Because whatever mankind had
suffered
here before, when it was snow and mist and crystal, it suffered
for the deserts of its pride and uplifting against God.
for the deserts of its pride and uplifting against God.
Augustine - Exposition on the Psalms - v6
Where then is swiftness ?
Swift
ness maketh it to be every where always, yet no where to
be imprisoned and detained. But these things are beyond
our thoughts : we are too sluggish for them. Who can think
on these things ? And in truth, brethren, I have spoken as
I could, (if indeed I could, if indeed I understood,) and ye
have understood as ye were able. But what saith the Apostle ? Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding Eph. 3, abundantly above all that we ask or think. What meaneth 20'
he here ? That however often we have understood, we have
not understood Him as He is. Wherefore is this ? Because Wisd. 9, the corruptible body presseth down the soul. Therefore on 15- earth are we cold, for swiftness is hot ; and all that is hot is
swift, all that is cold, slow. We are slow, therefore we are
cold. But Wisdom runneth even unto swiftness. Therefore
it is exceeding hot, and there is nothing that can hide itselfPs. 19,6.
from the heat thereof.
23. We then are burdened by the sluggishness of this
cold body, and the bonds of this earthly and corruptible life; have we no hope of receiving the Word, Which runneth even un to swiftness? or hath He abandoned us, though by the body we are depressed to the lowest depths ? Did not He predestinate us, before we were born in this mortal and sluggish body? He then, Who predestinated us, gave snow to the earth, even ourselves. For now let us come to those somewhat obscure verses of the Psalm, let those entangle ments begin to be unrolled : since the Word of God findeth you the more eager, the more it is uttered to you by us. Behold, we are sluggish on this earth, and are as it were
Psalm
ver. 16.
408 The ' wool,' Christians, who are the robe of Christ.
frozen here. And just as happens to the flakes of snow, for they freeze above, then fall down ; so as love groweth cold, human nature falleth down to this earth, and involved in a sluggish body becometh like snow. But in that snow are predestined sons of God. For, He giveth snow like wool. What is, like wool? It meaneth, of the snow which He hath given, of these, who are as yet slow in spirit and cold, whom He hath predestinated, He is about to make some what. For wool is the material of a garment: when we see wool, we look on it as a sort of preparation for a garment. Therefore since He hath predestinated these, who at present are cold and creep on earth, and as yet glow not with the spirit of love, (for as yet He speaketh of predestination,) God hath given these as a sort of wool: He is about to
Mat. 17, make of them a garment. Rightly did the raiment of Christ
2'
Eph. "''
shine on the mountain, like snow. The raiment of Christ did shine like snow, as though of that snow a garment had already been made : of which wool, that of the snow which He gave like wool, they being as yet predestined, were sluggish but wait, see what followeth. Since He gave them as wool, garment made of them. For as the Church called the Body of Christ, so the Church also called the garment of Christ hence cometh that which said by the Apostle, that He might present to Himself a glorious Church, not having spot or wrinkle. Let Him then present unto Himself glorious Church, not having spot or wrinkle; let Him make Himself garment of that wool, which He had predestinated in the snow. While men are yet unbelieving, and cold, and sluggish, let Him make garment of this wool. That may be washed from spots, let be cleansed by faith that may have no wrinkle, let
be stretched out upon the cross. Who giveth snow like wool.
24. Now they are predestined, they are to be called. For whom He predestined, them He also called. Now how are they called from the sickness of the body, to become sound How are they called Hear the Gospel came
not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. That snow then beginneth at once in predestination to acknow ledge its sluggishness, to accuse its sins beginneth, being called, to come to repentance. Rightly then
Rom. >0'
Matt.
; it
a
is
is,
9,
8,
5,
?
?
:I
if
is
:
it
it
is
it a is
:
it it
a
:
is
it
a
The 'mist' of ignorance scattered by ' ashes' of repentance. 409
said, Who giveth snow like wool, on account of the com- Ver. pletion of the garment that is to be ; and also on account lb- - of the calling to repentance, He scattereth mist like ashes.
He scattereth, saith the Psalmist, mist like ashes. Who?
He Who giveth snow like wool. For whom He predestined,
He calleth to repentance; for whom He predestined, them
He also called. But ashes are connected with repentance.
Hear Him calling to repentance, when He upbraided certain
cities, saying, Woe unto thee, Chorazin ! woe unto thee, Hat. 11, Bethsaidal for if the mighty works which have been done21'
in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they had long ago repented in dust and ashes. Therefore, He scattereth mist like ashes. What He scattereth mist like ashes When
man called to learn about God, and said to him, Receive the Truth he beginneth to wish to receive the
Truth, but not able he seeth that He under sort of darkness, which before he saw not. For this purpose then is that mist, that thou mayest know that thou knowest nothing, and that thou mayest know what thou oughtest to know, and mayest see that thou art too weak to know what ought to be known. For while in this mist thou pre- sumest that thou knowest, thou shalt hear from the Apostle,
He who thinketh he knoweth anything, knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know. Therefore as yet thou hast not2' comprehended, as yet thou art under mist. But He hath not abandoned thee, Who lit up for thee the lamp of His Flesh. Wander not the mist, follow in faith. But foras much as thou endeavourest to see and art not able, repent of thy sins, for mist scattered like ashes. Repent thee now of having been obstinate against God, repent of having
followed thine own evil ways. Thou hast come into this state where difficult for thee to see the vision of bliss, and the mist will be healthful to thee, which God scattereth like ashes. Thou thyself art as yet mist, but like ashes. For they that are penitent, as yet roll themselves in ashes,
my brethren, testifying, as were, that they are like
saying unto God, am ashes. ' For certain Scripture saith, have despised myself, and wasted away, have j? b 30, reckoned myself earth and ashes. This the humility ofy^g the penitent. When Abraham speaketh to his God, and
Cor. 8,
is
is it is
/
is is
I'
is in
; ;'
is,
I
it,
a
?
it
if a
a a
it is
l
'a
Psalm
GeD 18 27.
410 ' Crystal,' hardened sinners, who
wisheth the burning of Sodom to be disclosed to him, he saith, I am out earth and ashes. How hath this humility ever been found in great and holy men ! He scattereth
l^0"1,8' their mist like ashes. Wherefore? Because whom He Matt. 9, predestinated, them He also called, Who came not to call
13-
the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
Ter. 17. 25. Who sendeth His crystal like morsels of bread. We
need not spend our toil again in saying what crystal is. We have already said and do not think that ye, beloved, have forgotten it. What then, He sendeth His crystal like morsels bread? Just as that snow His, because
of the predestinated; just as that mist His, because they are called to repentance, who are predestinated to salvation, so the crystal in manner His. What crystal? It very hard, very tightly congealed; cannot, like snow, be easily melted. Snow, hardened by many years' duration, and by the succession of ages, called crystal, and this He sendeth like morsels of bread. What meaneth this They were too hard, no longer fit to be compared to snow, but to crystal but they too are predestinated and called, and some of them even so as to feed others, to be useful to others also. And what need there to enumerate many, whom we happen to know, this one and that one Every one when he thinks can recall to mind how hardened and obstinate some of those whom he knows have been, how they have struggled against the truth yet now they preach the truth, they have been made
Rom. 12, morsels of bread. Who that one Bread? We being
"'
lCor. 10, also, we being many are one Bread and one Body. If
"
then the whole Body of Christ one Bread, the members of Christ are morsels of Bread. Of some that are hard He maketh members of Himself, and useful for feeding others. Why go we through many instances Let us look on the well-known Apostle Paul. Nothing better known to us than he, nothing sweeter, nothing in all Scripture more familiar. And there have been, who from being as hard as he was have been made Bread, let his example set before us recall all, that the meaning may be unfolded
of, He sendeth His crystal like morsels of bread. Behold,
many, saith the Apostle, are one Body in Christ he saith
if
is
of
? is
;
is
is
a
'
;
is is is isitisit
is
it is
it, is I
;
?
