Now say, says the Apostle, that Jesus Christ was a
minister
of the Circwrwision for the
3.
3.
Augustine - Exposition on the Psalms - v4
19, word giant in a good sense, as it is said of our Lord, He re-
1s. 2, -2. mountains; as it is written, And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord's house shall be manifested inthe top of the mountains : and the Saintof saints:
there is no in absurdity styling
these same
Rom. i i , physicians. Whence saith the Apostle, ifby any means
may provoke to emulation them which are my flesh, and might save some of them. But even such physicians, even though they cure not by their own power, (as not even of their own do those of the body,) yet so far forth as by faithful ministry
they assist towards salvation, can cure the living, but not
and Imen great mighty
Miracles and preaching fail to raise them up. 235
raise the dead : of whom it is said, Dost Thou shew wonders v<<r. among the dead? For the grace of God, by which men's --! ^'-_ minds in a certain manner are brought to live a fresh life,
so as to be able to hear the lessons of salvation from any of its ministers whatever, is most hidden and mysterious. This grace
is thus spoken of in the Gospel. No man can come to Me, John 6,
except the Father Which hath sent Me draw him : and a little after this still more openly repeated The words that speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life but there are some of you that believe not. The Evangelist here interposes the remark, that Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and ivho should betray Him and joining with this the Lord's own words, he adds, And He said, Therefore said unto you, that no man can come unto Me, except were given unto him of My Father.
He had above said, that there were, some of them who believed not: and He adds the last quoted verse as an ex planation of the cause of this unbelief: in order to shew, that the very faith by which the soul believes, and springs into fresh life from the death of its former affections, given us by God. Whatever exertions, then, the best preachers of the worde, and persuaders of the truth through miracles, may make with men, just like great physicians yet they are dead, and through Thy grace have not second life, Dost Thou shew wonders among the dead, or shall physicians raise
them? and shall they whom they raise praise Thee? For this confession declares that they live not, as written else
where, Thanksgiving perisheth from the dead, as from one Ecclu*.
17, 26'
Destruction also repetition of the grave, and signifies
them who are in the grave, styled above the dead, in the
verse, Dost thou shew wonders among the dead? for the
body the grave of the dead soul whence our Lord's words
in the Gospel, Ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which Mat. 23,
Ben. refers to P. Lombard, Sent. Di>>t. 18. Htc qumritur. '
g6!
that not.
11. Ver. 11. Shall one shew Thy lovingkindness in the
grave, or Thy faithfulness in destruction The word shew of course understood as repeated, Shall any shew Thy faithfulness in destruction Scripture loves to connect lovingkindness and faithfulness, especially in the Psalms.
?
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236 God's works not known in the 1 land of darkness'
Mat. 23, 27.
crisy and iniquity.
12. Ver. 12. Shall thy wondrous works be known in the
dark, and thy righteousness in the land where all things are forgotten? the dark answers to the land of forgetful ness : for the unbelieving are meant by the dark, as the Apostle saith, Eph. 6, For ye were sometimes darkness; and the land where all things are forgotten, is the mau who has forgotten God; for the Ps. H, unbelieving soul can arrive at darkness so intense, that the fool saith in his heart, There is no God. Thus the meaning of the whole passage may thus be drawn out in its connection : Lord, I have called upon Thee, amid My sufferings ; all dag I have stretched forth my hands- unto Thee, that is, I have never ceased to stretch forth My works to glorify Thee. Why then do the wicked rage against Me, unless because Thou shewest not wonders among the dead? because those wonders move them not to faith, nor can physicians restore them to life that they may praise Thee, because Thy hidden grace works not in them to draw them unto believing: because no man cometh unto Me, but whom Thou hast drawn. Shall then
Thy loving kindness be shewed in the grave ? that the grave of the dead soul, which lies dead beneath the body's weight: or Thy faithfulness in destruction. that in such a death as cannot believe or feci any of these things. For how then in the darkness of this death, that is, in the man who in for getting Thee has lost the light of his life, shall Thy wondrous works and Thy righteousness be known.
13. But question occurs as to what may be the use of these dead ones, what may be the advantage imparted by the Almighty to the body of Christ, that is, the Church, by means of these; namely, that in them may be displayed
Rom. the grace of God towards the predestined who are called
according to His purpose. Of this that in a former
Ps. 69, Psalm the Church exclaims, My God, His mercy shall
Psalm indeed appear beautiful outward, but unthin are fall of dead lxxxvhi men,s fanes,' and of all uncleanness. Even so ye outwardly
, . ,. . ? -. appear righteous unto men, but withm ye are fall of hypo
10'
prevent me and God shall shew unto me in mine enemies; and so goes on here in the next verse, and says, Unto Thee also have cried, Lord in which we must suppose our Lord speaking in the words of the Church, His own
I
it
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it is
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is,
is,
His grace glorified in those who are saved. 237
body ; for what means, Ialso, but that we also were at one Ver.
time the children of wrath naturally, like the rest. But,
unto Thee have I cried, that I
distinguishes me from other children of wrath, when I hear
the Apostle's terrible reproof of the ungrateful ; For who maketh thee to differ from another ? and what hast thou
that thou didst not receive? Now if thou didst receive
dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it? Salvation
the Lord's for there no giant that can be saved the p? . 33,
greatness his strength: but as written, Whosoever s^"^Ro'm i0 call upon the name of the Lord, shall be saved. How then 13. 16. shall they call upon Him in Whom they have not believed?
