Jacob, dying, as though will,
received
those his grandsons into the number of sons, and
Gen.
Gen.
Augustine - Exposition on the Psalms - v4
Expositions on the Book of Psalms / Translated with notes and indices.
Augustine, Saint, Bishop of Hippo. Oxford, J. H. Parker, 1847-1857.
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HARVARD COLLEGE LIBRARY
FROM THE BEQUEST OF JAMES WALKER
(Class of 1814)
President of Harvard College "Preference being given io works in ihe Inielleciual
LIBRARY OF FATHERS OK THE
HOLY CATHOLIC CHURCH,
ANTERIOR TO THE DIVISION OF THE EAST AND WEST TRANSlATED BY MEMBERS OP THE ENGlISH CHURCH.
YET sHAll NOT THY TEACHERS BE REMOVED INTO A CORNER ANY MORE, Hl'T THINE EYES SHAll sEE THY TEACHERS. Imiah m. 20.
c#
OXFORD, JOHN HENRY PARKER;
F. AND J. R1VINGTON, LONDON. MDCCCL.
rharvard^ UNIVERSITY
^LIBRARY
J
EXPOSITIONS ON
PSALMS,
AUGUSTINE, BISHOP OF HIPPO,
THAN SLATED,
* WITH NOTES AND INDICES.
IN SIX VOLUMES.
VOL. IV. PSALM LXXVI. -- CI.
OXFORD,
JOHN HENRY PARKER ;
F. AND J. RIVINGTON, LONDON. 1850.
THE BOOK OF
S.
Baxter, printer, oxfort,.
The present Volume is carried to the end of Psalm CI. or Psalm C. in the Latin, where the MSS. of the ' Second Part' usually close. The latter part of the Volume is trans lated by the Rev. H. M. Wilkins, M. A. Fellow of Merton College, Oxford. The last Volumes of St. Chrysostom on St. MAtthew, and on St. John, are in the Press, and like wise St. Chrysostom on the Acts, the Original of which is also preparing for Publication. The Greek Text of St. Chrysostom on the Epistles to the GAlAtiAns and
EphesiAns, and of Theodoret on the RomAns, &c. may be expected in the course of next year.
Advent, 1850.
C. M.
TO THE MEMORY
OF THE
MOST REVEREND FATHER IN GOD
WILLIAM
LORD ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY,
PRIMATE OF All ENGlAND,
FORMERLY REGIUS PROFESSOR OF DIVINITY IN THE UNIVERSITY OF OxFORD, THIS LIBRARY
or
ancient bishops, fAthers, doctors, mArtyrs, confessors,
of Christ's holy cAtholic church,
UNDERTAKEN AMID HIS ENCOURAGEMENT, AND ,
CARRIED ON FOR TWElVE YEARS UNDER HIS SANCTION,
UNTIl HIS DEPARTURE HENCE IN PEACE, is
GRATEFUllY AND REVERENTlY INSCRIBED.
ST. AUGUSTINE ON
THE PSALMS.
PSALM LXXVI. EXPOSITION.
lLat;
Sermon to the Commonalty, wherein he iliiputeth against the Donatists, and treateth ofvows,
1. The enemies of the Lord Jesus Christ, known unto all men, the Jews, are wont to glory in this Psalm which we have sung, saying, Known in Judtsa is God, in Israel great is the name of Him : and to revile the Gentiles to whom God is not known, and to say that to themselves alone God is known ; seeing that the Prophet saith, Known in Judcea is
God : in other places therefore He is unknown. But God
is known in very deed in Judaea, if they understand what is Judaea. For indeed God is not known except in Judsa. Behold even we say this, that except a person shall have
been in Judeea, known to him God cannot be. But what
saith the Apostle ? He that in secret is a Jew, he that is so Eom. 2, in circumcision of the heart, not in letter but in spirit. 29' There are therefore Jews in circumcision of the flesh, and
there are Jews in circumcision of the heart. Many of our holy fathers had both the circumcision of the flesh, for a seal of the faith, and circumcision of the heart, for the faith itself. From these fathers these men degenerating, who now
VOL. IV. B
2 Meaning of JtuLea. The twelve tribes of Israel.
Psalm in the name do glory, and have lost their deeds ; from these A"! ! -fathers, I say, degenerating, they have remained in flesh Jews, in heart Heathens. For these are Jews, who are oat of Abraham, from whom Isaac was born, and out of him Gen. 21 , Jacob, and out of Jacob the twelve Patriarchs, and out of the twelve Patriarchs the whole people of the Jews. But they 32. Sec. were generally called Jews for this reason, that Judas was
one of the twelve sons of Jacob, a Patriarch among the twelve, and from his stock the Royalty came among the Jews. For all this people after the number of the twelve sons of Jacob, had twelve tribes. What we call tribes are as were distinct houses and congregations of people. That people, say, had twelve tribes, out of which twelve
tribes one tribe was Judah, out of which were the kings and there was another tribe, Levi, out of which were the priests. But because to the priests serving the temple no
- land was allotted, but was necessary that among twelve tribes all the Land of promise should be shared: there having been therefore taken out one tribe of higher dignity, the tribe of Levi, which was of the priests, there would
have remained eleven, unless by the adoption of the two sons of Joseph the number twelve were completed.
What this is, observe. One of the twelve sons of Jacob was Joseph. It that Joseph whom his brethren sold into Egypt, and who there on account of his chastity was raised
to an exalted station, and God was with him in all his work and he received his brethren, by whom he had been sold, and his father, weighed down with famine and for the sake of bread going down into Egypt. This Joseph had two sons, Ephraim and Manasse. Jacob, dying, as though will, received those his grandsons into the number of sons, and
Gen. 48, said to his son Joseph, Hie rest that are born shall be to thee but these to me, and they shall divide the land with their brethren. As yet there had not been given nor divided the land of promise, but he was speaking in the Spirit prophesying. The two sons therefore of Joseph being added, there were made up nevertheless twelve tribes, since now there are thirteen. For instead of one tribe of Joseph, two were added, and there were made thirteen. There being taken out then the tribe of Levi, that tribe of priests which
2^
Numb,
;
it
by
;
;
is
I it
'
229
The Jews forfeited their name in renouncing their King. 3
did serve the Temple, and lived by the tithes of all the rest Vrr. unto whom the land was divided, there remain twelve. In ----- these twelve was the tribe of Juda, whence the kings were.
