The Second Sunday after the Epiphany
The Baptism of Chirst
Homily of Augustine on Psalm XCVI
Home Second Sunday after Epiphany
ALMIGHTY and everlasting God, who dost govern all things in heaven and earth; Mercifully hear the supplications of thy people, and grant us thy peace all the days of our life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Archbishop Cranmer translated this from Latin. Originally a prayer for outward peace.
In the Early Church, the birth of Christ, the Magi visit, and Baptism were all celebrated on the 6th. The Protestant Episcopal Church moved the baptism Gospel to the 2nd Sunday after Epiphany, to remember this event during Epiphanytide and so we have it today. The Lutheran Church remembers the Baptism on Third Sunday after Christmas. The Latin Church remembers it on the First Sunday after Epiphany. The Orthodox Church continues to celebrate the Baptism on the Theophany, 6 January, with the visit of the Magi. Theophany literally means "Manifestation of God".
1st Chrionicles xvi. Psalms 96, 97| 45, 46, Romans xii. 6 & St. Mark i. 1
Homily of Augustine on Psalm XCVI
1st Chronicles xvi.
So they brought the ark of God, and set it in the midst of the tent that David had pitched for it: and they offered burnt sacrifices and peace offerings before God.
And when David had made an end of offering the burnt offerings and the peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the LORD.
And he dealt to every one of Israel, both man and woman, to every one a loaf of bread, and a good piece of flesh, and a flagon of wine.
And he appointed certain of the Levites to minister before the ark of the LORD, and to record, and to thank and praise the LORD God of Israel:
Asaph the chief, and next to him Zechariah, Jeiel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehiel, and Mattithiah, and Eliab, and Benaiah, and Obededom: and Jeiel with psalteries and with harps; but Asaph made a sound with cymbals;
Benaiah also and Jahaziel the priests with trumpets continually before the ark of the covenant of God.
Then on that day David delivered first this psalm to thank the LORD into the hand of Asaph and his brethren.
Give thanks unto the LORD, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the people. Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him, talk ye of all his wondrous works. Glory ye in his holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the LORD. Seek the LORD and his strength, seek his face continually. Remember his marvellous works that he hath done, his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth; O ye seed of Israel his servant, ye children of Jacob, his chosen ones. He is the LORD our God; his judgments are in all the earth. Be ye mindful always of his covenant; the word which he commanded to a thousand generations; Even of the covenant which he made with Abraham, and of his oath unto Isaac; And hath confirmed the same to Jacob for a law, and to Israel for an everlasting covenant, Saying, Unto thee will I give the land of Canaan, the lot of your inheritance; When ye were but few, even a few, and strangers in it. And when they went from nation to nation, and from one kingdom to another people; He suffered no man to do them wrong: yea, he reproved kings for their sakes, Saying, Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm.And all the people said, Amen, and praised the LORD. So he left there before the ark of the covenant of the LORD Asaph and his brethren, to minister before the ark continually, as every day's work required: And Obededom with their brethren, threescore and eight; Obededom also the son of Jeduthun and Hosah to be porters: And Zadok the priest, and his brethren the priests, before the tabernacle of the LORD in the high place that was at Gibeon, To offer burnt offerings unto the LORD upon the altar of the burnt offering continually morning and evening, and to do according to all that is written in the law of the LORD, which he commanded Israel; And with them Heman and Jeduthun, and the rest that were chosen, who were expressed by name, to give thanks to the LORD, because his mercy endureth for ever; And with them Heman and Jeduthun with trumpets and cymbals for those that should make a sound, and with musical instruments of God. And the sons of Jeduthun were porters. And all the people departed every man to his house: and David returned to bless his house.
