Much better may we say, What is the meaning of the word
Circelliones
?
Augustine - Exposition on the Psalms - v6
She that is a widow indeed and desolate, trusteth in God, and continueth in supplications and prayers night and day.
Here he addeth, but she that liveth in pleasure, is dead while she liveth.
What then makes a widow ?
That she hath no aid from any other source, save from God alone.
They that
have husbands, take pride in the protection of their hus bands : widows seem desolate, and their aid is a stronger one. The whole Church therefore is one widow, whether in men or in women, in married men or married women, in young men or in old, or in virgins: the whole Church is one widow, desolate in this world, if she feel this, if she is
aware of her widowhood : for then is help at hand for her.
Do ye not recognise this widow in the Gospel, my brethren,
when the Lord declared that men ought always to pray andLutelS,
10t/ Who are the Poor, who shall be satisfied.
Psalm not to faint ? There was in a city a judge, He said, which cxxxlIifeared not God, neither regarded man. And there was a widow in that city ; and she came unto him day by day,
saying, Avenge me ofmine adversary. The widow, by daily importunity, prevailed with him : for the judge said within
I
because this woman troublet h me,
himself, Though
not God, neither regard man, yet I will avenge her. If the wicked judge heard the widow, that he might not be molested; heareth not God His Church, whom He exhorteth
fear
to pray ?
24. Also, Iwill satisfy her poor with bread; whal meaueth
this, brethren? Let us be poor, and we shall then be satisfied. Many who trust in the world, and are proud, are Christians; they worship Christ, but are not satisfied; for they have been satisfied, and abound in their pride. Of such it is
Ps. 123, said, Our soul isfilled with the scornful reproof of the wealthy, 4 and with the despitefulness of the proud : these have abun
dance, and therefore eat, but are not satisfied. And what is Ps. 22, said of them in the Psalm ? All such as befat upon the earth ? "K have eaten and worshipped. They worship Christ, they
venerate Christ, they pray unto Christ; but they are not satis fied with His wisdom and righteousness. Wherefore ? Be cause they are not poor. For the poor, that is the humble in heart, the more they hunger, the more they eat; and the more empty they are of the world, the more hungry they are. He who is full refuseth whatsoever thou wilt give him, because he is full. Give me one who hungereth ; give me
Matt. 5, one of whom it is said, Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled: and these will be the poor of whom he hath just said, And will satisfy her poor with bread. For in the very Psalm where
fat
29 26' *S sa'^' ^
upo" ine have eaten and
<<MC'* as oe
worshipped; this is said of the poor also, and exactly in the same manner as in this Psalm, The poor shall eat, and be satisfied: they that seek after the Lord shall praise Him. Where it is said, All such as be fat upon earth have eaten and worshipped: it is said, The poor shall eat, and be
Why, when the rich are said to have worshipped, are they not said to be satisfied ; yet when the poor are mentioned, they are said to be satisfied ? And whence arc
satisfied.
Christ's poor are they who trust not in riches. 107
they satisfied ? What is the nature, brethren, of this satis- Vrr. fying ? God Himself is their bread. The bread came down -- -- upon the earth/, that He might become milk unto us; and said
to His own,
am the Bread
Living which came down from John 6,
heaven. Hence these words in the Psalm, The poor shall61' eat, and he satisfied. From what source shall they be satisfied ? Hear what followeth : And they that seek after the Lord shall praise Him.
25. Be ye therefore poor, be ye among the members of that widow, let your help be solely in God alone. Money is nought ; not thence will ye have aid. Many have been cast headlong down for money's sake, many have perished on account of money ; many for the sake of their riches have been marked out by plunderers ; they would have been safe, had they not had what made men hunt for them. Many have presumed in their more powerful friends : they in whom they presumed have fallen, and have involved in their ruin those who trusted in them. Look back upon the instances to be seen in the human race. Is it any thing singular that I am telling you ? We speak these things not
only from these Scriptures ; read them in the whole world. Take heed that ye presume not in money, in a friend, in the honour and the boasting of the world. Take away all these things: but if thou hast them, thank God if thou despisest them. But if thou art puffed up by them; think not when thou wilt be the prey of men; already art thou the Devil's prey. But ifthou hast not trusted in these things, thou wilt be among the members of that widow, who is the Church, of whom it is said, / will bless her widow with blessings ; thou wilt also be poor, and one of those of whom it is said,
And will satisfy her poor with bread.
26. Sometimes, however, and we must not pass over this
without mention, thou findest a poor man proud, and a rich man humble : we daily endure such persons. Thou hearest a poor man groaning beneath a rich man, and when the more powerful rich man presseth upon him, then thou seest him humble : sometimes not even then, but even then proud; whence thou seest what he would have been, had he any property. God's poor one is therefore poor in spirit, not in his purse. Sometimes a man goeth forth having a