and how shall they believe in Him of Whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher and how
shall they preach except lfiey be sent As is written, How beautilul are the feet of them that preach the Gospel ofpeace,
and briny glad tidings good things They are the phy sicians who heal the man wounded by the thieves: but
the Lord Who brought him to the inn: they themselves are Lukeio, the labourers in the Lord's vineyard but yet he who plants, \*Qot and he who waters, is nought, but the Lord Who giveth the increase. Thus then loo have cried unto the Lord, that is,
have invoked the help of God for my salvation. But how could invoke, unless believed how could believe, did
not hear? But He was Who drew me to believe what
heard for was nut any chance physician that aroused me
to life from the death of the soul, but He Himself working in
secret. For many have heard Since their sound is gone outPs. 19, into all lands, and their words into the ends of the world 4,
but, All men have nut faith: and, The Lord knowelh them2Tim. 2, that are His. And then could not even have believed, had19-
not the lovingkindness of God prevenied me and, because
He calls the dead to life, and calls things that are not as things Cor. that are, by calling me in secret ways, by movmg me, and drawing me to Him, had brought me at last to the light of
faith. He therefore says, And early shull my prayers prevent
Thee. morning, when the night and darkness of infidelity
have passed away. Thy lovingkindness hath prevented me, that this morning might dawn upon me but as that day of light still to come, when the hidden things ofdarkness shall be
might be saved. For who
? p'h2'2 ' 3.
why
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238 Why prayer of saints sometimes seems cast off.
Ps*lm revealed, and the thoughts of the heart be made manifest, lx^""Igwd every one shall have praise of Thee: yet now in this life,
6.
'in this wandering, in this light of faith, which compared with the darkness of infidelity seems already day, but compared with the day, when we shall see Him face unto face, is still
night, shall my prayer prevent Thee.
14. Ver. 13. But that those prayers, the blessings of which
surpass all words, may be more fervent and more constant, the gift that shall last unto eternity is deferred, while transitory evils are allowed to thrcken. And so it follows ;
Ver. 14. Lord, why hast Thou cast off my prayer? which may be compared with another Psalm; My God, My God, look upon me ; why hast Thou forsaken me ? The reason is made matter of question, not as if the wisdom of God were blamed as doing so without a cause ; and so here. Lord, why hast Thou cast off my prayer ? But if this cause be attended to carefully, it will be found indicated above ; for it is with the view that the prayers of the Saints are, as it were, repelled by the delay of so great a blessing, and by the adversity they encounter in the troubles of life, that the flame, thus fanned, may burst into a brighter blaze.
Pi 22,1.
15. For this purpose he briefly sketches in what follows the troubles of Christ's body. For it is not in the Head Act>>9,4. alone that they took place, since it is said to Saul too, Why
persecutest thou Me ? and Paul himself, as if placed as an
Why then, Lord, hast Tliou cast off my soul ? why hidest
they compassed me about together.
Ver. 18. A friend Thou hast put far from me : and mine
acquaintance from my misery. All these evils have taken place, and are happening in the limbs of Christ's body, and God turns away His face from their prayers, by not hearing as to what they wish for, since they know not that the fulfilment of their wishes would not be good for them. The Church is
Colos. 1, elect member in the same body, saith, " That I
fill up
*4,
may
that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh. "
Thou Thy face from me ?
Ver. 15. when lifted up,
/ amIpoor, and in toils my youth up: and from
was thrown down, and troubled.
Ver. 16. Thy'wraths went over me: Thy terrors disturbedme. Ver. 1 7. They came round about me all day like water :
Troubles of the Church ' all the daif of her pilgrimage. 239
poor, as she hungers and thirsts in her wanderings for that Ver.
food with which she shall be filled in her own country : she
is in toils from her youth up, as the very Body of Christ saith
in another Psalm, Many a time have they overcome me from Ps. 129, my youth. And for this reason some of her members am l- lifted up even in this world, that in them may be the greater lowliness. Over that Body, which constitutes the unity of the
Saints and the faithful, whose Head is Christ, go the wraths
of God : yet abide not : since it is of the unbelieving only
that it is written, that the u rath of God abideth upon him. John 3, The terrors of God disturb the weakness of the faithful,36' because all that can happen, even though it actually happen
not, it is prudent to fear; and sometimes these terrors so
agitate the reflecting soul with the evils impending around, that
they seem to flow around us on every side like water, and to encircle us in our fears. And as the Church while on pilgrimage
is never free from these evils, happening as they do at one moment in one of her limbs, at another in another, he adds,
all day, signifying the continuation in time, to the end of
this world. Often too, friends and acquaintances, their worldly interests at stake, in their terror forsake the Saints-; of which
saith the Apostle, all men forsook me : may it not be laid /t>2Tim. 4, their charge. But to what purpose is *i11 this, but that early 16
in the morning, that is, after the night of unbelief, the prayers of this holy Body may in the light of faith prevent God, until the coming of that salvation, which we are at present saved by hoping for, not by having, while we await it with patience and faithfulness. Then the Lord will not repel our prayers, as there will no longer be any thing to be sought
for, but every thing that has been rightly asked, will be obtained: nor will He turn His face away from us, since we
shall see Him as He is: nor shall we be poor, because God Uohn3, will be our abundance, all in all : nor shall we suffer, as 2.
fCor. there will be no more weakness: nor after exaltation shall 16,28-
we meet with humiliation and confusion, as there will be no adversity there : nor bear even the transient wrath of God, as we shall abide in His abiding love: nor will His terrors agitate us, because His promises realized will bless us : nor will our friend and acquaintance, being terrified, be far from us, where there will be no foe to dread.
18'
240
Lat. lxnvni
PSALM LXXX1X.
1See
JEthan the Israelite1 : which has given this Psalm its title.
SERMON I. ON THE FIRST PAET OF THE PSALM.
Delivered in the morning, on the festival of some Martyrs.
1. UnderstAnd, beloved, this Psalm, which I am about
to explain, by the grace of God, of our hope in the Lord Jesus
Christ, and be of good cheer, because He Who promised,
will fulfil all, as He has fulfilled much : for it is not our own
merit, but His mercy, that gives us confidence in Him.
He Himself is meant, in my belief, by the understanding of
noteon . ii . 11
/- title of lou see then, who is meant by JLtnan : but the meanmg of
Uixviii^6 wor(^ 's strong. No man in this world is strong, except in the hope of God's promises : for as to our own deservings, we are weak, in His mercy we are strong. Weak then in himseIlf, strong in God's mercy, the Psalmist thus begins.
