Whence
' some most mischievous heretics would assert that He had no mother and they do not see that follows from this, they pay attention to these words, that neither had His
disciples fathers.
' some most mischievous heretics would assert that He had no mother and they do not see that follows from this, they pay attention to these words, that neither had His
disciples fathers.
Augustine - Exposition on the Psalms - v1
6, moreover is taken for, so to say, the foot of the tree.
Charity 10.
too is called a root, where the Lord speaks of the seed,
which in the stony places withers under the scorching sun, because it had not deep root. Whereby He points out Mat. 13, those, that rejoice in receiving the word of truth, but give5' ' way in persecution, which can be withstood by love only.
And the Apostle says, That being rooted and grounded in Eph. 3,
love, ye may be able to take in. The foot then of sinners, that is, their love, is taken in the snare, which they hide : for when delight shall have followed on to deceitful dealing, when God shall have delivered them over to the lust of their heart; that delight at once binds them, that they dare not tear away their love thence and apply it to profitable objects ; for when they shall make the attempt, they will be pained
in heart, as if desiring to free their foot from a fetter : and giving way under this pain they refuse to withdraw from
"
In the snare then which they have hid, that is, in deceitful counsel, their foot hath been taken, that is their love, which through deceit attains to that vain joy
whereby pain is purchased.
16. Ver. 16. The Lord is known executing judgments.
These are God's judgments. Not from that tranquillity of His blessedness, nor from the secret places of wisdom, wherein blessed souls are received, is the sword, or fire, or wild beast, or any such thing brought forth, whereby sinners may be tormented: but how are they tormented, and how
pernicious delights.
does the Lord do judgment ?
In the works, he says, of
his own hands hath the sinner been caught. g2
84 Prayerforjudgment. Antichrist set over the wicked.
17. Here is interposed, The song of the diapsalma : as it
Psalms
--:--" were the hidden joy, as far as we can imagine, of the
separation which is now made, not in place, but in the affections of the heart, between sinners and the righteous, as of the corn from the chaff, as yet on the floor. And then follows, (ver. 17. ) Let the sinners be turned into hell: that is, let them be given into their own hands, when they are spared, and let them be ensnared in deadly delight. All
Bom. l , the nations that forget God. Because when they did not
28'
think good to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind.
18. Ver. 18. For there shall not be forgetfulness of tho poor man to the end: who now seems to be in forgetfulness, when sinners are thought to flourish in this world's happiness,
and the righteous to be in travail : but the patience, saith He, of the poor shall not perish for ever. Wherefore there is need of patience now to bear with the evil, who are already separated in will, till they be also separated at the last
judgment.
19. Ver. 19. Arise, O Lord, let not man prevail. The
future judgment is prayed for: but before it come, Let the heathen, saith he, be judged in Thy sight : that is, in secret ; which is called in God's sight, with the knowledge of a few holy and righteous ones. (Ver. 20. ) Place a lawgiver over them, 0 Lord. He seems to me to point out Antichrist : of
a Thes? . whom the Apostle says, When the man of sin shall be
"'""
revealed. Let the heathen know that they are men. That they who will be set free by the Son of God, and belong to the Son of Man, and be sons of men, that new men, may serve man, that is, the old man the sinner,ybr that they are men.
20. And because believed that he
great pitch of empty glory, and he will be permitted to do so great things, both against all men and against the Saints of God, that then some weak ones shall indeed think that God cares not for human affairs, the Psalmist
diapsalma, adds as were the voice of men groaning and asking why judgment deferred. (Psalm X. ver. l. b) Why,
The two Psalms are combined
in the Vulgate, but the verses begin Hebrteos. '
again for this, as, 'Ps. x. secundum
to arrive at so
interposing
t,
is it
it is
a
a
is is,
Relief delayed, longed for. Present impurity, great wrath. 85
0 Lord, saith he, hast Thou withdrawn afar off? Then he who thus inquired, as if all on a sudden he understood, or as if he asked, though he knew, that he might teach, adds, Thou despisest in due seasons, in tribulations : that is, Thou
despisest seasonably, and causest tribulations to inflame men's minds with longing for Thy coming. For that fountain of life is sweeter to them, that have much thirst. Therefore he hints the reason of the delay, saying, (ver. 2. ) Whilst the ungodly vaunteth himself, the poor man is inflamed. Won drous it is and true with what earnestness of good hope the little ones are inflamed unto an upright living by comparison with sinners. In which mystery it comes to pass, that even
heresies are permitted to exist ; not that heretics themselves wish this, but because Divine Providence worketh this result from their sins, Which both maketh and ordaineth the light ; but ordereth only the darkness, that by comparison therewith the light may be more pleasant, as by comparison with
heretics the discovery of truth is more sweet. For so, by this comparison, the approved, who are known to God, are made manifest among men.
21. They are taken in their thoughts, which they think: that is, their evil thoughts become chains to them. But how become they chains ? (ver. 3. ) For the sinner is praised, saith he, in the desires of his soul. The tongues of flatterers bind souls in sin. For there is pleasure in doing those things, in which not only is no reprover feared, but even an approver heard. And he that does unrighteous deeds is blessed. Hence
are they taken in their thoughts, which they think.
22. Ver. 4. The sinner hath angered the Lord. Let no one congratulate the man, that prospers in his way, to whose
sins no avenger is nigh, and an approver is by. This is the greater anger of the Lord. For the sinner hath angered the Lord, that he should suffer these things, that should not suffer the scourging of correction. The sinner hath angered the Lord: according to the multitude of His anger He will not search out. Great His anger, when He searcheth not out, when He as were forgetteth and marketh not sin,
and by fraud and wickedness man attains to riches and honours which will especially be the case in that Antichrist,
:
it
it
is
is,
86 Antichrist, losing sight of God, seeks fame by evil arts. Psalm who will seem to men blessed to that degree, that he will even
x.
be thought God. But how great this anger of God is, we are taught by what follows.
23. God is not in his sight, (ver. 5. ) his ways are polluted in all time. He that knows what in the soul gives joy and gladness, knows how great an ill it is to be abandoned by the light of truth : since a great ill do men reckon the blindness
of their bodily eyes, whereby this light is withdrawn. How great then the punishment he endures, who through the pros perous issue of his sins is brought to that pass, that God is not in his sight, and that his ways are polluted in all time, that is, his thoughts and counsels are unclean ? Thy judg ments are taken away from his face. For the mind conscious
of evil, whilst it seems to itself to suffer no punishment, believes that God doth not judge, and so are God's judgments taken away from its face ; while this very thing is great con demnation. And he shall have dominion over all his enemies. For so is it delivered, that he will overcome all kings, and alone obtain the kingdom ; since too according
2Thess. to the Apostle, who preaches concerning him, He shall sit
''
in the temple of God, exalting himself above all that is wor shipped and that is called God.
24. And seeing that being delivered over to the lust of l ultima', his own heart, and predestinated to extreme1 condemnation, he is to come, by wicked arts, to that vain and empty height
and rule ; tIherefore it follows, (ver. 6. ) For he hath said in
cannot be silent concerning it. For a mind abandoned and void of good arts, and estranged from the light of righteous ness, by bad arts devises a passage for itself to a fame so lasting, as is celebrated even in posterity. And they that cannot be known for good, desire that men should speak of
shall not move generation to generation from
his heart,
without evil : that is, my fame and my name will not pass from this generation to the generation of posterity, unless by evil arts I acquire so lofty a principality, that posterity
them even for ill, provided that their name spread far and
wide. And this I think is here meant, / shall not move from generation to generation without evil. There is too another interpretation, if a mind vain and full of error
Magical arts for heaven. Evil toil. Ill-gotten riches. 87
supposes that it cannot come from the mortal generation to Ver.
the generation of eternity, but by bad arts : which indeed
was also reported of Simon, when he thought that he would
gain heaven by wicked arts, and pass from the human generation to the generation divine by magic. Where then
is the wonder, if that man of sin too, who is to fill up all the wickedness and ungodliness, which all false prophets have begun, and to do such great signs; that, if it were possible, Mat. 24,
/ not move from generation to generation without evil ?
