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Gal. 4, 26.
who is the mother ? There is a certain city, that is called Babylon ; this city is the company of all the lost from the East even unto the West; she hath a kingdom on earth: after this city a certain* state is named, which ye now see growing old and waning. This was our first mother, in this were we born. We have known another father, God; we have left the devil. For how dare he approach those, whom He, Who overcometh all things, hath taken up ? We have known another mother, the heavenly Jerusalem, which
204 GodandthcChnrch,insteadofParents,orofSatanandBabylon.
Psalm thyself; if He should leave thee, thou wilt faint in the very Exrll uay, tnou "*'* ^all, w^t go astray, wilt come to a stand:
-- say then to Him, Thou hast given me indeed a free will, but without Thee my efforts are nothing : Be Thou my helper : leave me not; neither despise me, 0 God of my salvation. For Thou dost help, Who formedst ; Thou dost not desert, Who creatcdst.
18. Ver. 10. For my father and my mother have left me. He hath made himself a babe unto God: he hath made Him Father, he hath made Him Mother. He is Father, in that He made, in that He calleth, in that He ordereth, in that He ruleth him : Mother, in that He cherisheth, in that He nourisheth him, in that He suckleth, in that He beareth him. Myfather and my mother hare left me: but the Lord hath taken me up : both to rule me, and to nourish me. Mortal parents beget, children succeed, mortals to other mortals ; and for this were they born who might succeed,
that those who begot them might depart : He will not depart Who created me, I will not withdraw from Him. My father and my mother have left me: but the Lord hath taken me
Beside those two parents also, of whose flesh we were born, the man the father, the woman the mother, as Adam and Eve ; besides those two parents, we have here auother father and another mother, or rather we had. The father according to the world is the devil, and he was our father when we were unbelievers. For to unbelievers the Lord
John 8, saith, Ye are of your father the devil. If he be the father of &ih 2 a^ tne ungodly, who worketh in the children of disobedience,
up.
? He means the Roman empire, of Italy, A. D. 406, and the capture of which was now as it were waxing old, the city, A. D. 410. Ben.
and failing, from the time of the wasting
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Demons not to be worshipped even for temporal blessings. 205
is the holy Church, a portion whereof is a pilgrim on earth: Ver.
we have left Babylon. Myfather and my mother have left me: they have nothing now to give me; since even when they seemed to give to me, it was Thou Who gavest, and I set it down to them.
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19. For by whom, even with respect to this world, is aught given to man, but by God ? Or what is taken away from man, except He order, or permit, Who gave it? But vain
men imagine, that those spirits 1, whom they adore, give it : ' dte- and sometimes they say to themselves, God is necessary for
life eternal, for that spiritual life ; but these powers ought to be worshipped by us for these temporal things. O the folly of mankind ! thou hast more love for those things for which thou wouldest worship them : in good truth, thou hast more mind to worship them, or, not to say more, at least as much. But God will not be worshipped together with them, not even though He be worshipped much more, and they much less. What then, thou wilt say, are they not necessary too for these things ? No. But we have reason to fear, lest they do one harm in their anger. No harm will they do, unless He permit. They have always the wish to do harm, nor, if they be appeased, or if they be entreated, do they cease to wish to do harm. For this is a property of their malevolence. Therefore what wilt thou gain by worshipping them, save that thou wilt offend Him, by offending Whom thou wilt be given over into their power, that they who could do nothing to thee when He is favourable, may do what they will when He is angry? And that thou mayest know, who soever thou art who thinkest so, how vainly thou dost worship them, as if for temporal benefits: of all that worship Neptune have none suffered shipwreck? or of all who blaspheme Neptune have none arrived in port ? Have all the women who worship Juno had a good delivery ? or all who blas pheme Juno a bad delivery ? From this, beloved brethren, ye may understand the folly of those men who will worship them even for these temporal things. For if for these temporal things they ought to be worshipped, their wor shippers alone would abound in all temporal blessings. And indeed if this were the case, we ought to avoid such gifts, and make one petition of the Lord. To this must be
206 A Law desirable to those who have God's help.
Psalm added, that it is He Who giveth even these things, Who is XXVII offended when these ? are Therefore let
ExPji)
spirits worshipped.
our father and our mother leave us ; let the devil leave us,
the city Babylon leave us: let the Lord take us up to console us with things temporal, and to bless us with things eternal. For my father and my mother have left me : but the Lord hath taken me up.
