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62. But when the student of the Holy Scriptures, prepared in the
way I have indicated, shall enter upon his investigations, let him
constantly meditate upon that saying of the apostle's, "Knowledge
puffeth up, but charity edifieth." For so he will feel that,
whatever may be the riches he brings with him out of Egypt, yet unless
he has kept the passover, he cannot be safe. Now Christ is our
passover sacrificed for us, and there is nothing the sacrifice of
Christ more clearly teaches us than the call which He himself
addresses to those whom He sees toiling in Egypt under Pharaoh:
"Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will
give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am
meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For
my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." To whom is it light but to
the meek and lowly in heart, whom knowledge doth not puff up, but
charity edifieth? Let them remember, then, that those who celebrated
the passover at that time in type and shadow, when they were ordered to
mark their door-posts with the blood of the lamb, used hyssop to mark
them with.
Now this is a meek and lowly herb, and yet nothing is stronger and
more penetrating than its roots; that being rooted and grounded in
love, we may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the
breadth, and length, and depth, and height, that is, to comprehend
the cross of our Lord, the breadth of which is indicated by the
transverse wood on which the hands are stretched, its length by the
part from the ground up to the cross-bar on which the whole body from
the head downwards is fixed, its height by the part from the crossbar
to the top on which the head lies, and its depth by the part which is
hidden, being fixed in the earth. And by this sign of the cross all
Christian action is symbolized, viz., to do good works in Christ,
to cling with constancy to Him, t hope for heaven, and not to
desecrate the sacraments. And purified by this Christian action, we
shall be able to know even "the love of Christ which passeth
knowledge," who is equal to the Father, by whom all things, were
made, "that we may be filled with all the fullness of God."
There is besides in hyssop a purgative virtue, that the breast may not
be swollen with that knowledge which puffeth up, nor boast vainly of
the riches brought out from Egypt. "Purge me with hyssop," the
psalmist says, "and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be
whiter than snow. Make me to hear joy and gladness." Then he
immediately adds, to show that it is purifying from pride that is
indicated by hyssop, "that the bones which Thou hast broken may
rejoice."
CHAP, 42. SACRED SCRIPTURE COMPARED
WITH PROFANE AUTHORS.
63. But just as poor as the store of gold and silver and garments
which the people of Israel brought with them out of Egypt was in
comparison with the riches which they afterwards attained at
Jerusalem, and which reached their height in the reign of King
Solomon, so poor is all the useful knowledge which is gathered from
the books of the heathen when compared with the knowledge of Holy
Scripture, For whatever man may have learnt from other sources, if
it is hurtful, it is there condemned; if it is useful, it is therein
contained. And while every man may find there all that he has learnt
of useful elsewhere, he will find there in much greater abundance
things that are to be found nowhere else, but can be learnt only in the
wonderful sublimity and wonderful simplicity of the Scriptures.
When, then, the reader is possessed of the instruction here pointed
out, so that unknown signs have ceased to be a hindrance to him; when
he is meek and lowly of heart, subject to the easy yoke of Christ,
and loaded with His light burden, rooted and grounded and built up in
faith, so that knowledge cannot puff him up, let him then approach the
consideration and discussion of ambiguous signs in Scripture. And
about these I shall now, in a third book, endeavor to say what the
Lord shall be pleased to vouchsafe.
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