Acts 8 9.
shall24'
he should deceive the very elect, shall say in his heart,
Ver. 7. Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness and deceit. For it is a great curse, to seek heaven by such abo minable arts, and to get together such earnings for acquiring the eternal seat. But of this cursing his mouth is full. For
this desire shall not take effect, but within his mouth only will avail to destroy him, who dared promise himself such things with bitterness and deceit, that with anger and insidiousness, whereby he to bring over the multitude to his side. Under his tongue is toil and grief. Nothing more toilsome than unrighteousness and ungodliness
upon which toil follows grief; for that the toil not only without fruit, but even unto destruction. Which toil and grief refers
to that which he hath said in his heart, shall not be moved from generation to generation without evil. And therefore, under his tongue, not on his tongue, because he will devise
these things in silence, and to men will speak other things, that he may appear good and just, and son of God.
26. Ver. 8. He lieth in ambush with the rich. What rich, but those whom he will load with this world's gifts And he therefore said to lie in ambush with them, because he will display their false happiness to deceive men who, when with perverted will they desire to be such as they, and seek not the good things eternal, will fall into his snares.
That in the dark he may kill the innocent. In the dark', in 00 suppose, said, where not easily understood what should be sought, or what avoided. Now to kill the inno
cent, of an innocent to make one guilty.
27. His eyes look against the poor, for he chiefly to
persecute the righteous, of whom said, Blessed are the Matt. ;5,
poor in spirit, for theirs the kingdom
heaven,
(ver. 9. )
is
it is
is
it
is
is
is a
is aI of
is
is,
is
I' "
? is
;
:
88 Violence and craft of Antichrist ; success his ruin.
Psalm He lieth in wait in a secret place, as a lion in his den. By "a lion in a den, he means one, in whom both violence and deceit will work. For the first persecution of the Church was
violent, when by proscriptions, by torments, by murders, the Christians were compelled to sacrifice : another persecution is crafty, which is now conducted by heretics of any kind and false brethren : there remains a third, which is to come by Antichrist, than which there is nothing more perilous ; for it will be at once violent and crafty. Violence he will exert in
empire, craft in miracles. To the violence, the word lion re fers ; to craft, the words in his den. And these are again re peated with a change of order. He lieth in wait, he says, that he may catch the poor ; this hath reference to craft: but what follows, To catch the poor whilst he draweth him,is put to the score of violence. For draweth means, he bringeth him to himself by violence, by whatever tortures he can.
28. Again, the two which follow are the same. Ver. 10. In his snare he will humble him, is craft He shall decline and Jail, whilst he shall have domination over the poor, is violence. For a snare naturally points to lying in wait: but domination most openly conveys the idea of terror. And well does he say, He will humble him in his
snare. For when he shall begin to do those signs, the more wonderful they shall appear to men, the more those Saints that shall be then will be despised, and, as itwere,setat nought: he, whom they shall resist by righteousness and innocence, shall seem to overcome by the marvels that he does. But he shall decline andfall, whilst he shall have domination over the poor; that is, whilst he shall inflict whatsoever punishments he will upon the servants of God that resist him.
29. But how shall he decline, and fall ? (ver. 11. ) For he hath saidin his heart, God hath forgotten ; He turneth away Hisface, that He see not unto the end. This is declining, and the most wretched fall, while the mind of a man prospers as it were in its iniquities, and thinks that it is spared ; when it is being blinded, and kept for an extreme and timely
vengeance: of which the Psalmist now speaks : (ver. 12. ) Arise, O Lord God, let Thine hand be exalted : that is, let Thy Ts. 9, 19. power be made manifest. Now he had said above, Arise, O
Vain thoughts of men that God will not avenge. 89
Lord, let not man prevail, let the heathen be judged in Thy Ver. sight : that is, in secret, where God alone seeth. This comes ---- to pass, when the ungodly have arrived at what seems great happiness to men : over whom is placed a lawgiver, such as
they had deserved to have of whom it is said, Place a law- Ps. 9,20. giver over them, O Lord, let the heathen know that they are
men. But now after that hidden punishment and vengeance
it is said, Arise, O Lord God, let Thine hand be exalted ;
not of course in secret, but now in glory most manifest. That Thou forget not the poor unto the end ; that as the un godly think, who say, God hath forgotten, He turneth away
His face, that He should not see unto the end. Now they deny that God seeth unto the end, who say that He careth
not for things human and earthly, for the earth as were
the end of things; in that the last element, in which men labour in most orderly sort, but they cannot see the order of their labours, which specially belongs to the hidden things of
the Son. The Church then labouring in such times, like Matt. ship in great waves and tempests, awaketh the Lord as He were sleeping, that He should command the winds, and calm should be restored. He says therefore, Arise, O Lord God,
let Thine hand be exalted, that Thou forget not the poor unto the end.
30. Accordingly understanding now the manifestjudgment, and in exultation at they say, (ver. 13. ) Wherefore hath the ungodly angered God that is, what hath profited him to do so great evil For he said in his heart, He will not require it. Then follows, (ver. 14. ) For Thou seest toil and consider est anger, to deliver them into Thine hands. This sen
tence looks for distinct explanation, wherein there shall be error becomes obscure. For thus has the ungodly said in his heart, God will not require as though God regarded toil and anger, to deliver them into His hands; that as though He feared toil and anger, and for this reason would spare them, lest their punishment be too burdensome to Him, or lest
Heshonld be disturbed by the storm of anger: as men generally act, excusing themselves of vengeance, to avoid toil or anger. 31. The poor hath been left unto Thee. For therefore
is he poor, that is, hath despised all the temporal goods of this world, that Thou only mayest be his hope. Thou will
is,
is
is,
it,
it
if
it
?
it, ?
it is
if
8,
it a
90 God a Father to the world's orphans. He * hears' man's lunging. Psalm be a helper to the orphan, that to him to whom his father
lX.
Gal. 14,
Matt. 33
Matt.
Ps. 57,
Rom 25.
this world, by whom he was born after the flesh, dies, and who can already say, The world hath been crucified unto me, and unto the world. For of such orphans God becomes the Father. The Lord teaches us in truth that His disciples do become orphans, to whom He saith, Call no man father on earth. Of which He first Himself gave an example in saying, Who my mother, and who my brethren?
Whence
' some most mischievous heretics would assert that He had no mother and they do not see that follows from this, they pay attention to these words, that neither had His
disciples fathers. For as He said, Who is my mother? so He taught them, when He said, Call no man your father on earth.
32. Ver. 15. Break the arm of the sinner and of the malicious; of him, namely, of whom was said above, He shall have dominion over all his enemies. He called his power then, his arm to which Christ's power opposed, of which said, Arise, Lord God, let Thine hand be ex alted. His fault shall be required, and he shall not be found because of' it' that he shall be judged for his sins, and himself shall perish because of his sin. After this, what wonder there follow, (ver. 16. ) The Lord shall reign for ever and world without end; ye heathen shall perish out of
His earth He uses heathen for sinners and ungodly.
