which "have been my meat day and night, same lump vessels unto honour, of which others while they continually say unto me, Where is also are made to dishonour.20 thy God?" CHAP. XIV. THAT OUT OF THE CHILDREN OF THE 21 16. Or who but Thou, our God, made for us that firmament " of authority over us in Thy 15. And so say I too, O my God, where art divine Scripture ? 22 As it is said, For heaven Thou? Behold where Thou art! In Thee I shall be folded up like a scroll; 23 and now it is breathe a little, when I pour out my soul by my-extended over us like a skin.24 For Thy divine self in the voice of joy and praise, the sound of Scripture is of more sublime authority, since him that keeps holy-day. And yet it is "cast those mortals through whom Thou didst dispense down," because it relapses and becomes a deep, it unto us underwent mortality. And Thou or rather it feels that it is still a deep. Unto it knowest, O Lord, Thou knowest, how Thou with doth my faith speak which Thou hast kindled to skins didst clothe men 25 when by sin they beenlighten my feet in the night, "Why art thou came mortal. Whence as a skin hast Thou cast down, Ó my soul? and why art thou dis- stretched out the firmament of Thy Book ; 26 that quieted in me? hope thou in God;"3 His "word is to say, Thy harmonious words, which by the is a lamp unto my feet." 4 Hope and endure ministry of mortals Thou hast spread over us. until the night, the mother of the wicked, For by their very death is that solid firmament until the anger of the Lord be overpast,5 where- of authority in Thy discourses set forth by them of we also were once children who were some- more sublimely extended above all things that times darkness, the remains whereof we carry are under it, the which, while they were living about us in our body, dead on account of sin, here, was not so eminently extended.27 Thou "until the day break and the shadows flee hadst not as yet spread abroad the heaven like away." "Hope thou in the Lord." In the a skin; Thou hadst not as yet noised everymorning I shall stand in Thy presence, and con- where the report of their deaths. template Thee;9 I shall for ever confess unto Thee.10 In the morning I shall stand in Thy presence, and shall see "the health of my countenance,' my God, who also shall quicken our mortal bodies by the Spirit that dwelleth in us," because in mercy He was borne over our inner darksome and floating deep. Whence we have in this pilgrimage received "an earnest" 13 that we should now be light, whilst as yet we "are saved by hope," 14 and are the children of light, and the children of the day,-not the children of the night nor of the darkness, '5 which yet we have been.16 Betwixt whom and us, in this as yet uncertain state of human knowledge, Thou only dividest, who provest our hearts and callest the light day, and the darkness night.18 For who discerneth us but Thou? But what have we that we have not received of Thee? 19 Out of the 15 17. Let us look, O Lord, "upon the heavens, the work of Thy fingers; " 28 clear from our eyes that mist with which Thou hast covered them. There is that testimony of Thine which giveth wisdom unto the little ones.29 Perfect, O my God, Thy praise out of the mouth of babes and sucklings.30 Nor have we known any other books so destructive to pride, so destructive to the enemy and the defender, who resisteth Thy reconciliation in defence of his own sins.32 I know not, O Lord, I know not other such "pure "' 33 words which so persuade me to confession, and make my neck submissive to Thy yoke, and invite me to serve Thee for nought. Let me understand these things, good Father. Grant this to me, lished these things for those placed under them. placed under them; because Thou hast estab 15 Though of the light, we are not yet in the light; and though, in this grey dawn of the coming day, we have a foretaste of the vision that shall be, we cannot hope, as he says in Ps. v. 4, to" see Him as He is" until the darkness of sin be overpast. 16 Eph. v. 8, and 1 Thess. v. 5. 17 Ps. vii. 9. 13 Gen. i. 5. 19 1 Cor. iv. 7. as a curtain," by "as a skin." 25 Gen. iii. 21. Skins he makes the emblems of mortality, as being taken from dead animals. See p. 112, note 8, above. 26 That is, the firmament of Scripture was after man's sin stretched over him as a parchment scroll, -stretched over him for his enlightenment by the ministry of mortal men. This idea is enlarged on in Ps. viii. 4, sec. 7, etc., xviii. sec. 2, xxxii. 6, 7, and cxlvi. 8, sec. 15. 27 We have the same idea in Ps. ciii. sec. 8: " Cum enim viverent nondum erat extenta pellis, nondum erat extentum cœlum, ut tegeret orbem terrarum." 