Sing unto the LORD, all the earth; show forth from day to day his salvation. Declare his glory among the heathen; his marvellous works among all nations. For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised: he also is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the people are idols: but the LORD made the heavens. Glory and honour are in his presence; strength and gladness are in his place. Give unto the LORD, ye kindreds of the people, give unto the LORD glory and strength. Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come before him: worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness. Fear before him, all the earth: the world also shall be stable, that it be not moved. Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice: and let men say among the nations, The LORD reigneth. Let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof: let the fields rejoice, and all that is therein. Then shall the trees of the wood sing out at the presence of the LORD, because he cometh to judge the earth. O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever. And say ye, Save us, O God of our salvation, and gather us together, and deliver us from the heathen, that we may give thanks to thy holy name, and glory in thy praise. Blessed be the LORD God of Israel for ever and ever.
Romans xii. 6
HAVING then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; or ministry, let us wait on our ministering; or he that teacheth, on teaching; or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness. Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another; not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer; distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality. Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not. Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep. Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate.St. Mark i. 1
THE beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God; as it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee. The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. And there went out unto him all the land of Judaea, and they of Jerusalem, and were all baptized of him in the river of Jordan, confessing their sins. And John was clothed with camel's hair, and with a girdle of a skin about his loins; and he did eat locusts and wild honey; and preached, saying, There cometh one mightier than I after me, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose. I indeed have baptized you with water: but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost. And it came to pass in those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized of John in Jordan. And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit, like a dove, descending upon him: and there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
Hoimly of Augustine
Psalm XCVI
1. My lord and brother Severus [4414] still defers the pleasure we
shall feel in his discourse, which he oweth us; for he acknowledgeth,
that he is held a debtor. For all the Churches through which he hath
passed, by his tongue the lord hath gladdened: much more therefore
ought that Church to be rejoiced, out of which the Lord hath propagated
his preaching among the rest. But what shall we do, but obey his will?
I said, however, brethren, that he deferred, not that he defrauded us.
Therefore let us keep him as a debtor bound, and release him not until
he hath paid. Attend therefore, beloved: as far as the Lord alloweth,
let us say somewhat of this Psalm, which indeed you already know; for
the fresh mention of truth is sweet. Possibly when its title was
pronounced, some heard it with wonder. For the Psalm is inscribed:
"When the house was being built after the Captivity." This title having
been prefixed, ye were perhaps expecting in the text of the Psalm to
hear what stones were hewn from the mountains, what masses were drawn
to the spot, what foundations were laid, what beams were placed on
high, what columns raised. Its song is of nothing of this kind....It is
no such house that is in building; for behold where it is built, not in
one spot, not in any particular region. For thus he beginneth:--
2. "O sing unto the Lord a new song; sing unto the Lord, all the earth"
[4415] (ver. 1). If all the earth singeth a new song, it is thus
building while it singeth: the very act of singing is building: but
only, if it singeth not the old song. The lust of the flesh singeth the
old song: the love of God singeth the new....Hear why it is a new song:
the Lord saith, "A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one
another." [4416] The whole earth then singeth a new song: there the
house of God is built. All the earth is the house of God. If all the
earth is the house of God, [4417] he who clingeth not to all the earth,
is a ruin, not a house; that old ruin whose shadow that ancient temple
represented. For there what was old was destroyed, that what was new
might be built up....The Apostle bindeth us together into this very
structure, and fasteneth us when bound together in that unity, saying,
"Forbearing one another in love; endeavouring to keep the unity of the
Spirit in the bond of peace." [4418] Where there is this unity of
Spirit, there is one stone; but one stone formed out of many. How one
formed out of many? By forbearing one another in love. Therefore the
house of the Lord our God is in building; it is this that is being
wrought, for this are these words, for this these readings, for this
the preaching of the Gospel over the whole world; as yet it is in
building. This house hath increased greatly, and filled many nations:
nevertheless, it hath not yet prevailed through all nations: by its
increase it hath held many, and will prevail over all: and it is
gainsaid by those who boast of their being of its household, and who
say, it hath already lost ground. It still increaseth, still all those
nations which have not yet believed are destined to believe; that no
man may say, will that tongue believe? will the barbarians believe?