33. Ver. 17. The Lord hath heard the longing of the poor: that longing wherewith they were burning, when in the straits and tribulations of this world they desired the
day of the Lord. Thine ear hath heard the preparation their heart. This the preparation of the heart, of which sung in another Psalm, My heart prepared, God, my heart ** prepared: of which the Apostle says, But we hope for what we see not, we do with patience wait for it. Now, by the ear of God, we ought, according to general rule of interpretation, to understand not bodily member, but the power whereby He heareth and so, (not to repeat this often,) by whatever members of His are mentioned, which in
us are visible and bodily, must be understood powers of
* LXX. var. lect. <<Jt*>, because part of the text, as some Mss. are of it,' these words should be marked as pointed.
of
V '
is
is,
; O
;
is,
a
it it
8
it I is
a
if 0
if
is
if ?
it ; ;is is
is
', 9.
6,
Open judgmentfor the humble, by the Son of God or of David. 91
operation. For we must not suppose it any thing bodily, Ver. in that1 the Lord God hears not the sound of the voice, but----'
. . .
, al.
the preparation of the heart. << where-
34. Ver. 18. To judge for the orphan and the humble : Wlth"' that is, not for him who is conformed to this world, nor for
the proud. For it is one thing to judge the orphan, another
to judge for the orphan. He judges the orphan even, who
condemns him ; but he judges for the orphan, who delivers sentence for him. That man add not further to magnify himself upon earth. For they are men, of whom it was said,
Place a lawgiver over them, O Lord: let the heathen know Ps. 9,20.
that they are men. But he too, who in this same passage is understood to be placed over them, will be man, of whom it is now said, That man add not further to magnify himself upon earth: namely, when the Son of Man shall come to judge for the orphan, who hath put off from himself the old man, and
thus, as it were, buried his father.
35. After the hidden things then of the Son, of which, in
this Psalm, many things have been said, will come the mani fest things of the Son, of which a little has been now said at the end of the same Psalm. But the title is given from the former, which here occupy the larger portion. Indeed, the
very day of the Lord's advent may be rightly numbered among the hidden things of the Son, although the very presence of the Lord itself will be manifest. For of that day Mark it is said, that no man knoweth neither angels, nor powers, 13' 32. nor the Son of man. What then so hidden, as that which
said to be hidden even to the Judge Himself, not as regards knowledge, but disclosure But concerning the hidden things of the Son, even any one would not wish to under stand the Son of God, but of David himself, to whose name the whole Psalter attributed, for the Psalms we know are
called the Psalms of David, let him give ear to those words
in which said to the Lord, Have mercy on us, Soti ofmm.
David: and so even in this manner let him understand the same Lord Christ, concerning Whose hidden things the inscription of this Psalm. For so likewise said by the
'
Angel: God shall give unto Him the throne of His father Luke David. Nor to this understanding of the sentence opposed in which the same Lord asks of the Jews, Christ
If
0 is
it is
is it
'
' l,
it is
is
if
?
is
it,
92 David's Son his Lord. Christ the Mountain.
Psalm be the Son of David, how then doth he in spirit call Him
place, the most true and pure faith, that He is both the Lord John l, of king David, in that He is the Word in the beginning, God with God, by Which all things were made; and Son, in
that He was made to him of the seed of David according to Rom. l, the flesh. For He doth not say, Christ is not David's Son, but if ye already hold that He is his Son, learn how He is his Lord : and do not hold in respect of Christ that He is the Son of Man, for so is He David's Son ; and leave
out that He is the Sou of God, for so is He David's Lord.
? Lord, saying, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit Thou on my
Mat. 22,
43. 44. right hand, until Iput Thine enemies under Thy
For it was said to the unskilled, who although they looked for Christ's coming, yet expected Him as man, not as the Power and Wisdom of God. He teacheth then, in that
1. This title does not require a fresh consideration: for See on the meaning of, to the end, has already been sufficiently handled. Let us then look to the text itself of the Psalm,
1 Dona- which to me appears to be sung against the heretics1, who, by rehearsing and exaggerating the sins of many in the Church, as if either all or the majority among themselves were righteous, strive to turn and snatch us away from the
breasts of the one True Mother Church : affirming that Christ is with them, and warning us as if with piety and earnestness, that by passing over to them we may go over to Christ, Whom they falsely declare they have. Now it is known that in prophecy Christ, among the many names in
See on which notice of Him is conveyed in allegory, is also called Ps. 3, 3. a mountain. We must accordingly answer these people and say, (ver. 1. ) / trust in the Lord: how say ye to my soul, Remove into the mountains as a sparrow ? I keep to one mountain wherein I trust, how say ye that I should pass
over to you, as if there were many Christs ? Or if through pride you say that you are mountains, I had indeed need to be a sparrow winged with the powers and commandments
feet.
at. X.
PSALM XI.
To the end, a Psalm of David himself.
Call to false mountains. The Moon a type of the Church. 93
of God : but these very things hinder my flying to these Ver. 2. mountains, and placing my trust in proud men. I have a
house where I may rest, in that I trust in the Lord. For
even the sparrow hath found her a house, and, The Lord Ps. 84,3. hath become a refuge to the poor. Let us say then with all "' ' " confidence, lest while weIseek Christ among heretics we
2. Ver. 2. For, lo, sinners have bent the bow, they have prepared their arrows in the quiver, that they may in the obscure moon shoot at the upright in heart. These be the
terrors of those who threaten us as touching sinners, that we may pass over to them as the righteous. Lo, they say, the sinners have bent the bow: the Scriptures, I suppose, by carnal interpretation of which they emit envenomed sen tences from them. They have prepared their arrows in the quiver: the same words that is, which they will shoot out on the authority of Scripture, they have prepared in the secret place of the heart. That they may in the obscure moon shoot at the upright in heart: that when they see, from the Church's light being obscured by the multitude of the un learned and the carnal, that they cannot be convicted, they
lose Him, In the Lord
Remove into the mountains as a sparrow ?
trust: how say ye to my soul,
may corrupt good manners by evil communicatioIns. But l Cor.
against all these terrors we must say, In the Lord
3. Now I remember that I promised to consider in this
Psalm with what suitableness the moon signifies the Church. There are two probable opinions concerning the moon : but^PTM of these which is the true, I suppose it either impossible or very difficult for a man to decide. For when we ask whence
the moon has her light, some say that it is her own, but
that of her globe half is bright, and half dark : and when she
revolves in her own orbit, that part wherein she is bright gradually turns towards the earth, so as that it may be seen by us ; and that therefore at first her appearance is as
if she were horned. For if you make a ball half white and half dark ; if you have the dark part before your eyes, you see none of the white: and when you begin turning that white part to your eyes, if you do it gradually, at first you
will see horns of whiteness ; afterwards it increases gradually, until the whole white part is brought opposite to the eye,
trust.
