But that Jerusalem, which is above, is free: which is our mother.

“These things, brethren, I write to you concerning righteousness, not because I take anything upon myself, but because ye have invited me to do so. For neither I, nor any other such one, can come up to the wisdom of the blessed and glorified Paul. He, when among you, accurately and stedfastly taught the word of truth in the presence of those who were then alive. And when absent from you, he wrote you a letter, which, if you carefully study, you will find to be the means of building you up in that faith which has been given you, and which, being followed by hope, and preceded by love towards God, and Christ, and our neighbour, "is the mother of us all." For if any one be inwardly possessed of these graces, he hath fulfilled the command of righteousness, since he that hath love is far from all sin.”

“Now all these things being such as they are, cannot be understood in reference to super-celestial matters; "for God," it is said, "will show to the whole earth that is under heaven thy glory." But in the times of the kingdom, the earth has been called again by Christ [to its pristine condition], and Jerusalem rebuilt after the pattern of the Jerusalem above, of which the prophet Isaiah says, "Behold, I have depicted thy walls upon my hands, and thou art always in my sight," And the apostle, too, writing to the Galatians, says in like manner, "But the Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all." He does not say this with any thought of an erratic Aeon, or of any other power which departed from the Pleroma, or of Prunicus, but of the Jerusalem which has been delineated on [God's] hands. And in the Apocalypse John saw this new [Jerusalem] descending upon the new earth.”

“But we do confess that a kingdom is promised to us upon the earth, although before heaven, only in another state of existence; inasmuch as it will be after the resurrection for a thousand years in the divinely-built city of Jerusalem, "let down from heaven," [Revelation 21:2] which the apostle also calls "our mother from above;" [Galatians 4:26] and, while declaring that our πολίτευμα, or citizenship, is in heaven, he predicates of it that it is really a city in heaven. This both Ezekiel had knowledge of [Ezekiel 48:30-35] and the Apostle John beheld. [Revelation 21:10-23] And the word of the new prophecy which is a part of our belief, attests how it foretold that there would be for a sign a picture of this very city exhibited to view previous to its manifestation. This prophecy, indeed, has been very lately fulfilled in an expedition to the East. For it is evident from the testimony of even heathen witnesses, that in Judæa there was suspended in the sky a city early every morning for forty days. As the day advanced, the entire figure of its walls would wane gradually, and sometimes it would vanish instantly. We say that this city has been provided by God for receiving the saints on their resurrection, and refreshing them with the abundance of all really spiritual blessings, as a recompense for those which in the world we have either despised or lost; since it is both just and God-worthy that His servants should have their joy in the place where they have also suffered affliction for His name's sake. Of the heavenly kingdom this is the process. After its thousand years are over, within which period is completed the resurrection of the saints, who rise sooner or later according to their deserts there will ensue the destruction of the world and the conflagration of all things at the judgment: we shall then be changed in a moment into the substance of angels, even by the investiture of an incorruptible nature, and so be removed to that kingdom in heaven of which we have now been treating, just as if it had not been predicted by the Creator, and as if it were proving Christ to belong to the other god and as if he were the first and sole revealer of it.”

“"If ye hasten to fly out of Egypt, and repair beyond the Red Sea into the wilderness," that is, from earthly intercourse to the Jerusalem above, which is the mother of the living; "If, moreover, again you return into Egypt," that is, into earthly intercourse, "ye shall die as men." For mortal, he says, is every generation below, but immortal that which is begotten above, for it is born of water only, and of spirit, being spiritual, not carnal. But what (is born) below is carnal, that is, he says, what is written. "That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the spirit is spirit." This, according to them, is the spiritual generation.”

“Do you know how, like a man, to enter "lawfully" upon this contest and "strive," [2 Timothy 2:5] that, in the might of the Holy Spirit, you choose this for yourself, that you may be crowned with a crown of light, and that they may lead you about in triumph through "the Jerusalem above"? [Galatians 4:26] If so be, then, that you long for all these things, conquer the body; conquer the appetites of the flesh; conquer the world in the Spirit of God; conquer these vain things of time, which pass away and grow old, and decay, and come to an end; conquer the dragon; [Revelation 12:7] conquer the lion; [1 Peter 5:8] conquer the serpent; [2 Corinthians 11:3] conquer Satan — through Jesus Christ, who does strengthen you by the hearing of His words and the divine Eucharist.”

