And it shall deserve to be exalted, but in Thy
righteousness
: let every man take away altogether his own righteousness, and be humbled: the righteousness of God shall come, and he shall be exalted, and in Thy righteousness sfiall th y be exalted.
Augustine - Exposition on the Psalms - v4
If therefore the clouds are the preachers lixxix.
nf the truth, let us first enquire why they are clouds.
For the
same men are Heavens and clouds : Heavens from the bright ness of the truth, clouds from the hidden things of the flesh : for all clouds are obscure, owing to their mortality: and they come and go. It is on account of these very obscurities of the
1 Cor. 4, flesh, that is, of the clouds, that the Apostle saith, Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, Who will bring to light the hidden things of darkness. You see at this moment what a man is saying ; but what he has in his heart, you cannot see : what is forced from the cloud, you see, what is kept within the cloud, you see not. For whose the cloud? The clouds therefore are the
eyes pierce
preachers of the truth in the flesh. The Creator of all things
Himself came in the flesh. But who is he among the clouds, who shall be compared unto the Lord? and what is he among the sons of God, that shall be like unto the Ljord ? No one then among the sons of God shall be like unto the Lord. He Himself is called the Son of God, and we are called the sons of God : but who among the sons of God will
lunicus. be like unto the Lord? He is the only Son1, we are many : He is one, we in Him are one : He is born, we are adopted : He is the Son begotten from everlasting according to nature: we are made so in time through grace: He without any sin, we freed from sin by Him. Who, then, among the clouds shall be compared unto the Lord? or what is he among the sons of God, that shall be like unto the Lard? We are called clouds on account of the flesh, and we are preachers of the truth on account of the showers of the clouds: but our flesh comes in one way, His by another. We too are called sons of God, but He is the Son of God in
another sense. His cloud comes from a Virgin, He is the Son a>>qualiH from eternity, co-eternal a with the Father. Who is he then among the clouds, that shall be compared unto the Lord? and what is he among the sons of God, that shall be like unto the
Lord? Let the Lord Himself say whetheI
r He can find one like
unto Himself. Whom do men sag that
Because I appear, because 1 am seen, because I walk among you, and perhaps at present I am become common ; say, whom do men say that I the Son of Man am ? Surely when
the Son
of
Man am ?
He was thought but like others by the world. 247
they see a son of man, they see a cloud ;
but say, Whom do Ver.
I
Whom say ye that
for those who were one', answered, Thou art the Christ, the* pro
Son the living God. oJf "
unitate UDU8.
am? In answer
men say that
of men; Some say that Thou art John the Baptist: some i3--'i6. ' Elias, and others Jeremias, or one of the prophets. Man y clouds and sons of God are here mentioned : for because
they were righteous and holy, as the sons of God, Jeremias,
Elias, and John, are called also sons of God: in their character of preachers of God, they are styled clouds. Ye
have said what clouIds men imagine Me to be : do ye too say,
they gave
Him the
reports jj6't7'
am ? Peter replying in behalf of all, one
For who is he among the clouds that shall be compared unto the Lord ? and what is he among the sons of God, that shall be like unto the Lord ? " Thou art Christ, the Son of the living God ;" r/bt like those sons of God who are not made equal to Thee : Thou hast come in the flesh : but not as the clouds, who are not to be compared unto Thee.
8. For Who art Thou, to Whom it is answered, Thou art Christ, the Son of the living God: Whom other men not righteous, not holy, supposed he be one of the Prophets, either Elias, or Jeremias, or John the Baptist; Who then art Thou? Hear what follows: (ver. 7. ) God is very greatly to be
feared in the counsel of the righteous. Who then is he
among the clouds, that shall be compared unto the Lord ? or
what is he among the sons of God, that shall be like unto
the Lord, since that God is very greatly to be feared in the counsel of the righteous? Since they cannot be equal unto
Him, let it be their counsel to believe in Him ; as they who
are clouds and sons of God cannot be His equals, this act
of wisdom is left to human weakness, that he that glorieth, l Cor. 1, let him glory in the Lord. God is very greatly to befeared31'
in the counsel of the righteous, and to be had in dread of all
them that are round about Him. God is every where ; who therefore are round about Him, Who is every where ? For if
He has some round about Him, He is represented as finite
on every side. Moreover, if it is truly said to God* and of" Oxf. God, of His greatness there is no end ; who remain, who are . ^^jod' round about Him, except because He Who is every where, Ps- l*6, chose to be born of the flesh on one spot, to dwell among3'
248 Our Lord as Man made known to 'those aroundffim. '
Psalm one nation, in one place to be crucified, from one spot to rise i. xxxix. again an(l ascen(l int0 Heaven. Where He did this, the Gentiles are round about Him. If He remained where He did these things, He would not be great, and be had in dread
of all them that are round about Him ; but since He preached when there in such a manner as to send preachers of His own name through all nations over the whole world ; by working miracles among his servants, he is become great, and
to be had in dread of all them that are round about Him.
9. Ver. 8. O Lord God of Hosts, who is like unto Thee ? Thy truth, most mighty Lord, is on every side. Great is Thy
power : Thou hast made Heaven and earth, and all things that in them are : but greater still is thy loving-kindness, which has shewn forth Thy truth to all around Thee. For if Thou hadst been preached only on the spot where Thou didst deign to be born, to suffer, to rise again, to ascend; the truth of that promise of God would have been fulfilled, to confirm
Rom. 16, the promises made unto the fathers : but the promise, that
'*-
the Gentiles may glorify God for His mercy, would not have been fulfilled, had not that truth been explained, and dif fused to those around Thee from the spot where Thou didst deign to appear. On that spot Thou didst thunder out of Thy own Cloud: but to scatter rain upon the Gentiles round about, Thou hast sunt other clouds. Truly in Thy power
Mat. 26, nasl xhou fulfilled what Thou hast said, " Hereafter shall ye see the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of Heaven. " Thy truth, most mighty Lord, is on every side.
^njj2'
10. But when Thy truth began to be preached on every side, the heathen furiously raged together, and the people imagined a vain thing: the Icings of the earth stood up, and the rulers took counsel together, against the Lord, and against His Anointed. Verily, when Thy truth had begun to be preached in Thy circuit, as if Thou wert coming to marry a wife among the alien-born, the roaring lion meets Thee,
u%e*6 an(l 's strangled by Thee. For this was prefigured in Samson: and you, my brethren, would not have applauded these words of mine, before I mentioned Samson by name, unless ye recognised the type ; for ye have heard, like men ac customed to the watering of the clouds of God, Thy truth
How God rules marts rage, and humbles the proud. 249
then is in the circuit of Thee. But when without persecutions, Veo.
when without opposition, since it is said, that He was born ^^'^ for a sign which shall be spoken against? Since then that 34.
nation, where Thou didst deign to be born, -and to dwell, was as a land separated from the waves of the heathen, so that it appeared dry and ready for watering with rain, while the rest of the nations were as a sea in the bitterness of their sterility ; what do Thy preachers who scatter Thy truth in circuit of Thee, when the waves of that sea rage furiously ? (Ver. 9. ) Thou rulest the power of the sea. For what was the result of the sea raging thus, but the day which we are now- keeping holy ? It slew Martyrs, scattered seeds of blood, the harvest of the Church sprang up. Safely then let the clouds go forth : let them diffuse Thy truth in circuit of Thee, let them not fear the savage waves. Thou rulest the power of the sea.