For at first from another tribe was given King Saul, and he l Sam. was rejected as being an evil king; after there was given9'1- from the tribe of Judah King David, and out of him from
the tribe of Judah were the Kings. But Jacob had spoken l Sam. of this, when he blessed his sons, there shall not fail a prince 6^49 out of Judah, nor a leader from his thighs, until there corner-
He to Whom the promise hath been made. But from the
tribe of Judah there came Our Lord Jesus Christ. For He is,
as the Scripture saith, and as ye have but now heard, out 2 Tim. of the seed of David born of Mary. But as regardeth the2'8' Divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ, wherein He is equal with the Father, He isnotonly before the Jews, but also before Abraham John 8, himself; nor only before Abraham, but also before Adam;88'
nor only before Adam, but also before Heaven and earth and
before ages : for all things by Himself were made, and without g? hn 1 , Him there was made nothing. Because therefore in prophecy
hath been said, there shall not fail a prince out of Judah, Gen. 49, nor a leaderfrom his thighs, until there come He for Whom 10-
the promise hath been made : former times are examined,
and we find that the Jews always had their kings of the
tribe of Judah, and had no foreign king before that Herod
who was king when the Lord was born. Thence began Luke 3, foreign kings, from Herod. Before Herod all were of the ' tribe of Judah, but only until there should come He to Whom the promise had been made. Therefore when the
Lord Himself came, the kingdom of the Jews was overthrown,
and removed from the Jews. Now they have no king ; be
cause they will not acknowledge the true King. See now whether they must be called Jews. Now ye do see that they
must not be called Jews. They have themselves with their
own voice resigned that name, so that ihey are not worthy
to be called Jews, except only in the flesh. When did they
sever themselves from that name ? They said -- (they were
raging against Christ, that is, the race of Judah was raging against the Iseed of David. And Pilate sailh to them, Your John 19,
--
crucify? ) they said, I say, We have no king15,
King shall
but Ccesar. O ye who are called Jews and are not, if ye
B2
Psalm
4 The true royalty of David is in Christ.
have no king but Caesar, there hath failed a Prince of Judah: there hath come then He to Whom the promise hath been made. They then are more truly Jews, who have been made Christians out of Jews : the rest of the Jews, who in Christ have not believed, have deserved to lose even the very name. The true Judaea, then, is the Church of Christ, believing in that King, Who hath come out of the tribe of Judah through the Virgin Mary; believing in Him of Whom the Apostle was
2 Tim. just now speaking, in writing to Timothy, Be thou mindful
2' 8'
ihat Jesus Christ hath risen from the dead, of the seed of David, after my Gospel. For of Judah is David, and out of David is the Lord Jesus Christ. We believing in Christ do belong to Judah : and we acknowledge Christ. We, that with eyes have not seen, in faith do keep Him. Let not therefore the Jews revile, who are no longer Jews. They
John19, said themselves, We have no king but Ccesar. For better
16-
were it for them that their king should be Christ, of the seed of David, of the tribe of Judah. Nevertheless because Christ Himself is of the seed of David after the flesh, but
Bom. 9, God above all things blessed for ever, He is Himself our
5'
King and our God ; our King, inasmuch as born of the tribe of Judah, after the flesh, was Christ the Lord, the Saviour; but our God, Who is before Judah, and before
John l, Heaven and earth, by Whom were made all things, both
3'
spiritual and corporal. For if all things by Himself were made ; even Mary herself, out of whom He was born, by Himself was made. How then could He have been born like the rest of mankind, who made unto Himself a mother out of whom He might be born ? Therefore He is Himself the Lord : the Apostle saying, when he was speaking of the
Bom. 9, Jews, of whom are the fathers, and out of whom is Christ 5' after the flesh; Who is over all things, God blessed for ever. Because then the Jews saw Christ and crucified Him, they saw not God : but the Gentiles because they saw not and
believed, have perceived God. Therefore if there appeared
i Cor. 6, to them God in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, and
19'
they crucified Him because they perceived not God hidden in flesh : begone that which is called Judaea and is not; and let there draw near the true Judaea, to whom is said, Draw ye near to Him and be ye enlightened, and your faces shall not
lie is known as God to the true Judah and Israel. 5 blush. The faces of the true Judaea shall not be put to con- Ver'
--
fusion. For they have heard and have believed, and the Church hath become the true Judaea, where Christ is known, Who being Man of the seed of David, is God above David.
2. Known in Judcea is God, in Israel great is the Name of Him. Concerning Israel also we ought so to take it as wo have concerning Judaea: as they were not the true Jews, so neither was that the true Israel. For what is Israel said to be ? One seeing God. And how have they seen God, among whom He walked in the flesh ; and while they supposed Him to be man, they slew Him ? Rising again He appeared as God to all to whom He willed to manifest Himself. They
then are worthy to be called Israel, who merited to perceive Christ, as God clothed in flesh, so that they despised not that which they saw, but adored that which they saw not. For though not seen to the eyes, the Gentiles with humble mind have perceived Him Whom they saw not, and in faith have retained Him. Again, they that in hands held Him, slew Him ; they that in faith held Him, adored. In Israel
great is His Name. Wilt thou be Israel ? Observe that man concerning whom the Lord saith, Behold an Israelite indeed, John 1, in whom guile is not. If a true Israelite is he in whom guile
is not, the guileful and lying are not true Israelites. Let
them not say then, that with them is God, and great is His
name in Israel. Let them prove themselves Israelites, and
I grant that in Israel great is His Name.
3. Ver. 2. And there hath been made in peace a place for Him, and His habitation is in Sion. Again, Sion is as it were the country of the Jews; the true Sion is the Church of Christians. But the interpretation of the Hebrew names is
thus handed down to us : Judaea is interpreted confession, Israel, one seeing God. After Judaea is Israel : so it hath been placed here, Known in Judcea is God, in Israel great is His Name. Wilt thou see God ? First do thou confess, and then in thyself there is made a place for God; because there
hath been made in peace a placefor Him. So long as then thou confessest not thy sins, in a manner thou art quarrelling with God. For how art thou not disputing with Him, who art praising that which displeaseth Him ? He punisheth a thief, thou dost praise theft : He doth punish a drunken man,
6 Inward peace God's dwelling. Beginning of confession.
Psalm thou dost praise drunkenness. Thou art disputing with God, lxxVI'thou hast not made for Him a place in thy heart: because in peace is His place. And how dost thou begin to have
peace with God ? Thou beginnest with Him in confession. Ps. U7, There, is a voice of a Psalm, saying, Begin ye to the Lord in confession. What is, Begin ye to the Lord in confession f Begin ye to be joined to the Lord. In what manner? So that the same thing may displease you as displeaseth Him. There displeaseth Him thy evil life ; if it please thyself, thou art disunited from Him ; if it displease thee, through confession to Him thou art united. See in how great
measure thou art unlike Him, since indeed on account of that very unlikeness thou art displeasing to Him. Thou hast been made, O man, after the image of God : but through thy life being perverse and evil thou hast disturbed in thee and hast banished in thee the image of thy Creator. Having become unlike, thou lookest unto thyself and thou
now from this time thou beginnest to become like, because the same thing is displeasing to thee
as is displeasing to God also.
4. But how am I like, sayest thou, when I am still dis
pleasing to myself? Therefore there hath been said, begin. Ps. 147, Begin thou to the Lord in confession: thou wilt be made
7-
perfect in peace. For as yet thou hast war against thee.
displeasest thyself:
There is enjoined then a war, not only against the sug- Ephet. gestions of the devil, against the prince of the power of this
6' 1 '
air, who worketh in the sons of unbelief, against the devil and his angels, the spiritual things of naughtiness ; not only therefore against them war is enjoined thee, but against thyself. How against thyself ? Against thy evil habit, against the oldness of thy evil life, which draweth thee to thy wonted life, and withholdeth thee from the new.