“The temples of our houses of prayer are of the world because the buildings thereof are derived from the world and constructed therein; but they are spiritual things above the world, because they are types of that Church of the firstborn, whose names are inscribed in heaven, which is Jerusalem the free, the mother of us all. And all the altars and all the other vessels of the service of the Mysteries, and everything with which we perform the Mysteries which have been delivered to us, according to natural origin are of the world; but by reason of the greatness of those things which are administered in them they are exalted and most high, and are esteemed by us as being above nature, for they are the likeness of the living and spiritual powers which are in heaven, in which the service of the hidden Mysteries of God and of His will are perfected.”

“Above, the Apostle set forth the mystical understanding; here he opens up the mystery. And first as to the mothers; second as to the sons, where he says "but we, brothers," etc. By the two mothers he understands the two testaments. And therefore he first sets down what is signified; second he explains it, where he says "the one indeed from mount," etc. He says therefore: "these," namely the two wives, the handmaid and the free woman, "are the two testaments," the old and the new. Jeremiah 31:31: "I will strike a new covenant with the house of Israel" — behold the new testament; "not according to the covenant," etc. — behold the old testament. For the free woman signifies the new testament, but the handmaid the old. But in order to know what a testament is, it must be noted that a testament is the same as a pact or covenant of those things which are confirmed by witnesses. Hence in Scripture, many times, in place of "testament" is put "covenant" or "pact." But wherever a covenant or pact intervenes, some promise is made. And therefore, according to the diversity of promises, there is a diversity of testaments. Now two things are promised to us: namely temporal things in the old law, and eternal things in the new. Matthew 5:12: "Rejoice and be glad," etc. These two promises, therefore, are the two testaments. Hence the Apostle, consequently, when he says "the one indeed," etc., explains them. And first as to the old; second as to the new, where he says "but that Jerusalem which is above," etc. But for the clarity of the letter it must be known, concerning the first, that any citizen of some city is said to be a son of it, and the city itself is as it were his mother. Luke 23:28: "Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep," etc. Lamentations, the last chapter: "The renowned sons of Sion," etc. Through this, therefore — that some become citizens of some city — they are made its sons. Now the city of God is twofold: one earthly, namely the earthly Jerusalem; the other spiritual, namely the heavenly Jerusalem. But through the old testament men were made citizens of the earthly city, and through the new, of the heavenly. And therefore concerning this he does two things: first he sets forth the mystery explained; second he assigns the reason for the mystical explanation, where he says "for Sinai," etc. He says therefore first: I say that it signifies the two testaments, namely the old and the new. And as to this he says: "the first indeed from mount Sinai," etc. Where, first, the place in which it was given is set down, because literally on mount Sinai, as is said in Exodus 20 — whose mystical reason, according to the Gloss, is that Sinai is interpreted "commandment." Hence also by the Apostle the old law is called "the law of commandments," Ephesians 2:15; but the mountain signifies pride, Jeremiah 13:16: "before your feet stumble against the dark mountains," etc. Hence through this mountain on which the law was given, is signified a twofold pride of the Jews: one by which they were proud against God, Deuteronomy 31:27: "I know your contentiousness," etc.; the other by which they were proud against other nations, abusing that which is said in Psalm 147:20: "He has not done in like manner to every nation," etc. Second, however, he sets forth for what purpose it was given, because not for making free persons, but sons of the handmaid mother, "generating unto servitude, which is Agar" — that is, it is signified through Agar — which indeed generates unto servitude, namely the old testament. And this in three ways: namely as to affection, as to understanding, and as to fruit. As to understanding, indeed, according to knowledge: because in man there is a twofold knowledge — one free, namely when he knows the truth of things according to itself; the other, however, servile, that is, subjected to the veilings of figures. And such was the knowledge of the old testament. As to affection, however, because the new law generates an affection of love, which pertains to freedom, for he who loves is moved from himself. But the old generates an affection of fear, in which is servitude; for he who fears is moved not from himself, but from another. Romans 8:15: "You have not received the spirit of servitude again in fear," etc. But as to fruit, because the new law generates sons to whom an inheritance is owed; but to those whom the old generates, small gifts are owed, as to servants. John 8:35: "The servant does not remain in the house forever; the son remains in the house forever." He assigns the reason for the mystery when he says "for Sinai is a mountain in Arabia," etc. Where first a doubt arises, because since Sinai is distant from Jerusalem by nearly twenty days' journey, it seems false that Sinai is joined to Jerusalem, as the Apostle here says. But to this it is answered mystically in the Gloss thus: that Sinai is in Arabia. For Arabia is interpreted "lowliness" or "affliction," in which the old testament was given, because men, as it were servants and strangers, were afflicted under it by carnal observances. Acts 15:10: "This is a burden, which neither our fathers nor we," etc. "Which" — the mountain — "is joined" — not through continuity of space but through likeness — "to that which is now Jerusalem," that is, to the Jewish people; because just as they themselves love earthly things, and serve under sin for the sake of temporal things, so also that mountain generated unto servitude. But this does not seem to be the intention of the Apostle. For he himself intends that the old testament, which was given on mount Sinai, should generate unto servitude from the very place of servitude; because it was given on Sinai, yet not to the sons of Israel remaining there, but to those setting out for the land of promise. For Jerusalem