The sea swells, buffets, and roars : but God isfaithful, Who j0c<Jg
'
proud' as one that is wounded. There is a certain proud serpent
in the sea, of which another passage of Scripture speaks, / will Amos 9, command the serpent, and he shall bite him; and again,3'
There is that Leviathan, whom Thou hast made to mock him, Ps. 104 whose head He bruises above the water. Thou, he says,26' hast humbled the proud, as one that is wounded. Thou hast humbled thyself, and the proud was humbled : for the proud
held the proud ones through pride : but the great one is humbled, and by believing in Him become small. While the little one is nourished by the example of one who from greatness descended to humility, the devil has lost what he held : because the proud held only the proud. When such an example of humility was displayed before them, men learned to condemn their own pride, and to imitate the humility of God. Thus also the devil, by losing those whom he had in his power, has even himself been humbled ; not chastened, but
will not suffer you to be tempted beyond what ye are able: and so, Thou stillest the waves thereof when they rise.
11. Lastly, what hast Thou done in the sea itself, to pacify its rage, and to weaken it ? (Ver. 10. ) Thou hast humbled the
thrown prostrate. Thou hast humbled the proud like one that is wounded. Thou hast been humbled, and hast humbled others : thou hast been wounded, and hast wounded others : for Thy blood, as it was shed to blot out the handwriting of
2,
250 The creature powerless against God. Thabor and Herman.
Psalm sins, could not but wound him. For what was the ground of lxx"x- his pride, except the bond which he held against us. This bond, this handwriting Thou hast blotted out with Thy blood: him therefore hast Thou wounded, from whom Thou hast rescued so many victims. You must understand the devil wounded, not by the piercing of the flesh, which he has not, but by the bruising of his proud heart. Thou hast scattered
Thine enemies abroad with Thy mighty arm.
12. Ver. 1 1. The heavens are Thine, the earth also is Thine.
From Thee, over Thy earth, they rain. Thine are the heavens, by whom is preached Thy truth in circuit of Thee ; Thine is the earth, which has received Thy truth in circuit of Thee ; and what has resulted from that rain ? Thou hast laid the found ation of the roundworld, and all that therein is. (Ver. 1 2. ) Thou hast created the north and the seas. For nothinghasany power against Thee, against its Creator. The world indeed may rage through its own malice, and the perversity of its will j does it nevertheless pass over the bound laid down by the Creator, Who made all things ? Why then do I fear the north
wind ? Why do I fear the seas ? In the north indeed is the
I will ,3' 14' be like the Most High ; but Thou hast humbled, as one wounded, the proud one. Thus what Thou hast done in them
has more force for Thy dominion, than their own will has for their wickedness. Thou hast created the north and the seas. l 3. Thabor and Hermon shall rejoice in Thy name. Those
mountains are here understood, but they have a meaning.
Thabor and Hermon shall rejoice in Thy name. Thabor,
when interpreted, signifies an approaching light. But whence Matt. 6, comes the light of which it is said, Ye are the light of the John I, world, unless from Him concerning Whom it is written, That 9- was the true light, which lighteth every man coming into the
world ? The light then which is the light of the world comes from that light which is not kindled from any other source, so that there is no fear lest it be extinguished. The light then comes from Him, Who is that candle Which is not set beneath the bushel, but on a candlestick, Thabor the coming light. Hermon means his curse. Justly the light comes and is made the curse of him. Of whom but the devil, the wounded one, the proud one ? Our illumination then is given
Is. H, devil, who said,
I will sit in the sides of the north ;
Through Mercy toe can rejoice in Righteousness. 251
from Thee ; that he is held accursed of us, who kept us in his Ver. own error and pride, is from Thee. Thabor and Hermon, 13~I6' therefore, shall rejoice, not in their own merits, but in Thy
name. For they shall say, Not unto us, Lord, not unto us, pfc n6i but to Thy name giee the praise, on account of the raging 1'2- sea: lest the heathen say, Where is now their God?
14. Ver. 13. Thou hast a mighty arm. Let no man arrogate any thing to himself. Thou hast a mighty arm : by Thee we were created, by Thee we have been defended.
Thou hast a mighty arm : strong be Thy hand, and high be Thy right hand.
15. Ver. 14. Righteousness and judgment are the pre paration of Thy seat. Thy righteousness and judgment will
appear in the end : they are now hidden. Of thy righteous
ness it is treated in another Psalm, " on the hidden things Ps. 9, of the Son. 1' There will then be a manifestation of Thy Tit' righteousness and judgment : some will be set on the right, Mat. 26, others on the left hand: and the unbelieving will tremble,33' when they see what now they mock at, and believe not : the righteous will rejoice, when they shall see what they now see
not, yet believe. Righteousness and judgment are the pre
paration of Thy seat : especially in the Day of Judgment. What then now ? mercy and truth go before Thy face. I should fear the preparation of Thy seat, Thy justice, and Thy coming judgment, did not mercy and truth go before Thee:
why should I at the end fear Thy righteousness, when with
Thy mercy going before Thee Thou blottest out my sins,
and by shewing forth Thy truth fulfillest Thy promises ? Mercy and truth go before Thy face. For all the paths ofp>>- 26
the Lord are mercy and truth.
16. In all these things shall we not rejoice ? or shall we
contain our joy ? or shall words suffice for our gladness ? or shall the tongue be able to express our rejoicing? If there fore no words suffice, (ver. 15. ) Blessed is the people, O Lord, that knoweth glad shouting. O blessed people ! dost thou conceive aright, dost thou understand, glad shouting ? For except thou understand glad shouting, thou canst not be blessed. What do I mean by understanding glad shouting ? Whether thou knowest the source of that rejoicing which is beyond words to express. For this joy is not of
/
I0-
252 God's People should know how to shout forjoy.
Psalm thyself, since he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. i*Cor'r Rejoice not then in thy own pride, but in God's grace. See 31. ' that that grace is such, that the tongue fails to express its greatness, and then thou understandest glad shouting.
