Expositions on the Book of Psalms
ON THE PSALMS. 513
PsaLm CIV.]
unlearned come to drink, and when filled burst forth in singing. . . . 14. Then the Psalm goes on in its text, "Upon them' the fowls of the heaven shall inhabit" earth be satisfied." What is, " From the fruit of Thy works"? Let no man glory in his own works: but "he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord."4 With Thy grace he is satisfied, when he is satisfied: let him not say that grace was given for his own merits. If it is called grace, "it is gratuitously given ;"' if it is returned for works, wages are paid.s Freely therefore receive, because ungodly thou art justified.
(ver. 12). . . . Upon the mountains, then, the fowls of the air shall have their habitation. We see these birds dwell upon the mountains, but many of them dwell in plains, many in valleys, many in groves, many in gardens, not all upon mountains. 'There are some fowls that dwell not save on the mountains. Some spiritual souls doth this name denote. Fowls are spiritual hearts, which enjoy the free air. In the clearness of heaven these birds delight, yet their feeding is on the mountains, there will they dwell. Ye know the mountains, they have been already treated of. Mountains are Prophets, mountains are Apostles, mountains are all preachers of the trath. .°2'°.
18. " Bringing forth grass for the cattle, and green herb for the service of men" (ver. 14). This is true, I perceive ; I recognise the creation : the earth doth bring forth grass for the cattle, and green herb for the service of men. But I perceive the words, "Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox which treadeth out the corn: Doth God take care for oxen? For our sakes therefore the Scripture saith it.'®° How then doth the earth bring forth grass for the cattle? Because "the Lord hath ordained that they which preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel." He sent preachers, saying unto them, " Eat such things as are set before you of them: for the labourer is worthy of his hire."7... They give spiritual, they receive carnal things ; they give gold, they receive grass... . "If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great matter if we shall reap your carnal things?" § This the Apostle said, a preacher so laborious, so indefatigable, so well tried, that he giveth this very grass to the earth. '' Nevertheless," he saith, "we have not used this power." He showeth that it is due to him, yet he received it not; nor hath he condemned those who have received what was due. For those were to be condemned who exact what is not due, not they who accept their recompense: yet he gave up even his own recompense. Thou dost not cease to owe to another, because one hath given up his dues, otherwise thou wilt not be the watered earth which bringeth forth grass for the cattle. ... Thou receivest spiritual things, give carnal things in return: to the soldier they are due, to the soldier thou returnest them; thou art the paymaster? of Christ. 'Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock? I speak not thus, that it should be so done unto me." '® There has been such a soldier as gave up his rations of food even to the paymaster: yet let the paymaster pay the rations: Ps 51. 1g. "That it may bring forth bread out of the earth." What bread? Christ. Out of what earth? From Peter, from Paul, from the other
15. But think not that those "fowls of heaven" follow their own authority ; see what the Psalm saith: " From the midst of the rocks they shall give their voice." Now, if I shall say to you, Believe, for this said Cicero, this said Plato, this said Pythagoras: which of you will not laugh at me? For I shall be a bird that shall send forth my voice not from the rock. What ought each one of you to say to me? what ought he who is thus instructed to say? "If any one shall have preached unto you a gospel other than that ye have received, let him be anathema."'?, What dost thou tell me of Plato, and of Cicero, and of Virgil? Thou hast before thee the rocks af the mountains, from the midst of the rocks give me thy voice. Let them be heard, who hear from the rock: let them be heard, because also in those many rocks the One Rock is heard: for "the Rock was Christ."3 Let them therefore be willingly heard, giving their voice from the midst of the rocks. Nothing is sweeter than such a voice of birds. They sound, and the rocks resound: they sound ; spiritual men discuss: the rocks resound, testimonies of Scripture give answer. Lo! thence the fowls give their voice from the midst of the rocks, for they dwell on the mountains.
16. " Watering the mountains from the higher places" (ver. 13). Now if a Gentile uncircumcised man comes to us, about to believe in Christ, we give him baptism, and do not call him back to those works of the Law. And if a Jew asks us why we do that, we sound from the rock, we say, This Peter did, this Paul did: from the midst of the rocks we give our voice. But that rock, Peter himself, that great mountain, when he prayed and saw that vision, was watered from above. ...
17. "From the fruit of Thy works shall the
5 Rom. iv. 4, 5. © x Cor. ix. 9. SoriConcix. 10s See this series, vol. vii. p. 440, note 3.
arr Cor i.3r7 Luke x. 7, 8. 9 Provincialis. 10 x Cor. ix. 7, 15.
I [ilos, 2 Gal. i. g. 3-1 Cor: xX. 4.