what is the meaning of the Holy Spirit having appeared in the fiery
tongues, [4419] except that there is no tongue so hard that it cannot
be softened by that fire? For we know that many barbarous nations have
already believed in Christ: Christ already possesseth regions where the
Roman empire hath never yet reached; what is as yet closed to those who
fight with the sword, is not closed to Him who fighteth with wood. For
"the Lord hath reigned from the wood." [4420] Who is it who fighteth
with wood? Christ. With His cross He hath vanquished kings, and fixed
upon their forehead, when vanquished, that very cross; and they glory
in it, for in it is their salvation. This is the work which is being
wrought, thus the house increaseth, thus it is building: and that ye
may know, hear the following verses of the Psalm: see them labouring
upon, and constructing the house. "O sing unto the Lord all the earth."
3. "Sing unto the Lord, bless His Name: be telling good tidings of His
salvation from day to day" (ver. 2). How doth the building increase?
"Be telling," he saith, "good tidings of His salvation from day to
day." Let it be preached from day to day; from day to day, he saith,
let it be built; let My house, saith God, increase. And as if it were
said by the workmen, Where dost Thou command it to be built? Where dost
Thou will Thy house to increase? Choose for us some level, spacious
spot, if Thou wish an ample house built Thee. Where dost Thou bid us be
telling good tidings from day to day? He showeth the place: "Declare
His honour unto the heathen:" His honour, not yours. O ye builders,
"Declare His honour unto the heathen." Should ye choose to declare your
own honour, ye shall fall: if His, ye shall be built up, while ye are
building. Therefore they who choose to declare their own honour, have
refused to dwell in that house; and therefore they sing not a new song
with all the earth. [4421] For they do not share it with the whole
round world; and hence they are not building in the house, but have
erected a whited wall. How sternly doth God threaten the whited wall?
[4422] There are innumerable testimonies of the Prophets, whence He
curseth the whited wall. What is the whited wall, save hypocrisy, that
is, pretence? Without it is bright, within it is dirt....A certain
person, [4423] speaking of this whited wall, said thus: "as, if in a
wall which standeth alone, and is not connected with any other walls,
you make a door, whoever enters, is out of doors; so in that part which
hath refused to sing the new song together with the house, but hath
chosen to build a wall, and that a whited one, and not solid, what
availeth it that it hath a door?" If thou enterest, thou art found to
be without. For because they themselves did not enter by the door,
their door also doth not admit them within. For the Lord saith, "I am
the door: by Me they enter in." [4424] ..."Declare His honour unto the
heathen." What is, unto the heathen? Perhaps by nations but a few are
meant: and that part which hath raised the whited wall hath still
somewhat to say: why are not Getulia, Numidia, Mauritania, Byzacium,
nations? Provinces are nations. Let the word of God take the word from
hypocrisy, from the whited wall, building up the house over the whole
world. It is not enough to say, "Declare His honour unto the heathen;"
that thou mayest not think any nations excepted, he addeth, "and His
wonders unto all people."
4. "For the Lord is great, and cannot worthily be praised" (ver. 4).
What Lord, except Jesus Christ, "is great, and cannot worthily be
praised"? Ye know surely that He appeared as a Man: ye know surely that
He was conceived in a woman's womb, ye know that He was born from the
womb, that He was suckled, that He was carried in arms, circumcised,
that a victim was offered for Him, that He grew; lastly, ye know that
He was buffeted, spit upon, crowned with thorns, was crucified, died,
was pierced with a spear; ye know that He suffered all these things:
"He is great, and cannot worthily be praised." Despise not what is
little, understand what is great. He became little, because ye were
such: let Him be acknowledged great, and in Him ye shall be
great....For what can a small tongue say towards the praise of the
Great One? By saying, Beyond praise, [4425] he hath spoken, and hath
given to imagination what it may conceive: as if saying, What I cannot
utter, do thou reflect on; and when thou shalt have reflected, it will
not be enough. What no man's thought uttereth, doth any man's tongue
utter? "The Lord is great, and cannot worthily be praised." Let Him be
praised, and preached: His honour declared, and His house built.