'
94 The Church part light, part dark--lighted by the Sun.
Psalm and none of the other dark part is visible : but if you con- -- tinue still gradually turning, the darkness begins to appear and the whiteness to diminish, until it returns again to horns, and is at last wholly removed from the eye, and again that dark part alone can be seen, which they say takes place,
when the light of the moon seems to increase up to the fifteenth day, and again diminishes up to the thirtieth, and returns to horns, until no light at all appears in it. Ac cording to this opinion the moon in allegory signifies the Church, because in its spiritual part the Church is bright, but in its carnal part is dark : and sometimes the spiritual part is seen by good works, but sometimes it lies hid in the conscience, and is known to God alone, since in the body alone is it seen by men. As happens, when we pray in heart, and as it were seem to be doing nothing, whilst we are enjoined to have our hearts upward, not to the earth, but toward the Lord. But others say that the moon has no light of her own, but is lighted by the sun: but that when she is with she keeps that part in which she not lighted towards us, and therefore there no light visible in her: but when she begins to recede from the sun, she lighted in that part also, which towards the earth
and that she necessarily begins with horns, until on the fifteenth day she becomes opposite the sun (for then she rises when the sun sets, so that whosoever shall observe the sun setting, he turn to the east as he first loses sight of it, may see the moon rising;) and thenceforward when she begins to approach him on the other side, she turns towards us that part, in which she not lighted, till she returns to horns, and afterwards altogether vanishes because then the part which lighted on high towards the heaven, but towards the earth the part which the sun cannot irradiate. Therefore according to this opinion also the moon under
stood to be the Church, because she has no light of her own, but lighted by the only-begotten Son of God, Who in
many places of holy Scripture allegorically called the Sun. "Whom certain heretics being ignorant of, and not able to discern Him, endeavour to turn away the minds of the simple to this corporeal and visible sun, which the com mon light of the flesh of men and flies, and some they do
Mai. 2. &c.
chees
is
4,
is
is
is
it,
is
is
is
:
if
;
is
is is
; is
The Moon wanes to be renewed. The Church when obscured. 95 pervert, who as long as they cannot behold with the mind the Ver.
2-
inner light of truth, will not be content with the
Catholic faith ; which is the only safety to babes, and by which milk alone they can arrive in assured strength at the
firm support of more solid food. Whichever then of these
two opinions be the true, the moon in allegory is fitly under
stood as the Church. Or if in such difficulties as these, troublesome rather than edifying, there be either no satis faction or no leisure to exercise the mind, or if the mind
itself be not capable of sufficient to regard the moon
with ordinary1 eyes, and not to seek out obscure causes, but1 pppu- with all men to perceive her increasings and fulnesses and wanings and she wanes to the end that she may be renewed, even to this rude multitude she sets forth the image
of the Church, in which the resurrection of the dead believed.
4. Next we must enquire, what in this Psalm meant by, the obscure moon, in which sinners have prepared to shoot at the upright in heart For not in one way only may the moon be said to be obscure: for when her monthly course finished, and when her brightness interrupted by a cloud, and when she eclipsed at the full, the moon may be called obscure. It may then be understood first of the persecutors of the Martyrs, for that they wished in the obscure moon to shoot at the upright in heart whether be yet in the time of the Church's youth, because she had not yet shone forth in greatness on the earth, and conquered the darkness of heathen superstitions or by the tongues of blasphemers and such as defame the Christian name, when the earth was as were beclouded, the moon, that is, the Church, could not be clearly seen or when by the slaughter of the Martyrs themselves and so great effusion of blood, as by that eclipse and obscuration, wherein the moon seems to exhibit bloody face, the weak were deterred from the Christian name; in which terror sinners shot out words crafty and sacrilegious
to pervert even the upright in heart. And secondly, can be understood of these sinners, whom the Church contains, because at that time, taking the opportunity of this moon's obscurity, they committed many crimes, which are now tauntingly objected to us by the heretics, whereas their
simple
it
;
;
is
?
if
a it
is is
;
it, it is
is it
is
;
96 Donatists trust in man, but claim sanctity falsely.
Psalm founders are said to have been guilty of themb. But how- --j_ soever that be which was done in the obscure moon, now that the Catholic name is spread and celebrated throughout the whole world, what concern of minIe is it to be disturbed by trust ; nor do I listen to them that say to my soul, Remove into the mountains as a sparrow. For, lo, sinners have bent the bow, that they may in the obscure moon shoot at the upright in heart. Or if the
things unknown ? For in the Lord
'soOxf. moon seem even1 now obscure to them, because they would make it uncertain which is the Catholic Church, and they strive to convict her by the sins of those many carnal men whom she contains; what concern is this to him, who says in truth, In
the Lord I
is himself wheat, and endures the chaff with patience unto
trust ? By which word every one shews that he
the time of winnowing.
5. In the Lord, therefore,
/ trust. Let them fear who trust in man, and cannot deny that they are of man's party, by whose grey hairs they swear ; and when in conversation
it is demanded of them, of what communion they are, unless they say that they are of his party, they cannot be recognised. Tell me, what do they do, when the so numberless and daily sins and crimes of those, of whom that society is full, are recounted to them ? Can they say, In the Lord I trust ,- how say ye to my soul, Remove into the mountains as a sparrow ? For they do not trust in the Lord, who say that the Sacraments are then holy, if they be administered by holy men. Accordingly when it is demanded of them, who are holy, they are ashamed to say, We are. Moreover if they are not ashamed to say so, the hearers are ashamed for them. So then they force those who receive the Sacraments
Jer. 17, to put their hope in man, whose heart they cannot see. And
5'
cursed is every one that putteth his hope in man. For what
is it to say, What /
What if you are not holy ? Or shew your heart. But if you cannot do this, how shall I see that you are holy ? Or per-
give is holy, but, Put your hope in me ?
Matt. 7, haps you will say that it is written, Ye shall know them by
b He alludes to the charge of having he says, 'that those were rather the surrendered the Holy Scriptures al- betrayers, who condemned Cieeilianus leged by the Donatists as the ground (Bp. of Carthage) and his companions of their separation. See Ep. 76. ? . 2. on a false charge of betrayal ;' referring and 105. 2. We would prove to you,' to the Municipal records. Ben.
Si. '
Catholics receive the Sacraments from God, notfrom men. 97
their works ? I see indeed marvellous works, the daily Ver. 8. violences of the Circumcelliones, with the bishops and presbyters for their leaders, flying about in every direction,
and calling their terrible clubs ' Israels ;' which men now
living daily see and feel. But for the limes of Macarius*, respecting which they raise an invidious cry1, most menidequi. have not seen them, and no one sees them now : and any dj^fal Catholic who saw them could say, if he wished to be admit. servant of God, In the Lord I
says now, when he sees many things in the Church which
he would not, who perceives that he as yet swims within
those nets full of fish good aud bad, until all arrive at the Mat. 13,
"
end of the sea, where the bad are separated from the good. But these, what do they answer, if he whom they baptize say to one of them, How would you have me feel confidence ? For if it be the desert of both the giver and the receiver, be it of God the giver and of my conscience the receiver: for these two, His goodness and my own faith, are not doubtful to me. Why do you interpose yourself, of whom I can know nothing certain ? Allow me to say, In the Lord I trust. For if I trust in you, how can I trust that you have done no evil this night ? Lastly, if you would have me believe you, can
trust. Which indeed he
I do more than believe respecting yourself? How then can I
trust in those with whom you communicated yesterday, and communicate to-day, and will communicate to-morrow, as to whether even in these three days they have not committed
aught of evil ? But if what we do not know defileth neither
you or me, what cause is there for rebaptizing those who
have known nothing of the times of the surrender of the books22 tradi- and of the Macarian cry 3 ? What cause that thou shouldestri? ";^ dare to rebaptize Christians coming from Mesopotamia,
who never even heard the name of Caecilianus and Donatus,
and deny that they are Christians ? But if other men's sins,
which they know not of, defile them, whatever is each day committed, on your side, without your knowledge, makes you
guilty, who vainly object the imperial constitutions toofHo- Catholics, whilst private clubs and fires rage as they do in ^""405.
Ben.
? Of the mission of Macarius and cution,seeS. Optatus,lib. 3. andS. Aug. Paulus into Africa by Constant), abt. Ep. 44. &c. Ben.
A. D. 348, and the complaint of penc il
98 Schismatics mar God's work. Christ used Judas' ministry.
i. e. if
Psalm your own camp. See whcreunto they have fallen, who -- when they saw sinners in the Catholic Church could not say,
lies
trust; ' how say ye to my soul, Remove into the mountains as a
In the Lord I
Which they would most certainly say, if they were not themselves, or even if themselves were such as they supposed them to be, from whom with sacrilegious pride they pretended
trust ; and have placed their hope in man.