Jacob, dying, as though will, received those his grandsons into the number of sons, and
Gen. 48, said to his son Joseph, Hie rest that are born shall be to thee but these to me, and they shall divide the land with their brethren. As yet there had not been given nor divided the land of promise, but he was speaking in the Spirit prophesying. The two sons therefore of Joseph being added, there were made up nevertheless twelve tribes, since now there are thirteen. For instead of one tribe of Joseph, two were added, and there were made thirteen. There being taken out then the tribe of Levi, that tribe of priests which
2^
Numb,
;
it
by
;
;
is
I it
'
229
The Jews forfeited their name in renouncing their King. 3
did serve the Temple, and lived by the tithes of all the rest Vrr. unto whom the land was divided, there remain twelve. In ----- these twelve was the tribe of Juda, whence the kings were.
For at first from another tribe was given King Saul, and he l Sam. was rejected as being an evil king; after there was given9'1- from the tribe of Judah King David, and out of him from
the tribe of Judah were the Kings. But Jacob had spoken l Sam. of this, when he blessed his sons, there shall not fail a prince 6^49 out of Judah, nor a leader from his thighs, until there corner-
He to Whom the promise hath been made. But from the
tribe of Judah there came Our Lord Jesus Christ. For He is,
as the Scripture saith, and as ye have but now heard, out 2 Tim. of the seed of David born of Mary. But as regardeth the2'8' Divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ, wherein He is equal with the Father, He isnotonly before the Jews, but also before Abraham John 8, himself; nor only before Abraham, but also before Adam;88'
nor only before Adam, but also before Heaven and earth and
before ages : for all things by Himself were made, and without g? hn 1 , Him there was made nothing. Because therefore in prophecy
hath been said, there shall not fail a prince out of Judah, Gen. 49, nor a leaderfrom his thighs, until there come He for Whom 10-
the promise hath been made : former times are examined,
and we find that the Jews always had their kings of the
tribe of Judah, and had no foreign king before that Herod
who was king when the Lord was born. Thence began Luke 3, foreign kings, from Herod. Before Herod all were of the ' tribe of Judah, but only until there should come He to Whom the promise had been made. Therefore when the
Lord Himself came, the kingdom of the Jews was overthrown,
and removed from the Jews. Now they have no king ; be
cause they will not acknowledge the true King. See now whether they must be called Jews. Now ye do see that they
must not be called Jews. They have themselves with their
own voice resigned that name, so that ihey are not worthy
to be called Jews, except only in the flesh. When did they
sever themselves from that name ? They said -- (they were
raging against Christ, that is, the race of Judah was raging against the Iseed of David. And Pilate sailh to them, Your John 19,
--
crucify? ) they said, I say, We have no king15,
King shall
but Ccesar. O ye who are called Jews and are not, if ye
B2
Psalm
4 The true royalty of David is in Christ.
have no king but Caesar, there hath failed a Prince of Judah: there hath come then He to Whom the promise hath been made. They then are more truly Jews, who have been made Christians out of Jews : the rest of the Jews, who in Christ have not believed, have deserved to lose even the very name. The true Judaea, then, is the Church of Christ, believing in that King, Who hath come out of the tribe of Judah through the Virgin Mary; believing in Him of Whom the Apostle was
2 Tim. just now speaking, in writing to Timothy, Be thou mindful
2' 8'
ihat Jesus Christ hath risen from the dead, of the seed of David, after my Gospel. For of Judah is David, and out of David is the Lord Jesus Christ. We believing in Christ do belong to Judah : and we acknowledge Christ. We, that with eyes have not seen, in faith do keep Him. Let not therefore the Jews revile, who are no longer Jews. They
John19, said themselves, We have no king but Ccesar. For better
16-
were it for them that their king should be Christ, of the seed of David, of the tribe of Judah. Nevertheless because Christ Himself is of the seed of David after the flesh, but
Bom. 9, God above all things blessed for ever, He is Himself our
5'
King and our God ; our King, inasmuch as born of the tribe of Judah, after the flesh, was Christ the Lord, the Saviour; but our God, Who is before Judah, and before
John l, Heaven and earth, by Whom were made all things, both
3'
spiritual and corporal. For if all things by Himself were made ; even Mary herself, out of whom He was born, by Himself was made. How then could He have been born like the rest of mankind, who made unto Himself a mother out of whom He might be born ? Therefore He is Himself the Lord : the Apostle saying, when he was speaking of the
Bom. 9, Jews, of whom are the fathers, and out of whom is Christ 5' after the flesh; Who is over all things, God blessed for ever. Because then the Jews saw Christ and crucified Him, they saw not God : but the Gentiles because they saw not and
believed, have perceived God. Therefore if there appeared
i Cor. 6, to them God in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, and
19'
they crucified Him because they perceived not God hidden in flesh : begone that which is called Judaea and is not; and let there draw near the true Judaea, to whom is said, Draw ye near to Him and be ye enlightened, and your faces shall not
lie is known as God to the true Judah and Israel. 5 blush. The faces of the true Judaea shall not be put to con- Ver'
--
fusion. For they have heard and have believed, and the Church hath become the true Judaea, where Christ is known, Who being Man of the seed of David, is God above David.
2. Known in Judcea is God, in Israel great is the Name of Him. Concerning Israel also we ought so to take it as wo have concerning Judaea: as they were not the true Jews, so neither was that the true Israel. For what is Israel said to be ? One seeing God. And how have they seen God, among whom He walked in the flesh ; and while they supposed Him to be man, they slew Him ? Rising again He appeared as God to all to whom He willed to manifest Himself. They
then are worthy to be called Israel, who merited to perceive Christ, as God clothed in flesh, so that they despised not that which they saw, but adored that which they saw not. For though not seen to the eyes, the Gentiles with humble mind have perceived Him Whom they saw not, and in faith have retained Him. Again, they that in hands held Him, slew Him ; they that in faith held Him, adored. In Israel
great is His Name. Wilt thou be Israel ? Observe that man concerning whom the Lord saith, Behold an Israelite indeed, John 1, in whom guile is not. If a true Israelite is he in whom guile
is not, the guileful and lying are not true Israelites. Let
them not say then, that with them is God, and great is His
name in Israel. Let them prove themselves Israelites, and
I grant that in Israel great is His Name.
3. Ver. 2. And there hath been made in peace a place for Him, and His habitation is in Sion. Again, Sion is as it were the country of the Jews; the true Sion is the Church of Christians. But the interpretation of the Hebrew names is
thus handed down to us : Judaea is interpreted confession, Israel, one seeing God. After Judaea is Israel : so it hath been placed here, Known in Judcea is God, in Israel great is His Name. Wilt thou see God ? First do thou confess, and then in thyself there is made a place for God; because there
hath been made in peace a placefor Him. So long as then thou confessest not thy sins, in a manner thou art quarrelling with God. For how art thou not disputing with Him, who art praising that which displeaseth Him ? He punisheth a thief, thou dost praise theft : He doth punish a drunken man,
6 Inward peace God's dwelling. Beginning of confession.
Psalm thou dost praise drunkenness. Thou art disputing with God, lxxVI'thou hast not made for Him a place in thy heart: because in peace is His place. And how dost thou begin to have
peace with God ? Thou beginnest with Him in confession. Ps. U7, There, is a voice of a Psalm, saying, Begin ye to the Lord in confession. What is, Begin ye to the Lord in confession f Begin ye to be joined to the Lord. In what manner? So that the same thing may displease you as displeaseth Him. There displeaseth Him thy evil life ; if it please thyself, thou art disunited from Him ; if it displease thee, through confession to Him thou art united. See in how great
measure thou art unlike Him, since indeed on account of that very unlikeness thou art displeasing to Him. Thou hast been made, O man, after the image of God : but through thy life being perverse and evil thou hast disturbed in thee and hast banished in thee the image of thy Creator. Having become unlike, thou lookest unto thyself and thou
now from this time thou beginnest to become like, because the same thing is displeasing to thee
as is displeasing to God also.