2.
mouth will I
of fur
make known Thy truth unto all generations.
wilt sing Thg mercies, 0 Lord, ever: with my
Let my limbs, he saith, serve the Lord : I speak, but it is
of Thine I speak. With my mouth will I
Thy truth : if I obey not Thee, I am not Thy servaut :
make known if I >>ab>> Te speak on my own part, I am a liar. To speak then from* Thee, and in my ovvu person, are two things : one mine, one Thine : Truth Thine, language mine. Let us hear then what
faithfulness he maketh known, what mercies he singeth.
3. (2. ) For Thou hast said, Mercy shall be built up for ever. It is this that I sing : this is Thy truth, for the making known of which my mouth serveth. In such wise Thou
sayest, I build, as not to destroy : for some Thou destroyest and buildest not ; and some whom Thou destroyest Thou dost rebuild. For unless there were some who were destroyed to
Jer. l, be rebuilt, Jeremiah would not have written, See, I have this
10-
day set thee to throw down and to build. And indeed all who formerly worshipped images and stoues could not be built up in Christ, without being destroyed as to their old error. While, unless some were destroyed not to be built up, it
Ps. 28, would not be written, He shall destroy them, and not build
God's Truth shewn through His Mercy to Israel. 241
them up. On their account therefore who are destroyed and Ver. built up, that they might not conceive their being built up -- merely temporary, as the previous ruin was in which they were destroyed, the Psalmist, through whose mouth is made known the truth of God, held to1 the truth. Therefore willuenuit.
I make it known, therefore do I declare because Thou hast said that am man declare in full confidence, for Thou God hast said for even wavered in my own words, in Thine should be confirmed. What saidst Thou? Mercy shall be built up for ever: Thy truth shall Thou establish in the very Heavens. As He had said in the former place, will sing of Thy mercies, Lord, for ever: with my mouth will make known Thy truth to all generations. In
what follows, he joins these two words, mercy and faithfulness For Thou hast said, Mercy shall be built up for ever Thy truth shall be established in the Heavens in which mercy
and truth are repeated, for all the icays of the Lord are Psa. 26, mercy and truth, for truth in the fulfilment of promises could 10-
not be shewn, unless mercy in the remission of sins pre
ceded. Next, as many things were promised in pro
phecy even to the people of Israel that came according to the flesh from the seed of Abraham, aud that people was increased that the promises of God might bo fulfilled in it; while yet God did not close the fountain of His goodness even to the Gentiles, whom He had placed under the rule of the Angels, while He reserved the people of Israel as His own portion the Apostle expressly mentions the Lord's mercy and truth as referring to these two parties.
For he calls Christ a minister of the Circumcision for MeRom. 16, truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the8'
See how God deceived not see how He cast not off His people, whom He foreknew. For while the Apostle treating of the fall of the Jews, to prevent any from
believing them so far disowned* of God, that no wheat from*impro- that floor's fanning could reach the granary, he saith, God^03' hath not cast away His people, whom He foreknew; /or Rom. ll,
also am an Israelite. If all that nation are thorns,12' how am who speak unto yon wheat? So that the truth of God was fulfilled in those Israelites who believed, and one wall from the circumcision thus brought to meet the
VOL. IV.
fathers.
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242 Mercy in the Gentiles; Truth in ' Heavens? of the Church. Psalm corner stone. But this stone would not form a corner,
truth of God, to confirm the promise made unto the fathers and that the Gentiles might glorify God for His mercy. Justly then added, Thy truth shalt Thou stablish in the Heavens: for all those Israelites who were called to be Apostles became as Heavens which declare the glory of
P*. 19, God: as written by them, The Heavens declare the
i. xx,ux. unlesg
received another wall from the Gentiles so that the former wall relates in special manner to the truth, the Rom 15, latter to the mercy of God.
Now say, says the Apostle, that Jesus Christ was a minister of the Circwrwision for the
3. 4.
giory 0f God, and the firmament sheweth His handywork. To assure you that this the meaning of the Heavens,
more expressly added, There is neither speech nor language, whereof their voices are not heard. If you ask, whose voices? there nothing to refer to but the Heavens. If therefore those whose voice heard in all languages are the Apostles,
also of them that said, Their sound is gone out into all lands, and their words into the ends of the world. Since, although they were taken up from hence before the Church filled the whole world, yet as their words reached to the ends of the world, we are right in supposing this which we have just read, Thy truth shalt Thou stablish in the Heavens, fulfilled in them.
4. Ver. 3. have made a covenant with My chosen. Thou hast said,' you understand, to be carried on: Thou hast said, have made a covenant with My chosen. What covenant,
but the new, by which we are renewed to fresh inheritance, in our longing desire and love of which we sing a new song.
have made a covenant with My chosen, saith the Psalmist
have sworn unto David My servant. How confidently does he speak, who understands, whose mouth serves truth speak without fear since Thou hast said. If Thou makest me fearless, because Thou hast said, how much more so dost Thou make me, when Thou hast sworn For the oath of God the assurance of a promise. Man justly for-
bidden to swear lest by the habit of swearing, since man may be deceived, he fall into perjury. God alone swears securely, because He alone infallible.
Mat. oi-
5. Let us see then what God hath sworn.
(Ver. 4. )
6,
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Christ's Kingdom to all, or both, generations. 243
have sworn, He saith, to David My servant ; thy seed will I Ver. establish for ever. But what is the seed of David, but that *^ of Abraham. And what is the seed of Abraham? Andto\a,' ' thy seed, He saith, which is Christ. But perhaps that Christ,
the Head of the Church, the Saviour of the body, is the seed Eph. 6,
of Abraham, and
Abraham's seed ? We are assuredly ; as the Apostle saith,
therefore of David ; but we are not 23'
And ifye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs Gal. 3, according to the promise. Iu this Isense, then, let us take29'
the words, brethren, Thy seed will
only of that Flesh of Christ, born of the Virgin Mary, but also of all of us who believe in Christ, for we are limbs of that Head. This body cannot be deprived of its Head: if the Head is in glory for ever, so are the limbs, so that Christ remains entire for ever. Thy seed will I stabiish for ever: and set up thy throne to generation and generation. We suppose he saith,for ever, because it is to generation and generation: since he has said above, with my mouth will I ever be shewing Thy truth to generation and generat ion.