?
is
are only thawed by the Grace of Christ. 411
the Apostle Paul was a crystal, hard, resisting the truth, Ver. crying out against the Gospel, hardening himself, as it were, --17' against the sun. How hard was he, profiting in the law, brought up at the feet of Gamaliel, a teacher of the law. Acts22, He heard not Moses and the Prophets preaching Christ. 3' Great hardness this. True, the Gentiles had not heard the Prophets, had not heard Moses; they were cold, but they
were not crystal. He who believed words that preached Christ, but believed not Christ when He came, he was exceeding hardened. Since then he was crystal, he appeared
clear and white, but he was hard and very cold. How was
he bright and white ? An Hebrew of the Hebrews ; as touch- Phil. 3,
ing the law, a Pharisee. Behold the brightness of crystal. 5-6- Now hear the hardness of crystal. As touching zeal, per secuting the Church of Christ. Among the stoners of the
holy martyr Stephen, was he, hard, perhaps harder than all.
For he kept the raiment of all who were stoning, so that he Acts 22, stoned by the hands of all. 20,
26. Thus then we see the snow, the mist, the crystal : it is good that He blow and thaw them. For if He blow not, if He Himself thaw not the hardness of this ice, in the face of His cold who shall stand? In the face of His
cold : whose ? God's. Whence is His cold ? Behold, He abandoneth a sinner, behold, He calleth him not; behold, He openeth not his perception ; behold, He poureth not in grace ; let the man thaw himself, if he can, from the ice of folly. He cannot. Wherefore can he not? In the
face of His cold who shal/l stand? Behold him then
see another law in my mem- Rom. 7, bers warring against the law of my mind, and enslaving'23,
me to the lIaw of sin which is in my members. O wretched man that am ! who shall deliver me from the body of this death ? Behold, I am growing cold, behold, I am growing hard, what heat shall thaw me that I may run ? Who shall deliver me from the body of this death ? In the face of His cold who shall stand? And who shall free himself, if God abandon him ? Who is it that freeth ? The grace of God, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Hear here also the grace of God : Who sendeth forth His crystal like morsels of bread ; who shall stand in the face of His cold f
growing harder, and saying,
412 So Saul was thawed, and became Paul.
Psalm Are we then to despair? God forbid. For it goeth on,
cxlvi^ IIe sftan seflci oui fjis Word, and melt them. Let not Ter' * then the snow despair, nor the mist, nor the crystal. For of the snow, as of wool, a garment is being made. That
mist findeth safety in repentance : for, whom He pre destinated, them He also called. But even though they be the very hardest among the predestinated, though they have been for a long time hardening, and are become crystal, they will not be hard to the mercy of God. He shall send out His Word, and melt them. What is melt ? Understand not melt in an ill sense: it meaneth, He shall liquify He shall thaw them. For they are hard through pride. Rightly is pride called also dulness: for whatever is dull, is also cold. It is an every day saying of men when they
are chilled, ' I was dulled. ' Pride then is dulness. He shall send out His Word, and melt them. And, in truth, heaps of snow, when they are heated, melt in humility. Just then as cold heapeth up snow into mountains, as it were, so doth pride lift up fools. He shall send out His Word, and melt them. Behold that crystal Saul, after the slaughter and stoning of Stephen, came dull with a kind of hardness against Christ, and asked letters of the high priest that he
Acts 9, might every where inform against the Christians, breathing
' etc"
out slaughters. Hard he is and cold against the fire of God. But hard and cold though he was, behold, He Who shall send out His Word, and melt them, called from heaven with heat, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou Me? By that one word, all that great hardness of crystal was melted. He shall send out then His Word, and melt them.
Despair not of the crystal, much less of the snoir, or of the mist. Despair not even of the crystal. Hear a saying of the
iTim. l, crystal. Who before was a blasphemer, and a persecutor,
13-
ib. 16.
and injurious. But wherefore doth God melt the crystal ? That thIe snow despair not of itself. For he saith, For this
obtained mercy, that in me Jesus Christ
first might
cause
shew forth all long-suffering, for a pattern to them that hereafter should believe on Him unto eternal life. God then calleth unto the Gentiles, ' Be melted, O crystal; come, ye snows. ' He shall send forth His Word, and melt them. His Spirit shall blow, and the waters shall fiou: Lo, the
Effort needed to obtain God's Grace. 413 crystal and the snows are melted, they turn into water, let Ver.
l9'
'
it is said in another Psalm, Turn our captivity, O Lord,Ps. 126, as a torrent in the south wind. For captive Jerusalem4,
had, as it were, frozen in Babylon : the south wind blows,
the chill of captivity is dissolved, the warmth of love runneth to God. His Spirit shall blow, and the waters shall flow.
He shall become in them a well of water springing up unto John 4, everlasting life. i4'
27. Announcing His Word unto Jacob, His Righteousnesses ver. 19. and Judgments unto Israel. What Righteousnesses, what Judgments?
Because whatever mankind had suffered here before, when it was snow and mist and crystal, it suffered
for the deserts of its pride and uplifting against God. Let us go back to the origin of our fall, and see thatImost
them that thirst, come and drink. Saul, hard as crystal, persecuted Stephen unto death; Paul, now in the living 37. water, calleth the Gentiles to the Fount. His Spirit shall blow, and the waters shall flow: the fervent spirit; whence
truly is it sung in the Psalm, Before II was troubled I
wrong. But he who says, Before
was troubled
went Ps. 119,
went67'
I, It is good me that Thou hast Pa. 119, for
wrong, saith also
humbled me, that
righteousnesses Jacob learnt from God, Who made him to wrestle with an Angel, under the guise of which Angel God Himself wrestled with him. He held Him, he exerted violence to hold Him, he prevailed to hold Him: HeGen. 32, caused Himself to be held, in mercy, not in weakness. 2i' et0" Jacob therefore wrestled, and prevailed : he held Him, and
when he seemed to have conquered Him, asked to be blessed
of Him. How did he understand with Whom he had wrestled, Whom he had held ? Wherefore did he wrestle violently, and hold Him? Because the kingdom of heaven Mat. 11, suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force. Wherefore 12' then did he wrestle ? Because it is with toil. Wherefore do
we with difficulty hold, what we so easily lose ? Lest, easily
getting back what we have lost, we learn to lose that which we
hold. Let man have toil to hold : he will hold firmly, what
he has only held after toil. These His judgments therefore
God manifested to Jacob and Israel. I will speak yet
more openly: I mean, that even the righteous, while here,
may
learn Thy Righteousnesses. These'1,
414 The Righteousness of Christ not given
Psalm endure toils, dangers, annoyances, sufferings, for their ---- deserts, by the righteous judgment of God. For He alone can say that He suffered here without cause : (though in this
way He did not suffer without cause, in that He suffered for
I paid them then the things trhich
Pa. 69,5. us:) Who alone can say,
Jobnu, / took not : Who alone could say, Behold, the prince of this 30' world cometh, and shall find nothing in Me. And as
though it were said to Him, ' Why then dost Thou suffer? ' He goeth on and saith, But that all men may know that I do the will of My Father, arise, let us go hence. All others, who suffer for their own deserts by the judgment of God, and according to righteousness, let them not lay claim to suffering innocently as Christ did. Hear the Apostle Peter.