28 Ps. viii. 3. " CHAP. XVII. ALLEGORICAL EXPLANATION OF THE SEA AND THE FRUIT-BEARING EARTH -VERSES 9 AND II. 18. Other "waters" there be "above" this Thy Essence Knoweth and Willeth unchange'firmament," I believe immortal, and removed ably; and Thy Knowledge Is, and Willeth unfrom earthly corruption. Let them praise Thy changeably; and Thy Will Is, and Knoweth Name, those super-celestial people, Thine unchangeably. Nor doth it appear just to Thee, angels, who have no need to look up at this that as the Unchangeable Light knoweth Itself, firmament, or by reading to attain the knowledge so should It be known by that which is enof Thy Word, let them praise Thee. For they lightened and changeable." Therefore unto Thee always behold Thy face,' and therein read with- is my soul as "land where no water is," 12 because out any syllables in time what Thy eternal will as it cannot of itself enlighten itself, so it cannot willeth. They read, they choose, they love. of itself satisfy itself. For so is the fountain of They are always reading; and that which they life with Thee, like as in Thy light we shall see read never passeth away. For, by choosing and light.'3 by loving, they read the very unchangeableness of Thy counsel. Their book is not closed, nor is the scroll folded up,3 because Thou Thyself art this to them, yea, and art so eternally; because Thou hast appointed them above this firmament, which Thou hast made firm over the weakness of the lower people, where they might look up and learn Thy mercy, announcing in time Thee who hast made times. "For Thy mercy, O Lord, is in the heavens, and Thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds." The clouds pass away, but the heaven remaineth. The preachers of Thy Word pass away from this life into another; but Thy Scripture is spread abroad over the people, even to the end of the world. Yea, both heaven and earth shall pass away, but Thy Words shall not pass away.5 Because the scroll shall be rolled together, and the grass over which it was spread shall with its goodliness pass away; but Thy Word remaineth for ever," which now appeareth unto us in the dark image of the clouds, and through the glass of the heavens, not as it is; because we also, although we be the wellbeloved of Thy Son, yet it hath not yet appeared what we shall be.8 He looketh through the lattice of our flesh, and He is fair-speaking, and hath inflamed us, and we run after His odours.1° But "when He shall appear, then shall we be "8 like Him, for we shall see Him as He is." As He is, O Lord, shall we see Him, although the time be not yet. 20. Who hath gathered the embittered together into one society? For they have all the same end, that of temporal and earthly happiness, on account of which they do all things, although they may fluctuate with an innumerable variety Let the waters be gathered together into one of cares. Who, O Lord, unless Thou, saidst, place, and let the dry land appear, which thirsteth after Thee"? '5 For the sea also is Thine, and Thou hast made it, and Thy hands prepared the dry land. For neither is the bit terness of men's wills, but the gathering together of waters called sea; for Thou even curbest the wicked desires of men's souls, and fixest their bounds, how far they may be permitted to advance," and that their waves may be broken against each other; and thus dost Thou make it a sea, by the order of Thy dominion over all things. 21. But as for the souls that thirst after Thee, and that appear before Thee (being by other bounds divided from the society of the sea), them Thou waterest by a secret and sweet spring, that the earth may bring forth her fruit, and, 18 11 See Dean Mansel on this place (Bampton Lectures, lect. v. note 18), who argues that revelation is clear and devoid of mystery when viewed as intended for our practical guidance," and not as a matter of speculation. He says: "The utmost deficiency that can be charged against human faculties amounts only to this, that we cannot say that we know God as God knows Himself, that the truth of which our finite minds are susceptible may, for aught we know, be but the passing shadow of some higher reality, which exists only in the Infinite Intelligence." He shows also that this deficiency per tains to the human faculties as such, and that, whether they set themselves to consider the things of nature or revelation. See also p 193, note 8, above, and notes, pp. 197, 198, below. 12 Ps. lxiii. 1. 13 Ps. xxxvi. 9. 14 Gen. i. 9. In his comment on Psalm Ixiv. 6 (sec. 9), he interprets "the sea," allegorically, of the wicked world. Hence were the disciples called "fishers of men." If the fishers have taken us in the nets of faith, we are to rejoice, because the net will be dragged to the shore. On the providence of God, regulating the wickedness of men, see p. 79, note 4, above. 15 Ps. cxliii. 6, and lxiii. 1. 15 Ps. XCV. 5. 17 Ps. civ. 9, and Job xxxviii. 