17. Finally, if thou hast understood the jubilant rejoicing in grace, hear the praise of that grace. Blessed indeed is the people, that knoweth glad shouting. See if this joy be not of grace, of God, and not of thyself. They shall walk in the light of Thy countenance, 0 Lord. That Thabor, the coming light, if he walk not in the light of Thy
countenance, is extinguished as a candle by the blast of pride. O Lord, they shall walk in the light of Thy counte nance. (Ver. 16. ) They shall rejoice in Thy name all the day. That Thabor and Hermon shall rejoice in Thy name: all day shall they rejoice, if they will, in Thy name ; but if they will rejoice in their own name, they shall not rejoice all
day : for they shall not continue in their joy, when they shall delight in themselves, and fall through pride. That they may rejoice all day, therefore, they shall rejoice in Thy name, and in Thy righteousness shall they be exulted. Not in their
Rom. lo. own, but in Thine: lest they have a zeal of God, but not
2-3'
entirely
according to knowledge. For some are noted by the Apostle, that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge, being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own, and not rejoicing in Thy light, and thus not submitting themselves unto the righteousness of God. And why ? because they have a zeal of God, but not accord ing to knowledge. But the people who knoweth glad shouting, (for the former err from want of knowledge, but blessed is the people not that knoweth not, but that knoweth
glad shouting,) whence ought it to shout, whence to rejoice, but in Thy name, walking in the light of Thy countenance ?
And it shall deserve to be exalted, but in Thy righteousness : let every man take away altogether his own righteousness, and be humbled: the righteousness of God shall come, and he shall be exalted, and in Thy righteousness sfiall th y be exalted.
18. Ver. 17. For lhou art the glory of their strength : and in Thy good pleasure 'Thou sluilt lift up our horns: because it has seemed good to Thee, not because we are worthy.
Prophecy fulfilled in Christ taking up Man. 253
19. Ver. 18. For of the Lord is our taking up. For I was Ver. moved like a heap of sand, that I might fall ; and I should I8~22, have fallen, had not the Lord taken me up. For of the Lord
is (our) taking up ; and of the Holy One of Israel our King'. lOxt.
"? ur
20. Ver. 19. Thou spakest sometime in vision unto Thy sons,
and saidst. Thou spakest in Thy vision. Thou didst reveal
this to Thy Prophets. For this reason Thou spakest in vision, that in revelation whence Prophets were called seers. They saw something within, which they were to Sam. speak without and secretly they heard what they preached 19' 9- openly. Then Thou spakest in vision unto Thy sons, and saidst, hare laid help upon One that is mighty. Ye un derstand Who meant by mighty have exalted One chosen out of the people. And Who meant by chosen One
Who, ye rejoice, already exalted.
21. Ver. 20. have found David My servant: that David
from David's seed: with My holy oil have anointed Him:
for said of Him, God, even Thy God, hath anointed Tliee Ps. 46,7. with the oil of gladness above Thy fellows.
22. Ver. 21. My hand shall hold Him fast, and My arm shall strengthen Him: because there was taking up of man; because flesh was assumed in the Virgin's womb, because by Luke Him Who in the form of God coequal with the Father, the form of servant was taken, and He became obedient unto 8. death, even the death of the Cross.
23. Ver. 22. The enemy shall not be able to do Him violence. The enemy rages indeed but he shall not be able to do Him violence he wont to hurt, but he shall not hurt. How then shall he afflict Him he will exercise Him, but he shall not hurt Him. There shall be profit in his raging; for those against whom he rages shall be crowned in their conquering. For how he conquered, he rages not against us or where God our helper, we fight not The enemy therefore shall do what in his power but he shall not be able to do Him violence the son of wickedness shall not come nigh to hurl Him.
Himself is thy taking up, himself thy illumination: in His light thou art safe, in His light thou walkest, in His righteous ness thou art exalted. He took thee up, He guards thy weakness: He gives thee strength of Himself, not of thyself.
: is
is
is: is
? /
?
I is
: is
is,
is
is
:
if
? aI
if ;
?
I
:
a
it I is
6.
'2 l,
?
254 Enemies broken and subdued. Mercy and Truth.
24. Ver. 23. / will cut in pieces His enemies before His
They are cut in pieces from their conspiracy, and in that they believe they are cut in pieces ; for they believe by degrees; as when the calfshead was ground small, they will come to be the drink of God's people. For Moses ground
Exod. down the calfs head, and sprinkled it upon the water, and
Psalm
32' 20'
made the children of Israel drink it. All the unbelieving are ground: they believe by degrees; and they are drunk by the people of God, and pass into Christ's body. / will cut in pieces His foes before His face: and put to flight them that hate Him. That they hurt Him not. But possibly some of
face.
I
All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth. Remember, as much as ye can, how often these two attributes are urged upon us, that we render them back to God. For as He shewed us mercy that He might blot out our sins, and truth in fulfilling His promises; so also we, walking in His path, ought to give back to Him mercy and truth ; mercy, in pitying the wretched ; truth, in not judging unjustly. Let not truth rob you of mercy, nor mercy hinder truth : for if through mercy you shall have judged contrary to truth, or by rigorous truth shall have forgotten mercy, you will not be walking in the path of God, where " mercy and truth meet
Ps. 86, together. " And in My name shall His horn be exalted. Why should I say more ? Ye are Christians, recognise
those put to flight say, Whither shall
go then Thy from
I
seeing that they cannot fly from the Almighty, turning they
Ps. 139, Spirit? or whither shall
go then
from
Thy presence9. And
'I fly to Him. And
will put to flight them that hate Him. 25. Ver. 24. My truth also and My mercy is with Him.
Christ. Iwill set His hand also in the sea: that
26. Ver. 25.
He shall rule over the Gentiles; and His right hand in the
Rivers run into the sea avaricious men roll onwards into the bitterness of this world yet all these kinds of men will be subject to Christ.
27. Ver. 26. He shall call me, Thou art My Father, and the lifter up of My salvation.
Ver. 27. And will make Him my flrst-born; higher than the kings of the earth. Our Martyrs, whose birthdays we are celebrating, shed their blood on account of these things,
floods.
I
: :
is,
Promise of Kingdom fulfilled. It is for ever. 255
which were believed though not yet seen ; how much more Vrr. brave ought we to be, as we see what they believed? For -2-8' 29- they had not yet seen Christ raised on high among the
kings of the earth : as yet princes were taking counsel together against the Lord and His Anointed : what follows
in the same Psalm was not then fulfilled, Be trise now there- p>>- 2, 2.
'
fore, O ye kings: be learned, ye that are judges of the earth. Now indeed Christ has been exalted among the kings of the earth.
28. Ver. 28. My mercy will I
my Testament faithful with Him. On His account, the Testament is faithful : in Him the Testament is mediated : He is the Sealer, the Mediator of the Testament, the Surety of the Testament, the Witness of the Testament, the Heritage of the Testament, the Coheir of the Testament.
keep Him ever: and for for
29. Ver. 29. His seed will I
without end. Not only for this world, but unto the world without end1: whither His seed, which is His heritage, thel'lnse- seed of Abraham, which is Christ, will pass. But if ye are l^cxM. ' Christ's, ye are also Abraham's seed : and if ye are des- Gal. 4, tined His heirs for ever, He will establish His seed unto 16 29
world without end : and His throne as the days of Heaven.