? " lnat they wisned to separate themselves.
too is called a root, where the Lord speaks of the seed,
which in the stony places withers under the scorching sun, because it had not deep root. Whereby He points out Mat. 13, those, that rejoice in receiving the word of truth, but give5' ' way in persecution, which can be withstood by love only.
And the Apostle says, That being rooted and grounded in Eph. 3,
love, ye may be able to take in. The foot then of sinners, that is, their love, is taken in the snare, which they hide : for when delight shall have followed on to deceitful dealing, when God shall have delivered them over to the lust of their heart; that delight at once binds them, that they dare not tear away their love thence and apply it to profitable objects ; for when they shall make the attempt, they will be pained
in heart, as if desiring to free their foot from a fetter : and giving way under this pain they refuse to withdraw from
"
In the snare then which they have hid, that is, in deceitful counsel, their foot hath been taken, that is their love, which through deceit attains to that vain joy
whereby pain is purchased.
16. Ver. 16. The Lord is known executing judgments.
These are God's judgments. Not from that tranquillity of His blessedness, nor from the secret places of wisdom, wherein blessed souls are received, is the sword, or fire, or wild beast, or any such thing brought forth, whereby sinners may be tormented: but how are they tormented, and how
pernicious delights.
does the Lord do judgment ?
In the works, he says, of
his own hands hath the sinner been caught. g2
84 Prayerforjudgment. Antichrist set over the wicked.
17. Here is interposed, The song of the diapsalma : as it
Psalms
--:--" were the hidden joy, as far as we can imagine, of the
separation which is now made, not in place, but in the affections of the heart, between sinners and the righteous, as of the corn from the chaff, as yet on the floor. And then follows, (ver. 17. ) Let the sinners be turned into hell: that is, let them be given into their own hands, when they are spared, and let them be ensnared in deadly delight. All
Bom. l , the nations that forget God. Because when they did not
28'
think good to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind.
18. Ver. 18. For there shall not be forgetfulness of tho poor man to the end: who now seems to be in forgetfulness, when sinners are thought to flourish in this world's happiness,
and the righteous to be in travail : but the patience, saith He, of the poor shall not perish for ever. Wherefore there is need of patience now to bear with the evil, who are already separated in will, till they be also separated at the last
judgment.
19. Ver. 19. Arise, O Lord, let not man prevail. The
future judgment is prayed for: but before it come, Let the heathen, saith he, be judged in Thy sight : that is, in secret ; which is called in God's sight, with the knowledge of a few holy and righteous ones. (Ver. 20. ) Place a lawgiver over them, 0 Lord. He seems to me to point out Antichrist : of
a Thes? . whom the Apostle says, When the man of sin shall be
"'""
revealed. Let the heathen know that they are men. That they who will be set free by the Son of God, and belong to the Son of Man, and be sons of men, that new men, may serve man, that is, the old man the sinner,ybr that they are men.
20. And because believed that he
great pitch of empty glory, and he will be permitted to do so great things, both against all men and against the Saints of God, that then some weak ones shall indeed think that God cares not for human affairs, the Psalmist
diapsalma, adds as were the voice of men groaning and asking why judgment deferred. (Psalm X. ver. l. b) Why,
The two Psalms are combined
in the Vulgate, but the verses begin Hebrteos. '
again for this, as, 'Ps. x. secundum
to arrive at so
interposing
t,
is it
it is
a
a
is is,
Relief delayed, longed for. Present impurity, great wrath. 85
0 Lord, saith he, hast Thou withdrawn afar off? Then he who thus inquired, as if all on a sudden he understood, or as if he asked, though he knew, that he might teach, adds, Thou despisest in due seasons, in tribulations : that is, Thou
despisest seasonably, and causest tribulations to inflame men's minds with longing for Thy coming. For that fountain of life is sweeter to them, that have much thirst. Therefore he hints the reason of the delay, saying, (ver. 2. ) Whilst the ungodly vaunteth himself, the poor man is inflamed. Won drous it is and true with what earnestness of good hope the little ones are inflamed unto an upright living by comparison with sinners. In which mystery it comes to pass, that even
heresies are permitted to exist ; not that heretics themselves wish this, but because Divine Providence worketh this result from their sins, Which both maketh and ordaineth the light ; but ordereth only the darkness, that by comparison therewith the light may be more pleasant, as by comparison with
heretics the discovery of truth is more sweet. For so, by this comparison, the approved, who are known to God, are made manifest among men.
21. They are taken in their thoughts, which they think: that is, their evil thoughts become chains to them. But how become they chains ? (ver. 3. ) For the sinner is praised, saith he, in the desires of his soul. The tongues of flatterers bind souls in sin. For there is pleasure in doing those things, in which not only is no reprover feared, but even an approver heard. And he that does unrighteous deeds is blessed. Hence
are they taken in their thoughts, which they think.
22. Ver. 4. The sinner hath angered the Lord. Let no one congratulate the man, that prospers in his way, to whose
sins no avenger is nigh, and an approver is by. This is the greater anger of the Lord. For the sinner hath angered the Lord, that he should suffer these things, that should not suffer the scourging of correction. The sinner hath angered the Lord: according to the multitude of His anger He will not search out. Great His anger, when He searcheth not out, when He as were forgetteth and marketh not sin,
and by fraud and wickedness man attains to riches and honours which will especially be the case in that Antichrist,
:
it
it
is
is,
86 Antichrist, losing sight of God, seeks fame by evil arts. Psalm who will seem to men blessed to that degree, that he will even
x.
be thought God. But how great this anger of God is, we are taught by what follows.
23. God is not in his sight, (ver. 5. ) his ways are polluted in all time. He that knows what in the soul gives joy and gladness, knows how great an ill it is to be abandoned by the light of truth : since a great ill do men reckon the blindness
of their bodily eyes, whereby this light is withdrawn. How great then the punishment he endures, who through the pros perous issue of his sins is brought to that pass, that God is not in his sight, and that his ways are polluted in all time, that is, his thoughts and counsels are unclean ? Thy judg ments are taken away from his face. For the mind conscious
of evil, whilst it seems to itself to suffer no punishment, believes that God doth not judge, and so are God's judgments taken away from its face ; while this very thing is great con demnation. And he shall have dominion over all his enemies. For so is it delivered, that he will overcome all kings, and alone obtain the kingdom ; since too according
2Thess. to the Apostle, who preaches concerning him, He shall sit
''
in the temple of God, exalting himself above all that is wor shipped and that is called God.
24. And seeing that being delivered over to the lust of l ultima', his own heart, and predestinated to extreme1 condemnation, he is to come, by wicked arts, to that vain and empty height
and rule ; tIherefore it follows, (ver. 6. ) For he hath said in
cannot be silent concerning it. For a mind abandoned and void of good arts, and estranged from the light of righteous ness, by bad arts devises a passage for itself to a fame so lasting, as is celebrated even in posterity. And they that cannot be known for good, desire that men should speak of
shall not move generation to generation from
his heart,
without evil : that is, my fame and my name will not pass from this generation to the generation of posterity, unless by evil arts I acquire so lofty a principality, that posterity
them even for ill, provided that their name spread far and
wide. And this I think is here meant, / shall not move from generation to generation without evil. There is too another interpretation, if a mind vain and full of error
Magical arts for heaven. Evil toil. Ill-gotten riches. 87
supposes that it cannot come from the mortal generation to Ver.
the generation of eternity, but by bad arts : which indeed
was also reported of Simon, when he thought that he would
gain heaven by wicked arts, and pass from the human generation to the generation divine by magic. Where then
is the wonder, if that man of sin too, who is to fill up all the wickedness and ungodliness, which all false prophets have begun, and to do such great signs; that, if it were possible, Mat. 24,
/ not move from generation to generation without evil ?
