zebedee, wish to be exalted before light ? For let us thus speak, and rather make men tion of them, who are not angry with us; for these things are written concerning them for this reason, that others might beware of that pride for which they were corrected. Why then do ye wish to rise before the light? Your labour is lost. Do ye wish to be exalted, before ye are humbled ? Your Lord Himself, Who is your light, was humbled that
He might be exalted. Hear Paul saying, Who being in the
Sons of Zebedee taught not to seek honour at once. 23
form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God. Ver. How was it not robbery in Him? Because it was His ----- nature, because He was born for this, that He might be
equal with Him by Whom He was begotten. But what did
He do ? He made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Phil. 2, Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of6, 9" men : and being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of
the Cross. This is His sitting. Now hear of His rising again. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above every name. Ye are now hastening unto that name : rise, but after ye have sat down. Ye wish to rise: but first sit: and rising from humility, thou readiest the kingdom. For if thou art in a hurry to reach the kingdom, thou fullest from the kingdom before thou risest. Are ye able, He saith, to drink of the cup which I shall drink
of? They reply, We are able. He answereth, Ye shall drink Mat. 20,
.
indeed of My Cup; but to sit on My right hand and on My
left, is not Mine to give unto you, but it is prepared of My Father for others. What meaneth, It is not Mine to give? It is not Mine to give to the proud: for such they as yet were. But if ye wish to receive this, be not what ye are. It is pre pared for others: do ye become others, and for you it is pre pared. What meaneth, Become others? Do ye who already wish to be exalted, first be humbled. They therefore under stood that humility would benefit them, and were rebuked.
Let us too therefore listen to this, for this Psalm giveth us the same lesson in these words : Rise after ye hare sat down.
22 23
6. But lest any one should imagine that he sitteth that he
may be honoured ; that he might shew that by this sitting his intent was to enjoin humility ; that no man might suppose
that he was ordered to sit either for judgment, or banquetting
and rejoicing, and thereby seek a higher pride ; to signify humility he hath added, Ye that eat the bread of grief.
They therefore eat the bread of grief, who groan in this pilgrimage. They are in the vale of misery. For God placeth ascending steps in the heart. Where hath he placed them? He hath set, saith the Psalmist, steps of ascent in P*. S4, his heart. Who? God. If steps of ascent in the heart,5- therefore they sing the Song of steps. Let us be humbled in
24 The Churchfrom Christ dying, as Eve from Adam sleeplng.
Psalm the world, let usa ascend. How ? in the heart Because CX xVII. : the ascent of the heart itself riseth from the vale of misery.
In the vale, saith he, of misery. As the mountains are erect, so do the valleys sit : for by valleys are meant the low spots of the earth ; while hills signify the eminences of lower height than mountains: very high spots of the earth are called mountains. It is not enough ; he saith not, rise from the hills ; nor, from the plain ; but, from the valley, meaning something more lowly than the plain. If therefore thou eatest the bread of grief in the valley of misery, and sayest,
Ps. 42,3. My tears have been my meat day and night : while they say unto me, Where is now thy God? thou risest rightly, because thou hast sat down.
7. And as if thou shouldest say, When shall we rise ? we are ordered now to sit: when will be our rising? When the Lord's was. Look unto Him, Who went before thee : for if thou heedest not Him, it is lost labour for thee to rise before dawn. When was He raised ? When He had died. Hope therefore for thine uplifting after thy death : have hope in the resurrection of the dead, because He rose again and ascended. But where did He sleep ? On the Cross. When
He slept on the Cross, He bore a sign, yea, He fulfilled
what had been signified in Adam : for when Adam was Gen. 2, asleep, a rib was drawn from him, and Eve was created ; so 21 22. also while the Lord slept on the Cross, His side was trans- Johni9, fixed with a spear, and the Sacraments flowed forth, whence
the Church was born. For the Church the Lord's Bride was created from His side, as Eve was created from the side of Adam. But as she was made from his side no otherwise than while sleeping, so the Church was created from His side no otherwise than while dying. If therefore He rose not from the dead save when He had died, dost thou hope for
exaltation save after this life? But that this Psalm might teach thee, in case thou shouldest ask, When shall 1 rise ? perhaps before I have sat down ? he addeth, When He hath
given His beloved sleep. God giveth this when His beloved have fallen asleep ; then His beloved, that Christ's, shall rise. For all indeed shall rise, but not as His beloved.