20. Now then he hath been taken up by the Lord, having abandoned that city, and its ruler the devil, for the devil is the ruler of the ungodly, the ruler of the world, of this darkness. What darkness ? Sinners, unbelievers. Whence the Apostle saith to them that now believe, Ye were some times darkness, but now light in the Lord. Being then now taken up by Him, what say we? (Ver. 11. ) Appoint men late, O Lord, in Thy way. Hast thou dared to ask for a law? What if He should say to thee, " Thou shalt fulfil the law ? if I give a law, thou shalt fulfil it ? " He would not dare ask unless he said first, But the Lord hath taken me up. He would not dare ask unless he said first, Be Tfwu my helper. Therefore Thou helpest, Thou takest me up, give me law. Appoint me, Lord, a law in Thy tray.
Eph. 5,
Therefore, appoint me a law in Thy Christ. For the Way JohnH, Himself hath spoken unto us, and said, am the Way, the
Prov.
Truth, and the Life. law in Christ, law with mercy. This the Wisdom, of Which written, She carrieth law and mercy in her tongue. And thou shalt commit any offence in the law, He Who shed His Blood for thee, pardons thee on confession only forsake not thou the way, say unto Him, Be Thou my upholder, and direct me in the right path, because mine enemies. Give me law, but take not mercy away as he said in another Psalm, For He
will give mercy, Who hath given a law Therefore, Appoint me a law, O Lord, in Thy way this refers to the precept what refers to mercy And direct me, saith he, in the right path, because of mine enemies.
21. Ver. 12. Deliver me not up unto the souls of them that trouble me that is, let me not consent to them that trouble me. For thou shalt consent to him that troubleth thee, unto his soul, he will not, so to say, devour thy flesh, but by
Ps. 84, 6. K<<) yi( ii>. oy',a: Mn ntutirS,. LXX.
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The Psalmist prays not to he left, in soul, to his enemies'1 will. 207
a perverted will he will eat up thy soul. Deliver me not up Ver.
unto the souls of them that trouble me. Deliver me, if it please Thee, into the hands of them that trouble me. For
this Martyrs have said to Him, and He hath delivered His
own into the hands of them that trouble them. But what
hath He delivered ? The flesh. Which is meant in the
book of Job, The earth hath been delivered into the hands Job 9,
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of the wicked; the flesh hath been delivered into the hands of the persecutor. Deliver me not up, not my flesh, but me. I speak unto Thee as a soul, as mind I speak unto Thee : I do not say, Deliver not up my flesh into the hands of them that trouble me ; but, Deliver me not up unto the souls of them that trouble me. And how are men delivered up unto the souls of them that trouble them ? For unrighteous witnesses have risen up against me. Now, for that there are unrighteous witnesses, and they speak much evil against me, and in many things defame me, if I shall have been delivered up unto their souls, I also shall lie, and shall be their com panion, not a partaker of Thy truth, but a partaker with them in a lie against Thee : Unrighteous witnesses have risen up against me ; and iniquity hath lied unto itself: unto itself, and not unto me : unto itself let it ever lie, but let it not lie unto me. If Thou shalt have delivered me up unto the souls of them that trouble me, that is, if I shall have consented to their wishes; now will not iniquity already havelied unto itself, but unto me also : whereas if they exercise against me all the violence they wish, and endeavour to hinder my free course, and notwithstanding Thou give me not over unto their souls : by not consenting to their wishes, I shall abide and continue in Thy truth, and iniquity will lie not unto me, but unto itself.
22. He returns to that one petition after these dangers, after toils, after difficulties, amid the hands of them that persecute and trouble him, gasping, panting, travailing, yet stedfast, and assured while He upholdeth, helpeth, guideth, ruleth ; yet, after that going about and rejoicing, in joy exulting, in travails groaning, he sighed at last, and said,
(ver. 13. ) 1 believe to see the good things ofthe Lord in the land of the living. O the good things of the Lord, sweet, immortal, incomparable, eternal, unchangeable ! And when
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208 True good in the earth of the living. Manly endurance.