108 The rich may be humble, the poor may be proud.
Psalm full house, rich lands, many estates, much gold and silver ; cxxxl! he knoweth that he must not trust in these, he humbleth him
self before God, he doth good with them ; thus his heart is raised unto God, so that he is aware that not only do riches themselves profit him nothing, but that they even impede his feet, save He rule them, and aid them: and he is counted among the poor who are satisfied with bread. Thou findest another a proud beggar, or not proud only because he hath nothing, nevertheless seeking whereby he may be puffed up. God doth not heed the means a man hath, but the wish he hath, and judgeth him according to his wish for temporal blessings, not according to the means which it is not his lot to have. Whence the Apostle saith of the rich,
1 Tim. 6, Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not ' high minded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, Who giveth us richly all things to enjoy. What
therefore should they do with their riches ? He goeth on to say: That they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate. And see that they are poor in this world : Laying up in store for themselves, he addeth, a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life. When they have laid hold of eternal life, then will they be rich ; but since they have it not as yet, they should know that they are poor. Thus it is that God counteth among His poor all the humble in heart,
Mat. 22, who are established in that twofold charity, whatever they 37--39. may have in (jiis world --among His poor, whom He satisfieth
with bread. /will clothe her priests with salvation,
27. Ver. 16, 17.
and her saints shall rejoice and sing. We are now at the end of the Psalm ; attend for a short space, Beloved. / will clothe her priests with salvation, and her saints shall rejoice and sing. Who is our salvation, save our Christ ? What meaneth, therefore, / will clothe her priests with
Gal. 3, salvation ? --" As many of you as have been baptized into 27' Christ, have put on Christ. " --And her saints shall rejoice
and sing. Whence shall they rejoice and sing ? Because
they have been clothed with salvation : not in themselves.
8'
Eph. 5, For they have become light, but in the Lord ; for they were
darkness before. Therefore he hath added, There will I
The Sanctification of Ood is through Christ. 109
raise up the horn of David : this will be David's height, Ver. that trust be put in Christ. For horn signifielh height: and ------ what sort of height ? Not carnal. Therefore, while all the
bones are wrapped up in flesh, the horn goeth beyond the
flesh. Spiritual altitude is a horn. But what is spiritual loftiness, save to trust in Christ ? not to say, It is my work, Dona-
I baptize; but, He it is Who baplizeth. There is the horn j"^ 1} of David : and that ye may know that there is the horn of33- David, heed what followeth ; / have ordained a lantern for
mine Anointed. What is a lantern ? Ye already know the
Lord's words concerning John ; He was a burning and a John 5, shining light. And what saith John ? He it is Who bap-
tizeth. Herein therefore shall the saints rejoice, herein
the priests shall rejoice : because all that is good in them
selves, is not of themselves, but of Him Who hath the
power of baptizing. Fearlessly therefore doth every one
who hath received baptism come unto His temple; because
it is not man's, but His Who made the horn of David to flourish.
28. Ver. 18. Upon Him shall My sanctification flourish. Upon whom ? Upon Mine Anointed. For when He saith, Mine anointed, it is the voice of the Father, Who saith, / will bless her widow with blessings, and will satisfy her poor
I will clothe her priests with salvation, and
with bread.
her saints shall rejoice and sing. He Who saith, There will 1 raise up the horn of David, is God. He Himself saith, 1 have ordained a lantern for Mine Anointed, because Christ is both ours and the Father's: He is our Christ, when He saveth us and ruleth us, as He is also our Lord : He is the Son of the Father, but both our Christ and the Father's. For if He were not the Father's Christ, it would not be said above, For Thy servant David's sake, turn not
Thou away the presence of Thine Anointed. Upon Him shall My sanctification flourish. It flourisheth upon Christ. Let none of men assume this to himself, that he himself sanctifieth : otherwise it will not be true, Upon Him shall The glory of sanctification shall flourish. The sanctification of Christ therefore in Christ Himself, is the power of the sanctification of God in Christ. In that he saith, shall flourish, he refers to His
My sanctification flourish.
110 Sanctiftcation in Baptism. Christian Unity.
Psalm glory: for when trees flourish, then are they beautiful. ci? miL Sanctiflcation therefore is in Baptism : thence it flourisheth, and is brightened. Why hath the world yielded to this Because it flourisheth in Christ; for, put it in man's power, and how doth it then flourish? since allflesh is grass, and all the yoodliness thereof as the flower of the
grass.
Lat. psalm cxxxili. cxxxir.
EXPOSITION.
A Public discourse, in which he defends the Monks against the Donatists.
1. This is a short Psalm, but one well known and quoted. Behold, how good and how pleasant is it, that brethren should dwell together in unity. So sweet is that sound, that even they who know not the Psalter, sing that verse. Sweet is it even as charity is sweet, which causes brethren to dwell together in unity. This fact indeed, brethren, needs neither interpretation nor explanation, to wit, how good and how pleasant it is to dwell together in unity; but that which
Matt. 7, follows contains somewhat that may open to them who " knock. Yet that the comprehension of the entire substance
of the Psalm may reach us from this verse, let us in the first place reflect over and over again, whether it be said of all Christians, ' How good and how pleasant is that brethren should dwell together in unity or whether there be some special and perfect persons who dwell together, and that the blessing does not apply to all, but to some, from whom
however may descend upon the rest.