Acts 8 9.
shall24'
he should deceive the very elect, shall say in his heart,
Ver. 7. Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness and deceit. For it is a great curse, to seek heaven by such abo minable arts, and to get together such earnings for acquiring the eternal seat. But of this cursing his mouth is full. For
this desire shall not take effect, but within his mouth only will avail to destroy him, who dared promise himself such things with bitterness and deceit, that with anger and insidiousness, whereby he to bring over the multitude to his side. Under his tongue is toil and grief. Nothing more toilsome than unrighteousness and ungodliness
upon which toil follows grief; for that the toil not only without fruit, but even unto destruction. Which toil and grief refers
to that which he hath said in his heart, shall not be moved from generation to generation without evil. And therefore, under his tongue, not on his tongue, because he will devise
these things in silence, and to men will speak other things, that he may appear good and just, and son of God.
26. Ver. 8. He lieth in ambush with the rich. What rich, but those whom he will load with this world's gifts And he therefore said to lie in ambush with them, because he will display their false happiness to deceive men who, when with perverted will they desire to be such as they, and seek not the good things eternal, will fall into his snares.
That in the dark he may kill the innocent. In the dark', in 00 suppose, said, where not easily understood what should be sought, or what avoided. Now to kill the inno
cent, of an innocent to make one guilty.
27. His eyes look against the poor, for he chiefly to
persecute the righteous, of whom said, Blessed are the Matt. ;5,
poor in spirit, for theirs the kingdom
heaven,
(ver. 9. )
is
it is
is
it
is
is
is a
is aI of
is
is,
is
I' "
? is
;
:
88 Violence and craft of Antichrist ; success his ruin.
Psalm He lieth in wait in a secret place, as a lion in his den. By "a lion in a den, he means one, in whom both violence and deceit will work. For the first persecution of the Church was
violent, when by proscriptions, by torments, by murders, the Christians were compelled to sacrifice : another persecution is crafty, which is now conducted by heretics of any kind and false brethren : there remains a third, which is to come by Antichrist, than which there is nothing more perilous ; for it will be at once violent and crafty. Violence he will exert in
empire, craft in miracles. To the violence, the word lion re fers ; to craft, the words in his den. And these are again re peated with a change of order. He lieth in wait, he says, that he may catch the poor ; this hath reference to craft: but what follows, To catch the poor whilst he draweth him,is put to the score of violence. For draweth means, he bringeth him to himself by violence, by whatever tortures he can.
28. Again, the two which follow are the same. Ver. 10. In his snare he will humble him, is craft He shall decline and Jail, whilst he shall have domination over the poor, is violence. For a snare naturally points to lying in wait: but domination most openly conveys the idea of terror. And well does he say, He will humble him in his
snare. For when he shall begin to do those signs, the more wonderful they shall appear to men, the more those Saints that shall be then will be despised, and, as itwere,setat nought: he, whom they shall resist by righteousness and innocence, shall seem to overcome by the marvels that he does. But he shall decline andfall, whilst he shall have domination over the poor; that is, whilst he shall inflict whatsoever punishments he will upon the servants of God that resist him.
29. But how shall he decline, and fall ? (ver. 11. ) For he hath saidin his heart, God hath forgotten ; He turneth away Hisface, that He see not unto the end. This is declining, and the most wretched fall, while the mind of a man prospers as it were in its iniquities, and thinks that it is spared ; when it is being blinded, and kept for an extreme and timely
vengeance: of which the Psalmist now speaks : (ver. 12. ) Arise, O Lord God, let Thine hand be exalted : that is, let Thy Ts. 9, 19. power be made manifest. Now he had said above, Arise, O
Vain thoughts of men that God will not avenge. 89
Lord, let not man prevail, let the heathen be judged in Thy Ver. sight : that is, in secret, where God alone seeth. This comes ---- to pass, when the ungodly have arrived at what seems great happiness to men : over whom is placed a lawgiver, such as
they had deserved to have of whom it is said, Place a law- Ps. 9,20. giver over them, O Lord, let the heathen know that they are
men. But now after that hidden punishment and vengeance
it is said, Arise, O Lord God, let Thine hand be exalted ;
not of course in secret, but now in glory most manifest. That Thou forget not the poor unto the end ; that as the un godly think, who say, God hath forgotten, He turneth away
His face, that He should not see unto the end. Now they deny that God seeth unto the end, who say that He careth
not for things human and earthly, for the earth as were
the end of things; in that the last element, in which men labour in most orderly sort, but they cannot see the order of their labours, which specially belongs to the hidden things of
the Son. The Church then labouring in such times, like Matt. ship in great waves and tempests, awaketh the Lord as He were sleeping, that He should command the winds, and calm should be restored. He says therefore, Arise, O Lord God,
let Thine hand be exalted, that Thou forget not the poor unto the end.
30. Accordingly understanding now the manifestjudgment, and in exultation at they say, (ver. 13. ) Wherefore hath the ungodly angered God that is, what hath profited him to do so great evil For he said in his heart, He will not require it. Then follows, (ver. 14. ) For Thou seest toil and consider est anger, to deliver them into Thine hands. This sen
tence looks for distinct explanation, wherein there shall be error becomes obscure. For thus has the ungodly said in his heart, God will not require as though God regarded toil and anger, to deliver them into His hands; that as though He feared toil and anger, and for this reason would spare them, lest their punishment be too burdensome to Him, or lest
Heshonld be disturbed by the storm of anger: as men generally act, excusing themselves of vengeance, to avoid toil or anger. 31. The poor hath been left unto Thee. For therefore
is he poor, that is, hath despised all the temporal goods of this world, that Thou only mayest be his hope. Thou will
is,
is
is,
it,
it
if
it
?
it, ?
it is
if
8,
it a
90 God a Father to the world's orphans. He * hears' man's lunging. Psalm be a helper to the orphan, that to him to whom his father
lX.
Gal. 14,
Matt. 33
Matt.
Ps. 57,
Rom 25.
this world, by whom he was born after the flesh, dies, and who can already say, The world hath been crucified unto me, and unto the world. For of such orphans God becomes the Father. The Lord teaches us in truth that His disciples do become orphans, to whom He saith, Call no man father on earth. Of which He first Himself gave an example in saying, Who my mother, and who my brethren?
Whence
' some most mischievous heretics would assert that He had no mother and they do not see that follows from this, they pay attention to these words, that neither had His
disciples fathers. For as He said, Who is my mother? so He taught them, when He said, Call no man your father on earth.
32. Ver. 15. Break the arm of the sinner and of the malicious; of him, namely, of whom was said above, He shall have dominion over all his enemies. He called his power then, his arm to which Christ's power opposed, of which said, Arise, Lord God, let Thine hand be ex alted. His fault shall be required, and he shall not be found because of' it' that he shall be judged for his sins, and himself shall perish because of his sin. After this, what wonder there follow, (ver. 16. ) The Lord shall reign for ever and world without end; ye heathen shall perish out of
His earth He uses heathen for sinners and ungodly.