also generates sons of servitude, and therefore as to this, mount Sinai is joined with it. And this is what he says: "which is joined to it" — namely through the continuation of the journey of those going to Jerusalem — "which is now Jerusalem, and serves with her children" — namely with the servitude of the legal observances (from which Christ redeemed us) and the servitude of various sins, John 8:34: "He who commits sin is the servant of sin" — and (literally) from the servitude of the Romans, who ruled over them. Then, when he says "but that Jerusalem which is above," etc., here consequently he opens up the mystery concerning the free woman. And first he explains the mystery; second he brings in a prophecy, where he says "for it is written," etc. The first indeed can be understood in two ways, according as we can understand this mother either as that through which we are generated, which is the Church Militant; or as that mother into whose sons we are generated, which is the Church Triumphant. 1 Peter 1:3: "He has regenerated us unto a living hope," etc. Thus, therefore, we are generated in the present Church Militant, so that we may arrive at the Triumphant. Explaining it, then, in this manner, our mother is described from four things: namely from sublimity, when he says "above"; second from her name, when he says "Jerusalem"; third from freedom, when he says "is free"; fourth from fruitfulness, when he says "our mother." She is, therefore, sublime through the open vision of God and through the perfect enjoyment of God, and this as to the Church Triumphant. Isaiah 60:5: "You shall see, and abound," etc. Colossians 3:2: "Mind the things that are above," etc. Likewise sublime through faith and hope, as to the Church Militant. Philippians 3:20: "Our citizenship is in heaven," etc. Canticle 3:6 and 8:5: "Who is this that ascends," etc. But she is also peaceful, because "Jerusalem," that is, "vision of peace." This indeed befits the Church Triumphant, as having perfect peace. Psalm 147:14: "Who has placed peace as your borders," etc. Isaiah 32:18: "My people shall sit in the beauty of peace." Likewise it befits the Church Militant, which, having peace in Christ, rests. John 16:33: "In me you shall have peace." She is also free — Romans 8:21: "The creature itself shall be freed," etc. — and this as to the Triumphant, and also as to the Militant, as Apocalypse 21:2: "I saw the holy city Jerusalem," etc. But she is fruitful, because "our mother": the Militant indeed as generating, the Triumphant as that into whose sons we are generated. Psalm 86:5: "Shall not a man say of Sion," etc. Isaiah 60:4: "Your sons shall come from afar," etc. "For it is written," namely Isaiah 54:1, for according to the Septuagint. Here is set down the prophecy, through which first the freedom of the aforesaid mother is proved; second her fruitfulness, where he says "for many are the children," etc. But it must be known, concerning the first, that in a fruitful woman, first indeed there is sadness in giving birth, second there follows joy in the offspring received, according to that word of John 16:21: "A woman when she gives birth," etc. But a barren woman neither suffers in childbirth, nor rejoices in offspring. Now "to bear" and "to be in labor" differ, because "to be in labor" denotes the effort toward birth, while "to bear" denotes the bringing forth of the fetus already formed. In labor, therefore, the fruitful woman experiences pain, and in the birth, joy. But the barren woman is deprived both of the pain of labor and of the joy of birth. But the prophet enjoins these two upon the barren woman, saying "Rejoice, you barren one," etc., where he speaks of Jerusalem, whom he calls free, signified through the barren Sarah. For the Church was barren — namely the Church Militant of the gentiles before its conversion, which was offering a son not to God, but to the Devil. Hence it is said to Babylon, Isaiah 47:9: "Barrenness and widowhood have come upon you," etc. And the Church Triumphant, before the Passion of Christ, was barren, because none were generated into her sons through entrance into glory except in hope. For a sword had been placed before the gate of Paradise, so that no one could enter. To this barren woman, therefore, it is said "rejoice, you who do not bear," etc., as if he were to say: barren women, as has been said, do not grieve over childbirth, but over the fact that they do not bear. 1 Kings 1:10: "When Anna was of bitter spirit," etc. But you shall rejoice in the multitude of your children. Isaiah 60:5: "Then your heart shall be enlarged and shall marvel" — namely showing outwardly the joy of the mind. For there are two things in childbirth: namely pain from the breaking of the membranes by which the fetus is contained in the womb, and a cry arising from that very pain. And therefore he says "you who are not in labor" — namely the Church Militant, which does not strive toward birth through desire, and the Triumphant, which is not in labor with grief, or because the time for receiving children had not yet come — "break forth," that is, make manifest outwardly the joy which you have within, "and cry out" with a voice of praise. Isaiah 58:1: "Cry out, do not cease," etc. And these two pertain to freedom, namely to cry out and to break forth: thus, therefore, the freedom of the mother appears. There follows the fruitfulness: "for many are the children," etc. But since it was said above that the free Church is signified through Sarah, there seems to be a doubt whether Sarah was forsaken. To which it must be known that she was forsaken by Abraham, as is said here, not through divorce, but as to the carnal act. For Abraham did indeed engage in the carnal act, not on account of concupiscence, but for the sake of receiving offspring. When, therefore, it became known to him that Sarah was barren, he forsook her, not breaking the marriage bed, but because he did not make use of her from that precise time when Sarah brought in the handmaid to him. By which it is given to be understood, that the Church of the gentiles was forsaken by Christ, because Christ had not yet come, and that the Church Triumphant was forsaken by men, for whom access to her did not yet lie open. Of this forsaken woman, therefore — namely the Church of the gentiles — "many are the children," that is, more than the children of her, namely of the synagogue, "which has a husband," namely Moses. 1 Kings 2:5: "The barren has borne very many, and she who had many children," etc. And this upon the coming of the bridegroom, namely Christ, by whom she had been forsaken — not in love, but with the childbearing postponed.”