The thrones of earthly kings are as the days of earth : different
are the days of Heaven from those of earth. The days of Heaven are those years of which it is said, Thou art the Ps. 102, same, and Thy years shall not fail. The days of the earth 28-
are soon overtaken by their successors: those which precede
are shut out from us : nor do those which succeed remain :
but they come that they may go, and are almost gone before
they are come. Such are the days of earth. But the days
of Heavent which are also the 'One day' of Heaven*, and>>oxf. the never failing years, have neither beginning nor end : nor
is any day there narrowed between yesterday and to-morrow: 'wh'ich no one there expects the future, nor loses the past : but the are &0, days of Heaven are always present, where His throne shall
be for ever and ever. Let us, if you please, reserve what re mains; since the Psalm is a long one, and we have yet some farther opportunity of speaking with you in Christ's name. Refresh your strength therefore : I do not mean that of your mind, for in mind I see that you are incapable of fatigue ;
make to endure world
256 Promises of chastisement to God's Children.
Psalm but on account of the slaves of the soul, that your bodies lxxx1x. may be sustained in their service, refresh yourselves for a
little, and being refreshed return to your meal.
Lat. *xx,rI"
PSALM LXXXIX.
Second Discourse on the second part of the Psalm. Delivered on the same day with the former Discourse.
1 . Attend now to the rest of the Psalm, of which we spoke in the morning, and require the pious debt : since He will repay through me, Who made both me and you. In the former part of the Psalm our Lord Christ was announced according to God's promise, and He is still announced in these words, of which I am about to treat. A little above, it had been said of Him amongst other truths, (ver. 27--29. ) And
I trill make Him my first-born, higher than the kings of the
keep Him evermore, and earth. My mercy will I for for
My Testament faithful tvith Him. His seed also trill I establish unto world without end: and His throne as the days of Heaven. I have said what was in my power on these words and all above, from the very beginning.
2. It goes on, (ver. 30. ) If his children forsake My law,
and walk not in M y judgments ; (ver. 31. ) if they profane
My statutes, and keep not My commandments ; (ver. 32. ) /
will visit their offences with the rod, and theIir sin with
scourges, Nevertheless, My mercy will
not utterly take from him : truth, (ver. 34. )
Inor will I
Testament will
out of My lips. This is a strong pledge of the promise of
God. The sons of this David, are the children of the Bride groom: all Christians therefore are called His sons. But it is much indeed that God promises, that if Christians, that His children, forsake My law, and walk not in Myjudg ments; they break My statutes, and keep not My com mandments will not spurn them, nor will send them away from Me in perdition but what will do will visit their offences with the rod, and their sin with scourges.
not the mercy of one that calls them only but also that
(ver. 33. )
hurt in My My not profane, nor alter the thing that is gone
is
;
?
It
is,
I :
I
I 1
if ;
Christ, in His Members, mercifully chastised. 257 chastises and scourges them. Let therefore thy Father's hand Ver.
be upon thee, and if thou art a good son, repel not chasten-
ing; for what son is iliere, to whom his father giveih notHeb. 12, chastening? Let Him chasten him, so long as He takes not7' from him His mercy : let Him beat him when obstinate, as
long as He does not disinherit him. If thou hast well under
stood the promises of thy Father, fear not to be scourged,
but to be disinherited ; for whom the Lord loveth He chasten- ib. 6. eth : and scourgeth every son whom He receiveth. Does the
sinful son spurn chastening, when he sees the only Son with
/ will visit their I
out sin scourged ?
Thus too the Apostle threatens : What will ye? shall come 1 Cot. 4, unto you with a rod? Let not pious sons say, if Thou art21, coming with a rod, come not at all. For it is better to be taught with the Father's rod, than to perish in the caresses
ofthe robber.
anointed with My
Whom I gave these promises, Whom holypsA5,7.
oil of gladness above His fellows. Do you recognise Him from Whom God will not utterly take away His mercy ? That no one may anxiously say, since He speaks of Christ as Him from Whom He will not take away His mercy, What then will become of the sinner ? Did He say any thing like this, " I
will not take My loving-kindness utterly from them ? "
visit, He saith, their offences with the rod, and their sin with scourges. Thou didst expect for thy own security, I will
not utterly lake My loving-kindness from them. And indeed
this is the reading of some books, but not of the most accurate : though, where they have a reading by no means inconsistent with the real meaning. For how can
be said that He will not utterly take His mercy from Christ?
Has the Saviour of the body committed aught of sin either in Heaven or in earth, Who sitteth even at the right hand Rom. God, Who also maketh intercession for us Yet from 34,
Christ: but from His members, His body which the Church. For in this sense He speaks of as a great thing that He will not take away His mercies from Him, supposing
us not to recognise the only Son, Who in the bosom of the John
VOL. ir.
offences
with the rod.
33,
/will visit, He saith, their
with the rod, and not
3.
their sin with scourges. Nevertheless, My mercy will I utterly take from Him. From whomI? From that David to
offences
/ will
s
is
it? is
1,
of it 8,
it is is
it, it
*'
persecutest thou Me ? As then, while no one persecuted Him when sitting in Heaven, He cried out, " Why persecutest thou Me ? " when the Head recognised its limbs, and His love allowed not the Head to separate Himselffrom the union of the body : so, when He taketh not away His mercies from Him, it is surely that He taketh it not from us,who are His limbs and body. Yet ought we not on that account to sin without apprehension, and perversely to assure ourselves that we shall not perish, be our actions what they may. For there are certain sins and certain offences, to define and discourse of which it is either impossible for me, or if it were possible, it would be too tedious for the time we have at present For no man can say that he is without sin ; for if he says so, he will lie ; ifwe say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. Each one therefore is needfully scourged for his own sins ; but the mercy of God is not taken away from him, if he be a Christian. Certainly if thou commiltest such offences as to repel the hand of Him Who chasteneth, the rod of Him Who scourgeth thee, and art angry at the correction of God, and fliest from thy Father when He chasteneth thee, and wilt not suffer Him to be thy Father, because He spares thee not when thou dost sin; thou hast estranged thyself from thy heritage, He has not thrown thee off; for if thou wouldest abide being scourged, thou wouldest not abide disinherited.