33. Ver. 17. The Lord hath heard the longing of the poor: that longing wherewith they were burning, when in the straits and tribulations of this world they desired the
day of the Lord. Thine ear hath heard the preparation their heart. This the preparation of the heart, of which sung in another Psalm, My heart prepared, God, my heart ** prepared: of which the Apostle says, But we hope for what we see not, we do with patience wait for it. Now, by the ear of God, we ought, according to general rule of interpretation, to understand not bodily member, but the power whereby He heareth and so, (not to repeat this often,) by whatever members of His are mentioned, which in
us are visible and bodily, must be understood powers of
* LXX. var. lect. <<Jt*>, because part of the text, as some Mss. are of it,' these words should be marked as pointed.
of
V '
is
is,
; O
;
is,
a
it it
8
it I is
a
if 0
if
is
if ?
it ; ;is is
is
', 9.
6,
Open judgmentfor the humble, by the Son of God or of David. 91
operation. For we must not suppose it any thing bodily, Ver. in that1 the Lord God hears not the sound of the voice, but----'
. . .
, al.
the preparation of the heart. << where-
34. Ver. 18. To judge for the orphan and the humble : Wlth"' that is, not for him who is conformed to this world, nor for
the proud. For it is one thing to judge the orphan, another
to judge for the orphan. He judges the orphan even, who
condemns him ; but he judges for the orphan, who delivers sentence for him. That man add not further to magnify himself upon earth. For they are men, of whom it was said,
Place a lawgiver over them, O Lord: let the heathen know Ps. 9,20.
that they are men. But he too, who in this same passage is understood to be placed over them, will be man, of whom it is now said, That man add not further to magnify himself upon earth: namely, when the Son of Man shall come to judge for the orphan, who hath put off from himself the old man, and
thus, as it were, buried his father.
35. After the hidden things then of the Son, of which, in
this Psalm, many things have been said, will come the mani fest things of the Son, of which a little has been now said at the end of the same Psalm. But the title is given from the former, which here occupy the larger portion. Indeed, the
very day of the Lord's advent may be rightly numbered among the hidden things of the Son, although the very presence of the Lord itself will be manifest. For of that day Mark it is said, that no man knoweth neither angels, nor powers, 13' 32. nor the Son of man. What then so hidden, as that which
said to be hidden even to the Judge Himself, not as regards knowledge, but disclosure But concerning the hidden things of the Son, even any one would not wish to under stand the Son of God, but of David himself, to whose name the whole Psalter attributed, for the Psalms we know are
called the Psalms of David, let him give ear to those words
in which said to the Lord, Have mercy on us, Soti ofmm.
David: and so even in this manner let him understand the same Lord Christ, concerning Whose hidden things the inscription of this Psalm. For so likewise said by the
'
Angel: God shall give unto Him the throne of His father Luke David. Nor to this understanding of the sentence opposed in which the same Lord asks of the Jews, Christ
If
0 is
it is
is it
'
' l,
it is
is
if
?
is
it,
92 David's Son his Lord. Christ the Mountain.
Psalm be the Son of David, how then doth he in spirit call Him
place, the most true and pure faith, that He is both the Lord John l, of king David, in that He is the Word in the beginning, God with God, by Which all things were made; and Son, in
that He was made to him of the seed of David according to Rom. l, the flesh. For He doth not say, Christ is not David's Son, but if ye already hold that He is his Son, learn how He is his Lord : and do not hold in respect of Christ that He is the Son of Man, for so is He David's Son ; and leave
out that He is the Sou of God, for so is He David's Lord.
? Lord, saying, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit Thou on my
Mat. 22,
43. 44. right hand, until Iput Thine enemies under Thy
For it was said to the unskilled, who although they looked for Christ's coming, yet expected Him as man, not as the Power and Wisdom of God. He teacheth then, in that
1. This title does not require a fresh consideration: for See on the meaning of, to the end, has already been sufficiently handled. Let us then look to the text itself of the Psalm,
1 Dona- which to me appears to be sung against the heretics1, who, by rehearsing and exaggerating the sins of many in the Church, as if either all or the majority among themselves were righteous, strive to turn and snatch us away from the
breasts of the one True Mother Church : affirming that Christ is with them, and warning us as if with piety and earnestness, that by passing over to them we may go over to Christ, Whom they falsely declare they have. Now it is known that in prophecy Christ, among the many names in
See on which notice of Him is conveyed in allegory, is also called Ps. 3, 3. a mountain. We must accordingly answer these people and say, (ver. 1. ) / trust in the Lord: how say ye to my soul, Remove into the mountains as a sparrow ? I keep to one mountain wherein I trust, how say ye that I should pass
over to you, as if there were many Christs ? Or if through pride you say that you are mountains, I had indeed need to be a sparrow winged with the powers and commandments
feet.
at. X.
PSALM XI.
To the end, a Psalm of David himself.
Call to false mountains. The Moon a type of the Church. 93
of God : but these very things hinder my flying to these Ver. 2. mountains, and placing my trust in proud men. I have a
house where I may rest, in that I trust in the Lord. For
even the sparrow hath found her a house, and, The Lord Ps. 84,3. hath become a refuge to the poor. Let us say then with all "' ' " confidence, lest while weIseek Christ among heretics we
2. Ver. 2. For, lo, sinners have bent the bow, they have prepared their arrows in the quiver, that they may in the obscure moon shoot at the upright in heart. These be the
terrors of those who threaten us as touching sinners, that we may pass over to them as the righteous. Lo, they say, the sinners have bent the bow: the Scriptures, I suppose, by carnal interpretation of which they emit envenomed sen tences from them. They have prepared their arrows in the quiver: the same words that is, which they will shoot out on the authority of Scripture, they have prepared in the secret place of the heart. That they may in the obscure moon shoot at the upright in heart: that when they see, from the Church's light being obscured by the multitude of the un learned and the carnal, that they cannot be convicted, they
lose Him, In the Lord
Remove into the mountains as a sparrow ?
trust: how say ye to my soul,
may corrupt good manners by evil communicatioIns. But l Cor.
against all these terrors we must say, In the Lord
3. Now I remember that I promised to consider in this
Psalm with what suitableness the moon signifies the Church. There are two probable opinions concerning the moon : but^PTM of these which is the true, I suppose it either impossible or very difficult for a man to decide. For when we ask whence
the moon has her light, some say that it is her own, but
that of her globe half is bright, and half dark : and when she
revolves in her own orbit, that part wherein she is bright gradually turns towards the earth, so as that it may be seen by us ; and that therefore at first her appearance is as
if she were horned. For if you make a ball half white and half dark ; if you have the dark part before your eyes, you see none of the white: and when you begin turning that white part to your eyes, if you do it gradually, at first you
will see horns of whiteness ; afterwards it increases gradually, until the whole white part is brought opposite to the eye,
trust.
'
94 The Church part light, part dark--lighted by the Sun.
Psalm and none of the other dark part is visible : but if you con- -- tinue still gradually turning, the darkness begins to appear and the whiteness to diminish, until it returns again to horns, and is at last wholly removed from the eye, and again that dark part alone can be seen, which they say takes place,
when the light of the moon seems to increase up to the fifteenth day, and again diminishes up to the thirtieth, and returns to horns, until no light at all appears in it. Ac cording to this opinion the moon in allegory signifies the Church, because in its spiritual part the Church is bright, but in its carnal part is dark : and sometimes the spiritual part is seen by good works, but sometimes it lies hid in the conscience, and is known to God alone, since in the body alone is it seen by men. As happens, when we pray in heart, and as it were seem to be doing nothing, whilst we are enjoined to have our hearts upward, not to the earth, but toward the Lord. But others say that the moon has no light of her own, but is lighted by the sun: but that when she is with she keeps that part in which she not lighted towards us, and therefore there no light visible in her: but when she begins to recede from the sun, she lighted in that part also, which towards the earth
and that she necessarily begins with horns, until on the fifteenth day she becomes opposite the sun (for then she rises when the sun sets, so that whosoever shall observe the sun setting, he turn to the east as he first loses sight of it, may see the moon rising;) and thenceforward when she begins to approach him on the other side, she turns towards us that part, in which she not lighted, till she returns to horns, and afterwards altogether vanishes because then the part which lighted on high towards the heaven, but towards the earth the part which the sun cannot irradiate. Therefore according to this opinion also the moon under
stood to be the Church, because she has no light of her own, but lighted by the only-begotten Son of God, Who in
many places of holy Scripture allegorically called the Sun. "Whom certain heretics being ignorant of, and not able to discern Him, endeavour to turn away the minds of the simple to this corporeal and visible sun, which the com mon light of the flesh of men and flies, and some they do
Mai. 2. &c.
chees
is
4,
is
is
is
it,
is
is
is
:
if
;
is
is is
; is
The Moon wanes to be renewed. The Church when obscured. 95 pervert, who as long as they cannot behold with the mind the Ver.