lPet4,// is time that judgment begin at the house of God. 17. 18. Exh0rting the martyrs and witnesses of God to endure with perfect patience all the threats of the raging world, he saith to them, It is time that judgment begin at the
ver. 20.
house of God : and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the Gospel of God? and if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear ? Announcing His word unto Jacob, His righteousnesses and judgment to Israel.
28. He hath not done so to the whole race. Let none deceive you : it is not announced to any nation, this judgment of God; namely, how the righteous and the
unrighteous suffer, how all suffer for their deserts, how the righteous themselves are freed by the grace of God, not in their own merits. This is not announced to the whole race, but only to Jacob, only to Israel. What then do we, if He hath not announced it to the whole race, but only to Jacob, only to Israel? Where will we be? In Jacob. He hath not manifested His judgments to them. To whom ? To all nations. How then are the snows called, when the crystal is melted? How are the nations called, now Paul is
justified? How, save to be in Jacob? The wild olive is cut off from its stock, to be grafted into the olive : now they belong to the olive, no longer ought they to be called nations', but one nation in Christ, the nation of Jacob, the nation of Israel. Wherefore the nation of Jacob, and the nation of Israel ? Because Jacob is the son of Isaac,
'gentes.
to all, but to the true Israel.
415
Isaac of Abraham. But to Abraham what was said? Ver. In thy seed shall all nations be blessed. This was also said w-20' ^
Gen. 22 Jacob. Wherefore we belong to Jacob, 18.
to Isaac and to
because we belong to Isaac, and to Abraham. For the seed
of Abraham, as not I or any common man, but the Apostle himself, explaineth it, is Christ : he himself saith, He saith Gal. 3, not, And to seeds, as of many, but as of one, And to thy seed, 16 which is Christ. If we be one seed, we are one Jacob, one Israel, yea all nations are one man in Christ. That then belongeth to all nations, which He hath revealed to Jacob,
to Israel : and they only are to be reckoned among the other nations, who, refusing to believe in Christ, refuse to leave
the wild olive, and be grafted into the olive. They will remain among the wild trees, barren branches and bitter.
Let Jacob rejoice. What is Jacob ? The supplanter : because Jacob supplanted his brother. For blindness in Rom.
part is happened unto Israel, that the fulness of the Gentiles 1 > J' might come in. Of Jacob is made Israel. What is Israel ?
Now let us all listen, all who are Israel, whether ye who are
here among the members of Christ, or those who are without yet not without, and throughout all nations every where without, every where within ; let Israel himself hear,
who of Jacob was made Israel. What is Israel ?
God. ' Where shall he see God ? In peace. What peace? The peace of Jerusalem ; for, saith he, He hath set peace for thy borders. There shall we praise : there shall we all be one, in One, unto One : for then, though many, we shall not be scattered.
'
PSALM CXLVIII.
EXPOSITION.
Sermon to the People.
1. The subject of our meditation in this present life should be the praises of God; for the everlasting exalt ation of our life hereafter will be the praise of God, and none can become fit for the life hereafter, who hath not
' Seeing
Lat. CxlVIII.
416 Lent, a type of this life : Easter, of that to come.
Psalm practised himself for it now. So then now we praise God,
oxlvin.
we pray to llim too Our praise is marked by joy, our prayer by groans. For somewhat is promised to us, which as yet we have not: and so, because He Who hath promised is true, we rejoice in hope ; but, because as yet we have not, we groan in longing. It is good for us to persevere in longing, till what is promised come, and so groaning pass away, praise alone succeed. On account of these two seasons, one, that which now is in the temptations and tribulations of this life, the other, that which is to be hereafter in everlasting rest and exultation ; we have esta blished also the celebration of two seasons, that before Easter and that after Easter. That which is before Easter
tribulation, in which we now are; that which we are now keeping after Easter, signifieth the bliss in which we shall hereafter be. The celebration then which we keep before Easter is what we do now : by that which we keep after Easter we signify what as yet we have not. Therefore we employ that time in fastings and prayer, this present time we spend in praises, and relax our fast. This is the Halle- luia which we sing, which, as you know, meaneth in Latin, Praise ye the Lord. Therefore that period is before the Lord's Resurrection, this, after His Resurrection : by which time is signified the future hope which as yet we have not: for what we represent after the Lord's Resurrection, we shall have after our own. For in our Head both are figured, both are set forth. The Baptism of the Lord setteth forth to us this present life of trial, for in it we must toil, be harassed, and, at last, die ; but the Resurrection and Glori fication of the Lord setteth forth to us the life which we are to have hereafter, when He shall come to recompense due rewards, evil to the evil, good to the good. And now indeed all the evil men sing with us, Halleluia; but, if they persevere in their wickedness, they may utter with their lips the song of our life hereafter; but the life itself, which will then be in the reality which now is typified, they
cannot obtain, because they would not practise it before it came, and lay hold on what was to come.