258 Mercy not taken from Christ in His Members.
P--salm Father ; for there the Man is not counted for His Person,
Man. He therefore does not utterly take His mercies from Him, when He takes not His mercy from His body, His members', in which, even
while He was enthroned in Heaven, He was still suffering persecutions on earth ; and when He cried from Heaven, Saul, Saul, not why persecutest thou My servants, nor why
Acts 9, persecutest thou My saints, nor My disciples, but, why
but the One Person is God and
I John 1>>8,
Nevertheless, My mercies
I will not take utterly
him : nor
will I
not be taken away, lest His truth in tIaking vengeance do harm.
do hurt in My truth. For His
mercy
in
from setting
free shall
4.
same men are Heavens and clouds : Heavens from the bright ness of the truth, clouds from the hidden things of the flesh : for all clouds are obscure, owing to their mortality: and they come and go. It is on account of these very obscurities of the
1 Cor. 4, flesh, that is, of the clouds, that the Apostle saith, Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, Who will bring to light the hidden things of darkness. You see at this moment what a man is saying ; but what he has in his heart, you cannot see : what is forced from the cloud, you see, what is kept within the cloud, you see not. For whose the cloud? The clouds therefore are the
eyes pierce
preachers of the truth in the flesh. The Creator of all things
Himself came in the flesh. But who is he among the clouds, who shall be compared unto the Lord? and what is he among the sons of God, that shall be like unto the Ljord ? No one then among the sons of God shall be like unto the Lord. He Himself is called the Son of God, and we are called the sons of God : but who among the sons of God will
lunicus. be like unto the Lord? He is the only Son1, we are many : He is one, we in Him are one : He is born, we are adopted : He is the Son begotten from everlasting according to nature: we are made so in time through grace: He without any sin, we freed from sin by Him. Who, then, among the clouds shall be compared unto the Lord? or what is he among the sons of God, that shall be like unto the Lard? We are called clouds on account of the flesh, and we are preachers of the truth on account of the showers of the clouds: but our flesh comes in one way, His by another. We too are called sons of God, but He is the Son of God in
another sense. His cloud comes from a Virgin, He is the Son a>>qualiH from eternity, co-eternal a with the Father. Who is he then among the clouds, that shall be compared unto the Lord? and what is he among the sons of God, that shall be like unto the
Lord? Let the Lord Himself say whetheI
r He can find one like
unto Himself. Whom do men sag that
Because I appear, because 1 am seen, because I walk among you, and perhaps at present I am become common ; say, whom do men say that I the Son of Man am ? Surely when
the Son
of
Man am ?
He was thought but like others by the world. 247
they see a son of man, they see a cloud ;
but say, Whom do Ver.
I
Whom say ye that
for those who were one', answered, Thou art the Christ, the* pro
Son the living God. oJf "
unitate UDU8.
am? In answer
men say that
of men; Some say that Thou art John the Baptist: some i3--'i6. ' Elias, and others Jeremias, or one of the prophets. Man y clouds and sons of God are here mentioned : for because
they were righteous and holy, as the sons of God, Jeremias,
Elias, and John, are called also sons of God: in their character of preachers of God, they are styled clouds. Ye
have said what clouIds men imagine Me to be : do ye too say,
they gave
Him the
reports jj6't7'
am ? Peter replying in behalf of all, one
For who is he among the clouds that shall be compared unto the Lord ? and what is he among the sons of God, that shall be like unto the Lord ? " Thou art Christ, the Son of the living God ;" r/bt like those sons of God who are not made equal to Thee : Thou hast come in the flesh : but not as the clouds, who are not to be compared unto Thee.
8. For Who art Thou, to Whom it is answered, Thou art Christ, the Son of the living God: Whom other men not righteous, not holy, supposed he be one of the Prophets, either Elias, or Jeremias, or John the Baptist; Who then art Thou? Hear what follows: (ver. 7. ) God is very greatly to be
feared in the counsel of the righteous. Who then is he
among the clouds, that shall be compared unto the Lord ? or
what is he among the sons of God, that shall be like unto
the Lord, since that God is very greatly to be feared in the counsel of the righteous? Since they cannot be equal unto
Him, let it be their counsel to believe in Him ; as they who
are clouds and sons of God cannot be His equals, this act
of wisdom is left to human weakness, that he that glorieth, l Cor. 1, let him glory in the Lord. God is very greatly to befeared31'
in the counsel of the righteous, and to be had in dread of all
them that are round about Him. God is every where ; who therefore are round about Him, Who is every where ? For if
He has some round about Him, He is represented as finite
on every side. Moreover, if it is truly said to God* and of" Oxf. God, of His greatness there is no end ; who remain, who are . ^^jod' round about Him, except because He Who is every where, Ps- l*6, chose to be born of the flesh on one spot, to dwell among3'
248 Our Lord as Man made known to 'those aroundffim. '
Psalm one nation, in one place to be crucified, from one spot to rise i. xxxix. again an(l ascen(l int0 Heaven. Where He did this, the Gentiles are round about Him. If He remained where He did these things, He would not be great, and be had in dread
of all them that are round about Him ; but since He preached when there in such a manner as to send preachers of His own name through all nations over the whole world ; by working miracles among his servants, he is become great, and
to be had in dread of all them that are round about Him.
9. Ver. 8. O Lord God of Hosts, who is like unto Thee ? Thy truth, most mighty Lord, is on every side. Great is Thy
power : Thou hast made Heaven and earth, and all things that in them are : but greater still is thy loving-kindness, which has shewn forth Thy truth to all around Thee. For if Thou hadst been preached only on the spot where Thou didst deign to be born, to suffer, to rise again, to ascend; the truth of that promise of God would have been fulfilled, to confirm
Rom. 16, the promises made unto the fathers : but the promise, that
'*-
the Gentiles may glorify God for His mercy, would not have been fulfilled, had not that truth been explained, and dif fused to those around Thee from the spot where Thou didst deign to appear. On that spot Thou didst thunder out of Thy own Cloud: but to scatter rain upon the Gentiles round about, Thou hast sunt other clouds. Truly in Thy power
Mat. 26, nasl xhou fulfilled what Thou hast said, " Hereafter shall ye see the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of Heaven. " Thy truth, most mighty Lord, is on every side.
^njj2'
10. But when Thy truth began to be preached on every side, the heathen furiously raged together, and the people imagined a vain thing: the Icings of the earth stood up, and the rulers took counsel together, against the Lord, and against His Anointed. Verily, when Thy truth had begun to be preached in Thy circuit, as if Thou wert coming to marry a wife among the alien-born, the roaring lion meets Thee,
u%e*6 an(l 's strangled by Thee. For this was prefigured in Samson: and you, my brethren, would not have applauded these words of mine, before I mentioned Samson by name, unless ye recognised the type ; for ye have heard, like men ac customed to the watering of the clouds of God, Thy truth
How God rules marts rage, and humbles the proud. 249
then is in the circuit of Thee. But when without persecutions, Veo.
when without opposition, since it is said, that He was born ^^'^ for a sign which shall be spoken against? Since then that 34.
nation, where Thou didst deign to be born, -and to dwell, was as a land separated from the waves of the heathen, so that it appeared dry and ready for watering with rain, while the rest of the nations were as a sea in the bitterness of their sterility ; what do Thy preachers who scatter Thy truth in circuit of Thee, when the waves of that sea rage furiously ? (Ver. 9. ) Thou rulest the power of the sea. For what was the result of the sea raging thus, but the day which we are now- keeping holy ? It slew Martyrs, scattered seeds of blood, the harvest of the Church sprang up. Safely then let the clouds go forth : let them diffuse Thy truth in circuit of Thee, let them not fear the savage waves. Thou rulest the power of the sea.