2. For these same words of the Psalter, this sweet sound,
that honeyed melody, as well of the mind as of the hymn, did even beget the Monasteries. By this sound were stirred up the brethren who longed to dwell together. This verse was their trumpet. It sounded through the whole earth, and they who had been divided, were gathered together. The
beauty?
it
;'
it,
Ill
summons of God, the summons of the Holy Spirit, the Ver. summons of the Prophets, were not heard in Judah, yet ------ were heard through the whole world. They were deaf to
that sound, amid whom it was sung; they were found
with their ears opened, of whom it was said, They shall U. 65, l. ,see him, who were not told of him; they shall understand
who heard not. Yet, most beloved, if we reflect, the very blessing hath sprung from that walla of circumcision. For
The Joy and the Vows of the Church's first love.
have all the Jews perished ? and whence were the Apostles,
the sons of the Prophets, the sons of the exiles b? He speaks P>>" 127, as to them who know. Whence those five hundred, who saw ,<<
luor. 15, the Lord after His resurrection, whom the Apostle Paul 6.
commemorates? Whence those hundred and twenty, who Acta l, were together in one place after the resurrection of the IK ' Lord, and His ascension into heaven, on whom when gathered
into one place the Holy Spirit descended on the day ofActa2,i. Pentecost, sent down from heaven, sent, even as He was promised? All were from thence, and they first dwelt together in unity; who sold all they had, and laid the price Acts 4, of their goods at the Apostles' feet, as is read in the Acts of34' 35' the Apostles. And distribution was made to each one as Acts 2,
he had need, and none called any thing his own, but they i5- had all things common. And what is ' together in unity ? '
They had, he says, one mind and one heart God-wards. Acts 4, So they were the first who hearrl, Behold how good and 32' how pleasant is that brethren dwell together. They were
the first to hear, but heard not alone. It was not that that love and unity of the brethren extended no further than to them. The joyfulness of love and the vow to God reached them who came after. Something was vowed to God, as
written, Vow and pay your vows to the Lord your God. Ps. 76, For better not to vow, than to vow and not perform. Ec'cles But the mind should be ready so as both to vow and to 5" perform; lest when thinks itself ill fitted to perform,
Alluding to the two walls, Jewish translation of the ambiguous Hehrew
and Gentile, meeting in the corner. See on Ps. lix. 10. and on Ps. xcv.
ferred the LX X to the young men Fxcnssi, a literal translation of of our version. St. Augustine's inter
8.
theGrevk LXX. ^icrtTu^fitW. This pretation see on Ps. lxxrii. 9.
root which means to shake out.
or expel, and young man, pre
' ? .
? b*
is
by
a
is
' itit 5.
it
\it is
it
it,
112 Monks compared with ' Circumcelliones. '
Psalm prove too slow to vow. For he will surely never pa}', *TTml' whoever deems that he is about to pay of his own.
3. From the words of this Psalm was taken the name of Monks, that no one may reproach you who are Catholics by reason of the name. When you with justice reproach heretics by reason of the Circelliones, that they may be saved by shame, they reproach you on the score of the Monks. See to it yourselves, in the first place, whether they may be compared : if there be any need for your words, ye are already at a disadvantage. There is no need, except to warn every one that he attend, only attend and compare them. What need is there for your words? Let them compare the drunken with the temperate, the rash with the provident, the mad with the sane, them who wander with them who live together. Yet they are wont to say, What is the meaning of the name Monks ?
Much better may we say, What is the meaning of the word Circelliones ? But they are not, say
they, called Circelliones. Perhaps we call them by some corrupt form of their name. Shall we say what is their proper name? Perchance they are called Circumcellionesc, not Circelliones. Well, if they be so called, let them say why they are so. They are called Circumcelliones, because they ramble about the cells. For they are wont to go hither and thither, having no abiding place, and to do things which you know well of; and they know also, will they or not.
4. Moreover, beloved, there are they who are false Monks, and we know men of this kind ; but the pious brotherhood is not annulled, because of them who profess to be what they are not. There are false Monks, as there are false men
c The Circumcelliones were a wan- even committing suicide under the dering kind of Anchorites, who lived name of Martyrdom. See on Ps. ji. under no rule, and were guilty of ? . 5. t. i. p. 97. on Ps. lv. ? 26. t. iii. various irregularities, and who were p. 52. on Ps. xcvi. 11. t. iv. p. 408. censured by the forty-second Canon of and S. Optatus, b. iii. c. iv. p. 59. the Council of Trullo. Confer also where a historical account is ijiven. Papias. S. Jerome, Ep. 22. ? . 34. Ducange refers to St. Aug. Ep. 48. 60. Hunnerie's Edict. Vict. Vitt-ns. lib. 3. 61. 68. Contra Parmenian. b. i. cap. 1 ]. A number of these, in Africa, took Contra Crescon. b. iii. c. 42. 47. Collat. up the cause of Donatus in a fana- Carthag. 3. cap. 174. 281. Possidius, tical manner, and perpetrated various life of St. Aug. c. 10, 11. Auctor
acts of violence under pretence of re- Praniestinati, b. i. hrercs. 69. <fec. Also ligion, robbing and beating whom they Cod. Theod. Cen. 52. De Hrereticis, but would, sending threatening notices, doubtfully as to its application.
&c. and sometimes seeking death, or
Bad and Good among all three Classes, 113
among the Clergy, and among the faithful. All these throe Ver. kinds, whom we have before1 commended to you, and I. ----- think more than once, have their good and their bad. OfPs. loo, these very three kinds it has been said, Two shall be
thefield, one shall be taken, one shall be left ; tiro shall be *
in bed, one shall be taken, and one shall be left ; and 111034, women at a mill, one shall be taken, and one shall be left.