/will set up Thy throne from one generation to another. Christ hath now a throne in us, His throne is set up in us : for unless he sate enthroned within us, He would not rule us : but if we were
not ruled by Him, we should be thrown down by ourselves. He therefore sits within us, reigning over us : He sits also in another generation, which will come from the resurrection of the dead. Christ will reign for ever over His Saints. God
has promised this; He hath said it: ifthis is not enough, God hath sworn it. As then the promise is certain, not on
c Oxf. Mss. ' He is proclaimed ;' and so again below. r2
stabiish ever, for
not
What is ' to generation and generation ? ' To every generation : for the word needed not as many repetitions, as the coming and passing away of the several generations. The multipli cation of generations is signified and set forth to notice by the repetition. Are possibly two generations to be understood, as ye are aware, my beloved brethren, and as I have before ex plained? for there is now a generation of flesh and blood: there will be a future generation in the resurrection of the dead. Christ is proclaimed here : He will be proclaimed" there: here He is proclaimed, that He may be believed in : there, He will be welcomed, that He may be seen.
24 1 The Spiritual Heavens proclaim God's Works and Truth.
Psalm account of our deservings, but of His pity, no one ought to ' Vie afraid in proclaiming that which he cannot doubt of.
Let that strength then inspire our hearts, whence JStham re ceived his name, 'strong in heart:' let us preach the truth of God, the utterance of God, His promises, His oath ; and let us, strengthened on every side by these means, glorify God, and by bearing Him along with us, become Heavens.
6. Ver. 5. 0 Lord, the very Heavens shall praise Thy wondrous works. The Heavens will not praise their own merits, but thy wondrous works, O Lord. For in every act of mercy on the lost, of justification of the unrighteous, what do we praise but the wondrous works of God ? Thou praisest Him, because the dead have risen: praise Him yet more,
because the lost are redeemed. What grace, what mercy of God ! Thou seest a man yesterday a whirlpool of drunk enness, to-day an ornament of sobriety : a man yesterday the sink of luxury, to day the beauty of temperance: yes terday a blasphemer of God, to-day His praiser: yesterday the slave of the creature, to-day the worshipper of the Creator. From all these desperate states men are thus converted : let them not look at their own merits : let them become Heavens, and praise the wondrous works of Him by
Ps. 8, 3. Whom they were made Heavens. For" / will consider," he saith," Thy Heavens, even the works of Thy fingers. " O Lord, the very Heavens shall praise Thy wondrous works ! And that you may understand who the Heavens are, let us see what follows : and Thy truth in the congregation of the Saints. There can therefore be no doubt, that by the Heavens are meant the preachers of the word of truth, and where, will the Heavens praise Thy wondrous works, and Thy truth? In the congregation of the Saints. May the Church receive the dew of the Heavens: may the Heavens rain upon the parched soil, and may the earth as it receives the rain give birth to fruitful blossoms, good works: may it not give thorns for genial rain, and thus expect the fire instead of the bam ! The very Heavens shall praise Thy wondrous
works, 0 Lord : and Thy truth in the congregation of the Saints. The Heavens shall then praise Thy wondrous works, and Thy truth. All that the Heavens proclaim is of Thee, and from Thee : and therefore they preach fearlessly: for they
Preachers of the Gospel called ' Clouds. ' 245
know Whom they preach of, since they cannot blush for Him Ver.
of Whom they preach. -- 7. What do the Heavens preach ? WThat shall they praise
in the congregation of the saints ?
Ver. 6. For who is he among the clouds, who shall be com
pared unto Thee, Lord! Is this to be the praise of the Heavens, is this to be their rain ? What ? are the preachers confident, because none among the clouds shall be compared unto the Lord? Does it appear to you, brethren, a high ground of praise, that the clouds cannot be compared with their Creator? If it is taken in its literal, not in its mystical meaning, it is not so : what ? are the stars that are above the clouds to be compared with the Lord? what? can the Sun, Moon, Angels, Heavens, be even compared with the Lord? Why is it then that he says, as if he meant some high praise,
For who is he among the clouds, that shall be compared unto the Lord? We understand, my brethren, those clouds, as the Heavens, to be the preachers of truth; Prophets, Apostles, the announcers of the word of God ; for that all these kinds of preachers are called clouds we learn from that prophecy, where God in His anger against His vineyard said, /will command the clouds that they rain no shower upon it : and the meaning of this vine the prophet explains most clearly in
the following verse, for the vineyard of the Lord of Hosts f>>Ig << 6 the house of Israel. That you may uot understand the vine- 7. yard otherwise, and missing the men who are signified by
think of the earth The vineyard of the Lord of Hosts, he
the house of Israel. Let the house of Israel under
stand that she and no other My vineyard that she
who has given Me thorns instead of grapes, she who has be
come ungrateful to her Planter and Cultivator, ungrateful to
Him that watered her. If then the vineyard of the Lord of
Hosts the house of Israel, what said He in His anger
will command the clouds that they rain no more upon it.
And so indeed He did: tho Apostles were sent like clouds to
rain upon the Jews, and when they rejected the word of God, because they yielded thorns for grapes, the Apostles said,
It was necessary that the word God should first have been Acts 13, spoken to you but seeing ye put from you, lo, we turn to*9-
the Gentiles. From that time the clouds ceased to pour rain
'---
says,
:
of it
is
is
? /
it,
is
:
it is
;
246 Our Lard, as Man, a Cloud, not like others.
Pbat. m upon that vineyard. 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.