2. Now then, brethren, we exhort you that ye praise God ; this is what we all say to one another, when we say,
siguifieth
We must praise God with our lives as well as lips. 4 1 7
Halleluia. ' Praise the Lord,' thou sayest to thy neighbour, Ver. he to thee : when all are exhorting each other, all are doing -- what they exhort others to do. But praise with your whole
selves : that is, let not your tongue and voice alone praise
God, but your conscience
now, when we are gathered together in the Church, praise : when we go forth each to his own business, we seem to cease to praise God. Let a man not cease to live well, and then he ever praiseth God. Then dost thou cease to praise God, when thou turnest aside from righte ousness and from all that pleaseth Him. For, if thou never turn aside from a good life, though thy tongue be silent, yet thy life crieth out, and the ears of God are open to thy heart. For just as our ears are open to our voices, so God's ears are open to our thoughts. But it is impossible for a man's acts to be evil, whose thoughts are good. For acts issue from thought: nor can a man do any thing or move his limbs to do aught, unless the bidding of his thought precede : just as in all things which ye see done throughout the provinces, whatsoever the Emperor biddeth goeth forth from the inner part of his palace throughout the whole Roman Empire. How great commotion is caused at one bidding by the Emperor as he sits in his palace ! He but moveth his lips, when he speaketh : the whole province is moved, when what he speaketh is being executed. So in each single man too, the Emperor is within, his seat is
in the heart. If he be good and biddeth good things, good things are done : if he be bad and biddeth evil things, evil things are done. When Christ sitteth there, what can He bid, but what is good ? When the devil is the occupant, what can he bid, but evil? But God hath willed that it should be in thy choice for whom thou wilt prepare room^ for God, or for the devil: when thou hast prepared he who occupant will also rule. Therefore, brethren, attend not only to the sound; when ye praise God, praise with your whole selves: let your voice, your life, your deeds, all sing. And there be still groaning, tribulation, tempt ation, hope that they will all pass away, and then the day will come when ye will praise without failure. This present Psalm clear, and we may run over quickly. For
VOL. VI.
also, your life, your deeds. For we
e e
is
if
it
it
is
it,
418 All things, animate and inanimate,
Psalm arrayeth all creation to praise God, and as it were ex- cxi. vin. frorteth iL t0 praiSe, as though it had found it holding its
peace.
ver. l. 3. Praise ye the Lord from heaven. As though he had
found things in heaven holding their peace in the praise of the Lord, he exhorteth them to arise and praise. Never have things in heaven held their peace in the praises of their Creator, never have things on earth ceased to praise God. But it is manifest that there are certain things which have breath to praise God in that disposition wherein God pleaseth them. For no one praiseth ought, save what pleaseth him. And there are other things which have not breath of life and understanding to praise God, but yet, because they also are good, and duly arranged in their proper order, and form part of the beauty of the universe, which God created, though they themselves with voice and heart praise not God, yet when they are considered by those who have understanding, God is praised in them; and, as God is praised in them, they themselves too in a manner praise God. For instance, in heaven all things praise God, which have the breath of life, and a pure intelligence to con template and love Him without disgust or weariness. But on earth men praise God by their understanding whereby they discern good and evil, by their understanding whereby they know the creature and the Creator, because they can think of these things, because God has given them a mind to discern them, to love, and to praise. This man can do ; but surely beasts have not this sort of understanding: if
re. 32, they had, God would not say to us, Be ye not like unto horse and mule, which have no understanding. When He exhorteth us not to be like beasts, which have no understanding, He sheweth us that to man He hath assigned an understanding whereby to praise God. And the trees surely have not so much as the life whereby they may have senses, like the beasts. For though the beasts have not the inner sense of reason, and an understanding, and a discerning mind, which man has, to praise God withal, yet they have an outward and visible life, as we all know, whereby they seek food, take what is for their good, reject what is harmful; they have senses whereby to discern
rational and irrational, praise God. 419 corporeal things, sight to distinguish colour, hearing to Ver.
l"
distinguish sounds, smell to distinguish odours, taste to distinguish flavours; they naturally move towards what pleases, away from what annoys them. This we understand and see before our eyes. They have not reason to under stand with, but they have the breath of a living body, and a visible life : the trees have not even this ; yet all of them praise God. Wherefore do they praise God ? Because when we see them, and think upon the Creator Who made them, they cause to arise within us praise to God; and, since through consideration of them God is praised, all things praise God. He begins then with heaven : all things praise, and yet he says, Praise ye. Wherefore doth he say, Praise ye, when they are praising? Because he delighteth in their praising, and therefore it
pleaseth him to add, as it were, his own encouragement. Just as, when you come to men who are doing any good work with pleasure in their vineyard or in their harvest field, or in some other matter of husbandry, you are pleased at what they are doing, and say, 'work on,' 'go on:' not that they may begin to work, when thou sayest this, but, because you are pleased at finding them working, you add your approbation and encouragement. For by saying, ' work on,' and encouraging those who are working, you, so to speak, work with them in wish. In this sort of encourage ment then the Psalmist, filled with the Holy Ghost, saith
this.
4. And it is a Psalm of Haggai and Zachariah : so the title Title in
runneth. These two Prophets prophesied at the time when LXX- the people was kept captive in Babylon, and foretold the coming end of the captivity, that the city of Jerusalem which had been destroyed in war, should be restored. They
set forth to us then in amystery the life to come, wherein we shall praise God, when the captivity of this present life is at an end, when shall be restored that mighty city Jerusalem, in wandering from whence we sigh, prisoners as yet under the burden and weight of this mortal body : wherefore as yet we groan in our pilgrimage, but we shall exult when we reach our country. But he, who groaneth not as a pilgrim, shall not rejoice as a citizen, because there
Ee2
420 We practise now what we shall perform hereafter.
Psalm is no longing in him. Those holy Prophets then gave great cxlvm. comfort to the people, who were then captives according to the flesh, that is, who were placed in Babylon under
strange sovereigns. For they shewed in prophecy, that a time should come when they should be freed from their captivity, and Jerusalem should be restored. But all these things were done in a figure, they contain their own truth ; they were figured in what happened of old, they are set forth really present among us. Now then what saith the
2 Cor. 5, Apostle ? While tee are present in the body, we are absent from the Lord. As yet we are not in our country: when shall we be ? When we shall trinmph for victory over our iCor. 15, enemy the devil; when death, the last enemy, shall be
gfc'. 54"
destroyed ; then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. Where, O death, is thy strife ? where, O death, is thy sting ? When then shall there be no more strife of death, which now there is, and maketh us groan at the failure and changeableness of things, at the frailness of man's flesh ? Daily temptations strive with us, daily delights : even though we consent not, yet we suffer annoyance, and strive : and great is the peril, lest he who striveth be conquered : and even if by not
consenting we conquer, yet we suffer annoyance in resisting delights. The enemy ceaseth not, dieth not, save in the resurrection of the dead. But let us hope, let us trust : Haggai and Zacharias lift us up, they sing our coming liberation. If they sang to that people, and it hath been fulfilled, shall what is sung to the Christian people not be fulfilled? Be not troubled: only take heed how ye act in this pilgrimage of life. Let not love of Babylon please you, lest ye forget your city Jerusalem. Though your body is yet detained in Babylon, let your heart be sent forward to
Jerusalem. Let then the whole creation praise the Lord: for there we shall do what here we practise beforehand.
5. Praise ye the Lord from heaven : praise Him in the high places. First he saith, from heaven, then from earth ; for it is God that is praised, Who made heaven and earth. All in heaven is calm and peaceful ; there is ever joy, no
death, no sickness, no vexation;
praise God; but we are still below: yet, when we think
there the blessed ever
All creation praises its Creator. 421
how God is praised there, let us have our heart there, Ver. and let us not hear to no purpose, ' Lift up your hearts. ' a 5- Let us lift up our heart above, that it become not corrupted
on earth : for we take pleasure in what the Angels do there.
We do it now in hope: hereafter we shall in
when we have come thither. Praise Him then in the high
places.