11, 12. As he interprets (see sec. 20, note, above) the sea as the world, so he tells us in Ps. lxvi. 6, sec. 8, that when the earth, full of thorns, thirsted for the waters of heaven, God in His mercy sent His apostles to preach the gospel, whereon the earth brought forth that fruit which fills the world; that is, the earth bringing forth fruit represents the Church, blessest the years of the just; 2 but Thou art the same, and in Thy years which fail not 13 Thou preparest a garner for our passing years. For by an eternal counsel Thou dost in their proper seasons bestow upon the earth heavenly blessings. Thou, O Lord God, so commanding, our soul into Thy harvest," in the sowing of which others may bud forth works of mercy according to their | have laboured, sending also into another field, kind,' loving our neighbour in the relief of whose harvest shall be in the end." Thus Thou his bodily necessities, having seed in itself ac-grantest the prayers of him that asketh, and cording to its likeness, when from our infirmity we compassionate even to the relieving of the needy; helping them in a like manner as we would that help should be brought unto us if we were in a like need; not only in the things that are easy, as in "herb yielding seed," but also in the protection of our assistance, in our very strength, like the tree yielding fruit; that is, a good turn in delivering him who suffers an injury from the hand of the powerful, and in furnishing him with the shelter of protection by the mighty strength of just judgment. 23. For, indeed, to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom, as if the greater light, on account of those who are delighted with the light of manifest truth, as in the beginning of the day; but to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit, as if the lesser light; 14 to another faith; to another the gift of healing; to another the working of miracles; to another 14 CHAP. XVIII. OF THE LIGHTS AND STARS OF prophecy; to another the discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues. And all these as stars. For all these worketh the one and self-same Spirit, dividing to every man his own as He willeth; 15 and making stars appear manifestly, to profit withal.16 But the word of knowledge, wherein are contained all sacraments,' which are varied in their periods like the moon, and the other conceptions of gifts, which are successively reckoned up as stars, inasmuch as they come short of that splendour of wisdom in which the fore-mentioned day rejoices, are only for the beginning of the night. For they are necessary to such as he Thy most prudent servant could not speak unto as unto spiritual, even he who speaketh but as unto carnal 18 22. Thus, O Lord, thus, I beseech Thee, let there arise, as Thou makest, as Thou givest joy and ability, — let "truth spring out of the earth, and righteousness look down from heaven," and let there be "lights in the firmament." Let us break our bread to the hungry, and let us bring the houseless poor to our house. Let us clothe the naked, and despise not those of our own flesh.3 The which fruits having sprung forth from the earth, behold, because it is good; and let our temporary light burst forth; 5 and let us, from this inferior fruit of action, possessing the delights of contemplation and of the Word of Life above, let us appear as lights in the world, clinging to the firmament of Thy Scripture. For therein Thou makest it plain unto us, that we may distinguish between things intelligible and things of sense, as if between the day and the night; or between souls, given, some to things intellectual, others to things of sense; so that now not Thou only in the secret of Thy judgment, as before the firmament was made, dividest between the light and the darkness, but Thy spiritual children also, placed and ranked in the same firmament (Thy grace being manifest throughout the world), may give light upon the earth, and divide between the day and night, and be for signs of times; because "old things have passed away," and "behold all things are become new ;" and "because our salvation is nearer than when we believed;"8 and because "the night is far spent, the day is at hand; and because Thou wilt crown Thy year with blessing, sending the labourers of Thy goodness wisdom among those that are perfect. But the natural man, as a babe in Christ, - and a drinker of milk, -until he be strengthened for solid meat,20 and his eye be enabled to look upon 17 1 Cor. xiii. 2. The Authorized Version and the Vulgate render more correctly, "mysteries." From Palmer (see p. 118, note 3, above), we learn that "the Fathers gave the name of sacrament or mystery to everything which conveyed one signification or property to unassisted reason, and another to faith; while, at the same time, they counted Baptism and the Lord's Supper as the two great sacraments. The sacraments, then, used in this sense are "varied in their periods," and Augustin, in Ps. lxxiii. 