1s. 2, -2. mountains; as it is written, And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord's house shall be manifested inthe top of the mountains : and the Saintof saints:
there is no in absurdity styling
these same
Rom. i i , physicians. Whence saith the Apostle, ifby any means
may provoke to emulation them which are my flesh, and might save some of them. But even such physicians, even though they cure not by their own power, (as not even of their own do those of the body,) yet so far forth as by faithful ministry
they assist towards salvation, can cure the living, but not
and Imen great mighty
Miracles and preaching fail to raise them up. 235
raise the dead : of whom it is said, Dost Thou shew wonders v<<r. among the dead? For the grace of God, by which men's --! ^'-_ minds in a certain manner are brought to live a fresh life,
so as to be able to hear the lessons of salvation from any of its ministers whatever, is most hidden and mysterious. This grace
is thus spoken of in the Gospel. No man can come to Me, John 6,
except the Father Which hath sent Me draw him : and a little after this still more openly repeated The words that speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life but there are some of you that believe not. The Evangelist here interposes the remark, that Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and ivho should betray Him and joining with this the Lord's own words, he adds, And He said, Therefore said unto you, that no man can come unto Me, except were given unto him of My Father.
He had above said, that there were, some of them who believed not: and He adds the last quoted verse as an ex planation of the cause of this unbelief: in order to shew, that the very faith by which the soul believes, and springs into fresh life from the death of its former affections, given us by God. Whatever exertions, then, the best preachers of the worde, and persuaders of the truth through miracles, may make with men, just like great physicians yet they are dead, and through Thy grace have not second life, Dost Thou shew wonders among the dead, or shall physicians raise
them? and shall they whom they raise praise Thee? For this confession declares that they live not, as written else
where, Thanksgiving perisheth from the dead, as from one Ecclu*.
17, 26'
Destruction also repetition of the grave, and signifies
them who are in the grave, styled above the dead, in the
verse, Dost thou shew wonders among the dead? for the
body the grave of the dead soul whence our Lord's words
in the Gospel, Ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which Mat. 23,
Ben. refers to P. Lombard, Sent. Di>>t. 18. Htc qumritur. '
g6!
that not.
11. Ver. 11. Shall one shew Thy lovingkindness in the
grave, or Thy faithfulness in destruction The word shew of course understood as repeated, Shall any shew Thy faithfulness in destruction Scripture loves to connect lovingkindness and faithfulness, especially in the Psalms.
?
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236 God's works not known in the 1 land of darkness'
Mat. 23, 27.
crisy and iniquity.
12. Ver. 12. Shall thy wondrous works be known in the
dark, and thy righteousness in the land where all things are forgotten? the dark answers to the land of forgetful ness : for the unbelieving are meant by the dark, as the Apostle saith, Eph. 6, For ye were sometimes darkness; and the land where all things are forgotten, is the mau who has forgotten God; for the Ps. H, unbelieving soul can arrive at darkness so intense, that the fool saith in his heart, There is no God. Thus the meaning of the whole passage may thus be drawn out in its connection : Lord, I have called upon Thee, amid My sufferings ; all dag I have stretched forth my hands- unto Thee, that is, I have never ceased to stretch forth My works to glorify Thee. Why then do the wicked rage against Me, unless because Thou shewest not wonders among the dead? because those wonders move them not to faith, nor can physicians restore them to life that they may praise Thee, because Thy hidden grace works not in them to draw them unto believing: because no man cometh unto Me, but whom Thou hast drawn. Shall then
Thy loving kindness be shewed in the grave ? that the grave of the dead soul, which lies dead beneath the body's weight: or Thy faithfulness in destruction. that in such a death as cannot believe or feci any of these things. For how then in the darkness of this death, that is, in the man who in for getting Thee has lost the light of his life, shall Thy wondrous works and Thy righteousness be known.
13. But question occurs as to what may be the use of these dead ones, what may be the advantage imparted by the Almighty to the body of Christ, that is, the Church, by means of these; namely, that in them may be displayed
Rom. the grace of God towards the predestined who are called
according to His purpose. Of this that in a former
Ps. 69, Psalm the Church exclaims, My God, His mercy shall
Psalm indeed appear beautiful outward, but unthin are fall of dead lxxxvhi men,s fanes,' and of all uncleanness. Even so ye outwardly
, . ,. . ? -. appear righteous unto men, but withm ye are fall of hypo
10'
prevent me and God shall shew unto me in mine enemies; and so goes on here in the next verse, and says, Unto Thee also have cried, Lord in which we must suppose our Lord speaking in the words of the Church, His own
I
it
O :
it is
8,
;a
?
is,
is,
His grace glorified in those who are saved. 237
body ; for what means, Ialso, but that we also were at one Ver.
time the children of wrath naturally, like the rest. But,
unto Thee have I cried, that I
distinguishes me from other children of wrath, when I hear
the Apostle's terrible reproof of the ungrateful ; For who maketh thee to differ from another ? and what hast thou
that thou didst not receive? Now if thou didst receive
dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it? Salvation
the Lord's for there no giant that can be saved the p? . 33,
greatness his strength: but as written, Whosoever s^"^Ro'm i0 call upon the name of the Lord, shall be saved. How then 13. 16. shall they call upon Him in Whom they have not believed?