There resurrection of all the dead but what saith the Oxf. Mss. that we may. '
>>
'
is a
;
is,
Our rising from sleep. Children of the spiritual Eve. 25
Apostle ? We shall all rise, but we shall not all be changed. Vhr. They rise unto punishment: we rise as our Lord rose, that. -r^-- we may follow our Head, if we are members of Him. And is, Si. if we are members of His, then are we His beloved; then pertaineth unto us that resurrection which went before in the
Lord, so that the Light rose before us, we after the Light ; because it is but lost labour for us to rise before light, that is, to seek exaltation before we die; since Christ our Light was not exalted in the flesh, save after He had died. Con stituted then His members, and in His members His beloved,
when we have received our sleep, then shall we rise in the resurrection ofthe dead. One hath risen from the dead, to die
no more. Lazarus rose, but to die: the daughter of the ruler Jobnil, of the Synagogue rose, but to die; the widow's son rose, but Matt. 9, to die; Christ rose, no more to die. Hear the Apostle: Christ20-
being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more 15. dominion over Him. Hope for such a resurrection; and for^? 1"'6' the sake of this be a Christian, not for the sake of this world's happiness. For if thou wish to be a Christian for the sake of
this world's happiness, since He thy Light sought not worldly happiness; thou art wishing to rise before the light; thou
must needs continue in darkness. Be changed, follow thy Light; rise whereb He rose again: first sit down, and thus rise, when He giveth His beloved sleep.
8. Ver. 3. As if thou shouldest ask again, Who are the
beloved? Lo, children, the reward the f the of fruit of
womb, are an heritage of the Lord'. Since he saith, ruit of the womb, these children have been born in travail. There is a certain woman, in whom what was said unto Eve, in sorrow shall thou bring forth children, is shewn after a spiritual manner. The Church beareth children, the Bride of Christ ; and if she beareth them, she travaileth of them.
In figure of her, Eve was called also the Mother of all living. Gen. 3, He who said, My little children, of whom 1 travail in bii7/t 4* again, until Christ be formed in you, was amongst the IB, members of her who travaileth. But she travailed not in
vain, nor brought forth in vain : there will be a holy seed
b So Oxf. Mss. ' qua resurrexit. ' children, the heritage of the Lord, is Ben. * quart* surrexir. ' the reward of the fruit of the womb. '
e Perhaps he inteuds to read f. o, Making filii' vocative.
it, '
'
26 The saints the reward of the Church's travail.
Psalm at the resurrection of the dead : the righteous who are at cxxvn. : present scattered over the whole world shall abound. The Church groaneth for them, the Church travaileth of them ; but in that resurrection of the dead, the offspring of the
Church shall appear, pain and groaning shall pass away.
And what shall be said ? Lo, children, the reward of the fruit of the womb, are an heritage of the Lord. The word fruit is in the possessive cased. It is, the reward of the fruit of the womb. What is this reward? Resurrection from
the dead. What is this reward ? To rise, after thou hast sat down. What is this reward ? Rejoicing, after thou hast eaten the bread of sorrow. Of what womb ? Of the Church:
Gen. 25, in whose womb, for Rebecca was her type, those two twins 22' 23* as two people strove. One mother contained in her womb brethren, who disagreed before they were bprn; they agitated
Mai. 1, 2 3 Roni. 9, 13.
loved, sa^ Cod, but Esau have 1 hated. Both went forth from
their mother's womb with internal discords; she groaned, and suffered violence -r but when she brought forth, she discerned what twins she had endured when pregnant. Thus also now, brethren, as long as groans are given unto the Church, as long as the Church travaileth, there are within her both good and evil. But the fruit of theIwomb
was in Jacob, for his mother loved him. Jacob have
one womb ; one deserved to be loved, the other to be repro bated. Her fruit will be, therefore, among the beloved.