“But Jerusalem which is above is free 9 which is the mother of us all The Christian Church, typified by Sarah, the mistress, is contrasted with the Jewish synagogue, typified by Hagar, the bondwoman, in four points: It is above; it is Jerusalem; it is free; it is a fruitful mother. 1. Why is it said to be above 1 Because (a) Christ, its Head, 302 THE EPISTLE TO THE descended from heaven, and thither ascended to rule His Church from above, (b) Because the Church is perfected by heavenly things, faith, hope, and charity, which come from above, (c) Because the efficacy of the Sacraments is from above, and shows God Himself present in His Church, as though He had come down from above. ( d) Because her conversation is in heaven, and there with her Spouse are her heart and treasure. ( e ) Because she is striving for her eternal crown laid up in heaven. Cf. Rev. xxl 2. 2. Why is she called Jerusalem t Because Jerusalem means the vision of peace. This God provides for His Church, so that she rejoices, not in earthly but in heavenly peace, according to the promise of her Lord : “ Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you” (S. John xiv. 27). This peace comes from a good conscience towards God, self, and all men. Literally too the Church is entitled to be called Jerusalem, because there she had her beginning, as the Jewish Church had at Sinai Hence the prophets repeatedly designate the Christian Church by the names of Sion or Jerusalem. 3. Why is she called free f Freedom is fourfold : ( a ) Civil, to which is opposed the status of slaves. ( b ) Moral by which is excluded slavery to passion and lust, to the fear of adversity. In this the Stoics placed the perfection of happiness, and desired that every man should be able to say of himself : Though the world were shattered around him, its fragments would strike, but not daunt him (Mor. Odes , iii. 3, 7). (c) Spiritual springing from that perfect charity which casts out fear, by which we are able to serve God, not in servile fear, but in filial love ; not with material ceremonies, but in spirit and in truth. This is the freedom in the Apostle’s mind here, if) Celestial , which excludes all slavery of mind or body to pain, and is the perfect bliss of mankind. The Church already enjoys moral and spiritual liberty ; by hope and desire it tastes beforehand the heavenly freedom it is one day to possess. 4. Why is she called a mother t Because out of Gentile barrenness, which was subject to devils, the Church has been collected, and has borne, and still bears, many spiritual children to Christ, FRUITFULNESS OF THE CHURCH 303 and this not from Jews alone, but from Jews and Gentiles, without distinction”