4. But how am I like, sayest thou, when I am still dis
pleasing to myself? Therefore there hath been said, begin. Ps. 147, Begin thou to the Lord in confession: thou wilt be made
7-
perfect in peace. For as yet thou hast war against thee.
displeasest thyself:
There is enjoined then a war, not only against the sug- Ephet. gestions of the devil, against the prince of the power of this
6' 1 '
air, who worketh in the sons of unbelief, against the devil and his angels, the spiritual things of naughtiness ; not only therefore against them war is enjoined thee, but against thyself. How against thyself ? Against thy evil habit, against the oldness of thy evil life, which draweth thee to thy wonted life, and withholdeth thee from the new. For there is en joined upon thee a kind of new life, and thou art old. By the joy of that newness thou art held aloft, by the burden of the oldness thou art weighed down : there beginneth to be war for thee against thyself. But by the part wherein thou art displeased with thyself thou art being united to God; and by that part whereby thou art now being joined to God, thou wilt be meet to conquer thyself ; because He is with thee Who overcometh all things. Observe what the Apostle
In what sense the flesh still serves sin. 7
saith : With the mind I serve the law of God, but with the Ver. flesh the law of sin. How with mind ? Because thy evil Ro^' - '
life is displeasing to thee. How with flesh ? Because there 26. are not wanting evil suggestions and affections of pleasure ; but in that with mind thou art united with God, thou art conquering in thyself that which in thyself is not willing to follow. For thou hast gone before in part, and in part thou art held back.
upward. With
weighed down :
who shall deliver me from the body of this death ? Who 24, shall deliver me from that wherewith I am being weighed
down? For the body which is corrupted doth weigh downVTM. 9,
Draw thyself to Him, Who is raising thee a sort of weight of o kin ess thou art Ibeing
cry out and say, Unhappy man tftat
am, Rom.
7,
suffer thee long time to contend with thyself, until there be swallowed up all evil desires ? In order that thou mayest
in thyself thy penance. In thee from thyself is thy rod: let thy strife be with thyself. Thus vengeance is taken upon a rebel against God, in such sort that he is himself a war unto himself, who would not have peace with God. But keep thy members against thy evil desires. There hath sprung up wrath, refrain thy hand, taking part with God. It might have arisen, but it hath found no weapons. In thy wrath is the onset, in thyself are the weapons : be the onset without weapons, and it leameth no longer to rise, which hath risen in vain.
5. But this I say, dearly beloved, lest perchance because
we have said, But with flesh to the law of sin, ye may R0m. 7, think that ye ought to consent to your carnal desires. 25- Though there cannot now but be carnal desires, we must
not consent to them. Therefore the Apostle hath not said,
Be there not sin in your mortal body. For he knoweth
that so long as it is mortal, there is there sin. But he saith
what? Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body. Rom. 6, What is, Let it not reign ? He hath himself explained : 12'
to obey, he saith, the desires thereof. There are desires,
there arise desires, thou dost not obey thy desires, dost not
follow the same desires, dost not consent to them : there is
in thee sin, but it hath lost its reign, now that in thee there
the souL Who, I say, shall deliver me? The grace
God through Jesus Christ our Lord. But why doth He26.
perceive
of^m 7
8 After Resurrection the flesh will tempt no more.
Psai. m reigneth not sin, hereafter the last enemy shall be destroyed, iT5o7~ death. But what is promised to us? For it hath been said, 16, 26. With mind 1 serve the law of God, but with flesh the law of ^? m- 7' sin. Hear the promise, that there will not always be in the
flesh unlawful desires. For it will rise again, and it will be changed: and when this mortal flesh shall have been changed into a spiritual body, then no more with any earthly delights shall it allure the soul, nor shall divert it from the contem plation of God. There is then done in her that whereof the
Rom. 8, Apostle speaketh, The body indeed is dead because of sin; but the spirit is life because of righteousness. But if He that hath raised up Jesus from the dead doth dwell in you; He that hath raised %ip Jesus Christ from the dead shall
bring to life also your mortal bodies, because of His Spirit Which dweUeth in you. When our bodies then have been brought to life, there will be true peace, where there is a place for God: but let confession go before. Known in
Judcea is God: confess thou therefore first. In Israel great is His Name: not yet thou seest in form, see thou by faith ; and there shall be made in thee that which followeth : and there hath been made in peace a place for Him, and His dwelling is in Sion. Sion is interpreted contemplation". What is
l Cor. contemplation ? For we shall contemplate God face to face. 13' 12' He is promised to us, in Whom now not seeing we believe.
How shall we rejoice when we shall have seen Him ! Brethren, if now so great joy the promise doth work in us, how great joy will the performance work ? For there will be rendered to us that which He hath promised P And what hath He promised? Himself, so that in His face and in the con templation of Him we may rejoice : and not any other object will delight us, because nothing is better than He that hath made all things which delight. There hath been made in peace a place for Him, and His dwelling is in Sion: that is, in a kind of contemplation and speculation, there hath
been made a dwelling for Him, in Sion.
6. Ver. 3. There He hath broken the strength of bows, and
the shield, and the sword, and the battle. Where hath He
broken ? In that eternal peace, in that perfect peace. And
? Oxf. Mss. and some others, ' we brethren whom we see present also to- naid it already yesterday, and some day heard, what is contemplation. '
The spiritual mountains made eternal by grace. 9
now, my brethren, they that have rightly believed see that Ver. they ought not to rely on themselves : and all the might of ----- their own menaces, and whatsoever is in them whetted for mischief, this they break in pieces ; and whatsoever they
deem of great virtue wherewith to protect themselves tempo rally, and the war which they were waging against God by defending their sins, all these things He hath broken there.
7. Ver. 4. Thou enlightening marvellously from the eternal mountains. What are the eternal mountains? Those which He hath Himself made eternal ; which are the great moun tains, the preachers of truth. Thou dost enlighten, but from the eternal mountains : the great mountains are first to re ceive Thy light, and from Thy light which the mountains receive, the earth also is clothed. But those great mountains the Apostles have received, the Apostles have received as it were the first streaks of the risinglight. Did they by any means
keep to themselves that which they received ? No. Lest
there should be said to them, Servant naughty and slothful, Mat. 26, thou shouldest have given my money to the usurers. Since 26' then that which they received they kept not to themselves,
but they preached it to all the round world ; Thou enlight
ening marvellously from the eternal mountains. By those
which Thou hast made eternal, by the same Thou hast pro
mised life eternal to the rest also. Thou enlightening mar vellously from the eternal mountains. Admirably with force
hath been said Thou : that no one may suppose that the mountains enlighten him. For many thinking that they were enlightened by the mere mountains, made to themselves
parties from the mountains; and the very mountains have
fallen downb, and they have been themselves broken in pieces.