2-
inner light of truth, will not be content with the
Catholic faith ; which is the only safety to babes, and by which milk alone they can arrive in assured strength at the
firm support of more solid food. Whichever then of these
two opinions be the true, the moon in allegory is fitly under
stood as the Church. Or if in such difficulties as these, troublesome rather than edifying, there be either no satis faction or no leisure to exercise the mind, or if the mind
itself be not capable of sufficient to regard the moon
with ordinary1 eyes, and not to seek out obscure causes, but1 pppu- with all men to perceive her increasings and fulnesses and wanings and she wanes to the end that she may be renewed, even to this rude multitude she sets forth the image
of the Church, in which the resurrection of the dead believed.
4. Next we must enquire, what in this Psalm meant by, the obscure moon, in which sinners have prepared to shoot at the upright in heart For not in one way only may the moon be said to be obscure: for when her monthly course finished, and when her brightness interrupted by a cloud, and when she eclipsed at the full, the moon may be called obscure. It may then be understood first of the persecutors of the Martyrs, for that they wished in the obscure moon to shoot at the upright in heart whether be yet in the time of the Church's youth, because she had not yet shone forth in greatness on the earth, and conquered the darkness of heathen superstitions or by the tongues of blasphemers and such as defame the Christian name, when the earth was as were beclouded, the moon, that is, the Church, could not be clearly seen or when by the slaughter of the Martyrs themselves and so great effusion of blood, as by that eclipse and obscuration, wherein the moon seems to exhibit bloody face, the weak were deterred from the Christian name; in which terror sinners shot out words crafty and sacrilegious
to pervert even the upright in heart. And secondly, can be understood of these sinners, whom the Church contains, because at that time, taking the opportunity of this moon's obscurity, they committed many crimes, which are now tauntingly objected to us by the heretics, whereas their
simple
it
;
;
is
?
if
a it
is is
;
it, it is
is it
is
;
96 Donatists trust in man, but claim sanctity falsely.
Psalm founders are said to have been guilty of themb. But how- --j_ soever that be which was done in the obscure moon, now that the Catholic name is spread and celebrated throughout the whole world, what concern of minIe is it to be disturbed by trust ; nor do I listen to them that say to my soul, Remove into the mountains as a sparrow. For, lo, sinners have bent the bow, that they may in the obscure moon shoot at the upright in heart. Or if the
things unknown ? For in the Lord
'soOxf. moon seem even1 now obscure to them, because they would make it uncertain which is the Catholic Church, and they strive to convict her by the sins of those many carnal men whom she contains; what concern is this to him, who says in truth, In
the Lord I
is himself wheat, and endures the chaff with patience unto
trust ? By which word every one shews that he
the time of winnowing.
5. In the Lord, therefore,
/ trust. Let them fear who trust in man, and cannot deny that they are of man's party, by whose grey hairs they swear ; and when in conversation
it is demanded of them, of what communion they are, unless they say that they are of his party, they cannot be recognised. Tell me, what do they do, when the so numberless and daily sins and crimes of those, of whom that society is full, are recounted to them ? Can they say, In the Lord I trust ,- how say ye to my soul, Remove into the mountains as a sparrow ? For they do not trust in the Lord, who say that the Sacraments are then holy, if they be administered by holy men. Accordingly when it is demanded of them, who are holy, they are ashamed to say, We are. Moreover if they are not ashamed to say so, the hearers are ashamed for them. So then they force those who receive the Sacraments
Jer. 17, to put their hope in man, whose heart they cannot see. And
5'
cursed is every one that putteth his hope in man. For what
is it to say, What /
What if you are not holy ? Or shew your heart. But if you cannot do this, how shall I see that you are holy ? Or per-
give is holy, but, Put your hope in me ?
Matt. 7, haps you will say that it is written, Ye shall know them by
b He alludes to the charge of having he says, 'that those were rather the surrendered the Holy Scriptures al- betrayers, who condemned Cieeilianus leged by the Donatists as the ground (Bp. of Carthage) and his companions of their separation. See Ep. 76. ? . 2. on a false charge of betrayal ;' referring and 105. 2. We would prove to you,' to the Municipal records. Ben.
Si. '
Catholics receive the Sacraments from God, notfrom men. 97
their works ? I see indeed marvellous works, the daily Ver. 8. violences of the Circumcelliones, with the bishops and presbyters for their leaders, flying about in every direction,
and calling their terrible clubs ' Israels ;' which men now
living daily see and feel. But for the limes of Macarius*, respecting which they raise an invidious cry1, most menidequi. have not seen them, and no one sees them now : and any dj^fal Catholic who saw them could say, if he wished to be admit. servant of God, In the Lord I
says now, when he sees many things in the Church which
he would not, who perceives that he as yet swims within
those nets full of fish good aud bad, until all arrive at the Mat. 13,
"
end of the sea, where the bad are separated from the good. But these, what do they answer, if he whom they baptize say to one of them, How would you have me feel confidence ? For if it be the desert of both the giver and the receiver, be it of God the giver and of my conscience the receiver: for these two, His goodness and my own faith, are not doubtful to me. Why do you interpose yourself, of whom I can know nothing certain ? Allow me to say, In the Lord I trust. For if I trust in you, how can I trust that you have done no evil this night ? Lastly, if you would have me believe you, can
trust. Which indeed he
I do more than believe respecting yourself? How then can I
trust in those with whom you communicated yesterday, and communicate to-day, and will communicate to-morrow, as to whether even in these three days they have not committed
aught of evil ? But if what we do not know defileth neither
you or me, what cause is there for rebaptizing those who
have known nothing of the times of the surrender of the books22 tradi- and of the Macarian cry 3 ? What cause that thou shouldestri? ";^ dare to rebaptize Christians coming from Mesopotamia,
who never even heard the name of Caecilianus and Donatus,
and deny that they are Christians ? But if other men's sins,
which they know not of, defile them, whatever is each day committed, on your side, without your knowledge, makes you
guilty, who vainly object the imperial constitutions toofHo- Catholics, whilst private clubs and fires rage as they do in ^""405.
Ben.
? Of the mission of Macarius and cution,seeS. Optatus,lib. 3. andS. Aug. Paulus into Africa by Constant), abt. Ep. 44. &c. Ben.
A. D. 348, and the complaint of penc il
98 Schismatics mar God's work. Christ used Judas' ministry.
i. e. if
Psalm your own camp. See whcreunto they have fallen, who -- when they saw sinners in the Catholic Church could not say,
lies
trust; ' how say ye to my soul, Remove into the mountains as a
In the Lord I
Which they would most certainly say, if they were not themselves, or even if themselves were such as they supposed them to be, from whom with sacrilegious pride they pretended
trust ; and have placed their hope in man.
? " lnat they wisned to separate themselves.