The sea swells, buffets, and roars : but God isfaithful, Who j0c<Jg
'
proud' as one that is wounded. There is a certain proud serpent
in the sea, of which another passage of Scripture speaks, / will Amos 9, command the serpent, and he shall bite him; and again,3'
There is that Leviathan, whom Thou hast made to mock him, Ps. 104 whose head He bruises above the water. Thou, he says,26' hast humbled the proud, as one that is wounded. Thou hast humbled thyself, and the proud was humbled : for the proud
held the proud ones through pride : but the great one is humbled, and by believing in Him become small. While the little one is nourished by the example of one who from greatness descended to humility, the devil has lost what he held : because the proud held only the proud. When such an example of humility was displayed before them, men learned to condemn their own pride, and to imitate the humility of God. Thus also the devil, by losing those whom he had in his power, has even himself been humbled ; not chastened, but
will not suffer you to be tempted beyond what ye are able: and so, Thou stillest the waves thereof when they rise.
11. Lastly, what hast Thou done in the sea itself, to pacify its rage, and to weaken it ? (Ver. 10. ) Thou hast humbled the
thrown prostrate. Thou hast humbled the proud like one that is wounded. Thou hast been humbled, and hast humbled others : thou hast been wounded, and hast wounded others : for Thy blood, as it was shed to blot out the handwriting of
2,
250 The creature powerless against God. Thabor and Herman.
Psalm sins, could not but wound him. For what was the ground of lxx"x- his pride, except the bond which he held against us. This bond, this handwriting Thou hast blotted out with Thy blood: him therefore hast Thou wounded, from whom Thou hast rescued so many victims. You must understand the devil wounded, not by the piercing of the flesh, which he has not, but by the bruising of his proud heart. Thou hast scattered
Thine enemies abroad with Thy mighty arm.
12. Ver. 1 1. The heavens are Thine, the earth also is Thine.
From Thee, over Thy earth, they rain. Thine are the heavens, by whom is preached Thy truth in circuit of Thee ; Thine is the earth, which has received Thy truth in circuit of Thee ; and what has resulted from that rain ? Thou hast laid the found ation of the roundworld, and all that therein is. (Ver. 1 2. ) Thou hast created the north and the seas. For nothinghasany power against Thee, against its Creator. The world indeed may rage through its own malice, and the perversity of its will j does it nevertheless pass over the bound laid down by the Creator, Who made all things ? Why then do I fear the north
wind ? Why do I fear the seas ? In the north indeed is the
I will ,3' 14' be like the Most High ; but Thou hast humbled, as one wounded, the proud one. Thus what Thou hast done in them
has more force for Thy dominion, than their own will has for their wickedness. Thou hast created the north and the seas. l 3. Thabor and Hermon shall rejoice in Thy name. Those
mountains are here understood, but they have a meaning.
Thabor and Hermon shall rejoice in Thy name. Thabor,
when interpreted, signifies an approaching light. But whence Matt. 6, comes the light of which it is said, Ye are the light of the John I, world, unless from Him concerning Whom it is written, That 9- was the true light, which lighteth every man coming into the
world ? The light then which is the light of the world comes from that light which is not kindled from any other source, so that there is no fear lest it be extinguished. The light then comes from Him, Who is that candle Which is not set beneath the bushel, but on a candlestick, Thabor the coming light. Hermon means his curse. Justly the light comes and is made the curse of him. Of whom but the devil, the wounded one, the proud one ? Our illumination then is given
Is. H, devil, who said,
I will sit in the sides of the north ;
Through Mercy toe can rejoice in Righteousness. 251
from Thee ; that he is held accursed of us, who kept us in his Ver. own error and pride, is from Thee. Thabor and Hermon, 13~I6' therefore, shall rejoice, not in their own merits, but in Thy
name. For they shall say, Not unto us, Lord, not unto us, pfc n6i but to Thy name giee the praise, on account of the raging 1'2- sea: lest the heathen say, Where is now their God?
14. Ver. 13. Thou hast a mighty arm. Let no man arrogate any thing to himself. Thou hast a mighty arm : by Thee we were created, by Thee we have been defended.
Thou hast a mighty arm : strong be Thy hand, and high be Thy right hand.
15. Ver. 14. Righteousness and judgment are the pre paration of Thy seat. Thy righteousness and judgment will
appear in the end : they are now hidden. Of thy righteous
ness it is treated in another Psalm, " on the hidden things Ps. 9, of the Son. 1' There will then be a manifestation of Thy Tit' righteousness and judgment : some will be set on the right, Mat. 26, others on the left hand: and the unbelieving will tremble,33' when they see what now they mock at, and believe not : the righteous will rejoice, when they shall see what they now see
not, yet believe. Righteousness and judgment are the pre
paration of Thy seat : especially in the Day of Judgment. What then now ? mercy and truth go before Thy face. I should fear the preparation of Thy seat, Thy justice, and Thy coming judgment, did not mercy and truth go before Thee:
why should I at the end fear Thy righteousness, when with
Thy mercy going before Thee Thou blottest out my sins,
and by shewing forth Thy truth fulfillest Thy promises ? Mercy and truth go before Thy face. For all the paths ofp>>- 26
the Lord are mercy and truth.
16. In all these things shall we not rejoice ? or shall we
contain our joy ? or shall words suffice for our gladness ? or shall the tongue be able to express our rejoicing? If there fore no words suffice, (ver. 15. ) Blessed is the people, O Lord, that knoweth glad shouting. O blessed people ! dost thou conceive aright, dost thou understand, glad shouting ? For except thou understand glad shouting, thou canst not be blessed. What do I mean by understanding glad shouting ? Whether thou knowest the source of that rejoicing which is beyond words to express. For this joy is not of
/
I0-
252 God's People should know how to shout forjoy.
Psalm thyself, since he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. i*Cor'r Rejoice not then in thy own pride, but in God's grace. See 31. ' that that grace is such, that the tongue fails to express its greatness, and then thou understandest glad shouting.