6. Praise Him, all ye angels of His, praise Him, all Hisver. 23-
powers. Praise Him, sun and moon ; praise Him, all ye stars and light.
ness maketh it to be every where always, yet no where to
be imprisoned and detained. But these things are beyond
our thoughts : we are too sluggish for them. Who can think
on these things ? And in truth, brethren, I have spoken as
I could, (if indeed I could, if indeed I understood,) and ye
have understood as ye were able. But what saith the Apostle ? Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding Eph. 3, abundantly above all that we ask or think. What meaneth 20'
he here ? That however often we have understood, we have
not understood Him as He is. Wherefore is this ? Because Wisd. 9, the corruptible body presseth down the soul. Therefore on 15- earth are we cold, for swiftness is hot ; and all that is hot is
swift, all that is cold, slow. We are slow, therefore we are
cold. But Wisdom runneth even unto swiftness. Therefore
it is exceeding hot, and there is nothing that can hide itselfPs. 19,6.
from the heat thereof.
23. We then are burdened by the sluggishness of this
cold body, and the bonds of this earthly and corruptible life; have we no hope of receiving the Word, Which runneth even un to swiftness? or hath He abandoned us, though by the body we are depressed to the lowest depths ? Did not He predestinate us, before we were born in this mortal and sluggish body? He then, Who predestinated us, gave snow to the earth, even ourselves. For now let us come to those somewhat obscure verses of the Psalm, let those entangle ments begin to be unrolled : since the Word of God findeth you the more eager, the more it is uttered to you by us. Behold, we are sluggish on this earth, and are as it were
Psalm
ver. 16.
408 The ' wool,' Christians, who are the robe of Christ.
frozen here. And just as happens to the flakes of snow, for they freeze above, then fall down ; so as love groweth cold, human nature falleth down to this earth, and involved in a sluggish body becometh like snow. But in that snow are predestined sons of God. For, He giveth snow like wool. What is, like wool? It meaneth, of the snow which He hath given, of these, who are as yet slow in spirit and cold, whom He hath predestinated, He is about to make some what. For wool is the material of a garment: when we see wool, we look on it as a sort of preparation for a garment. Therefore since He hath predestinated these, who at present are cold and creep on earth, and as yet glow not with the spirit of love, (for as yet He speaketh of predestination,) God hath given these as a sort of wool: He is about to
Mat. 17, make of them a garment. Rightly did the raiment of Christ
2'
Eph. "''
shine on the mountain, like snow. The raiment of Christ did shine like snow, as though of that snow a garment had already been made : of which wool, that of the snow which He gave like wool, they being as yet predestined, were sluggish but wait, see what followeth. Since He gave them as wool, garment made of them. For as the Church called the Body of Christ, so the Church also called the garment of Christ hence cometh that which said by the Apostle, that He might present to Himself a glorious Church, not having spot or wrinkle. Let Him then present unto Himself glorious Church, not having spot or wrinkle; let Him make Himself garment of that wool, which He had predestinated in the snow. While men are yet unbelieving, and cold, and sluggish, let Him make garment of this wool. That may be washed from spots, let be cleansed by faith that may have no wrinkle, let
be stretched out upon the cross. Who giveth snow like wool.
24. Now they are predestined, they are to be called. For whom He predestined, them He also called. Now how are they called from the sickness of the body, to become sound How are they called Hear the Gospel came
not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. That snow then beginneth at once in predestination to acknow ledge its sluggishness, to accuse its sins beginneth, being called, to come to repentance. Rightly then
Rom. >0'
Matt.
; it
a
is
is,
9,
8,
5,
?
?
:I
if
is
:
it
it
is
it a is
:
it it
a
:
is
it
a
The 'mist' of ignorance scattered by ' ashes' of repentance. 409
said, Who giveth snow like wool, on account of the com- Ver. pletion of the garment that is to be ; and also on account lb- - of the calling to repentance, He scattereth mist like ashes.
He scattereth, saith the Psalmist, mist like ashes. Who?
He Who giveth snow like wool. For whom He predestined,
He calleth to repentance; for whom He predestined, them
He also called. But ashes are connected with repentance.
Hear Him calling to repentance, when He upbraided certain
cities, saying, Woe unto thee, Chorazin ! woe unto thee, Hat. 11, Bethsaidal for if the mighty works which have been done21'
in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they had long ago repented in dust and ashes. Therefore, He scattereth mist like ashes. What He scattereth mist like ashes When
man called to learn about God, and said to him, Receive the Truth he beginneth to wish to receive the
Truth, but not able he seeth that He under sort of darkness, which before he saw not. For this purpose then is that mist, that thou mayest know that thou knowest nothing, and that thou mayest know what thou oughtest to know, and mayest see that thou art too weak to know what ought to be known. For while in this mist thou pre- sumest that thou knowest, thou shalt hear from the Apostle,
He who thinketh he knoweth anything, knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know. Therefore as yet thou hast not2' comprehended, as yet thou art under mist. But He hath not abandoned thee, Who lit up for thee the lamp of His Flesh. Wander not the mist, follow in faith. But foras much as thou endeavourest to see and art not able, repent of thy sins, for mist scattered like ashes. Repent thee now of having been obstinate against God, repent of having
followed thine own evil ways. Thou hast come into this state where difficult for thee to see the vision of bliss, and the mist will be healthful to thee, which God scattereth like ashes. Thou thyself art as yet mist, but like ashes. For they that are penitent, as yet roll themselves in ashes,
my brethren, testifying, as were, that they are like
saying unto God, am ashes. ' For certain Scripture saith, have despised myself, and wasted away, have j? b 30, reckoned myself earth and ashes. This the humility ofy^g the penitent. When Abraham speaketh to his God, and
Cor. 8,
is
is it is
/
is is
I'
is in
; ;'
is,
I
it,
a
?
it
if a
a a
it is
l
'a
Psalm
GeD 18 27.
410 ' Crystal,' hardened sinners, who
wisheth the burning of Sodom to be disclosed to him, he saith, I am out earth and ashes. How hath this humility ever been found in great and holy men ! He scattereth
l^0"1,8' their mist like ashes. Wherefore? Because whom He Matt. 9, predestinated, them He also called, Who came not to call
13-
the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
Ter. 17. 25. Who sendeth His crystal like morsels of bread. We
need not spend our toil again in saying what crystal is. We have already said and do not think that ye, beloved, have forgotten it. What then, He sendeth His crystal like morsels bread? Just as that snow His, because
of the predestinated; just as that mist His, because they are called to repentance, who are predestinated to salvation, so the crystal in manner His. What crystal? It very hard, very tightly congealed; cannot, like snow, be easily melted. Snow, hardened by many years' duration, and by the succession of ages, called crystal, and this He sendeth like morsels of bread. What meaneth this They were too hard, no longer fit to be compared to snow, but to crystal but they too are predestinated and called, and some of them even so as to feed others, to be useful to others also. And what need there to enumerate many, whom we happen to know, this one and that one Every one when he thinks can recall to mind how hardened and obstinate some of those whom he knows have been, how they have struggled against the truth yet now they preach the truth, they have been made
Rom. 12, morsels of bread. Who that one Bread? We being
"'
lCor. 10, also, we being many are one Bread and one Body. If
"
then the whole Body of Christ one Bread, the members of Christ are morsels of Bread. Of some that are hard He maketh members of Himself, and useful for feeding others. Why go we through many instances Let us look on the well-known Apostle Paul. Nothing better known to us than he, nothing sweeter, nothing in all Scripture more familiar. And there have been, who from being as hard as he was have been made Bread, let his example set before us recall all, that the meaning may be unfolded
of, He sendeth His crystal like morsels of bread. Behold,
many, saith the Apostle, are one Body in Christ he saith
if
is
of
? is
;
is
is
a
'
;
is is is isitisit
is
it is
it, is I
;
?