They are in the field, who govern the Church. Hence the Apostle said, (see whether he were not in the field,) / hate 1 Cor. 3,
planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase.
those who are in bed, he would have them understood who
love quiet ; for by the bed he would have quiet understood ; them who do not mingle in the crowdings and tumult of mankind, serving God in peace ; yet from these one shall
be taken, one left. Among these are good, and repro
bate also. Fear not, because reprobates are found there,
for some men are hidden, who are not found, save at the
end. Two women also at the mill. He spoke of them
by a word of the feminine gender, for he would have bodies
of people understood. And wherefore in the mill? Because
they are in that world, which is understood to be the mill ; because the world turns round as a mill : woe to them whom
it grinds to powder. And so there are good [and bad]2aO*f. among the faithful in such wise, that one is taken to destruc
tion, another is taken to God. For the lovers of this life, the dishonest, and the hypocrites, do certain deeds of the world. But others abide therein in the manner of which the
Apostle speaks; And they who use this world, as thoughI' Cor. 7, not using it, for the fashion of this world passeth away :
would have you be without care. Dost thou hear who shall
be taken from the mill ? For of a truth many sins seem to
belong to the rich. For when they do much, and take on
them much business, and their wealth grows more and more,
it is hard for them not to commit more sins; of whom it is
said, that it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a M"it. i! 1, needle, than for a rich man to go into the kingdom of heave <<?
And when the disciples were sorry for them, and uow Jo, 25. despaired on their account, the Lord consoled them, by
saying, what is impossible with man, is easy for God. ButM. it. 19, how does God make that easy? Hear the Apostle, if thou
VOL. VI. 1
By6*
Mat. 24!
'
114 Monks, Clergy, and Laymen. These typified
Psalm despisest not what he commands. Charge, says he, them
6, 17. the proud man poor, the humble Christian rich, because he carefully reflects, that all these things pass by and flow l Tim. away ; that he brought nothing into this world, can carry nothing from it; how that rich man, who was burning in fire in hell, desired that a drop of water should drop him from the finger of that man, who had desired the crumbs from his table. Thinking of this, they do as the
c xxx 111. wft0 are riclt -n world not f0 tJiifili proudly. You find 1 Tim. .
Luke16 **?
6' 1 "
upon
1 Tim. Apostle says, not trust in the uncertainty of riches, but in
the living God, Who giveth us all things abundantly to
enjoy. L<:t them, he says, be rich in good works; let them freely give, communicate, lay up treasures. And what is their gain from this ? Let them treasure up a good found ation for the time to come, that they may obtain true life.
Behold the one who shall be taken from the mill. But the other shall be left, who is as that rich man, who was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day, and despised the poor man who lay at his gate. And so, one shall be taken from the mill, and one shall be left.
5. So Ezekiel speaks of three persons, in whom we may
Ezek.
and 20. reasonably discern these three kinds. // the Lord send a
sword upon the earth, though Noe, Daniel, and. Job, were in the midst of them, they shall save neither sons nor daughters, but they alone themselves shall be saved. They have long ago been set free, but under these three names he signified three kinds. Noe signifies the rulers of the Church, because he steered the ark in the flood. But
Daniel chose a quiet life, to serve God in celibacy, that is, not seeking a wife. He was a holy man, passing his life in divine longings, tried in many things, and found to be pure
Dan. 6, gold. How quiet was he, who was unmoved among lions. 22, 14, rI. hus unclcr ^e name of Daniel, who was called a 'man of
Gen. 7,
2 Pet. 2, 5*
Dan. 10,
ib. 19.
Jobl, 23
but those ever chaste and holy, are signified the servants of God, of whom it is said, Behold, how good and pleasant is it, that brethren dwell together in unity. Under the name of Job is signified, the one woman who will be taken from the mill. For he had a wife, he had sons, he had much riches; and he had so much in this life, that the devil charged him with this, that he served God not for
desires^
by Noah, Job, and Daniel. 115
nought, but for what he got. With this the adversary Ver. charged the holy man, and in his temptations it was proved ---- how entirely Job served God for nought, and not for that which he received, but for His sake Who had given. And so
when all was lost, by sudden trial and affliction, his estate lost,
his heirs lost, his wife alone left, not to console but to tempt
him, he says as you know, The Lord gave, the Lord hath Job], taken away; as the Lord pleased, so hath He done ; blessed
be the name of the Lord. There was fulfilled in him, that
which we daily sing, if our lives do but agree with will Ps. 34,i. bless God at all times: his praise shall always be in my mouth. Thus under these three names are signified three
kinds of men, and again in those three in the Gospel, whom
have mentioned.
6. What do they say then, who insult us with the name
of Monks
called Circumcelliones; you call them by reproachful name,
for we do not call them so. Let them say what they call them, and you shall hear. They call them Agonistics. An honest name we grant, the facts agreed with it. Mean
while let your holiness see to this. Let them who say to us, 'Shew us where the name of Monks written,' themselves
shew where the name of Agonistics written. We call
them so, say they, because of their striving. For they strive,
and the Apostle says, have fought a good fighl. Because Tim. they are they who fight against the devil, and prevail, the4'"" soldiers of Christ are called Agonistics. Would they were soldiers of Christ, and not soldiers of the devil, whose 'Praises to God' more fearful than the roaring of lion.
These venture to insult us, because the brethren, when they
see men, say, Thanks to God. ' What the meaning, they
say, of Thanks to God Are you so deaf as not to know
what 'Thanks to God' means? He who says 'Thanks to
God,' gives thanks to God. Consider whether brother
ought not to thank God, when he sees his brother. Is
not indeed cause for congratulation, when they who dwell in Christ, see one another And yet you ridicule our Thanks to
God,' men mourn at your Praises to God. ' It true, indeed,
that you have given reason for calling them Agnostics.
Be as you call them, be so, we are quite willing. The
Perchance they will say, Our people are not
it 2
1
it
I ?
a
'? '
/
if
is
?