17. Finally, if thou hast understood the jubilant rejoicing in grace, hear the praise of that grace. Blessed indeed is the people, that knoweth glad shouting. See if this joy be not of grace, of God, and not of thyself. They shall walk in the light of Thy countenance, 0 Lord. That Thabor, the coming light, if he walk not in the light of Thy
countenance, is extinguished as a candle by the blast of pride. O Lord, they shall walk in the light of Thy counte nance. (Ver. 16. ) They shall rejoice in Thy name all the day. That Thabor and Hermon shall rejoice in Thy name: all day shall they rejoice, if they will, in Thy name ; but if they will rejoice in their own name, they shall not rejoice all
day : for they shall not continue in their joy, when they shall delight in themselves, and fall through pride. That they may rejoice all day, therefore, they shall rejoice in Thy name, and in Thy righteousness shall they be exulted. Not in their
Rom. lo. own, but in Thine: lest they have a zeal of God, but not
2-3'
entirely
according to knowledge. For some are noted by the Apostle, that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge, being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own, and not rejoicing in Thy light, and thus not submitting themselves unto the righteousness of God. And why ? because they have a zeal of God, but not accord ing to knowledge. But the people who knoweth glad shouting, (for the former err from want of knowledge, but blessed is the people not that knoweth not, but that knoweth
glad shouting,) whence ought it to shout, whence to rejoice, but in Thy name, walking in the light of Thy countenance ?
And it shall deserve to be exalted, but in Thy righteousness : let every man take away altogether his own righteousness, and be humbled: the righteousness of God shall come, and he shall be exalted, and in Thy righteousness sfiall th y be exalted.
18. Ver. 17. For lhou art the glory of their strength : and in Thy good pleasure 'Thou sluilt lift up our horns: because it has seemed good to Thee, not because we are worthy.
Prophecy fulfilled in Christ taking up Man. 253
19. Ver. 18. For of the Lord is our taking up. For I was Ver. moved like a heap of sand, that I might fall ; and I should I8~22, have fallen, had not the Lord taken me up. For of the Lord
is (our) taking up ; and of the Holy One of Israel our King'. lOxt.
"? ur
20. Ver. 19. Thou spakest sometime in vision unto Thy sons,
and saidst. Thou spakest in Thy vision. Thou didst reveal
this to Thy Prophets. For this reason Thou spakest in vision, that in revelation whence Prophets were called seers. They saw something within, which they were to Sam. speak without and secretly they heard what they preached 19' 9- openly. Then Thou spakest in vision unto Thy sons, and saidst, hare laid help upon One that is mighty. Ye un derstand Who meant by mighty have exalted One chosen out of the people. And Who meant by chosen One
Who, ye rejoice, already exalted.
21. Ver. 20. have found David My servant: that David
from David's seed: with My holy oil have anointed Him:
for said of Him, God, even Thy God, hath anointed Tliee Ps. 46,7. with the oil of gladness above Thy fellows.
22. Ver. 21. My hand shall hold Him fast, and My arm shall strengthen Him: because there was taking up of man; because flesh was assumed in the Virgin's womb, because by Luke Him Who in the form of God coequal with the Father, the form of servant was taken, and He became obedient unto 8. death, even the death of the Cross.
23. Ver. 22. The enemy shall not be able to do Him violence. The enemy rages indeed but he shall not be able to do Him violence he wont to hurt, but he shall not hurt. How then shall he afflict Him he will exercise Him, but he shall not hurt Him. There shall be profit in his raging; for those against whom he rages shall be crowned in their conquering. For how he conquered, he rages not against us or where God our helper, we fight not The enemy therefore shall do what in his power but he shall not be able to do Him violence the son of wickedness shall not come nigh to hurl Him.
Himself is thy taking up, himself thy illumination: in His light thou art safe, in His light thou walkest, in His righteous ness thou art exalted. He took thee up, He guards thy weakness: He gives thee strength of Himself, not of thyself.
: is
is
is: is
? /
?
I is
: is
is,
is
is
:
if
? aI
if ;
?
I
:
a
it I is
6.
'2 l,
?
254 Enemies broken and subdued. Mercy and Truth.
24. Ver. 23. / will cut in pieces His enemies before His
They are cut in pieces from their conspiracy, and in that they believe they are cut in pieces ; for they believe by degrees; as when the calfshead was ground small, they will come to be the drink of God's people. For Moses ground
Exod. down the calfs head, and sprinkled it upon the water, and
Psalm
32' 20'
made the children of Israel drink it. All the unbelieving are ground: they believe by degrees; and they are drunk by the people of God, and pass into Christ's body. / will cut in pieces His foes before His face: and put to flight them that hate Him. That they hurt Him not. But possibly some of
face.
I
All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth. Remember, as much as ye can, how often these two attributes are urged upon us, that we render them back to God. For as He shewed us mercy that He might blot out our sins, and truth in fulfilling His promises; so also we, walking in His path, ought to give back to Him mercy and truth ; mercy, in pitying the wretched ; truth, in not judging unjustly. Let not truth rob you of mercy, nor mercy hinder truth : for if through mercy you shall have judged contrary to truth, or by rigorous truth shall have forgotten mercy, you will not be walking in the path of God, where " mercy and truth meet
Ps. 86, together. " And in My name shall His horn be exalted. Why should I say more ? Ye are Christians, recognise
those put to flight say, Whither shall
go then Thy from
I
seeing that they cannot fly from the Almighty, turning they
Ps. 139, Spirit? or whither shall
go then
from
Thy presence9. And
'I fly to Him. And
will put to flight them that hate Him. 25. Ver. 24. My truth also and My mercy is with Him.
Christ. Iwill set His hand also in the sea: that
26. Ver. 25.
He shall rule over the Gentiles; and His right hand in the
Rivers run into the sea avaricious men roll onwards into the bitterness of this world yet all these kinds of men will be subject to Christ.
27. Ver. 26. He shall call me, Thou art My Father, and the lifter up of My salvation.
Ver. 27. And will make Him my flrst-born; higher than the kings of the earth. Our Martyrs, whose birthdays we are celebrating, shed their blood on account of these things,
floods.
I
: :
is,
Promise of Kingdom fulfilled. It is for ever. 255
which were believed though not yet seen ; how much more Vrr. brave ought we to be, as we see what they believed? For -2-8' 29- they had not yet seen Christ raised on high among the
kings of the earth : as yet princes were taking counsel together against the Lord and His Anointed : what follows
in the same Psalm was not then fulfilled, Be trise now there- p>>- 2, 2.
'
fore, O ye kings: be learned, ye that are judges of the earth. Now indeed Christ has been exalted among the kings of the earth.
28. Ver. 28. My mercy will I
my Testament faithful with Him. On His account, the Testament is faithful : in Him the Testament is mediated : He is the Sealer, the Mediator of the Testament, the Surety of the Testament, the Witness of the Testament, the Heritage of the Testament, the Coheir of the Testament.
keep Him ever: and for for
29. Ver. 29. His seed will I
without end. Not only for this world, but unto the world without end1: whither His seed, which is His heritage, thel'lnse- seed of Abraham, which is Christ, will pass. But if ye are l^cxM. ' Christ's, ye are also Abraham's seed : and if ye are des- Gal. 4, tined His heirs for ever, He will establish His seed unto 16 29
world without end : and His throne as the days of Heaven.