?
is
are only thawed by the Grace of Christ. 411
the Apostle Paul was a crystal, hard, resisting the truth, Ver. crying out against the Gospel, hardening himself, as it were, --17' against the sun. How hard was he, profiting in the law, brought up at the feet of Gamaliel, a teacher of the law. Acts22, He heard not Moses and the Prophets preaching Christ. 3' Great hardness this. True, the Gentiles had not heard the Prophets, had not heard Moses; they were cold, but they
were not crystal. He who believed words that preached Christ, but believed not Christ when He came, he was exceeding hardened. Since then he was crystal, he appeared
clear and white, but he was hard and very cold. How was
he bright and white ? An Hebrew of the Hebrews ; as touch- Phil. 3,
ing the law, a Pharisee. Behold the brightness of crystal. 5-6- Now hear the hardness of crystal. As touching zeal, per secuting the Church of Christ. Among the stoners of the
holy martyr Stephen, was he, hard, perhaps harder than all.
For he kept the raiment of all who were stoning, so that he Acts 22, stoned by the hands of all. 20,
26. Thus then we see the snow, the mist, the crystal : it is good that He blow and thaw them. For if He blow not, if He Himself thaw not the hardness of this ice, in the face of His cold who shall stand? In the face of His
cold : whose ? God's. Whence is His cold ? Behold, He abandoneth a sinner, behold, He calleth him not; behold, He openeth not his perception ; behold, He poureth not in grace ; let the man thaw himself, if he can, from the ice of folly. He cannot. Wherefore can he not? In the
face of His cold who shal/l stand? Behold him then
see another law in my mem- Rom. 7, bers warring against the law of my mind, and enslaving'23,
me to the lIaw of sin which is in my members. O wretched man that am ! who shall deliver me from the body of this death ? Behold, I am growing cold, behold, I am growing hard, what heat shall thaw me that I may run ? Who shall deliver me from the body of this death ? In the face of His cold who shall stand? And who shall free himself, if God abandon him ? Who is it that freeth ? The grace of God, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Hear here also the grace of God : Who sendeth forth His crystal like morsels of bread ; who shall stand in the face of His cold f
growing harder, and saying,
412 So Saul was thawed, and became Paul.
Psalm Are we then to despair? God forbid. For it goeth on,
cxlvi^ IIe sftan seflci oui fjis Word, and melt them. Let not Ter' * then the snow despair, nor the mist, nor the crystal. For of the snow, as of wool, a garment is being made. That
mist findeth safety in repentance : for, whom He pre destinated, them He also called. But even though they be the very hardest among the predestinated, though they have been for a long time hardening, and are become crystal, they will not be hard to the mercy of God. He shall send out His Word, and melt them. What is melt ? Understand not melt in an ill sense: it meaneth, He shall liquify He shall thaw them. For they are hard through pride. Rightly is pride called also dulness: for whatever is dull, is also cold. It is an every day saying of men when they
are chilled, ' I was dulled. ' Pride then is dulness. He shall send out His Word, and melt them. And, in truth, heaps of snow, when they are heated, melt in humility. Just then as cold heapeth up snow into mountains, as it were, so doth pride lift up fools. He shall send out His Word, and melt them. Behold that crystal Saul, after the slaughter and stoning of Stephen, came dull with a kind of hardness against Christ, and asked letters of the high priest that he
Acts 9, might every where inform against the Christians, breathing
' etc"
out slaughters. Hard he is and cold against the fire of God. But hard and cold though he was, behold, He Who shall send out His Word, and melt them, called from heaven with heat, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou Me? By that one word, all that great hardness of crystal was melted. He shall send out then His Word, and melt them.
Despair not of the crystal, much less of the snoir, or of the mist. Despair not even of the crystal. Hear a saying of the
iTim. l, crystal. Who before was a blasphemer, and a persecutor,
13-
ib. 16.
and injurious. But wherefore doth God melt the crystal ? That thIe snow despair not of itself. For he saith, For this
obtained mercy, that in me Jesus Christ
first might
cause
shew forth all long-suffering, for a pattern to them that hereafter should believe on Him unto eternal life. God then calleth unto the Gentiles, ' Be melted, O crystal; come, ye snows. ' He shall send forth His Word, and melt them. His Spirit shall blow, and the waters shall fiou: Lo, the
Effort needed to obtain God's Grace. 413 crystal and the snows are melted, they turn into water, let Ver.
l9'
'
it is said in another Psalm, Turn our captivity, O Lord,Ps. 126, as a torrent in the south wind. For captive Jerusalem4,
had, as it were, frozen in Babylon : the south wind blows,
the chill of captivity is dissolved, the warmth of love runneth to God. His Spirit shall blow, and the waters shall flow.
He shall become in them a well of water springing up unto John 4, everlasting life. i4'
27. Announcing His Word unto Jacob, His Righteousnesses ver. 19. and Judgments unto Israel. What Righteousnesses, what Judgments?
Because whatever mankind had suffered here before, when it was snow and mist and crystal, it suffered
for the deserts of its pride and uplifting against God. Let us go back to the origin of our fall, and see thatImost
them that thirst, come and drink. Saul, hard as crystal, persecuted Stephen unto death; Paul, now in the living 37. water, calleth the Gentiles to the Fount. His Spirit shall blow, and the waters shall flow: the fervent spirit; whence
truly is it sung in the Psalm, Before II was troubled I
wrong. But he who says, Before
was troubled
went Ps. 119,
went67'
I, It is good me that Thou hast Pa. 119, for
wrong, saith also
humbled me, that
righteousnesses Jacob learnt from God, Who made him to wrestle with an Angel, under the guise of which Angel God Himself wrestled with him. He held Him, he exerted violence to hold Him, he prevailed to hold Him: HeGen. 32, caused Himself to be held, in mercy, not in weakness. 2i' et0" Jacob therefore wrestled, and prevailed : he held Him, and
when he seemed to have conquered Him, asked to be blessed
of Him. How did he understand with Whom he had wrestled, Whom he had held ? Wherefore did he wrestle violently, and hold Him? Because the kingdom of heaven Mat. 11, suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force. Wherefore 12' then did he wrestle ? Because it is with toil. Wherefore do
we with difficulty hold, what we so easily lose ? Lest, easily
getting back what we have lost, we learn to lose that which we
hold. Let man have toil to hold : he will hold firmly, what
he has only held after toil. These His judgments therefore
God manifested to Jacob and Israel. I will speak yet
more openly: I mean, that even the righteous, while here,
may
learn Thy Righteousnesses. These'1,
414 The Righteousness of Christ not given
Psalm endure toils, dangers, annoyances, sufferings, for their ---- deserts, by the righteous judgment of God. For He alone can say that He suffered here without cause : (though in this
way He did not suffer without cause, in that He suffered for
I paid them then the things trhich
Pa. 69,5. us:) Who alone can say,
Jobnu, / took not : Who alone could say, Behold, the prince of this 30' world cometh, and shall find nothing in Me. And as
though it were said to Him, ' Why then dost Thou suffer? ' He goeth on and saith, But that all men may know that I do the will of My Father, arise, let us go hence. All others, who suffer for their own deserts by the judgment of God, and according to righteousness, let them not lay claim to suffering innocently as Christ did. Hear the Apostle Peter.