5. ...For the spot where he wished to build the house, is itself woody,
where it was said yesterday, "we found it in the wood." [4426] For he
was seeking that very house, when he said, "in the wood." And why is
that spot woody? Men used to worship images: it is not wonderful that
they fed hogs. For that son who left his father, and spent his all on
harlots, living as a prodigal, used to feed hogs, [4427] that is, to
worship devils; and by this very superstition of the heathen, all the
earth became a wood. But he who buildeth a house, rooteth up the wood;
and for this reason it was said, "While the house was being built,
after the captivity." [4428] For men were held captive under the devil,
and served devils; but they were redeemed from captivity. They could
sell, but they could not redeem themselves. The Redeemer came, and gave
a price; He poured forth His Blood, and bought the whole world. Ye ask
what He bought? Ye see what He hath given; find out then what He
bought. The Blood of Christ was the price. What is equal to this? What,
but the whole world? What, but all nations? They are very ungrateful
for their price, or very proud, who say that the price is so small that
it bought the Africans only; or that they are so great, as that it was
given for them alone. Let them not then exult, let them not be proud:
He gave what He gave for the whole world. He knew what He bought,
because He knew at what price He bought it. Thus because we are
redeemed, the house is built after the captivity. And who are they who
held us in captivity? Because they to whom it is said, "Declare His
honour," are the clearers of the wood: that they may root out the wood,
free the earth from captivity, and build, and raise up, by declaring
the greatness of the Lord's house. How is the wood of devils cleared
away, unless He who is above them all be preached? All nations then had
devils for their gods: those whom they called gods, were devils, as the
Apostle more openly saith, "The things which the Gentiles sacrifice,
they sacrifice unto devils, and not to God." [4429] Since therefore
they were in captivity, because they sacrificed to devils, and on that
account the whole earth had remained woody; He is declared to be great,
and above all worldly praise.
6. ...For when he had said, "He is more to be feared than all gods:" he
added, "As for all the gods of the heathen, they are devils."...Because
"all the gods of the heathen are devils." And is this all the praise of
Him who cannot worthily be praised, that He is above all the gods of
the heathen, which are devils? Wait, and hear what followeth: "It is
the Lord that made the heavens." Not above all gods only therefore, but
above all the heavens which He made, is the Lord. If he were to say,
"above all gods, for the gods of the heathen are devils," and if the
praise of our Lord stopped here, he had said less than we are
accustomed to think of Christ; but when he said, "But it is the Lord
that made the heavens;" see what difference there is between the
heavens and devils: and what between the heavens and Him who made the
heavens; behold how exalted is the Lord. He said not, But the Lord
sitteth above the heavens; for perhaps some one else might be imagined
to have made them, upon which He was enthroned: but, "It is the Lord
that made the heavens." If He made the heavens, He made the Angels
also: Himself made the Angels, Himself made the Apostles. The devils
yielded to the Apostles: but the Apostles themselves were heavens, who
bore the Lord....O heavens, which He made, declare His honour unto the
heathen! Let His house be built throughout the earth, let all the earth
sing a new song.
7. "Confession and beauty are before Him" (ver. 6). Dost thou love
beauty? Wishest thou to be beautiful? Confess! He said not, beauty and
confession, but confession and beauty. Thou wast foul; confess, that
thou mayest be fair: thou wast a sinner; confess, that thou mayest be
righteous. Thou couldest deform thyself: thou canst not make thyself
beautiful. But of what sort is our Betrothed, who hath loved one
deformed, that he might make her fair? How, saith some one, loved He
one deformed? "I came not," said He, "to call the righteous, but
sinners." [4430] Whom callest Thou? sinners, that they may remain
sinners? No, saith He. And by what means will they cease to be sinners?
