2. What is that “woman who was in an infirmity eighteen years”? In six days God finished
His works. Three times six are eighteen. What the “three years” then in “the tree” signified,
that do the “eighteen years” in this woman. She was bent down, she could not look up; be-
cause in vain did she hear, “Up with your hearts.” But the Lord made her straight. There is
hope then, for the children, that is, even until the day of judgment come. Man ascribes much
to himself. Yet what is man? A righteous man is something great. But yet a righteous man
is righteous only by the grace of God. “For what is man, save that thou art mindful of
him?”3446 Wouldest thou see what man is? “All men are liars.”3447 We have chanted, “Arise,
Lord; let not man prevail.”3448 What is, “let not man prevail”? Were not the Apostles men?
Were not Martyrs men? The Lord Jesus Himself, without ceasing to be God, vouchsafed to
be Man. What then is, “Arise, Lord; let not man prevail”? If “all men are liars; arise,” Truth,
“let not” falsehood “prevail.” If man then would be anything good, it must not be of anything
of his own. For if he should wish to be anything of his own he will be “a liar.” If he would
wish to be true, he must be so of that which is from God, not of anything of his own.
3. Therefore, “Arise, Lord; let not man prevail.” So much did lying prevail before the
flood, that after the flood only eight men remained.3449 By them the earth was again replen-
ished with lying men, and out of them was elected the people of God. Many miracles were
wrought, divine benefits imparted. They were brought right through to the land of promise,
delivered from Egyptian bondage: Prophets were raised up among them, they received the
temple, they received the priesthood, they received the anointing, they received the Law.
Yet of this very people was it said afterwards, “The strange children have lied unto me.” 3450
At last He was sent who had been promised afore by the Prophets. “Let not man prevail,”
even the more, because that God was made Man. But even He, though He did divine works,
was despised, though He showed forth so many acts of mercy, He was apprehended, He
was scourged, He was hanged. Thus far “did man prevail,” to apprehend the Son of God,
to scourge the Son of God, to crown the Son of God with thorns, to hang the Son of God
upon the tree. So far “did man prevail:” how far, but up to the time that having been taken
down from the tree, He was laid in the sepulchre? If He had remained there, man would
have “prevailed” indeed. But this prophecy addresses the very Lord Jesus Himself, saying,
“Arise, Lord, let not man prevail.” O Lord, Thou hast vouchsafed to come in the flesh, the
Word made Flesh. The Word above us, the Flesh among us, the Word-flesh3451 between
3446 Ps. viii. 4.
3447 Ps. cxvi. 11.
3448 Ps. ix. 19.
3449 1 Pet. iii. 20.
3450 Ps. xvii. 45, Sept. (cxliv. 11).
3451 Conf. B. x. 67–70 (42, 43).
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On the words of the Gospel, Luke xiii. 6, where we are told of the fig-tree,…