The thrones of earthly kings are as the days of earth : different
are the days of Heaven from those of earth. The days of Heaven are those years of which it is said, Thou art the Ps. 102, same, and Thy years shall not fail. The days of the earth 28-
are soon overtaken by their successors: those which precede
are shut out from us : nor do those which succeed remain :
but they come that they may go, and are almost gone before
they are come. Such are the days of earth. But the days
of Heavent which are also the 'One day' of Heaven*, and>>oxf. the never failing years, have neither beginning nor end : nor
is any day there narrowed between yesterday and to-morrow: 'wh'ich no one there expects the future, nor loses the past : but the are &0, days of Heaven are always present, where His throne shall
be for ever and ever. Let us, if you please, reserve what re mains; since the Psalm is a long one, and we have yet some farther opportunity of speaking with you in Christ's name. Refresh your strength therefore : I do not mean that of your mind, for in mind I see that you are incapable of fatigue ;
make to endure world
256 Promises of chastisement to God's Children.
Psalm but on account of the slaves of the soul, that your bodies lxxx1x. may be sustained in their service, refresh yourselves for a
little, and being refreshed return to your meal.
Lat. *xx,rI"
PSALM LXXXIX.
Second Discourse on the second part of the Psalm. Delivered on the same day with the former Discourse.
1 . Attend now to the rest of the Psalm, of which we spoke in the morning, and require the pious debt : since He will repay through me, Who made both me and you. In the former part of the Psalm our Lord Christ was announced according to God's promise, and He is still announced in these words, of which I am about to treat. A little above, it had been said of Him amongst other truths, (ver. 27--29. ) And
I trill make Him my first-born, higher than the kings of the
keep Him evermore, and earth. My mercy will I for for
My Testament faithful tvith Him. His seed also trill I establish unto world without end: and His throne as the days of Heaven. I have said what was in my power on these words and all above, from the very beginning.
2. It goes on, (ver. 30. ) If his children forsake My law,
and walk not in M y judgments ; (ver. 31. ) if they profane
My statutes, and keep not My commandments ; (ver. 32. ) /
will visit their offences with the rod, and theIir sin with
scourges, Nevertheless, My mercy will
not utterly take from him : truth, (ver. 34. )
Inor will I
Testament will
out of My lips. This is a strong pledge of the promise of
God. The sons of this David, are the children of the Bride groom: all Christians therefore are called His sons. But it is much indeed that God promises, that if Christians, that His children, forsake My law, and walk not in Myjudg ments; they break My statutes, and keep not My com mandments will not spurn them, nor will send them away from Me in perdition but what will do will visit their offences with the rod, and their sin with scourges.
not the mercy of one that calls them only but also that
(ver. 33. )
hurt in My My not profane, nor alter the thing that is gone
is
;
?
It
is,
I :
I
I 1
if ;
Christ, in His Members, mercifully chastised. 257 chastises and scourges them. Let therefore thy Father's hand Ver.
be upon thee, and if thou art a good son, repel not chasten-
ing; for what son is iliere, to whom his father giveih notHeb. 12, chastening? Let Him chasten him, so long as He takes not7' from him His mercy : let Him beat him when obstinate, as
long as He does not disinherit him. If thou hast well under
stood the promises of thy Father, fear not to be scourged,
but to be disinherited ; for whom the Lord loveth He chasten- ib. 6. eth : and scourgeth every son whom He receiveth. Does the
sinful son spurn chastening, when he sees the only Son with
/ will visit their I
out sin scourged ?
Thus too the Apostle threatens : What will ye? shall come 1 Cot. 4, unto you with a rod? Let not pious sons say, if Thou art21, coming with a rod, come not at all. For it is better to be taught with the Father's rod, than to perish in the caresses
ofthe robber.
anointed with My
Whom I gave these promises, Whom holypsA5,7.
oil of gladness above His fellows. Do you recognise Him from Whom God will not utterly take away His mercy ? That no one may anxiously say, since He speaks of Christ as Him from Whom He will not take away His mercy, What then will become of the sinner ? Did He say any thing like this, " I
will not take My loving-kindness utterly from them ? "
visit, He saith, their offences with the rod, and their sin with scourges. Thou didst expect for thy own security, I will
not utterly lake My loving-kindness from them. And indeed
this is the reading of some books, but not of the most accurate : though, where they have a reading by no means inconsistent with the real meaning. For how can
be said that He will not utterly take His mercy from Christ?
Has the Saviour of the body committed aught of sin either in Heaven or in earth, Who sitteth even at the right hand Rom. God, Who also maketh intercession for us Yet from 34,
Christ: but from His members, His body which the Church. For in this sense He speaks of as a great thing that He will not take away His mercies from Him, supposing
us not to recognise the only Son, Who in the bosom of the John
VOL. ir.
offences
with the rod.
33,
/will visit, He saith, their
with the rod, and not
3.
their sin with scourges. Nevertheless, My mercy will I utterly take from Him. From whomI? From that David to
offences
/ will
s
is
it? is
1,
of it 8,
it is is
it, it
*'
persecutest thou Me ? As then, while no one persecuted Him when sitting in Heaven, He cried out, " Why persecutest thou Me ? " when the Head recognised its limbs, and His love allowed not the Head to separate Himselffrom the union of the body : so, when He taketh not away His mercies from Him, it is surely that He taketh it not from us,who are His limbs and body. Yet ought we not on that account to sin without apprehension, and perversely to assure ourselves that we shall not perish, be our actions what they may. For there are certain sins and certain offences, to define and discourse of which it is either impossible for me, or if it were possible, it would be too tedious for the time we have at present For no man can say that he is without sin ; for if he says so, he will lie ; ifwe say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. Each one therefore is needfully scourged for his own sins ; but the mercy of God is not taken away from him, if he be a Christian. Certainly if thou commiltest such offences as to repel the hand of Him Who chasteneth, the rod of Him Who scourgeth thee, and art angry at the correction of God, and fliest from thy Father when He chasteneth thee, and wilt not suffer Him to be thy Father, because He spares thee not when thou dost sin; thou hast estranged thyself from thy heritage, He has not thrown thee off; for if thou wouldest abide being scourged, thou wouldest not abide disinherited.
258 Mercy not taken from Christ in His Members.
P--salm Father ; for there the Man is not counted for His Person,
Man. He therefore does not utterly take His mercies from Him, when He takes not His mercy from His body, His members', in which, even
while He was enthroned in Heaven, He was still suffering persecutions on earth ; and when He cried from Heaven, Saul, Saul, not why persecutest thou My servants, nor why
Acts 9, persecutest thou My saints, nor My disciples, but, why
but the One Person is God and
I John 1>>8,
Nevertheless, My mercies
I will not take utterly
him : nor
will I
not be taken away, lest His truth in tIaking vengeance do harm.
do hurt in My truth. For His
mercy
in
from setting
free shall
4.
