4. Thou art receiving not a perishable but a
spiritual shield. Henceforth thou art planted in the
invisible Gr. νοητόν, i.e. the true
Paradise, to be seen by the mind, not by the eye. Apoc. xii. 7,
17. Paradise. Thou
receivest a new name, which thou hadst not before. Heretofore
thou wast a Catechumen, but now thou wilt be called a Believer.
Thou art transplanted henceforth among the spiritual See preceding note.
olive-trees, being grafted from the wild into the good
olive-tree Rom. xi. 24., from sins into
righteousness, from pollutions into purity. Thou art made
partaker of the Holy Vine John xv. 1, 4, 5.. Well then, if
thou abide in the Vine, thou growest as a fruitful branch; but if thou
abide not, thou wilt be consumed by the fire. Let us therefore
bear fruit worthily. God forbid that in us should be done what
befell that barren fig-tree Matt. xxi. 19., that Jesus come not
even now and curse us for our barrenness. But may all be able to
use that other saying, But I am like a fruitful olive-tree in the
house of God: I have trusted in the mercy of God for
ever Ps. lii. 10.,—an olive-tree
not to be perceived by sense, but by the mind νοητή, see note 1, above., and
full of light. As then it is His part to plant and to
water 1 Cor. iii. 6. When Paul plants and Apollos
waters, it is God Himself who works through His ministers., so it is thine to bear fruit: it is
God’s to grant grace, but thine to receive and guard it.
Despise not the grace because it is freely given, but receive and
treasure it devoutly.