'
a
it
'
is
is is
a
'
is
a
it, /
2
116 The unity of Christian brotherhood.
Psalm Lord grant they may fight against the devil, and not against exxxm.
have husbands, take pride in the protection of their hus bands : widows seem desolate, and their aid is a stronger one. The whole Church therefore is one widow, whether in men or in women, in married men or married women, in young men or in old, or in virgins: the whole Church is one widow, desolate in this world, if she feel this, if she is
aware of her widowhood : for then is help at hand for her.
Do ye not recognise this widow in the Gospel, my brethren,
when the Lord declared that men ought always to pray andLutelS,
10t/ Who are the Poor, who shall be satisfied.
Psalm not to faint ? There was in a city a judge, He said, which cxxxlIifeared not God, neither regarded man. And there was a widow in that city ; and she came unto him day by day,
saying, Avenge me ofmine adversary. The widow, by daily importunity, prevailed with him : for the judge said within
I
because this woman troublet h me,
himself, Though
not God, neither regard man, yet I will avenge her. If the wicked judge heard the widow, that he might not be molested; heareth not God His Church, whom He exhorteth
fear
to pray ?
24. Also, Iwill satisfy her poor with bread; whal meaueth
this, brethren? Let us be poor, and we shall then be satisfied. Many who trust in the world, and are proud, are Christians; they worship Christ, but are not satisfied; for they have been satisfied, and abound in their pride. Of such it is
Ps. 123, said, Our soul isfilled with the scornful reproof of the wealthy, 4 and with the despitefulness of the proud : these have abun
dance, and therefore eat, but are not satisfied. And what is Ps. 22, said of them in the Psalm ? All such as befat upon the earth ? "K have eaten and worshipped. They worship Christ, they
venerate Christ, they pray unto Christ; but they are not satis fied with His wisdom and righteousness. Wherefore ? Be cause they are not poor. For the poor, that is the humble in heart, the more they hunger, the more they eat; and the more empty they are of the world, the more hungry they are. He who is full refuseth whatsoever thou wilt give him, because he is full. Give me one who hungereth ; give me
Matt. 5, one of whom it is said, Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled: and these will be the poor of whom he hath just said, And will satisfy her poor with bread. For in the very Psalm where
fat
29 26' *S sa'^' ^
upo" ine have eaten and
<<MC'* as oe
worshipped; this is said of the poor also, and exactly in the same manner as in this Psalm, The poor shall eat, and be satisfied: they that seek after the Lord shall praise Him. Where it is said, All such as be fat upon earth have eaten and worshipped: it is said, The poor shall eat, and be
Why, when the rich are said to have worshipped, are they not said to be satisfied ; yet when the poor are mentioned, they are said to be satisfied ? And whence arc
satisfied.
Christ's poor are they who trust not in riches. 107
they satisfied ? What is the nature, brethren, of this satis- Vrr. fying ? God Himself is their bread. The bread came down -- -- upon the earth/, that He might become milk unto us; and said
to His own,
am the Bread
Living which came down from John 6,
heaven. Hence these words in the Psalm, The poor shall61' eat, and he satisfied. From what source shall they be satisfied ? Hear what followeth : And they that seek after the Lord shall praise Him.
25. Be ye therefore poor, be ye among the members of that widow, let your help be solely in God alone. Money is nought ; not thence will ye have aid. Many have been cast headlong down for money's sake, many have perished on account of money ; many for the sake of their riches have been marked out by plunderers ; they would have been safe, had they not had what made men hunt for them. Many have presumed in their more powerful friends : they in whom they presumed have fallen, and have involved in their ruin those who trusted in them. Look back upon the instances to be seen in the human race. Is it any thing singular that I am telling you ? We speak these things not
only from these Scriptures ; read them in the whole world. Take heed that ye presume not in money, in a friend, in the honour and the boasting of the world. Take away all these things: but if thou hast them, thank God if thou despisest them. But if thou art puffed up by them; think not when thou wilt be the prey of men; already art thou the Devil's prey. But ifthou hast not trusted in these things, thou wilt be among the members of that widow, who is the Church, of whom it is said, / will bless her widow with blessings ; thou wilt also be poor, and one of those of whom it is said,
And will satisfy her poor with bread.
26. Sometimes, however, and we must not pass over this
without mention, thou findest a poor man proud, and a rich man humble : we daily endure such persons. Thou hearest a poor man groaning beneath a rich man, and when the more powerful rich man presseth upon him, then thou seest him humble : sometimes not even then, but even then proud; whence thou seest what he would have been, had he any property. God's poor one is therefore poor in spirit, not in his purse. Sometimes a man goeth forth having a