Some have made for themselves a Donatus, some have Against made for themselves a Maximianus, some have made for*et?
Augustine, Saint, Bishop of Hippo. Oxford, J. H. Parker, 1847-1857.
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HARVARD COLLEGE LIBRARY
FROM THE BEQUEST OF JAMES WALKER
(Class of 1814)
President of Harvard College "Preference being given io works in ihe Inielleciual
LIBRARY OF FATHERS OK THE
HOLY CATHOLIC CHURCH,
ANTERIOR TO THE DIVISION OF THE EAST AND WEST TRANSlATED BY MEMBERS OP THE ENGlISH CHURCH.
YET sHAll NOT THY TEACHERS BE REMOVED INTO A CORNER ANY MORE, Hl'T THINE EYES SHAll sEE THY TEACHERS. Imiah m. 20.
c#
OXFORD, JOHN HENRY PARKER;
F. AND J. R1VINGTON, LONDON. MDCCCL.
rharvard^ UNIVERSITY
^LIBRARY
J
EXPOSITIONS ON
PSALMS,
AUGUSTINE, BISHOP OF HIPPO,
THAN SLATED,
* WITH NOTES AND INDICES.
IN SIX VOLUMES.
VOL. IV. PSALM LXXVI. -- CI.
OXFORD,
JOHN HENRY PARKER ;
F. AND J. RIVINGTON, LONDON. 1850.
THE BOOK OF
S.
Baxter, printer, oxfort,.
The present Volume is carried to the end of Psalm CI. or Psalm C. in the Latin, where the MSS. of the ' Second Part' usually close. The latter part of the Volume is trans lated by the Rev. H. M. Wilkins, M. A. Fellow of Merton College, Oxford. The last Volumes of St. Chrysostom on St. MAtthew, and on St. John, are in the Press, and like wise St. Chrysostom on the Acts, the Original of which is also preparing for Publication. The Greek Text of St. Chrysostom on the Epistles to the GAlAtiAns and
EphesiAns, and of Theodoret on the RomAns, &c. may be expected in the course of next year.
Advent, 1850.
C. M.
TO THE MEMORY
OF THE
MOST REVEREND FATHER IN GOD
WILLIAM
LORD ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY,
PRIMATE OF All ENGlAND,
FORMERLY REGIUS PROFESSOR OF DIVINITY IN THE UNIVERSITY OF OxFORD, THIS LIBRARY
or
ancient bishops, fAthers, doctors, mArtyrs, confessors,
of Christ's holy cAtholic church,
UNDERTAKEN AMID HIS ENCOURAGEMENT, AND ,
CARRIED ON FOR TWElVE YEARS UNDER HIS SANCTION,
UNTIl HIS DEPARTURE HENCE IN PEACE, is
GRATEFUllY AND REVERENTlY INSCRIBED.
ST. AUGUSTINE ON
THE PSALMS.
PSALM LXXVI. EXPOSITION.
lLat;
Sermon to the Commonalty, wherein he iliiputeth against the Donatists, and treateth ofvows,
1. The enemies of the Lord Jesus Christ, known unto all men, the Jews, are wont to glory in this Psalm which we have sung, saying, Known in Judtsa is God, in Israel great is the name of Him : and to revile the Gentiles to whom God is not known, and to say that to themselves alone God is known ; seeing that the Prophet saith, Known in Judcea is
God : in other places therefore He is unknown. But God
is known in very deed in Judaea, if they understand what is Judaea. For indeed God is not known except in Judsa. Behold even we say this, that except a person shall have
been in Judeea, known to him God cannot be. But what
saith the Apostle ? He that in secret is a Jew, he that is so Eom. 2, in circumcision of the heart, not in letter but in spirit. 29' There are therefore Jews in circumcision of the flesh, and
there are Jews in circumcision of the heart. Many of our holy fathers had both the circumcision of the flesh, for a seal of the faith, and circumcision of the heart, for the faith itself. From these fathers these men degenerating, who now
VOL. IV. B
2 Meaning of JtuLea. The twelve tribes of Israel.
Psalm in the name do glory, and have lost their deeds ; from these A"! ! -fathers, I say, degenerating, they have remained in flesh Jews, in heart Heathens. For these are Jews, who are oat of Abraham, from whom Isaac was born, and out of him Gen. 21 , Jacob, and out of Jacob the twelve Patriarchs, and out of the twelve Patriarchs the whole people of the Jews. But they 32. Sec. were generally called Jews for this reason, that Judas was
one of the twelve sons of Jacob, a Patriarch among the twelve, and from his stock the Royalty came among the Jews. For all this people after the number of the twelve sons of Jacob, had twelve tribes. What we call tribes are as were distinct houses and congregations of people. That people, say, had twelve tribes, out of which twelve
tribes one tribe was Judah, out of which were the kings and there was another tribe, Levi, out of which were the priests. But because to the priests serving the temple no
- land was allotted, but was necessary that among twelve tribes all the Land of promise should be shared: there having been therefore taken out one tribe of higher dignity, the tribe of Levi, which was of the priests, there would
have remained eleven, unless by the adoption of the two sons of Joseph the number twelve were completed.
What this is, observe. One of the twelve sons of Jacob was Joseph. It that Joseph whom his brethren sold into Egypt, and who there on account of his chastity was raised
to an exalted station, and God was with him in all his work and he received his brethren, by whom he had been sold, and his father, weighed down with famine and for the sake of bread going down into Egypt. This Joseph had two sons, Ephraim and Manasse. Jacob, dying, as though will, received those his grandsons into the number of sons, and
Gen. 48, said to his son Joseph, Hie rest that are born shall be to thee but these to me, and they shall divide the land with their brethren. As yet there had not been given nor divided the land of promise, but he was speaking in the Spirit prophesying. The two sons therefore of Joseph being added, there were made up nevertheless twelve tribes, since now there are thirteen. For instead of one tribe of Joseph, two were added, and there were made thirteen. There being taken out then the tribe of Levi, that tribe of priests which
2^
Numb,
;
it
by
;
;
is
I it
'
229
The Jews forfeited their name in renouncing their King. 3
did serve the Temple, and lived by the tithes of all the rest Vrr. unto whom the land was divided, there remain twelve. In ----- these twelve was the tribe of Juda, whence the kings were.