lPet4,// is time that judgment begin at the house of God. 17. 18. Exh0rting the martyrs and witnesses of God to endure with perfect patience all the threats of the raging world, he saith to them, It is time that judgment begin at the
ver. 20.
house of God : and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the Gospel of God? and if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear ? Announcing His word unto Jacob, His righteousnesses and judgment to Israel.
28. He hath not done so to the whole race. Let none deceive you : it is not announced to any nation, this judgment of God; namely, how the righteous and the
unrighteous suffer, how all suffer for their deserts, how the righteous themselves are freed by the grace of God, not in their own merits. This is not announced to the whole race, but only to Jacob, only to Israel. What then do we, if He hath not announced it to the whole race, but only to Jacob, only to Israel? Where will we be? In Jacob. He hath not manifested His judgments to them. To whom ? To all nations. How then are the snows called, when the crystal is melted? How are the nations called, now Paul is
justified? How, save to be in Jacob? The wild olive is cut off from its stock, to be grafted into the olive : now they belong to the olive, no longer ought they to be called nations', but one nation in Christ, the nation of Jacob, the nation of Israel. Wherefore the nation of Jacob, and the nation of Israel ? Because Jacob is the son of Isaac,
'gentes.
to all, but to the true Israel.
415
Isaac of Abraham. But to Abraham what was said? Ver. In thy seed shall all nations be blessed. This was also said w-20' ^
Gen. 22 Jacob. Wherefore we belong to Jacob, 18.
to Isaac and to
because we belong to Isaac, and to Abraham. For the seed
of Abraham, as not I or any common man, but the Apostle himself, explaineth it, is Christ : he himself saith, He saith Gal. 3, not, And to seeds, as of many, but as of one, And to thy seed, 16 which is Christ. If we be one seed, we are one Jacob, one Israel, yea all nations are one man in Christ. That then belongeth to all nations, which He hath revealed to Jacob,
to Israel : and they only are to be reckoned among the other nations, who, refusing to believe in Christ, refuse to leave
the wild olive, and be grafted into the olive. They will remain among the wild trees, barren branches and bitter.
Let Jacob rejoice. What is Jacob ? The supplanter : because Jacob supplanted his brother. For blindness in Rom.
part is happened unto Israel, that the fulness of the Gentiles 1 > J' might come in. Of Jacob is made Israel. What is Israel ?
Now let us all listen, all who are Israel, whether ye who are
here among the members of Christ, or those who are without yet not without, and throughout all nations every where without, every where within ; let Israel himself hear,
who of Jacob was made Israel. What is Israel ?
God. ' Where shall he see God ? In peace. What peace? The peace of Jerusalem ; for, saith he, He hath set peace for thy borders. There shall we praise : there shall we all be one, in One, unto One : for then, though many, we shall not be scattered.
'
PSALM CXLVIII.
EXPOSITION.
Sermon to the People.
1. The subject of our meditation in this present life should be the praises of God; for the everlasting exalt ation of our life hereafter will be the praise of God, and none can become fit for the life hereafter, who hath not
' Seeing
Lat. CxlVIII.
416 Lent, a type of this life : Easter, of that to come.
Psalm practised himself for it now. So then now we praise God,
oxlvin.
we pray to llim too Our praise is marked by joy, our prayer by groans. For somewhat is promised to us, which as yet we have not: and so, because He Who hath promised is true, we rejoice in hope ; but, because as yet we have not, we groan in longing. It is good for us to persevere in longing, till what is promised come, and so groaning pass away, praise alone succeed. On account of these two seasons, one, that which now is in the temptations and tribulations of this life, the other, that which is to be hereafter in everlasting rest and exultation ; we have esta blished also the celebration of two seasons, that before Easter and that after Easter. That which is before Easter
tribulation, in which we now are; that which we are now keeping after Easter, signifieth the bliss in which we shall hereafter be. The celebration then which we keep before Easter is what we do now : by that which we keep after Easter we signify what as yet we have not. Therefore we employ that time in fastings and prayer, this present time we spend in praises, and relax our fast. This is the Halle- luia which we sing, which, as you know, meaneth in Latin, Praise ye the Lord. Therefore that period is before the Lord's Resurrection, this, after His Resurrection : by which time is signified the future hope which as yet we have not: for what we represent after the Lord's Resurrection, we shall have after our own. For in our Head both are figured, both are set forth. The Baptism of the Lord setteth forth to us this present life of trial, for in it we must toil, be harassed, and, at last, die ; but the Resurrection and Glori fication of the Lord setteth forth to us the life which we are to have hereafter, when He shall come to recompense due rewards, evil to the evil, good to the good. And now indeed all the evil men sing with us, Halleluia; but, if they persevere in their wickedness, they may utter with their lips the song of our life hereafter; but the life itself, which will then be in the reality which now is typified, they
cannot obtain, because they would not practise it before it came, and lay hold on what was to come.
2. Now then, brethren, we exhort you that ye praise God ; this is what we all say to one another, when we say,
siguifieth
We must praise God with our lives as well as lips. 4 1 7
Halleluia. ' Praise the Lord,' thou sayest to thy neighbour, Ver. he to thee : when all are exhorting each other, all are doing -- what they exhort others to do. But praise with your whole
selves : that is, let not your tongue and voice alone praise
God, but your conscience
now, when we are gathered together in the Church, praise : when we go forth each to his own business, we seem to cease to praise God. Let a man not cease to live well, and then he ever praiseth God. Then dost thou cease to praise God, when thou turnest aside from righte ousness and from all that pleaseth Him. For, if thou never turn aside from a good life, though thy tongue be silent, yet thy life crieth out, and the ears of God are open to thy heart. For just as our ears are open to our voices, so God's ears are open to our thoughts. But it is impossible for a man's acts to be evil, whose thoughts are good. For acts issue from thought: nor can a man do any thing or move his limbs to do aught, unless the bidding of his thought precede : just as in all things which ye see done throughout the provinces, whatsoever the Emperor biddeth goeth forth from the inner part of his palace throughout the whole Roman Empire. How great commotion is caused at one bidding by the Emperor as he sits in his palace ! He but moveth his lips, when he speaketh : the whole province is moved, when what he speaketh is being executed. So in each single man too, the Emperor is within, his seat is
in the heart. If he be good and biddeth good things, good things are done : if he be bad and biddeth evil things, evil things are done. When Christ sitteth there, what can He bid, but what is good ? When the devil is the occupant, what can he bid, but evil? But God hath willed that it should be in thy choice for whom thou wilt prepare room^ for God, or for the devil: when thou hast prepared he who occupant will also rule. Therefore, brethren, attend not only to the sound; when ye praise God, praise with your whole selves: let your voice, your life, your deeds, all sing. And there be still groaning, tribulation, tempt ation, hope that they will all pass away, and then the day will come when ye will praise without failure. This present Psalm clear, and we may run over quickly. For
VOL. VI.