Psalm shall I see you, ye good things of the Lord ? Exp. il see you, but not in the earth of the dying. /
the good things of the Lord in the earth of the living. The Lord shall deliver me from the earth of the dying, Who for my sake vouchsafed to take upon Himself the earth of the dying, and to die amid the hands of the dying : the Lord
/
to see the good things of the Lord in the earth of the living. Panting he spoke, travailing he spoke, he spoke in peril
shall deliver me from the earth of the dying :
believe
amid a mighty crowd of temptations : but yet wholly de pending on His mercy, to Whom he said, Appoint me a late, O Lord.
23. And what doth He say, Who hath appointed him a law ? Let us hear the Voice of the Lord too exhorting us from on high, consoling us ; His Voice Whom we have for father and mother, who have left us : let us hear His Voice. For He hath heard our groans, He hath seen our deep sighs, He hath beheld our longing ; and our one petition, the one request through Christ our Advocate hath He gladly received ; and until we accomplish this pilgrimage, during which He will defer, not take away, what He hath promised, He hath said unto us, Wait on the Lord. Thou wilt not wait on a false one, not on one that can be deceived, not on one that will not find what to give. The Almighty hath promised, the Sure One hath promised, the True hath promised. Wait on the Lord, quit thyself like a man. Faint not : be not of
Ecclus. them to whom it is said, Woe unto them that have lost
I believe to believe to see
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endurance. Wait on the Lord, is said to us all, and to one Man is it said. We are one Man in Christ, we are the Body of Christ, who have that one longing, who make that one petition, who in those days of our evils groan, who believe to see the good things of the Lord in the earth of the living ; to us all who are one in One it is said, (ver. 14. ) Wait on the Lord, quit thyself like a man ; and let thy heart be strong, yea, wait on the Lord. What else saith He to thee, than repeat what thou hast heard? Wait on the Lord, quit thyself
like a man. Therefore he who hath lost endurance, hath
become effeminate, hath lost vigour. Let men, let women, Gal. 3, listen to this ; for in the one man is man and woman. Such an one in Christ is neither male, nor female. Wait on the
The Man, Christ, desires not to be as His enemies shall be. 209
Lord, quit thyself like a man ; let thy heart be strong, yea, Ver. wait on the Lord. By waiting on the Lord thou shall - possess Him, thou shalt possess Him on Whom thou shalt
wait. Long for somewhat else, if thou canst find aught greater, better, sweeter.
PSALM XXVIII. Of David himself.
Lat. XXVII.
1. It is the Voice of the Mediator Himself, strong of hand
in the conflict of the Passion. Now what He seems to wish
for against His enemies, is not the wish of malevolence, but
the declaration of their punishment ; as in the Gospel, with Mat. n,
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the cities, in which though He had performed miracles, yet they had not believed on Him, He doth not wish in any evil will what He saith, but predicteth what is impending over
them. I cried; My God, be 2. Ver. 1. Unto Thee, O Lord, have
not silent from me. Unto Thee, O Lord, have I cried ; My God, separate not the unity of Thy Word from that which as Man I am. Lest at any time Thou be silent from me: and L shall be like them that go down into the pit. For from this, that the Eternity of Thy Word ceaseth not to unite Itself to Me, it comes that I am not such a man as the rest of men, who are born into the deep misery of this world: where,
as if Thou art silent, Thy Word is not recognised. Hear, O Lord, theIvoice of my supplication, whilst
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(Ver. 2. ) I pray
hold up my hands to Thy holy temple. Whilst I am crucified for their salvation, who on believing
become Thy holy temple.
3. Ver. 3. Draw not My Soul away with sinners, and
destroy me not with them that work iniquity, with them that
speak peace with their neighbours. With them that say unto
Me, We know that Thou art a Master come from God. But John 3, evil in their hearts. But they speak evil in their hearts.
4. Ver. 4. Give unto them according to their works. Give
unto Thee, whilst
unto them according to their works, for this is just.
according to the malice of their affections1. For aiming atnum/
^nd^^*^
210 Judgments foretold. God the Helper of His people.
Psalm evil, they cannot discover good. According to the works of '" their hands give Thou unto them. Although what they have done may avail for salvation to others, yet give Thou unto
them according to the works of their wills. Pay them their
Rom.
have been helped. And My Flesh hath flourished again: that and My Flesh hath risen again. And of my will will confess unto Him. Wherefore, the fear
of death being now destroyed, not by the necessity of fear under the Law, but with free will with the Law, shall they who believe on Me, confess unto Him and because am in them, will confess.