The fruit of the womb, therefore, hath a reward.
9. Ver. 4. Like as the arrows in the hand of the mighty one, even so are the children of those that are shot out. Whence hath sprung this heritage, brethren ? Whence hath sprung so numerous a heritage, as that whereof he saith at the end, Lo, children, the reward of the fruit of the womb, are an
heritage of the Lord ? Some have been shot out from the Lord's hand, as arrows, and have gone far, and have filled the whole earth, whence the Saints spring. For this
Ps. 2, 8. is the heritage whereof it is said, Desire of Me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the utter most parts of the earth for thy possession. And how doth this possession extend and increase unto the world's utter most parts ? Because, like as the arrows in the hand of the
? : ' Hujus fructflg, non hie fructus. '
Children of those shot out, successors of the Apostles. 27
mighty one, even so are the children of those that are shot out. Ver. Arrows are shot forth from the bow, and the stronger the ------ arm which hath sent it forth, the farther flieth the arrow.
But what is stronger than the darting of the Lord ? From
His bow He sendeth forth His Apostles: there could not be a spot left where an arrow shot by so strong an arm would not reach ; it hath reached unto the uttermost parts of the earth. The reason it went no farther was, that there were no more of the human race beyond. For He hath such strength, that even if there were a spot beyond, whither the arrow could fly, He would dart the arrow thither. Such are the children of those who are shot forth as they that are shot forth. It hath been a question respecting this word, agitated by those who before us have treated these subjects, why they are called children of those who have been shot forth, or who are to be understood by the sons of those who have been shaken forth ; and to some it hath appeared, as 1 have just said, that the children of those who have been shaken forth, are the children of the Apostles.
10. Beloved, listen for a short season. The question hath
been raised, why the Apostles are 'shot* or ' shaken' out:
some allege, that they are thus styled, because the Lord enjoined them, When ye depart out of that house, or of that Mat. 10, city, shake off the dust from off your feet. Another saith, 14' They ought not then to be called the sons of those who
have been shaken forth, but the sons of those who shake
out; for the Lord made those unto whom He said, Shake
off the dust from off your feet ; shaking out, not shaken off.
He indeed who before us treated this subject, wished with subtilty to contradict the foregoing opinion : nevertheless
we, with the Lord's help, seeking in what sense they might rightly be called shaken out, unto whom our Lord saith,
Shake off the dust from off your feet, find that they can thus be termed without absurdity. For although they them selves shook ott", they shook themselves out. I mean this : he who shaketh out, either shaketh himself out, or something
else ; if he shaketh off any thing else, he shaketh out, he is not shaken out ; but if he shake out himself, he both shaketh out and hath been shaken out. Listen, I will say this more clearly, if I can. If he shake out any thing else, he shaketh
28 The Prophets, shaken out, reveal Gospel mysteries.
Psalm out, and is not shaken out ; If he be shaken out by another, CxX VII 'he is shaken out, and doth not shake out; but if he shake out himself, he shaketh out, because he shaketh out himself;
Is. 1,3.
and is shaken out, because he is shaken out by himself. A question, therefore, is raised, whom the Apostles shook out? Themselves, surely: for they shook off dust from their own feet. But some one saith, They shook not out them selves, but the dust. This is clearly a cavil. For we say, that something is shaken out in two ways : either that which is shaken out thence, or that whence it is shaken out. For we say both the dust hath been shaken out, and the garment hath been shaken out. Some hold and shake the garment ; and thence issueth dust, that had clung unto it. What sayest thou of the dust? The dust hath been shaken out. What sayest thou of the garment ? The garment hath been shaken out. If, therefore, both that which issueth forth from the shaking, and that from which the dust issueth forth, is said to be shaken out; both the dust hath been shaken out, and the Apostles have been shaken out. Why then are not the children of those that have been shaken out, called the children of the Apostles?