and how shall they believe in Him of Whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher and how
shall they preach except lfiey be sent As is written, How beautilul are the feet of them that preach the Gospel ofpeace,
and briny glad tidings good things They are the phy sicians who heal the man wounded by the thieves: but
the Lord Who brought him to the inn: they themselves are Lukeio, the labourers in the Lord's vineyard but yet he who plants, \*Qot and he who waters, is nought, but the Lord Who giveth the increase. Thus then loo have cried unto the Lord, that is,
have invoked the help of God for my salvation. But how could invoke, unless believed how could believe, did
not hear? But He was Who drew me to believe what
heard for was nut any chance physician that aroused me
to life from the death of the soul, but He Himself working in
secret. For many have heard Since their sound is gone outPs. 19, into all lands, and their words into the ends of the world 4,
but, All men have nut faith: and, The Lord knowelh them2Tim. 2, that are His. And then could not even have believed, had19-
not the lovingkindness of God prevenied me and, because
He calls the dead to life, and calls things that are not as things Cor. that are, by calling me in secret ways, by movmg me, and drawing me to Him, had brought me at last to the light of
faith. He therefore says, And early shull my prayers prevent
Thee. morning, when the night and darkness of infidelity
have passed away. Thy lovingkindness hath prevented me, that this morning might dawn upon me but as that day of light still to come, when the hidden things ofdarkness shall be
might be saved. For who
? p'h2'2 ' 3.
why
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238 Why prayer of saints sometimes seems cast off.
Ps*lm revealed, and the thoughts of the heart be made manifest, lx^""Igwd every one shall have praise of Thee: yet now in this life,
6.
'in this wandering, in this light of faith, which compared with the darkness of infidelity seems already day, but compared with the day, when we shall see Him face unto face, is still
night, shall my prayer prevent Thee.
14. Ver. 13. But that those prayers, the blessings of which
surpass all words, may be more fervent and more constant, the gift that shall last unto eternity is deferred, while transitory evils are allowed to thrcken. And so it follows ;
Ver. 14. Lord, why hast Thou cast off my prayer? which may be compared with another Psalm; My God, My God, look upon me ; why hast Thou forsaken me ? The reason is made matter of question, not as if the wisdom of God were blamed as doing so without a cause ; and so here. Lord, why hast Thou cast off my prayer ? But if this cause be attended to carefully, it will be found indicated above ; for it is with the view that the prayers of the Saints are, as it were, repelled by the delay of so great a blessing, and by the adversity they encounter in the troubles of life, that the flame, thus fanned, may burst into a brighter blaze.
Pi 22,1.
15. For this purpose he briefly sketches in what follows the troubles of Christ's body. For it is not in the Head Act>>9,4. alone that they took place, since it is said to Saul too, Why
persecutest thou Me ? and Paul himself, as if placed as an
Why then, Lord, hast Tliou cast off my soul ? why hidest
they compassed me about together.
Ver. 18. A friend Thou hast put far from me : and mine
acquaintance from my misery. All these evils have taken place, and are happening in the limbs of Christ's body, and God turns away His face from their prayers, by not hearing as to what they wish for, since they know not that the fulfilment of their wishes would not be good for them. The Church is
Colos. 1, elect member in the same body, saith, " That I
fill up
*4,
may
that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh. "
Thou Thy face from me ?
Ver. 15. when lifted up,
/ amIpoor, and in toils my youth up: and from
was thrown down, and troubled.
Ver. 16. Thy'wraths went over me: Thy terrors disturbedme. Ver. 1 7. They came round about me all day like water :
Troubles of the Church ' all the daif of her pilgrimage. 239
poor, as she hungers and thirsts in her wanderings for that Ver.
food with which she shall be filled in her own country : she
is in toils from her youth up, as the very Body of Christ saith
in another Psalm, Many a time have they overcome me from Ps. 129, my youth. And for this reason some of her members am l- lifted up even in this world, that in them may be the greater lowliness. Over that Body, which constitutes the unity of the
Saints and the faithful, whose Head is Christ, go the wraths
of God : yet abide not : since it is of the unbelieving only
that it is written, that the u rath of God abideth upon him. John 3, The terrors of God disturb the weakness of the faithful,36' because all that can happen, even though it actually happen
not, it is prudent to fear; and sometimes these terrors so
agitate the reflecting soul with the evils impending around, that
they seem to flow around us on every side like water, and to encircle us in our fears. And as the Church while on pilgrimage
is never free from these evils, happening as they do at one moment in one of her limbs, at another in another, he adds,
all day, signifying the continuation in time, to the end of
this world. Often too, friends and acquaintances, their worldly interests at stake, in their terror forsake the Saints-; of which
saith the Apostle, all men forsook me : may it not be laid /t>2Tim. 4, their charge. But to what purpose is *i11 this, but that early 16
in the morning, that is, after the night of unbelief, the prayers of this holy Body may in the light of faith prevent God, until the coming of that salvation, which we are at present saved by hoping for, not by having, while we await it with patience and faithfulness. Then the Lord will not repel our prayers, as there will no longer be any thing to be sought
for, but every thing that has been rightly asked, will be obtained: nor will He turn His face away from us, since we
shall see Him as He is: nor shall we be poor, because God Uohn3, will be our abundance, all in all : nor shall we suffer, as 2.
fCor. there will be no more weakness: nor after exaltation shall 16,28-
we meet with humiliation and confusion, as there will be no adversity there : nor bear even the transient wrath of God, as we shall abide in His abiding love: nor will His terrors agitate us, because His promises realized will bless us : nor will our friend and acquaintance, being terrified, be far from us, where there will be no foe to dread.
18'
240
Lat. lxnvni
PSALM LXXX1X.
1See
JEthan the Israelite1 : which has given this Psalm its title.
SERMON I. ON THE FIRST PAET OF THE PSALM.
Delivered in the morning, on the festival of some Martyrs.
1. UnderstAnd, beloved, this Psalm, which I am about
to explain, by the grace of God, of our hope in the Lord Jesus
Christ, and be of good cheer, because He Who promised,
will fulfil all, as He has fulfilled much : for it is not our own
merit, but His mercy, that gives us confidence in Him.
He Himself is meant, in my belief, by the understanding of
noteon . ii . 11
/- title of lou see then, who is meant by JLtnan : but the meanmg of
Uixviii^6 wor(^ 's strong. No man in this world is strong, except in the hope of God's promises : for as to our own deservings, we are weak, in His mercy we are strong. Weak then in himseIlf, strong in God's mercy, the Psalmist thus begins.