“For it is written,.... Isa 44:1, which is cited to prove, that the heavenly Jerusalem, or Gospel church state, is the mother of us all, and has brought forth, and still will bring forth, many souls to Christ, even many more than were under the legal dispensation by the Jewish church, though the Lord was an husband to them, Jer 31:32. The words are, rejoice thou barren that bearest not, break forth and cry thou that travailest not, for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband; by her that was "barren", and "bore" not, and "travailed" not, and was "desolate", is not meant the Gentile world, which before the coming of Christ was barren and destitute of the knowledge of him, and from among whom very few were called by grace; but the Gospel church in the first beginnings of it, in Christ's time, and especially about the time of his death, and before the pouring forth of the Spirit on the day of Pentecost, when the number of its members were few; for the names of the disciples together were but 120, when it seemed to be barren, and desolate, and deprived of its husband Christ, but was quickly to have a large accession to, it, both of Jews and Gentiles; and therefore is called upon to "rejoice, break forth", and "cry"; that is, to break forth into songs of praise, and express her spiritual joy, by singing aloud, and setting forth in hymns and spiritual songs the glory of powerful and efficacious grace, in the conversion of such large numbers of souls, the like of which had never been known under the former administration. Three thousand were converted under one sermon, and added to this first Gospel church; and the number of its members still increased, and the number of the men that afterwards believed was about five thousand; and after this we hear of more believers being added to the Lord, both men and women; and also that a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith; and when out of this church, the apostles, and other preachers of the Gospel went everywhere into the Gentile world, thousands of souls were converted, and a large number of churches formed, and a spiritual seed has been preserved ever since; and in the latter day Zion will travail in birth, and bring forth a numerous offspring; a nation shall be born at once, and the fulness of the Gentiles shall be brought in. Agreeably to this sense the Jewish writers, Jarchi, Kimchi, and Aben Ezra, understand this passage of Jerusalem; as does also the Chaldee paraphrase, which renders it thus: "Praise, O Jerusalem, which was as a barren woman that bringeth not forth; rejoice in praise, and be glad, who was as a woman which conceives not, for more are the children of Jerusalem forsaken than the children of the habitable city, saith the Lord.''”

“But Jerusalem which is above - The apostle still follows the Jewish allegory, showing not only how the story of Hagar and Sarah, Ishmael and Isaac, was allegorized, but pointing out also that even Jerusalem was the subject of allegory; for it was a maxim among the rabbins, that "whatsoever was in the earth, the same was also found in heaven for there is no matter, howsoever small, in this world, that has not something similar to it in the spiritual world." On this maxim, the Jews imagine that every earthly thing has its representative in heaven; and especially whatever concerns Jerusalem, the law, and its ordinances. Rab. Kimchi, speaking of Melchizedec, king of Salem, says: זו ירושלם של מעלה zu Yerushalem shel malah, "This is the Jerusalem that is from above." This phrase frequently occurs among these writers, as may be seen in Schoettgen, who has written an express dissertation upon the subject. Hor. Hebr., vol. i. page 1205. Is free, which is the mother of us all - There is a spiritual Jerusalem, of which this is the type; and this Jerusalem, in which the souls of all the righteous are, is free from all bondage and sin: or by this, probably, the kingdom of the Messiah was intended; and this certainly answers best to the apostle's meaning, as the subsequent verse shows. There is an earthly Jerusalem, but this earthly Jerusalem typifies a heavenly Jerusalem: the former, with all her citizens, is in bondage; the latter is a free city, and all her inhabitants are free also. And this Jerusalem is our mother; it signifies the Church of Christ, the metropolis of Christianity, or rather the state of liberty into which all true believers are brought. The word παντων, of all, is omitted by almost every MS. and version of antiquity and importance, and by the most eminent of the fathers who quote this place; it is undoubtedly spurious, and the text should be read thus: But Jerusalem, which is above, is free, which is our mother.”

“This verse stands instead of the sentence which we should expect, to correspond to Gal 4:24, "One from Mount Sinai," namely, the other covenant from the heavenly mount above, which is (answers in the allegory to) Sarah. Jerusalem . . . above-- (Heb 12:22), "the heavenly Jerusalem." "New Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God" (Rev 3:12; Rev 21:2). Here "the Messianic theocracy, which before Christ's second appearing is the Church, and after it, Christ's kingdom of glory" [MEYER]. free--as Sarah was; opposed to "she is in bondage" (Gal 4:25). all--omitted in many of the oldest manuscripts, though supported by some. "Mother of us," namely, believers who are already members of the invisible Church, the heavenly Jerusalem, hereafter to be manifested (Heb 12:22).”