Chapter XIV.—Apostrophe.

Albeit Israel washed daily all his limbs over, yet is he never clean.  His hands, at all events, are ever unclean, eternally dyed with the blood of the prophets, and of the Lord Himself; and on that account, as being hereditary culprits from their privity to their fathers’ crimes,^88468846    See Matt. xxiii. 31; Luke xi. 48. they do not dare even to raise them unto the Lord,^88478847    I do not know Tertullian’s authority for this statement.  Certainly Solomon did raise his hands (1 Kings viii. 54), and David apparently his (see Ps. cxliii. 6; xxviii. 2; lxii. 4, etc.). Compare, too, Ex. xvii. 11, 12. But probably he is speaking only of the Israel of his own day. [Evidently.] for fear some Isaiah should cry out,^88488848    Isa. i. 15. for fear Christ should utterly shudder.  We, however, not only raise, but even expand them; and, taking our model from the Lord’s passion^88498849    i.e. from the expansion of the hands on the cross. even in prayer we confess^88508850    Or, “give praise.” to Christ.