"Confession and beauty are before Him." They honour Him by confession
of their sins, they vomit the evils which they had greedily devoured;
they return not to their vomit, like the unclean dog; [4431] and there
will then be confession and beauty: we love beauty; let us first choose
confession, that beauty may follow. Again, there is one who loveth
power and greatness: he wisheth to be great as the Angels are. There is
a certain greatness in the Angels; and such power, that if the Angels
exert it to the full, it cannot be withstood. And every man desireth
the power of the Angels, but their righteousness every man loveth not.
First love righteousness, and power shall follow thee. For what
followeth here? "Holiness and greatness are in His sanctification."
Thou wast before seeking for greatness: first love righteousness: when
thou art righteous, thou shall also be great. For if thou
preposterously dost wish first to be great, thou fallest before thou
canst rise: for thou dost not rise, thou art raised up. Thou risest
better, if He raise thee who falleth not. For He who falleth not
descendeth unto thee: thou hadst fallen: He descendeth, He hath
stretched forth His hand unto thee; thou canst not rise by thy own
strength, embrace the hand of Him who descendeth, that thou mayest be
raised up by the Strong One.
8. What then? If "confession and beauty are before Him: holiness and
greatness in His sanctification" (ver. 7). This we declare, when we are
building the house; behold, it is already declared unto the heathen;
what ought the heathen to do, to whom those who have cleared away the
wood have declared the Lord's honour? He now saith to the heathen
themselves, "Ascribe unto the Lord, O ye kindreds of the people:
ascribe unto the Lord worship and honour." Ascribe them not unto
yourselves: because they also who have declared it unto you, have not
declared their own, but His honour. Do ye then "ascribe unto the Lord
worship and honour;" and say, "Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us: but
unto Thy Name give the praise." [4432] Put not your trust in man. If
each of you is baptized, let him say: He baptizeth me, of whom the
friend of the Bridegroom said, "He baptizeth with the Holy Ghost."
[4433] For when ye say this, ye ascribe unto the Lord worship and
honour: "Ascribe unto the Lord worship and honour."
9. "Ascribe unto the Lord glory unto His Name" (ver. 8). Not unto the
name of man, not unto your own name, but unto His ascribe
worship....Confession is a present unto God. O heathen, if ye will
enter into His courts, enter not empty. "Bring presents." What presents
shall we bring with us? The sacrifice of God is a troubled spirit: a
broken and a contrite heart, "O God, shalt not Thou despise." [4434]
Enter with an humble heart into the house of God, and thou hast entered
with a present. But if thou art proud, thou enterest empty. For whence
wouldest thou be proud, if thou wert not empty? For if thou wast full,
thou wouldest not be puffed up. How couldest thou be full? If thou wert
to bring a present, which thou shouldest carry to the courts of the
Lord. Let us not retain you much longer: let us run over what
remaineth. Behold the house increasing: behold the edifice pervade the
whole world. Rejoice, because ye have entered into the courts; rejoice,
because ye are being built into the temple of God. For those who enter
are themselves built up, they themselves are the house of God: He is
the inhabitor, for whom the house is built over the whole world, and
this "after the captivity." "Bring presents, and come into His courts."
10. "O worship the Lord in His holy court" (ver. 9): in the Catholic
Church; this is His holy court. Let no man say, "Lo, here is Christ, or
there. For there shall arise false prophets." [4435] Say this unto
them, [4436] "There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that
shall not be thrown down." Ye are calling me to the whited wall; I
adore my God in His holy court. "Let the whole earth be moved before
His face."
11. "Tell it out among the nations, that the Lord reigneth from the
wood: [4437] and that it is He who hath made the round world so fast
that it cannot be moved" (ver. 10). What testimonies of the building of
the house of God! The clouds of heaven thunder out throughout the world
that God's house is being built; and the frogs cry from the marsh,
[4438] We alone are Christians. What testimonies do I bring forward?