For at first from another tribe was given King Saul, and he l Sam. was rejected as being an evil king; after there was given9'1- from the tribe of Judah King David, and out of him from
the tribe of Judah were the Kings. But Jacob had spoken l Sam. of this, when he blessed his sons, there shall not fail a prince 6^49 out of Judah, nor a leader from his thighs, until there corner-
He to Whom the promise hath been made. But from the
tribe of Judah there came Our Lord Jesus Christ. For He is,
as the Scripture saith, and as ye have but now heard, out 2 Tim. of the seed of David born of Mary. But as regardeth the2'8' Divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ, wherein He is equal with the Father, He isnotonly before the Jews, but also before Abraham John 8, himself; nor only before Abraham, but also before Adam;88'
nor only before Adam, but also before Heaven and earth and
before ages : for all things by Himself were made, and without g? hn 1 , Him there was made nothing. Because therefore in prophecy
hath been said, there shall not fail a prince out of Judah, Gen. 49, nor a leaderfrom his thighs, until there come He for Whom 10-
the promise hath been made : former times are examined,
and we find that the Jews always had their kings of the
tribe of Judah, and had no foreign king before that Herod
who was king when the Lord was born. Thence began Luke 3, foreign kings, from Herod. Before Herod all were of the ' tribe of Judah, but only until there should come He to Whom the promise had been made. Therefore when the
Lord Himself came, the kingdom of the Jews was overthrown,
and removed from the Jews. Now they have no king ; be
cause they will not acknowledge the true King. See now whether they must be called Jews. Now ye do see that they
must not be called Jews. They have themselves with their
own voice resigned that name, so that ihey are not worthy
to be called Jews, except only in the flesh. When did they
sever themselves from that name ? They said -- (they were
raging against Christ, that is, the race of Judah was raging against the Iseed of David. And Pilate sailh to them, Your John 19,
--
crucify? ) they said, I say, We have no king15,
King shall
but Ccesar. O ye who are called Jews and are not, if ye
B2
Psalm
4 The true royalty of David is in Christ.
have no king but Caesar, there hath failed a Prince of Judah: there hath come then He to Whom the promise hath been made. They then are more truly Jews, who have been made Christians out of Jews : the rest of the Jews, who in Christ have not believed, have deserved to lose even the very name. The true Judaea, then, is the Church of Christ, believing in that King, Who hath come out of the tribe of Judah through the Virgin Mary; believing in Him of Whom the Apostle was
2 Tim. just now speaking, in writing to Timothy, Be thou mindful
2' 8'
ihat Jesus Christ hath risen from the dead, of the seed of David, after my Gospel. For of Judah is David, and out of David is the Lord Jesus Christ. We believing in Christ do belong to Judah : and we acknowledge Christ. We, that with eyes have not seen, in faith do keep Him. Let not therefore the Jews revile, who are no longer Jews. They
John19, said themselves, We have no king but Ccesar. For better
16-
were it for them that their king should be Christ, of the seed of David, of the tribe of Judah. Nevertheless because Christ Himself is of the seed of David after the flesh, but
Bom. 9, God above all things blessed for ever, He is Himself our
5'
King and our God ; our King, inasmuch as born of the tribe of Judah, after the flesh, was Christ the Lord, the Saviour; but our God, Who is before Judah, and before
John l, Heaven and earth, by Whom were made all things, both
3'
spiritual and corporal. For if all things by Himself were made ; even Mary herself, out of whom He was born, by Himself was made. How then could He have been born like the rest of mankind, who made unto Himself a mother out of whom He might be born ? Therefore He is Himself the Lord : the Apostle saying, when he was speaking of the
Bom. 9, Jews, of whom are the fathers, and out of whom is Christ 5' after the flesh; Who is over all things, God blessed for ever. Because then the Jews saw Christ and crucified Him, they saw not God : but the Gentiles because they saw not and
believed, have perceived God. Therefore if there appeared
i Cor. 6, to them God in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, and
19'
they crucified Him because they perceived not God hidden in flesh : begone that which is called Judaea and is not; and let there draw near the true Judaea, to whom is said, Draw ye near to Him and be ye enlightened, and your faces shall not
lie is known as God to the true Judah and Israel. 5 blush. The faces of the true Judaea shall not be put to con- Ver'
--
fusion. For they have heard and have believed, and the Church hath become the true Judaea, where Christ is known, Who being Man of the seed of David, is God above David.
2. Known in Judcea is God, in Israel great is the Name of Him. Concerning Israel also we ought so to take it as wo have concerning Judaea: as they were not the true Jews, so neither was that the true Israel. For what is Israel said to be ? One seeing God. And how have they seen God, among whom He walked in the flesh ; and while they supposed Him to be man, they slew Him ? Rising again He appeared as God to all to whom He willed to manifest Himself. They
then are worthy to be called Israel, who merited to perceive Christ, as God clothed in flesh, so that they despised not that which they saw, but adored that which they saw not. For though not seen to the eyes, the Gentiles with humble mind have perceived Him Whom they saw not, and in faith have retained Him. Again, they that in hands held Him, slew Him ; they that in faith held Him, adored. In Israel
great is His Name. Wilt thou be Israel ? Observe that man concerning whom the Lord saith, Behold an Israelite indeed, John 1, in whom guile is not. If a true Israelite is he in whom guile
is not, the guileful and lying are not true Israelites. Let
them not say then, that with them is God, and great is His
name in Israel. Let them prove themselves Israelites, and
I grant that in Israel great is His Name.
3. Ver. 2. And there hath been made in peace a place for Him, and His habitation is in Sion. Again, Sion is as it were the country of the Jews; the true Sion is the Church of Christians. But the interpretation of the Hebrew names is
thus handed down to us : Judaea is interpreted confession, Israel, one seeing God. After Judaea is Israel : so it hath been placed here, Known in Judcea is God, in Israel great is His Name. Wilt thou see God ? First do thou confess, and then in thyself there is made a place for God; because there
hath been made in peace a placefor Him. So long as then thou confessest not thy sins, in a manner thou art quarrelling with God. For how art thou not disputing with Him, who art praising that which displeaseth Him ? He punisheth a thief, thou dost praise theft : He doth punish a drunken man,
6 Inward peace God's dwelling. Beginning of confession.
Psalm thou dost praise drunkenness. Thou art disputing with God, lxxVI'thou hast not made for Him a place in thy heart: because in peace is His place. And how dost thou begin to have
peace with God ? Thou beginnest with Him in confession. Ps. U7, There, is a voice of a Psalm, saying, Begin ye to the Lord in confession. What is, Begin ye to the Lord in confession f Begin ye to be joined to the Lord. In what manner? So that the same thing may displease you as displeaseth Him. There displeaseth Him thy evil life ; if it please thyself, thou art disunited from Him ; if it displease thee, through confession to Him thou art united. See in how great
measure thou art unlike Him, since indeed on account of that very unlikeness thou art displeasing to Him. Thou hast been made, O man, after the image of God : but through thy life being perverse and evil thou hast disturbed in thee and hast banished in thee the image of thy Creator. Having become unlike, thou lookest unto thyself and thou
now from this time thou beginnest to become like, because the same thing is displeasing to thee
as is displeasing to God also.
4. But how am I like, sayest thou, when I am still dis
pleasing to myself? Therefore there hath been said, begin. Ps. 147, Begin thou to the Lord in confession: thou wilt be made
7-
perfect in peace. For as yet thou hast war against thee.
displeasest thyself:
There is enjoined then a war, not only against the sug- Ephet. gestions of the devil, against the prince of the power of this
6' 1 '
air, who worketh in the sons of unbelief, against the devil and his angels, the spiritual things of naughtiness ; not only therefore against them war is enjoined thee, but against thyself. How against thyself ? Against thy evil habit, against the oldness of thy evil life, which draweth thee to thy wonted life, and withholdeth thee from the new.