2.
mouth will I
of fur
make known Thy truth unto all generations.
wilt sing Thg mercies, 0 Lord, ever: with my
Let my limbs, he saith, serve the Lord : I speak, but it is
of Thine I speak. With my mouth will I
Thy truth : if I obey not Thee, I am not Thy servaut :
make known if I >>ab>> Te speak on my own part, I am a liar. To speak then from* Thee, and in my ovvu person, are two things : one mine, one Thine : Truth Thine, language mine. Let us hear then what
faithfulness he maketh known, what mercies he singeth.
3. (2. ) For Thou hast said, Mercy shall be built up for ever. It is this that I sing : this is Thy truth, for the making known of which my mouth serveth. In such wise Thou
sayest, I build, as not to destroy : for some Thou destroyest and buildest not ; and some whom Thou destroyest Thou dost rebuild. For unless there were some who were destroyed to
Jer. l, be rebuilt, Jeremiah would not have written, See, I have this
10-
day set thee to throw down and to build. And indeed all who formerly worshipped images and stoues could not be built up in Christ, without being destroyed as to their old error. While, unless some were destroyed not to be built up, it
Ps. 28, would not be written, He shall destroy them, and not build
God's Truth shewn through His Mercy to Israel. 241
them up. On their account therefore who are destroyed and Ver. built up, that they might not conceive their being built up -- merely temporary, as the previous ruin was in which they were destroyed, the Psalmist, through whose mouth is made known the truth of God, held to1 the truth. Therefore willuenuit.
I make it known, therefore do I declare because Thou hast said that am man declare in full confidence, for Thou God hast said for even wavered in my own words, in Thine should be confirmed. What saidst Thou? Mercy shall be built up for ever: Thy truth shall Thou establish in the very Heavens. As He had said in the former place, will sing of Thy mercies, Lord, for ever: with my mouth will make known Thy truth to all generations. In
what follows, he joins these two words, mercy and faithfulness For Thou hast said, Mercy shall be built up for ever Thy truth shall be established in the Heavens in which mercy
and truth are repeated, for all the icays of the Lord are Psa. 26, mercy and truth, for truth in the fulfilment of promises could 10-
not be shewn, unless mercy in the remission of sins pre
ceded. Next, as many things were promised in pro
phecy even to the people of Israel that came according to the flesh from the seed of Abraham, aud that people was increased that the promises of God might bo fulfilled in it; while yet God did not close the fountain of His goodness even to the Gentiles, whom He had placed under the rule of the Angels, while He reserved the people of Israel as His own portion the Apostle expressly mentions the Lord's mercy and truth as referring to these two parties.
For he calls Christ a minister of the Circumcision for MeRom. 16, truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the8'
See how God deceived not see how He cast not off His people, whom He foreknew. For while the Apostle treating of the fall of the Jews, to prevent any from
believing them so far disowned* of God, that no wheat from*impro- that floor's fanning could reach the granary, he saith, God^03' hath not cast away His people, whom He foreknew; /or Rom. ll,
also am an Israelite. If all that nation are thorns,12' how am who speak unto yon wheat? So that the truth of God was fulfilled in those Israelites who believed, and one wall from the circumcision thus brought to meet the
VOL. IV.
fathers.
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242 Mercy in the Gentiles; Truth in ' Heavens? of the Church. Psalm corner stone. But this stone would not form a corner,
truth of God, to confirm the promise made unto the fathers and that the Gentiles might glorify God for His mercy. Justly then added, Thy truth shalt Thou stablish in the Heavens: for all those Israelites who were called to be Apostles became as Heavens which declare the glory of
P*. 19, God: as written by them, The Heavens declare the
i. xx,ux. unlesg
received another wall from the Gentiles so that the former wall relates in special manner to the truth, the Rom 15, latter to the mercy of God.
Now say, says the Apostle, that Jesus Christ was a minister of the Circwrwision for the
3. 4.
giory 0f God, and the firmament sheweth His handywork. To assure you that this the meaning of the Heavens,
more expressly added, There is neither speech nor language, whereof their voices are not heard. If you ask, whose voices? there nothing to refer to but the Heavens. If therefore those whose voice heard in all languages are the Apostles,
also of them that said, Their sound is gone out into all lands, and their words into the ends of the world. Since, although they were taken up from hence before the Church filled the whole world, yet as their words reached to the ends of the world, we are right in supposing this which we have just read, Thy truth shalt Thou stablish in the Heavens, fulfilled in them.
4. Ver. 3. have made a covenant with My chosen. Thou hast said,' you understand, to be carried on: Thou hast said, have made a covenant with My chosen. What covenant,
but the new, by which we are renewed to fresh inheritance, in our longing desire and love of which we sing a new song.
have made a covenant with My chosen, saith the Psalmist
have sworn unto David My servant. How confidently does he speak, who understands, whose mouth serves truth speak without fear since Thou hast said. If Thou makest me fearless, because Thou hast said, how much more so dost Thou make me, when Thou hast sworn For the oath of God the assurance of a promise. Man justly for-
bidden to swear lest by the habit of swearing, since man may be deceived, he fall into perjury. God alone swears securely, because He alone infallible.
Mat. oi-
5. Let us see then what God hath sworn.
(Ver. 4. )
6,
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Christ's Kingdom to all, or both, generations. 243
have sworn, He saith, to David My servant ; thy seed will I Ver. establish for ever. But what is the seed of David, but that *^ of Abraham. And what is the seed of Abraham? Andto\a,' ' thy seed, He saith, which is Christ. But perhaps that Christ,
the Head of the Church, the Saviour of the body, is the seed Eph. 6,
of Abraham, and
Abraham's seed ? We are assuredly ; as the Apostle saith,
therefore of David ; but we are not 23'
And ifye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs Gal. 3, according to the promise. Iu this Isense, then, let us take29'
the words, brethren, Thy seed will
only of that Flesh of Christ, born of the Virgin Mary, but also of all of us who believe in Christ, for we are limbs of that Head. This body cannot be deprived of its Head: if the Head is in glory for ever, so are the limbs, so that Christ remains entire for ever. Thy seed will I stabiish for ever: and set up thy throne to generation and generation. We suppose he saith,for ever, because it is to generation and generation: since he has said above, with my mouth will I ever be shewing Thy truth to generation and generat ion.