108 The rich may be humble, the poor may be proud.
Psalm full house, rich lands, many estates, much gold and silver ; cxxxl! he knoweth that he must not trust in these, he humbleth him
self before God, he doth good with them ; thus his heart is raised unto God, so that he is aware that not only do riches themselves profit him nothing, but that they even impede his feet, save He rule them, and aid them: and he is counted among the poor who are satisfied with bread. Thou findest another a proud beggar, or not proud only because he hath nothing, nevertheless seeking whereby he may be puffed up. God doth not heed the means a man hath, but the wish he hath, and judgeth him according to his wish for temporal blessings, not according to the means which it is not his lot to have. Whence the Apostle saith of the rich,
1 Tim. 6, Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not ' high minded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, Who giveth us richly all things to enjoy. What
therefore should they do with their riches ? He goeth on to say: That they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate. And see that they are poor in this world : Laying up in store for themselves, he addeth, a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life. When they have laid hold of eternal life, then will they be rich ; but since they have it not as yet, they should know that they are poor. Thus it is that God counteth among His poor all the humble in heart,
Mat. 22, who are established in that twofold charity, whatever they 37--39. may have in (jiis world --among His poor, whom He satisfieth
with bread. /will clothe her priests with salvation,
27. Ver. 16, 17.
and her saints shall rejoice and sing. We are now at the end of the Psalm ; attend for a short space, Beloved. / will clothe her priests with salvation, and her saints shall rejoice and sing. Who is our salvation, save our Christ ? What meaneth, therefore, / will clothe her priests with
Gal. 3, salvation ? --" As many of you as have been baptized into 27' Christ, have put on Christ. " --And her saints shall rejoice
and sing. Whence shall they rejoice and sing ? Because
they have been clothed with salvation : not in themselves.
8'
Eph. 5, For they have become light, but in the Lord ; for they were
darkness before. Therefore he hath added, There will I
The Sanctification of Ood is through Christ. 109
raise up the horn of David : this will be David's height, Ver. that trust be put in Christ. For horn signifielh height: and ------ what sort of height ? Not carnal. Therefore, while all the
bones are wrapped up in flesh, the horn goeth beyond the
flesh. Spiritual altitude is a horn. But what is spiritual loftiness, save to trust in Christ ? not to say, It is my work, Dona-
I baptize; but, He it is Who baplizeth. There is the horn j"^ 1} of David : and that ye may know that there is the horn of33- David, heed what followeth ; / have ordained a lantern for
mine Anointed. What is a lantern ? Ye already know the
Lord's words concerning John ; He was a burning and a John 5, shining light. And what saith John ? He it is Who bap-
tizeth. Herein therefore shall the saints rejoice, herein
the priests shall rejoice : because all that is good in them
selves, is not of themselves, but of Him Who hath the
power of baptizing. Fearlessly therefore doth every one
who hath received baptism come unto His temple; because
it is not man's, but His Who made the horn of David to flourish.
28. Ver. 18. Upon Him shall My sanctification flourish. Upon whom ? Upon Mine Anointed. For when He saith, Mine anointed, it is the voice of the Father, Who saith, / will bless her widow with blessings, and will satisfy her poor
I will clothe her priests with salvation, and
with bread.
her saints shall rejoice and sing. He Who saith, There will 1 raise up the horn of David, is God. He Himself saith, 1 have ordained a lantern for Mine Anointed, because Christ is both ours and the Father's: He is our Christ, when He saveth us and ruleth us, as He is also our Lord : He is the Son of the Father, but both our Christ and the Father's. For if He were not the Father's Christ, it would not be said above, For Thy servant David's sake, turn not
Thou away the presence of Thine Anointed. Upon Him shall My sanctification flourish. It flourisheth upon Christ. Let none of men assume this to himself, that he himself sanctifieth : otherwise it will not be true, Upon Him shall The glory of sanctification shall flourish. The sanctification of Christ therefore in Christ Himself, is the power of the sanctification of God in Christ. In that he saith, shall flourish, he refers to His
My sanctification flourish.
110 Sanctiftcation in Baptism. Christian Unity.
Psalm glory: for when trees flourish, then are they beautiful. ci? miL Sanctiflcation therefore is in Baptism : thence it flourisheth, and is brightened. Why hath the world yielded to this Because it flourisheth in Christ; for, put it in man's power, and how doth it then flourish? since allflesh is grass, and all the yoodliness thereof as the flower of the
grass.
Lat. psalm cxxxili. cxxxir.
EXPOSITION.
A Public discourse, in which he defends the Monks against the Donatists.
1. This is a short Psalm, but one well known and quoted. Behold, how good and how pleasant is it, that brethren should dwell together in unity. So sweet is that sound, that even they who know not the Psalter, sing that verse. Sweet is it even as charity is sweet, which causes brethren to dwell together in unity. This fact indeed, brethren, needs neither interpretation nor explanation, to wit, how good and how pleasant it is to dwell together in unity; but that which
Matt. 7, follows contains somewhat that may open to them who " knock. Yet that the comprehension of the entire substance
of the Psalm may reach us from this verse, let us in the first place reflect over and over again, whether it be said of all Christians, ' How good and how pleasant is that brethren should dwell together in unity or whether there be some special and perfect persons who dwell together, and that the blessing does not apply to all, but to some, from whom
however may descend upon the rest.
2. For these same words of the Psalter, this sweet sound,
that honeyed melody, as well of the mind as of the hymn, did even beget the Monasteries. By this sound were stirred up the brethren who longed to dwell together. This verse was their trumpet. It sounded through the whole earth, and they who had been divided, were gathered together. The
beauty?
it
;'
it,
Ill
summons of God, the summons of the Holy Spirit, the Ver. summons of the Prophets, were not heard in Judah, yet ------ were heard through the whole world. They were deaf to
that sound, amid whom it was sung; they were found
with their ears opened, of whom it was said, They shall U. 65, l. ,see him, who were not told of him; they shall understand
who heard not. Yet, most beloved, if we reflect, the very blessing hath sprung from that walla of circumcision. For
The Joy and the Vows of the Church's first love.
have all the Jews perished ? and whence were the Apostles,
the sons of the Prophets, the sons of the exiles b? He speaks P>>" 127, as to them who know. Whence those five hundred, who saw ,<<
luor. 15, the Lord after His resurrection, whom the Apostle Paul 6.