Jacob, dying, as though will, received those his grandsons into the number of sons, and
Gen. 48, said to his son Joseph, Hie rest that are born shall be to thee but these to me, and they shall divide the land with their brethren. As yet there had not been given nor divided the land of promise, but he was speaking in the Spirit prophesying. The two sons therefore of Joseph being added, there were made up nevertheless twelve tribes, since now there are thirteen. For instead of one tribe of Joseph, two were added, and there were made thirteen. There being taken out then the tribe of Levi, that tribe of priests which
2^
Numb,
;
it
by
;
;
is
I it
'
229
The Jews forfeited their name in renouncing their King. 3
did serve the Temple, and lived by the tithes of all the rest Vrr. unto whom the land was divided, there remain twelve. In ----- these twelve was the tribe of Juda, whence the kings were.
For at first from another tribe was given King Saul, and he l Sam. was rejected as being an evil king; after there was given9'1- from the tribe of Judah King David, and out of him from
the tribe of Judah were the Kings. But Jacob had spoken l Sam. of this, when he blessed his sons, there shall not fail a prince 6^49 out of Judah, nor a leader from his thighs, until there corner-
He to Whom the promise hath been made. But from the
tribe of Judah there came Our Lord Jesus Christ. For He is,
as the Scripture saith, and as ye have but now heard, out 2 Tim. of the seed of David born of Mary. But as regardeth the2'8' Divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ, wherein He is equal with the Father, He isnotonly before the Jews, but also before Abraham John 8, himself; nor only before Abraham, but also before Adam;88'
nor only before Adam, but also before Heaven and earth and
before ages : for all things by Himself were made, and without g? hn 1 , Him there was made nothing. Because therefore in prophecy
hath been said, there shall not fail a prince out of Judah, Gen. 49, nor a leaderfrom his thighs, until there come He for Whom 10-
the promise hath been made : former times are examined,
and we find that the Jews always had their kings of the
tribe of Judah, and had no foreign king before that Herod
who was king when the Lord was born. Thence began Luke 3, foreign kings, from Herod. Before Herod all were of the ' tribe of Judah, but only until there should come He to Whom the promise had been made. Therefore when the
Lord Himself came, the kingdom of the Jews was overthrown,
and removed from the Jews. Now they have no king ; be
cause they will not acknowledge the true King. See now whether they must be called Jews. Now ye do see that they
must not be called Jews. They have themselves with their
own voice resigned that name, so that ihey are not worthy
to be called Jews, except only in the flesh. When did they
sever themselves from that name ? They said -- (they were
raging against Christ, that is, the race of Judah was raging against the Iseed of David. And Pilate sailh to them, Your John 19,
--
crucify? ) they said, I say, We have no king15,
King shall
but Ccesar. O ye who are called Jews and are not, if ye
B2
Psalm
4 The true royalty of David is in Christ.
have no king but Caesar, there hath failed a Prince of Judah: there hath come then He to Whom the promise hath been made. They then are more truly Jews, who have been made Christians out of Jews : the rest of the Jews, who in Christ have not believed, have deserved to lose even the very name. The true Judaea, then, is the Church of Christ, believing in that King, Who hath come out of the tribe of Judah through the Virgin Mary; believing in Him of Whom the Apostle was
2 Tim. just now speaking, in writing to Timothy, Be thou mindful
2' 8'
ihat Jesus Christ hath risen from the dead, of the seed of David, after my Gospel. For of Judah is David, and out of David is the Lord Jesus Christ. We believing in Christ do belong to Judah : and we acknowledge Christ. We, that with eyes have not seen, in faith do keep Him. Let not therefore the Jews revile, who are no longer Jews. They
John19, said themselves, We have no king but Ccesar. For better
16-
were it for them that their king should be Christ, of the seed of David, of the tribe of Judah. Nevertheless because Christ Himself is of the seed of David after the flesh, but
Bom. 9, God above all things blessed for ever, He is Himself our
5'
King and our God ; our King, inasmuch as born of the tribe of Judah, after the flesh, was Christ the Lord, the Saviour; but our God, Who is before Judah, and before
John l, Heaven and earth, by Whom were made all things, both
3'
spiritual and corporal. For if all things by Himself were made ; even Mary herself, out of whom He was born, by Himself was made. How then could He have been born like the rest of mankind, who made unto Himself a mother out of whom He might be born ? Therefore He is Himself the Lord : the Apostle saying, when he was speaking of the
Bom. 9, Jews, of whom are the fathers, and out of whom is Christ 5' after the flesh; Who is over all things, God blessed for ever. Because then the Jews saw Christ and crucified Him, they saw not God : but the Gentiles because they saw not and
believed, have perceived God. Therefore if there appeared
i Cor. 6, to them God in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, and
19'
they crucified Him because they perceived not God hidden in flesh : begone that which is called Judaea and is not; and let there draw near the true Judaea, to whom is said, Draw ye near to Him and be ye enlightened, and your faces shall not
lie is known as God to the true Judah and Israel. 5 blush. The faces of the true Judaea shall not be put to con- Ver'
--
fusion. For they have heard and have believed, and the Church hath become the true Judaea, where Christ is known, Who being Man of the seed of David, is God above David.
2. Known in Judcea is God, in Israel great is the Name of Him. Concerning Israel also we ought so to take it as wo have concerning Judaea: as they were not the true Jews, so neither was that the true Israel. For what is Israel said to be ? One seeing God. And how have they seen God, among whom He walked in the flesh ; and while they supposed Him to be man, they slew Him ? Rising again He appeared as God to all to whom He willed to manifest Himself. They
then are worthy to be called Israel, who merited to perceive Christ, as God clothed in flesh, so that they despised not that which they saw, but adored that which they saw not. For though not seen to the eyes, the Gentiles with humble mind have perceived Him Whom they saw not, and in faith have retained Him. Again, they that in hands held Him, slew Him ; they that in faith held Him, adored. In Israel
great is His Name. Wilt thou be Israel ? Observe that man concerning whom the Lord saith, Behold an Israelite indeed, John 1, in whom guile is not. If a true Israelite is he in whom guile
is not, the guileful and lying are not true Israelites. Let
them not say then, that with them is God, and great is His
name in Israel. Let them prove themselves Israelites, and
I grant that in Israel great is His Name.
3. Ver. 2. And there hath been made in peace a place for Him, and His habitation is in Sion. Again, Sion is as it were the country of the Jews; the true Sion is the Church of Christians. But the interpretation of the Hebrew names is
thus handed down to us : Judaea is interpreted confession, Israel, one seeing God. After Judaea is Israel : so it hath been placed here, Known in Judcea is God, in Israel great is His Name. Wilt thou see God ? First do thou confess, and then in thyself there is made a place for God; because there
hath been made in peace a placefor Him. So long as then thou confessest not thy sins, in a manner thou art quarrelling with God. For how art thou not disputing with Him, who art praising that which displeaseth Him ? He punisheth a thief, thou dost praise theft : He doth punish a drunken man,
6 Inward peace God's dwelling. Beginning of confession.
Psalm thou dost praise drunkenness. Thou art disputing with God, lxxVI'thou hast not made for Him a place in thy heart: because in peace is His place. And how dost thou begin to have
peace with God ? Thou beginnest with Him in confession. Ps. U7, There, is a voice of a Psalm, saying, Begin ye to the Lord in confession. What is, Begin ye to the Lord in confession f Begin ye to be joined to the Lord. In what manner? So that the same thing may displease you as displeaseth Him. There displeaseth Him thy evil life ; if it please thyself, thou art disunited from Him ; if it displease thee, through confession to Him thou art united. See in how great
measure thou art unlike Him, since indeed on account of that very unlikeness thou art displeasing to Him. Thou hast been made, O man, after the image of God : but through thy life being perverse and evil thou hast disturbed in thee and hast banished in thee the image of thy Creator. Having become unlike, thou lookest unto thyself and thou
now from this time thou beginnest to become like, because the same thing is displeasing to thee
as is displeasing to God also.