11. But there is another opinion also which we ought not to pass over. For perhaps the words are rather obscurely expressed for this reason, that they may call forth many understandings, and that men may go away the richer, because they have found that closed which might be opened in many ways, than if they could open and discover it by one interpretation. We say also that any thing is shaken out; that what is perhaps concealed may come out thence. For we say with one meaning that a garment is shaken, that they may shake out dust thence ; and in another sense we say
that a sack is shaken, that what lay concealed within may issue forth. I understand therefore, brethren, as far as I am able, that perhaps the Apostles themselves are styled the sons of those who have been shaken out, the sons of the Prophets. For the Prophets comprised closed and covered mysteries: they were shaken, that they might come forth thence manifestly. Suppose therefore, a Prophet to have said, as one truly saith, The ox knoweth his owner and the ass his master's crib: but Israel doth nut know Me. This
Hidden meanings; the Ox, the Jew; the Ass, the Oentile. 29 illustration cometh before my mind at present, to speak of a Ver.
prophet; had another occurred, I would have adduced it. When a man heareth this, if he think of an ass and an
ox, and cattle, and beasts of burden, he will be treating an interior meaning in its outward aspect, ignorant of the latent sense. The ass and the ox signify something. What then
is said unto a man who wisheth to know how to preach the truth? Wait; what thou art touching is closed, shake off
the covering; the Prophet conceals something beneath this
veil of language ; he meaneth something by the ass, some
thing by the ox. For the ass, figuring the people of God, is God's beast of burden, carrying the Lord its Rider, that it
may not stray in its path: and that ox whereof the Apostle
saith, Thou shall not muzzle the mouth of the ox that Dent. ireadeth out the corn: doth God take care for oxen, he asks, ifctl 9 or saith He it altogether for our sakes? For our sokes, 9. 10. he saith, without doubt this is written. Every preacher of God's Word, therefore, warneth, chideth, frighteneth, thresh-
eth the floor, and filleth the office of the ox. The ox came from the Jews' nation ; for thence came the Apostles, Preachers : the ass came from the nation of the uncircum- cised, that from the Gentiles. He came to carry the Lord and therefore the Lord sat upon an ass that never had carried man; since the Law was not sent to the Gentiles, nor the Prophets. Since therefore our Lord Jesus Christ willed to be our meat, and on this account was laid in the manger at His birth, the ox knew his owner, and the ass his master's crib. But would these meanings issue forth, unless the bag were shaken out? Except the prophecy involved were sifted with diligence, would the concealed meanings come forth unto us? All these meanings were therefore closed before the Lord's advent. The Lord came, and shook out these hidden meanings, and they were made manifest the Prophets were shaken out, and the Apostles were born. Since then they were born of the Prophets who had been shaken out, the Apostles are sons of those that were shaken out. They, placed as the arrows in the hand of the giant, have reached the uttermost parts of the earth. How must needs be said of the end, Lo, children, the reward of the fruit of the womb, are the heritage of the
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30 Blessing of those whose desire is for true good.
Psalm Lord. Because this heritage is gathered from the uttermost CXxVI1. parts of the earth : because, Like as the arrows in the hand of the mighty one, even so are the children of them that are
shaken out; that is, the Apostles the sons of the Prophets have been like as the arrows in the hand of a mighly one. If He is mighty, He hath shaken them out with a mighty hand; if He hath shaken them out with a mighty hand, they whom He hath shaken forth have arrived even at the uttermost parts of the earth.
12. Ver. 5. Blessed is the man who hath filled his desire from them.