also, your life, your deeds. For we
e e
is
if
it
it
is
it,
418 All things, animate and inanimate,
Psalm arrayeth all creation to praise God, and as it were ex- cxi. vin. frorteth iL t0 praiSe, as though it had found it holding its
peace.
ver. l. 3. Praise ye the Lord from heaven. As though he had
found things in heaven holding their peace in the praise of the Lord, he exhorteth them to arise and praise. Never have things in heaven held their peace in the praises of their Creator, never have things on earth ceased to praise God. But it is manifest that there are certain things which have breath to praise God in that disposition wherein God pleaseth them. For no one praiseth ought, save what pleaseth him. And there are other things which have not breath of life and understanding to praise God, but yet, because they also are good, and duly arranged in their proper order, and form part of the beauty of the universe, which God created, though they themselves with voice and heart praise not God, yet when they are considered by those who have understanding, God is praised in them; and, as God is praised in them, they themselves too in a manner praise God. For instance, in heaven all things praise God, which have the breath of life, and a pure intelligence to con template and love Him without disgust or weariness. But on earth men praise God by their understanding whereby they discern good and evil, by their understanding whereby they know the creature and the Creator, because they can think of these things, because God has given them a mind to discern them, to love, and to praise. This man can do ; but surely beasts have not this sort of understanding: if
re. 32, they had, God would not say to us, Be ye not like unto horse and mule, which have no understanding. When He exhorteth us not to be like beasts, which have no understanding, He sheweth us that to man He hath assigned an understanding whereby to praise God. And the trees surely have not so much as the life whereby they may have senses, like the beasts. For though the beasts have not the inner sense of reason, and an understanding, and a discerning mind, which man has, to praise God withal, yet they have an outward and visible life, as we all know, whereby they seek food, take what is for their good, reject what is harmful; they have senses whereby to discern
rational and irrational, praise God. 419 corporeal things, sight to distinguish colour, hearing to Ver.
l"
distinguish sounds, smell to distinguish odours, taste to distinguish flavours; they naturally move towards what pleases, away from what annoys them. This we understand and see before our eyes. They have not reason to under stand with, but they have the breath of a living body, and a visible life : the trees have not even this ; yet all of them praise God. Wherefore do they praise God ? Because when we see them, and think upon the Creator Who made them, they cause to arise within us praise to God; and, since through consideration of them God is praised, all things praise God. He begins then with heaven : all things praise, and yet he says, Praise ye. Wherefore doth he say, Praise ye, when they are praising? Because he delighteth in their praising, and therefore it
pleaseth him to add, as it were, his own encouragement. Just as, when you come to men who are doing any good work with pleasure in their vineyard or in their harvest field, or in some other matter of husbandry, you are pleased at what they are doing, and say, 'work on,' 'go on:' not that they may begin to work, when thou sayest this, but, because you are pleased at finding them working, you add your approbation and encouragement. For by saying, ' work on,' and encouraging those who are working, you, so to speak, work with them in wish. In this sort of encourage ment then the Psalmist, filled with the Holy Ghost, saith
this.
4. And it is a Psalm of Haggai and Zachariah : so the title Title in
runneth. These two Prophets prophesied at the time when LXX- the people was kept captive in Babylon, and foretold the coming end of the captivity, that the city of Jerusalem which had been destroyed in war, should be restored. They
set forth to us then in amystery the life to come, wherein we shall praise God, when the captivity of this present life is at an end, when shall be restored that mighty city Jerusalem, in wandering from whence we sigh, prisoners as yet under the burden and weight of this mortal body : wherefore as yet we groan in our pilgrimage, but we shall exult when we reach our country. But he, who groaneth not as a pilgrim, shall not rejoice as a citizen, because there
Ee2
420 We practise now what we shall perform hereafter.
Psalm is no longing in him. Those holy Prophets then gave great cxlvm. comfort to the people, who were then captives according to the flesh, that is, who were placed in Babylon under
strange sovereigns. For they shewed in prophecy, that a time should come when they should be freed from their captivity, and Jerusalem should be restored. But all these things were done in a figure, they contain their own truth ; they were figured in what happened of old, they are set forth really present among us. Now then what saith the
2 Cor. 5, Apostle ? While tee are present in the body, we are absent from the Lord. As yet we are not in our country: when shall we be ? When we shall trinmph for victory over our iCor. 15, enemy the devil; when death, the last enemy, shall be
gfc'. 54"
destroyed ; then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. Where, O death, is thy strife ? where, O death, is thy sting ? When then shall there be no more strife of death, which now there is, and maketh us groan at the failure and changeableness of things, at the frailness of man's flesh ? Daily temptations strive with us, daily delights : even though we consent not, yet we suffer annoyance, and strive : and great is the peril, lest he who striveth be conquered : and even if by not
consenting we conquer, yet we suffer annoyance in resisting delights. The enemy ceaseth not, dieth not, save in the resurrection of the dead. But let us hope, let us trust : Haggai and Zacharias lift us up, they sing our coming liberation. If they sang to that people, and it hath been fulfilled, shall what is sung to the Christian people not be fulfilled? Be not troubled: only take heed how ye act in this pilgrimage of life. Let not love of Babylon please you, lest ye forget your city Jerusalem. Though your body is yet detained in Babylon, let your heart be sent forward to
Jerusalem. Let then the whole creation praise the Lord: for there we shall do what here we practise beforehand.
5. Praise ye the Lord from heaven : praise Him in the high places. First he saith, from heaven, then from earth ; for it is God that is praised, Who made heaven and earth. All in heaven is calm and peaceful ; there is ever joy, no
death, no sickness, no vexation;
praise God; but we are still below: yet, when we think
there the blessed ever
All creation praises its Creator. 421
how God is praised there, let us have our heart there, Ver. and let us not hear to no purpose, ' Lift up your hearts. ' a 5- Let us lift up our heart above, that it become not corrupted
on earth : for we take pleasure in what the Angels do there.
We do it now in hope: hereafter we shall in
when we have come thither. Praise Him then in the high
places.
6. Praise Him, all ye angels of His, praise Him, all Hisver. 23-
powers. Praise Him, sun and moon ; praise Him, all ye stars and light.