4. But how am I like, sayest thou, when I am still dis
pleasing to myself? Therefore there hath been said, begin. Ps. 147, Begin thou to the Lord in confession: thou wilt be made
7-
perfect in peace. For as yet thou hast war against thee.
displeasest thyself:
There is enjoined then a war, not only against the sug- Ephet. gestions of the devil, against the prince of the power of this
6' 1 '
air, who worketh in the sons of unbelief, against the devil and his angels, the spiritual things of naughtiness ; not only therefore against them war is enjoined thee, but against thyself. How against thyself ? Against thy evil habit, against the oldness of thy evil life, which draweth thee to thy wonted life, and withholdeth thee from the new. For there is en joined upon thee a kind of new life, and thou art old. By the joy of that newness thou art held aloft, by the burden of the oldness thou art weighed down : there beginneth to be war for thee against thyself. But by the part wherein thou art displeased with thyself thou art being united to God; and by that part whereby thou art now being joined to God, thou wilt be meet to conquer thyself ; because He is with thee Who overcometh all things. Observe what the Apostle
In what sense the flesh still serves sin. 7
saith : With the mind I serve the law of God, but with the Ver. flesh the law of sin. How with mind ? Because thy evil Ro^' - '
life is displeasing to thee. How with flesh ? Because there 26. are not wanting evil suggestions and affections of pleasure ; but in that with mind thou art united with God, thou art conquering in thyself that which in thyself is not willing to follow. For thou hast gone before in part, and in part thou art held back.
upward. With
weighed down :
who shall deliver me from the body of this death ? Who 24, shall deliver me from that wherewith I am being weighed
down? For the body which is corrupted doth weigh downVTM. 9,
Draw thyself to Him, Who is raising thee a sort of weight of o kin ess thou art Ibeing
cry out and say, Unhappy man tftat
am, Rom.
7,
suffer thee long time to contend with thyself, until there be swallowed up all evil desires ? In order that thou mayest
in thyself thy penance. In thee from thyself is thy rod: let thy strife be with thyself. Thus vengeance is taken upon a rebel against God, in such sort that he is himself a war unto himself, who would not have peace with God. But keep thy members against thy evil desires. There hath sprung up wrath, refrain thy hand, taking part with God. It might have arisen, but it hath found no weapons. In thy wrath is the onset, in thyself are the weapons : be the onset without weapons, and it leameth no longer to rise, which hath risen in vain.
5. But this I say, dearly beloved, lest perchance because
we have said, But with flesh to the law of sin, ye may R0m. 7, think that ye ought to consent to your carnal desires. 25- Though there cannot now but be carnal desires, we must
not consent to them. Therefore the Apostle hath not said,
Be there not sin in your mortal body. For he knoweth
that so long as it is mortal, there is there sin. But he saith
what? Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body. Rom. 6, What is, Let it not reign ? He hath himself explained : 12'
to obey, he saith, the desires thereof. There are desires,
there arise desires, thou dost not obey thy desires, dost not
follow the same desires, dost not consent to them : there is
in thee sin, but it hath lost its reign, now that in thee there
the souL Who, I say, shall deliver me? The grace
God through Jesus Christ our Lord. But why doth He26.
perceive
of^m 7
8 After Resurrection the flesh will tempt no more.
Psai. m reigneth not sin, hereafter the last enemy shall be destroyed, iT5o7~ death. But what is promised to us? For it hath been said, 16, 26. With mind 1 serve the law of God, but with flesh the law of ^? m- 7' sin. Hear the promise, that there will not always be in the
flesh unlawful desires. For it will rise again, and it will be changed: and when this mortal flesh shall have been changed into a spiritual body, then no more with any earthly delights shall it allure the soul, nor shall divert it from the contem plation of God. There is then done in her that whereof the
Rom. 8, Apostle speaketh, The body indeed is dead because of sin; but the spirit is life because of righteousness. But if He that hath raised up Jesus from the dead doth dwell in you; He that hath raised %ip Jesus Christ from the dead shall
bring to life also your mortal bodies, because of His Spirit Which dweUeth in you. When our bodies then have been brought to life, there will be true peace, where there is a place for God: but let confession go before. Known in
Judcea is God: confess thou therefore first. In Israel great is His Name: not yet thou seest in form, see thou by faith ; and there shall be made in thee that which followeth : and there hath been made in peace a place for Him, and His dwelling is in Sion. Sion is interpreted contemplation". What is
l Cor. contemplation ? For we shall contemplate God face to face. 13' 12' He is promised to us, in Whom now not seeing we believe.
How shall we rejoice when we shall have seen Him ! Brethren, if now so great joy the promise doth work in us, how great joy will the performance work ? For there will be rendered to us that which He hath promised P And what hath He promised? Himself, so that in His face and in the con templation of Him we may rejoice : and not any other object will delight us, because nothing is better than He that hath made all things which delight. There hath been made in peace a place for Him, and His dwelling is in Sion: that is, in a kind of contemplation and speculation, there hath
been made a dwelling for Him, in Sion.
6. Ver. 3. There He hath broken the strength of bows, and
the shield, and the sword, and the battle. Where hath He
broken ? In that eternal peace, in that perfect peace. And
? Oxf. Mss. and some others, ' we brethren whom we see present also to- naid it already yesterday, and some day heard, what is contemplation. '
The spiritual mountains made eternal by grace. 9
now, my brethren, they that have rightly believed see that Ver. they ought not to rely on themselves : and all the might of ----- their own menaces, and whatsoever is in them whetted for mischief, this they break in pieces ; and whatsoever they
deem of great virtue wherewith to protect themselves tempo rally, and the war which they were waging against God by defending their sins, all these things He hath broken there.
7. Ver. 4. Thou enlightening marvellously from the eternal mountains. What are the eternal mountains? Those which He hath Himself made eternal ; which are the great moun tains, the preachers of truth. Thou dost enlighten, but from the eternal mountains : the great mountains are first to re ceive Thy light, and from Thy light which the mountains receive, the earth also is clothed. But those great mountains the Apostles have received, the Apostles have received as it were the first streaks of the risinglight. Did they by any means
keep to themselves that which they received ? No. Lest
there should be said to them, Servant naughty and slothful, Mat. 26, thou shouldest have given my money to the usurers. Since 26' then that which they received they kept not to themselves,
but they preached it to all the round world ; Thou enlight
ening marvellously from the eternal mountains. By those
which Thou hast made eternal, by the same Thou hast pro
mised life eternal to the rest also. Thou enlightening mar vellously from the eternal mountains. Admirably with force
hath been said Thou : that no one may suppose that the mountains enlighten him. For many thinking that they were enlightened by the mere mountains, made to themselves
parties from the mountains; and the very mountains have
fallen downb, and they have been themselves broken in pieces.
Some have made for themselves a Donatus, some have Against made for themselves a Maximianus, some have made for*et?