/will set up Thy throne from one generation to another. Christ hath now a throne in us, His throne is set up in us : for unless he sate enthroned within us, He would not rule us : but if we were
not ruled by Him, we should be thrown down by ourselves. He therefore sits within us, reigning over us : He sits also in another generation, which will come from the resurrection of the dead. Christ will reign for ever over His Saints. God
has promised this; He hath said it: ifthis is not enough, God hath sworn it. As then the promise is certain, not on
c Oxf. Mss. ' He is proclaimed ;' and so again below. r2
stabiish ever, for
not
What is ' to generation and generation ? ' To every generation : for the word needed not as many repetitions, as the coming and passing away of the several generations. The multipli cation of generations is signified and set forth to notice by the repetition. Are possibly two generations to be understood, as ye are aware, my beloved brethren, and as I have before ex plained? for there is now a generation of flesh and blood: there will be a future generation in the resurrection of the dead. Christ is proclaimed here : He will be proclaimed" there: here He is proclaimed, that He may be believed in : there, He will be welcomed, that He may be seen.
24 1 The Spiritual Heavens proclaim God's Works and Truth.
Psalm account of our deservings, but of His pity, no one ought to ' Vie afraid in proclaiming that which he cannot doubt of.
Let that strength then inspire our hearts, whence JStham re ceived his name, 'strong in heart:' let us preach the truth of God, the utterance of God, His promises, His oath ; and let us, strengthened on every side by these means, glorify God, and by bearing Him along with us, become Heavens.
6. Ver. 5. 0 Lord, the very Heavens shall praise Thy wondrous works. The Heavens will not praise their own merits, but thy wondrous works, O Lord. For in every act of mercy on the lost, of justification of the unrighteous, what do we praise but the wondrous works of God ? Thou praisest Him, because the dead have risen: praise Him yet more,
because the lost are redeemed. What grace, what mercy of God ! Thou seest a man yesterday a whirlpool of drunk enness, to-day an ornament of sobriety : a man yesterday the sink of luxury, to day the beauty of temperance: yes terday a blasphemer of God, to-day His praiser: yesterday the slave of the creature, to-day the worshipper of the Creator. From all these desperate states men are thus converted : let them not look at their own merits : let them become Heavens, and praise the wondrous works of Him by
Ps. 8, 3. Whom they were made Heavens. For" / will consider," he saith," Thy Heavens, even the works of Thy fingers. " O Lord, the very Heavens shall praise Thy wondrous works ! And that you may understand who the Heavens are, let us see what follows : and Thy truth in the congregation of the Saints. There can therefore be no doubt, that by the Heavens are meant the preachers of the word of truth, and where, will the Heavens praise Thy wondrous works, and Thy truth? In the congregation of the Saints. May the Church receive the dew of the Heavens: may the Heavens rain upon the parched soil, and may the earth as it receives the rain give birth to fruitful blossoms, good works: may it not give thorns for genial rain, and thus expect the fire instead of the bam ! The very Heavens shall praise Thy wondrous
works, 0 Lord : and Thy truth in the congregation of the Saints. The Heavens shall then praise Thy wondrous works, and Thy truth. All that the Heavens proclaim is of Thee, and from Thee : and therefore they preach fearlessly: for they
Preachers of the Gospel called ' Clouds. ' 245
know Whom they preach of, since they cannot blush for Him Ver.
of Whom they preach. -- 7. What do the Heavens preach ? WThat shall they praise
in the congregation of the saints ?
Ver. 6. For who is he among the clouds, who shall be com
pared unto Thee, Lord! Is this to be the praise of the Heavens, is this to be their rain ? What ? are the preachers confident, because none among the clouds shall be compared unto the Lord? Does it appear to you, brethren, a high ground of praise, that the clouds cannot be compared with their Creator? If it is taken in its literal, not in its mystical meaning, it is not so : what ? are the stars that are above the clouds to be compared with the Lord? what? can the Sun, Moon, Angels, Heavens, be even compared with the Lord? Why is it then that he says, as if he meant some high praise,
For who is he among the clouds, that shall be compared unto the Lord? We understand, my brethren, those clouds, as the Heavens, to be the preachers of truth; Prophets, Apostles, the announcers of the word of God ; for that all these kinds of preachers are called clouds we learn from that prophecy, where God in His anger against His vineyard said, /will command the clouds that they rain no shower upon it : and the meaning of this vine the prophet explains most clearly in
the following verse, for the vineyard of the Lord of Hosts f>>Ig << 6 the house of Israel. That you may uot understand the vine- 7. yard otherwise, and missing the men who are signified by
think of the earth The vineyard of the Lord of Hosts, he
the house of Israel. Let the house of Israel under
stand that she and no other My vineyard that she
who has given Me thorns instead of grapes, she who has be
come ungrateful to her Planter and Cultivator, ungrateful to
Him that watered her. If then the vineyard of the Lord of
Hosts the house of Israel, what said He in His anger
will command the clouds that they rain no more upon it.
And so indeed He did: tho Apostles were sent like clouds to
rain upon the Jews, and when they rejected the word of God, because they yielded thorns for grapes, the Apostles said,
It was necessary that the word God should first have been Acts 13, spoken to you but seeing ye put from you, lo, we turn to*9-
the Gentiles. From that time the clouds ceased to pour rain
'---
says,
:
of it
is
is
? /
it,
is
:
it is
;
246 Our Lard, as Man, a Cloud, not like others.
Pbat. m upon that vineyard. 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.