8. Ver. 8. The Lord is the strength of His people. Not that people ignorant of the righteousness of God, and willing to establish their own. For they thought not themselves strong in themselves: for the Lord the strength of His
Because, for the truth which they heard, they wished to recompense deceit; let their own deceit deceive them.
5. Vef. . 5.
For they have not had understanding in the works of the Lord. And whence is it clear that this hath befallen them ? From this forsooth, for they have not had understanding in the works of the Lord. This very thing, in truth, hath been, even now, their recompense, that in Him Whom they tempted with malicious intent as a Man, they should not recognise God, with what design the Father sent Him in the Flesh. And the works of His hands. Nor be moved by those visible works, which are laid out before their very eyes.
Thou shall destroy them, and not build them up. Let them do Me no hurt, nay, nor again in their endeavour to raise engines against My Church, let them aught avail.
6. Ver. 6. Blessed be the Lord, for He hath heard the voice of My prayer.
7- Ver. 7. The Lord My Helper and My Protector. The Lord helping Me in so great sufferings, and protecting Me with immortality in My resurrection. In Him hath My
recompense.
Heart trusted, and I
in this life's difficulties with the devil. And the protector of the salvation of His Christ. That,
having saved them by His Christ, after the strength of war, He may protect them at the last with the immortality of peace.
people, struggling
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God glorified in the Church. Effects of His Voice. 211
9. Ver. 9. Save Thy people, and bless Thine inheritance. Ver. I intercede therefore, after My Flesh hath flourished again,
because Thou hast said, Desire of Me, and
the heathen for Thine inheritance, Save Thy people, and
bless Thine inheritance : for all Mine are Thine. And rule Johnir, them, and set them up even for ever. And rule them in this temporal life, and raise them from hence into life eternal.
PSALM XXIX. Lat. XXVIII.
A Psalm of David himself, of the consummation of the tabernacle.
1. A Psalm of the Mediator Himself, strong of hand, of the perfection of the Church in this world, where she wars in time against the devil.
2. The Prophet speaks, (ver. 1. ) Bring unto the Lord, O ye Sons of God, bring unto the Lord the young of rams. Bring unto the Lord yourselves, whom the Apostles, the
leaders of the flocks, have begotten by the Gospel. (Ver. 2. )i Cor. Bring unto the Lord glory and honour. By your works let '
the Lord be glorified and honoured. Bring unto the Lord
glory to His name. Let Him be made known gloriously throughout the world. Worship the Lord in His holy court. Worship the Lord in your heart enlarged and sanctified. For ye are His regal holy habitation.
3. Ver. 3. The Voice of the Lord is upon the waters. The Voice of Christ is upon the peoples. The God of majesty hath thundered. The God of majesty, from the cloud of the flesh, hath awfully preached repentance. The Lord is upon many waters. The Lord Jesus Himself, after that He sent forth His Voice upon the peoples, and struck them with awe, converted them to Himself, and dwelt in them.
4. Ver. 4. The Voice of the Lord is in power. The Voice of the Lord now in them themselves, making them powerful. The Voice of the Lord is in great might. The Voice of the
Lord working great things in them.
5. Ver. 5. The Voice of the Lord breaking the cedars.
The Voice of the Lord humbling the proud in brokenness of p2
I will
give
Thee Pa. 2, 8.
212 Voice of God breaks pride and malice, and strengthens His own.
Psalm heart. The Lord shall break the cedars of Libanus. The ftXIX. Lord by repentance shall break them that are lifted on high by the splendour of earthly nobility, when to confound them
. . . which to display His Divmity.
6. Ver. 6. And shall bruise them as the calf of Libanus. And when their proud exaltation hath been cut off, He will lay them low after the imitation of His Own humility, Who
l Cor. l. He shall have chosen the base things of this world, in the
28
Is. 53,7. like a calf was led to slaughter by the nobility of this world. Ps. 2,2. For the kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers agreed together against the Lord, and against His Christ. And the
Beloved is as the young of the unicorns. For even He the Phil. 2, Beloved, and the Only One of the Father, emptied Himself of His glory ; and was made man, like a child of the Jews,
that were ignorant of God's righteousness, and proudly boast- ing of their own righteousness as peculiarly theirs.
7. Ver. 7. The Voice of the Lord cutting short the flame of
The Voice of the Lord, without any harm to Himself, passing through all the excited ardour of them that persecute Him, or dividing the furious rage of His persecutors, so
John 7, that some should say, Is not this haply the very Christ ; ' others, Nay; but He deceiveth the people : and so cutting
short their mad tumult, as to pass some over into His love, and leave others in their malice.