2, speaks of distinguishing bethe New. "Sacramenta novi Testamenti" he says, "dant salutem, ". So also in sacramenta veteris Testamenti promiserunt salvatorem. tween the sacraments of the Old Testament and the sacraments of Ps. xlvi. he says: "Our Lord God varying, indeed, the sacraments of the words, but commending unto us one faith, hath diffused through the sacred Scriptures manifoldly and variously the faith in which we live, and by which we live. For one and the same thing is said in many ways, that it may be varied in the manner of speaking in order to prevent aversion, but may be preserved as one with a view to concord." 181 Cor. iii. 1. 19 1 Cor. ii. 6. 201 Cor. iii. 2, and Heb. v. 12. The allusion in our text is to what is called the Disciplina Arcani of the early Church. Clement of Alexandria, in his Stromata, enters at large into the matter of esoteric teaching, and traces its use amongst the Hebrews, Greeks, the Sun,' let him not dwell in his own deserted nor steal, nor bear false witness; that the dry night, but let him be contented with the light land may appear, and bud forth the honouring of the moon and the stars. Thou reasonest of father and mother, and the love of our neighthese things with us, our All-wise God, in Thy bour. 10 All these, saith he, have I kept." Whence, Book, Thy firmament, that we may discern all then, are there so many thorns, if the earth be things in an admirable contemplation, although fruitful? Go, root up the woody thicket of avaas yet in signs, and in times, and in days, and in rice; sell that thou hast, and be filled with fruit years. by giving to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven; and follow the Lord "if thou CHAP. XIX. — ALL MEN SHOULD BECOME LIGHTS IN wilt be perfect," 12 coupled with those amongst THE FIRMAMENT OF HEAVEN. 112 24. But first, "Wash make you, clean; you put away iniquity from your souls, and from before mine eyes, that the dry land may appear. "Learn to do well; judge the fatherless; plead for the widow," 3 that the earth may bring forth the green herb for meat, and the tree bearing fruit; and come let us reason together, saith the Lord,5 that there may be lights in the firmament of heaven, and that they may shine upon the earth. That rich man asked of the good Master what he should do to attain eternal life.7 Let the good Master, whom he thought a man, and nothing more, tell him (but He is "good because He is God) - let Him tell him, that if he would" enter into life" he must "keep the commandments; "8 let him banish from himself the bitterness of malice and wickedness; 9 let him not kill, nor commit adultery, "Babes and Egyptians. Clement, like Chrysostom and other Fathers, sup- Those ready for strong meat were called "illuminated" (see p. 118, note 4, above), as their eyes were "enabled to look upon the Sun." We have frequent traces in Augustin's writings of the NeoPlatonic doctrine that the soul has a capacity to see God, even as the eye the sun. In Serm. lxxxviii. 6 he says: "Daretne tibi unde videres solem quem fecit, et non tibi daret unde videres eum qui te fecit, cum te ad imaginem suam fecerit?". And, referring to 1 John iii. 2, he tells us in Ep. xcii. 3, that not with the bodily eye shall we see God, but with the inner, which is to be renewed day by day: "We shall, therefore, see Him according to the measure in which we shall be like Him; because now the measure in which we do not see Him is according to the measure of our unlikeness to Him." Compare also Justin Martyr, Dialogue with Trypho, c. 4: 'Plato, indeed, says, that the mind's eye is of such a nature, and has been given for this end, that we may see that very Being who is the cause of all when the mind is pure itself." Some interesting remarks on this subject, and on the three degrees of divine knowledge as held by the Neo-Platonists, will be found in John Smith's Select Discourses, pp. 2 and 165 (Cambridge 1860). On growth in grace, see note 4, p. 140, above. whom He speaketh wisdom, Who knoweth what the thorns choked the word.'5 14 you weak "chosen generation,16 ened by the sun, utter unto day the word of 10 Matt. xix. 16-19. 21 Acts ii. 3. 22 1 John i. 1. Run 23 That is, as having their light from Him who is their central Sun (see p. 76, note 2, above). For it is true of all Christians in relation to their Lord, as he says of John the Baptist (Serm. ccclxxxii. 7): "Johannes lumen illuminatum: Christus lumen illuminans." See also note 1, above. 