commemorates? Whence those hundred and twenty, who Acta l, were together in one place after the resurrection of the IK ' Lord, and His ascension into heaven, on whom when gathered
into one place the Holy Spirit descended on the day ofActa2,i. Pentecost, sent down from heaven, sent, even as He was promised? All were from thence, and they first dwelt together in unity; who sold all they had, and laid the price Acts 4, of their goods at the Apostles' feet, as is read in the Acts of34' 35' the Apostles. And distribution was made to each one as Acts 2,
he had need, and none called any thing his own, but they i5- had all things common. And what is ' together in unity ? '
They had, he says, one mind and one heart God-wards. Acts 4, So they were the first who hearrl, Behold how good and 32' how pleasant is that brethren dwell together. They were
the first to hear, but heard not alone. It was not that that love and unity of the brethren extended no further than to them. The joyfulness of love and the vow to God reached them who came after. Something was vowed to God, as
written, Vow and pay your vows to the Lord your God. Ps. 76, For better not to vow, than to vow and not perform. Ec'cles But the mind should be ready so as both to vow and to 5" perform; lest when thinks itself ill fitted to perform,
Alluding to the two walls, Jewish translation of the ambiguous Hehrew
and Gentile, meeting in the corner. See on Ps. lix. 10. and on Ps. xcv.
ferred the LX X to the young men Fxcnssi, a literal translation of of our version. St. Augustine's inter
8.
theGrevk LXX. ^icrtTu^fitW. This pretation see on Ps. lxxrii. 9.
root which means to shake out.
or expel, and young man, pre
' ? .
? b*
is
by
a
is
' itit 5.
it
\it is
it
it,
112 Monks compared with ' Circumcelliones. '
Psalm prove too slow to vow. For he will surely never pa}', *TTml' whoever deems that he is about to pay of his own.
3. From the words of this Psalm was taken the name of Monks, that no one may reproach you who are Catholics by reason of the name. When you with justice reproach heretics by reason of the Circelliones, that they may be saved by shame, they reproach you on the score of the Monks. See to it yourselves, in the first place, whether they may be compared : if there be any need for your words, ye are already at a disadvantage. There is no need, except to warn every one that he attend, only attend and compare them. What need is there for your words? Let them compare the drunken with the temperate, the rash with the provident, the mad with the sane, them who wander with them who live together. Yet they are wont to say, What is the meaning of the name Monks ?
Much better may we say, What is the meaning of the word Circelliones ? But they are not, say
they, called Circelliones. Perhaps we call them by some corrupt form of their name. Shall we say what is their proper name? Perchance they are called Circumcellionesc, not Circelliones. Well, if they be so called, let them say why they are so. They are called Circumcelliones, because they ramble about the cells. For they are wont to go hither and thither, having no abiding place, and to do things which you know well of; and they know also, will they or not.
4. Moreover, beloved, there are they who are false Monks, and we know men of this kind ; but the pious brotherhood is not annulled, because of them who profess to be what they are not. There are false Monks, as there are false men
c The Circumcelliones were a wan- even committing suicide under the dering kind of Anchorites, who lived name of Martyrdom. See on Ps. ji. under no rule, and were guilty of ? . 5. t. i. p. 97. on Ps. lv. ? 26. t. iii. various irregularities, and who were p. 52. on Ps. xcvi. 11. t. iv. p. 408. censured by the forty-second Canon of and S. Optatus, b. iii. c. iv. p. 59. the Council of Trullo. Confer also where a historical account is ijiven. Papias. S. Jerome, Ep. 22. ? . 34. Ducange refers to St. Aug. Ep. 48. 60. Hunnerie's Edict. Vict. Vitt-ns. lib. 3. 61. 68. Contra Parmenian. b. i. cap. 1 ]. A number of these, in Africa, took Contra Crescon. b. iii. c. 42. 47. Collat. up the cause of Donatus in a fana- Carthag. 3. cap. 174. 281. Possidius, tical manner, and perpetrated various life of St. Aug. c. 10, 11. Auctor
acts of violence under pretence of re- Praniestinati, b. i. hrercs. 69. <fec. Also ligion, robbing and beating whom they Cod. Theod. Cen. 52. De Hrereticis, but would, sending threatening notices, doubtfully as to its application.
&c. and sometimes seeking death, or
Bad and Good among all three Classes, 113
among the Clergy, and among the faithful. All these throe Ver. kinds, whom we have before1 commended to you, and I. ----- think more than once, have their good and their bad. OfPs. loo, these very three kinds it has been said, Two shall be
thefield, one shall be taken, one shall be left ; tiro shall be *
in bed, one shall be taken, and one shall be left ; and 111034, women at a mill, one shall be taken, and one shall be left.