8. Ver. 8. The Voice of the Lord moving the wilderness. The Voice of the Lord moving to the faith the Gentiles once Eph. 2, without hope, and without Godin the world; where no prophet,
no preacher of God's word, as it were, no man had dwelt. And the Lord will move the desert of Cades. And then the Lord will cause the holy word of His Scriptures to be fully known, which was abandoned by the Jews who understood it not.
9. Ver. 9. The Voice of the Lord perfecting the stags. For the Voice of the Lord hath first perfected them that overcame and repelled the envenomed tongues *. And will reveal the woods. And then will He reveal to them the darknesses of the Divine books, and the shadowy depths of the mysteries, where they may feed with freedom. And in His temple doth
36.
Rom. ' '
fire.
" Plin. Hist. Nat. viii. 32. and x xviii. theirholes with theirbreath,and kill and
9. says, that they bring serpents out of eat them. See S. Greg. Mor. ik.
The Lord in the Tent now, in the House hereafter. 213
every man speak of His glory. And in His Church all born Ver. again to an eternal hope praise God, each for His own gift, 10' ll. ? which He hath received from the Holy Spirit.
10. Ver. 10. The Lord inhabiteth the deluge. The Lord therefore first inhabiteth the deluge of this world in His Saints, kept safely in the Church, as in the ark. And the Lord shall sit a King for ever. And afterward He will sit reigning in them for ever.
11. Ver. 11. The Lord will give strength to His people.
For the Lord will give strength to His people fighting against
the storms and whirlwinds of this world, for peace in this
world He hath not promised them. The Lord will bless His Johnl6,
people in peace. And the same Lord will bless His33, peopleI, affording them peace in Himself; for, saith He, My John 14,
peace
leave with
you, peace you.
give unto My I
27.
xxix.
PSALM XXX. FIRST EXPOSITION.
To the end, the Psalm of the Canticle of the Dedication of the House, of David himself.
1. To the end, a Psalm of the joy of the Resurrection, and the change, the renewing of the body to an immortal state, and not only of the Lord, but also of the whole Church. For in the former Psalm the tabernacle was finished, wherein we dwell in the time of war: but now the house is dedicated, which will abide in peace everlasting.
2. It is then whole Christ Who speaketh. (Ver. 1. ) / wilt exalt Thee, O Lord, for Thou hast taken Me up. I will praise Thy high Majesty, O Lord, for Thou hast taken Me up.
Thou hast not made Mine enemies to rejoice over Me. And those, who have so often endeavoured to oppress Me with various persecutions throughout the world, Thou hast not made to rejoice over Me. I
have cried unto Thee, and Thou hast healed Me. O Lord, My God, I have cried unto
3. Ver. 2. O Lord, My God,
Q 1 4 Praise to God in prophecy of resurrection and revival.
Psalm Thee, and I no longer bear about a body enfeebled and sick Exp. I. by mortality.
4. Ver. 3. O Lord, Thou hast brought back My Soul from hell, and Thou hast saved Me from them that go down into the pit. Thou hast saved Me from the condition of profound darkness, and the lowest slough of corruptible flesh.
5. Ver. 4. Sing to the Lord, 0 ye saints of His. The prophet seeing these future things, rejoiceth, and saith, Sing to the Lord, Oye saints of His. And make confession of the remembrance of His holiness. And make confession to Him, that He hath not forgotten the sanctification, wherewith He hath sanctified you, although all this intermediate period be long to your desires.
6. Ver. 5. For in His indignation is wrath. For He hath avenged against you the first sin, for which you have paid by death. And life in His will And life eternal, whercnnto you could not return by any strength of your own, hath He given, because He so would. In the evening weep ing uill tairy. Evening began, when the light of wisdom withdrew from sinful man, when he was condemned to death: from this evening weeping will tarry, as long as God's people are, amid labours and temptations, awaiting the day of the Lord. And exultation in the morning. Even to the morn ing, when there will be the exultation of the resurrection, which hath shone forth by anticipation in the morning resurrection of the ILord. I
shall not be moved for ever. But I, that people which was speaking from the first, sIaid in mine abundance, suffering now no
7. Ver. 6. But
said in my abundance,
shall not be moved ever.