That of the Psalter. I bring forward what thou singest as one deaf:
open thine ears; thou singest this; thou singest with me, and thou
agreest not with me; thy tongue soundeth what mine doth, and yet thine
heart disagreeth with mine. Dost thou not sing this? Behold the
testimonies of the whole world: "Let the whole earth be moved before
His face:" and dost thou say, that thou art not moved? "Tell it out
among the heathen, that the Lord hath reigned from the wood." Shall men
perchance prevail here, and say they reign by wood, because they reign
by means of the clubs of their bandits? [4439] Reign by the Cross of
Christ, if thou art to reign by wood. For this wood of thine maketh
thee wooden: the wood of Christ passeth thee across the sea. Thou
hearest the Psalm saying, "He hath set aright the round world, that it
cannot be moved;" and thou sayest it hath not only been moved since it
was made fast, but hath also decreased. Dost thou speak the truth, and
the Psalmist falsehood? Do the false prophets, when they cry out, "Lo,
here is Christ, and there," [4440] speak truth; and doth this Prophet
lie? Brethren, against these most open words ye hear in the corners
rumours like these; "such an one was a traditor," and, "such an one was
a traditor." [4441] What dost thou say? Are thy words, or the words of
God, to be heard? For, "it is He who hath set aright the round world,
that it cannot be moved." I show unto thee the round world built: bring
thy present, and come into the courts of the Lord. Thou hast no
presents: and on that account thou art not willing to enter. What is
this? If God were to appoint unto thee a bull, goat, or ram, for a
present, thou wouldest find one to bring: He hath appointed a humble
heart, and thou wilt not enter; for thou findest not this in thyself,
because thou art swollen with pride. "He hath set aright the round
world, that it cannot be moved: and He shall judge the people
righteously." Then shall they mourn, who now refuse to love
righteousness.
12. "Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad" (ver. 11). Let
the heavens, which declare the glory of God, rejoice; let the heavens
rejoice, which the Lord made; let the earth be glad, which the heavens
rain upon. For the heavens are the preachers, the earth the listeners.
"Let the sea be stirred up, and the fulness thereof." What sea? The
world. The sea hath been stirred up, and the fulness thereof: the whole
world was roused up against the Church, while it was being extended and
built over all the earth. Concerning this stirring up, ye have heard in
the Gospel, "They shall deliver you up to councils." [4442] "The sea
was stirred up: but how should the sea ever conquer Him who made it?
13. "The plains shall be joyful, and all things that are in them" (ver.
12). All the meek, all the gentle, all the righteous, are the "plains"
of God. "Then shall all the trees of the woods rejoice." The trees of
the woods are the heathen. Why do they rejoice? Because they were cut
off from the wild olive, and engraffed into the good olive. [4443]
"Then shall all the trees of the woods rejoice:" because huge cedars
and cypresses have been cut down, and undecaying timbers have been
bought for the building of the house. They were trees of the woods; but
before they were sent to the building: they were trees of the woods,
but before they produced the olive.
14. "Before the face of the Lord. For He cometh, for He cometh to judge
the world" (ver. 13). He came at first, and will come again. He first
came in His Church in clouds. What are the clouds which bore Him? The
Apostles who preached, respecting whom ye have heard, when the Epistle
was being read: "We are ambassadors," he saith, "for Christ: we pray
you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God." [4444] These are the
clouds in whom He cometh, excepting His last Advent, when He will come
to judge the quick and the dead. He came first in the clouds. This was
His first voice which sounded forth in the Gospel: "From this time
shall they see the Son of Man coming in the clouds." [4445] What is,
"from this time"? Will not the Lord come in later times, when all the
tribes of the earth shall mourn? He first came in His own preachers,
and filled the whole round world. Let us not resist His first coming,
that we may not tremble at His second. "But woe to them that are with
child, and that give suck in those days!" [4446] Ye have heard but now
in the Gospel: "Take ye heed, for ye know not at what hour He cometh."