24 Matt. v. 14. CHAP. XX. CONCERNING REPTILES AND FLYING Gospel; because the waters themselves have CREATURES (VER. 20),- THE SACRAMENT OF cast them forth, the bitter weakness of which was the cause of these things being sent forth in Thy Word. BAPTISM BEING REGARDED. For ye, who 26. Let the sea also conceive and bring forth 28. Now all things are fair that Thou hast your works, and let the waters bring forth the made, but behold, Thou art inexpressibly fairer moving creatures that have life.' who hast made all things; from whom had not "take forth the precious from the vile," have Adam fallen, the saltness of the sea would never been made the mouth of God, through which have flowed from him, — the human race so proHe saith, "Let the waters bring forth," not the foundly curious, and boisterously swelling, and living creature which the earth bringeth forth, restlessly moving; and thus there would be no but the moving creature having life, and the need that Thy dispensers should work in many fowls that fly above the earth. For Thy sacrawaters, in a corporeal and sensible manner, ments, O God, by the ministry of Thy holy ones, mysterious doings and sayings. For so these have made their way amid the billows of the creeping and flying creatures now present themtemptations of the world, to instruct the Gentiles selves to my mind, whereby men, instructed, in Thy Name, in Thy Baptism. And amongst initiated, and subjected by corporeal sacraments, these things, many great works of wonder have should not further profit, unless their soul had a been wrought, like as great whales; and the higher spiritual life, and unless, after the word voices of Thy messengers flying above the earth, of admission, it looked forwards to perfection. near to the firmament of Thy Book; that being set over them as an authority, under which they were to fly whithersoever they were to go. For "there is no speech, nor language, where their voice is not heard;" seeing their sound 3 "hath gone through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world," because Thou, O Lord, hast multiplied these things by blessing.+ CHAP. XXI. CONCERNING THE LIVING SOUL, BIRDS, AND FISHES (VER. 24), ́ THE SACRAMENT OF THE EUCHARIST BEING REGARDED. this should be the entrance, 29. And hereby, in Thy Word, not the depth. of the sea, but the earth parted from the bitterness of the waters, bringeth forth not the creep27. Whether do I lie, or do I mingle and con- ing and flying creature that hath life,' but the found, and not distinguish between the clear living soul itself. For now hath it no longer knowledge of these things that are in the fir- need of baptism, as the heathen have, and as mament of heaven, and the corporeal works in itself had when it was covered with the waters, the undulating sea and under the firmament of for no other entrance is there into the kingheaven? For of those things whereof the knowl-dom of heaven," since Thou hast appointed that edge is solid and defined, without increase by generation, as it were lights of wisdom and knowledge, yet of these self-same things the material operations are many and varied; and one thing in growing from another is multiplied by Thy blessing, O God, who hast refreshed the fastidiousness of mortal senses; so that in the knowledge of our mind, one thing may, through the motions of the body, be in many ways 5 set out and expressed. These sacraments have the waters brought forth; but in Thy Word. The wants of the people estranged from the eternity of Thy truth have produced them, but in Thy I Gen. i. 20. 2 Jer. xv. 19. 3 Ps. xix. 3. 4. The word "sound" in this verse (as given in the LXX. and Vulg.), is in the Hebrew Dp, which is rightly rendered in the Authorized Version a "line" or "rule." It may be noted, in connection with Augustin's interpretation, that the word "firmament" in the first verse of this psalm is the yp of Gen. i. 7; translated in both places by the LXX. σrepéwua. The "heavens" and the are constantly interpreted by the Fathers as referring to the apostles and their firmness in teaching the word; and this is supported by reference to St. Paul's quotation of the text in Rom. x. 18: But I say, Have they not heard? Yes, verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world." 4 Gen. i. 4. "firmament $ See end of note 17, p. 197, above. "He alludes to Baptism in water, accompanied with the word of the gospel: of the institution whereof man's misery was the occasion."-W. W. nor does it seek great works of miracles by which to cause faith; for it is not such that, unless it shall have seen signs and wonders, it will not believe,12 when now the faithful earth is separated from the waters of the sea, rendered bitter by infidelity; and "tongues are for a sign, not to those that believe, but to those that believe not." 13 Nor then doth the earth, which Thou hast founded above the waters, 14 stand in need of that flying kind which at Thy word the waters brought forth. Send Thy word forth into it by Thy messengers. For we relate their works, but it is Thou who workest in them, that in it they may work out a living soul. The earth bringeth it forth, because the |