They are in the field, who govern the Church. Hence the Apostle said, (see whether he were not in the field,) / hate 1 Cor. 3,
planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase.
those who are in bed, he would have them understood who
love quiet ; for by the bed he would have quiet understood ; them who do not mingle in the crowdings and tumult of mankind, serving God in peace ; yet from these one shall
be taken, one left. Among these are good, and repro
bate also. Fear not, because reprobates are found there,
for some men are hidden, who are not found, save at the
end. Two women also at the mill. He spoke of them
by a word of the feminine gender, for he would have bodies
of people understood. And wherefore in the mill? Because
they are in that world, which is understood to be the mill ; because the world turns round as a mill : woe to them whom
it grinds to powder. And so there are good [and bad]2aO*f. among the faithful in such wise, that one is taken to destruc
tion, another is taken to God. For the lovers of this life, the dishonest, and the hypocrites, do certain deeds of the world. But others abide therein in the manner of which the
Apostle speaks; And they who use this world, as thoughI' Cor. 7, not using it, for the fashion of this world passeth away :
would have you be without care. Dost thou hear who shall
be taken from the mill ? For of a truth many sins seem to
belong to the rich. For when they do much, and take on
them much business, and their wealth grows more and more,
it is hard for them not to commit more sins; of whom it is
said, that it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a M"it. i! 1, needle, than for a rich man to go into the kingdom of heave <<?
And when the disciples were sorry for them, and uow Jo, 25. despaired on their account, the Lord consoled them, by
saying, what is impossible with man, is easy for God. ButM. it. 19, how does God make that easy? Hear the Apostle, if thou
VOL. VI. 1
By6*
Mat. 24!
'
114 Monks, Clergy, and Laymen. These typified
Psalm despisest not what he commands. Charge, says he, them
6, 17. the proud man poor, the humble Christian rich, because he carefully reflects, that all these things pass by and flow l Tim. away ; that he brought nothing into this world, can carry nothing from it; how that rich man, who was burning in fire in hell, desired that a drop of water should drop him from the finger of that man, who had desired the crumbs from his table. Thinking of this, they do as the
c xxx 111. wft0 are riclt -n world not f0 tJiifili proudly. You find 1 Tim. .
Luke16 **?
6' 1 "
upon
1 Tim. Apostle says, not trust in the uncertainty of riches, but in
the living God, Who giveth us all things abundantly to
enjoy. L<:t them, he says, be rich in good works; let them freely give, communicate, lay up treasures. And what is their gain from this ? Let them treasure up a good found ation for the time to come, that they may obtain true life.
Behold the one who shall be taken from the mill. But the other shall be left, who is as that rich man, who was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day, and despised the poor man who lay at his gate. And so, one shall be taken from the mill, and one shall be left.
5. So Ezekiel speaks of three persons, in whom we may
Ezek.
and 20. reasonably discern these three kinds. // the Lord send a
sword upon the earth, though Noe, Daniel, and. Job, were in the midst of them, they shall save neither sons nor daughters, but they alone themselves shall be saved. They have long ago been set free, but under these three names he signified three kinds. Noe signifies the rulers of the Church, because he steered the ark in the flood. But
Daniel chose a quiet life, to serve God in celibacy, that is, not seeking a wife. He was a holy man, passing his life in divine longings, tried in many things, and found to be pure
Dan. 6, gold. How quiet was he, who was unmoved among lions. 22, 14, rI. hus unclcr ^e name of Daniel, who was called a 'man of
Gen. 7,
2 Pet. 2, 5*
Dan. 10,
ib. 19.
Jobl, 23
but those ever chaste and holy, are signified the servants of God, of whom it is said, Behold, how good and pleasant is it, that brethren dwell together in unity. Under the name of Job is signified, the one woman who will be taken from the mill. For he had a wife, he had sons, he had much riches; and he had so much in this life, that the devil charged him with this, that he served God not for
desires^
by Noah, Job, and Daniel. 115
nought, but for what he got. With this the adversary Ver. charged the holy man, and in his temptations it was proved ---- how entirely Job served God for nought, and not for that which he received, but for His sake Who had given. And so
when all was lost, by sudden trial and affliction, his estate lost,
his heirs lost, his wife alone left, not to console but to tempt
him, he says as you know, The Lord gave, the Lord hath Job], taken away; as the Lord pleased, so hath He done ; blessed
be the name of the Lord. There was fulfilled in him, that
which we daily sing, if our lives do but agree with will Ps. 34,i. bless God at all times: his praise shall always be in my mouth. Thus under these three names are signified three
kinds of men, and again in those three in the Gospel, whom
have mentioned.
6. What do they say then, who insult us with the name
of Monks
called Circumcelliones; you call them by reproachful name,
for we do not call them so. Let them say what they call them, and you shall hear. They call them Agonistics. An honest name we grant, the facts agreed with it. Mean
while let your holiness see to this. Let them who say to us, 'Shew us where the name of Monks written,' themselves
shew where the name of Agonistics written. We call
them so, say they, because of their striving. For they strive,
and the Apostle says, have fought a good fighl. Because Tim. they are they who fight against the devil, and prevail, the4'"" soldiers of Christ are called Agonistics. Would they were soldiers of Christ, and not soldiers of the devil, whose 'Praises to God' more fearful than the roaring of lion.
These venture to insult us, because the brethren, when they
see men, say, Thanks to God. ' What the meaning, they
say, of Thanks to God Are you so deaf as not to know
what 'Thanks to God' means? He who says 'Thanks to
God,' gives thanks to God. Consider whether brother
ought not to thank God, when he sees his brother. Is
not indeed cause for congratulation, when they who dwell in Christ, see one another And yet you ridicule our Thanks to
God,' men mourn at your Praises to God. ' It true, indeed,
that you have given reason for calling them Agnostics.
Be as you call them, be so, we are quite willing. The
Perchance they will say, Our people are not
it 2
1
it
I ?
a
'? '
/
if
is
?
'
a
it
'
is
is is
a
'
is
a
it, /
2
116 The unity of Christian brotherhood.
Psalm Lord grant they may fight against the devil, and not against exxxm.