[4447] This is said figuratively. Who are those with child, and who
give suck? Those who are with child, are the souls whose hope is in the
world: but those who have gained what they hoped for, are meant by
"they who give suck." For example: one wisheth to buy a country seat;
he is with child, for his object is not gained as yet, the womb
swelleth in hope: he buyeth it; he hath brought forth, he now giveth
suck to what he hath bought. "Woe to them that are with child, and that
give suck in those days!" Woe to those who put their hope in the world;
woe to them that cling to those things which they brought forth through
hope in the world. What then should the Christian do? He should use,
not serve, the world. [4448] What is this? Those that have as those
that have not....He who is without carefulness, waiteth without fear
for his Lord's coming. For what sort of love is it of Christ, to fear
lest He come? Brethren, are we not ashamed? We love Him, and yet we
fear lest He come. Are we sure that we love Him? or do we love our sins
more? Therefore let us hate our sins for their own sake, and love Him
who will come to punish our sins. He will come, whether we like or not:
for because He cometh not just now, it is no reason that He will not
come at all. He will come, and when thou knowest not; and if He shall
find thee ready, thy ignorance is no hurt to thee. "Then shall all the
trees of the wood rejoice before the Lord; for He cometh:" at His first
coming. And what afterwards? "For He cometh to judge the earth. And all
the trees of the woods shall rejoice." He came first: and later to
judge the earth: He shall find those rejoicing who believed in His
first coming, "for He cometh."
15. "For with righteousness shall He judge the world:" not a part of
it, for He bought not a part: He will judge the whole, for it was the
whole of which He paid the price. Ye have heard the Gospel, where it
saith, that when He cometh, "He shall gather together His elect from
the four winds." [4449] He gathereth all His elect from the four winds:
therefore from the whole world. For Adam [4450] himself (this I had
said before) signifieth in Greek the whole world; for there are four
letters, A, D, A, and M. But as the Greeks speak, the four quarters of
the world have these initial letters, 'Anatole, they call the East;
Dusis, the West; ,'Arktos, the North; Mesembria, the South: thou hast
the word Adam. Adam therefore hath been scattered over the whole world.
He was in one place, and fell, and as in a manner broken small, [4451]
he filled the whole world: but the mercy of God gathered together the
fragments from every side, and forged [4452] them by the fire of love,
and made one what was broken. That Artist knew how to do this; let no
one despair: it is indeed a great thing, but reflect who that Artist
was. He who made, restored: He who formed, reformed. What are
righteousness and truth? He will gather together His elect with Him to
the judgment, but the rest He will separate one from another; for He
will place some on the right, others on the left hand. But what is more
just, what more true, than that they shall not expect mercy from their
Judge, who have refused to act mercifully, before their Judge come? But
those who chose to act with mercy, with mercy shall be judged....
Let us pray in the words of Augustine.
Turn we to the Lord God, the Father Almighty, and with pure hearts offer to him, so far as our
meanness can, great and true thanks, with all our hearts praying his exceeding kindness, that of
his good pleasure he would deign to hear our prayers, that by his Power he would drive out the
enemy from our deeds and thoughts, that he would increase our faith, guide our understandings,
give us spiritual thoughts, and lead us to his bliss, through Jesus Christ his Son our Lord, who
liveth and reigneth with him, in the Unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
[A prayer which he was wont to use after his Sermons and Lectures.]
NPNF (V1-08) St. Augustine
Notes
Delivered perhaps in the year 405, when the Donatists
prevailed through the violence of the Circumcelliones.
[4414] Bishop of Milevis, mentioned in the discourse of a preceding day
on Ps. cxxxii.--Ben.
[4415] 1 Chron. xvi. 23, etc.
[4416] John xv. 12.
[4417] Donatists.
[4418] Eph. iv. 2, 3.
[4419] Acts ii. 3.
[4420] Ps. xcvi. 11. Quoted as from this Psalm by Justin Martyr, Apol.
i. 41. In Dial. cum Tryph. S: 73, he accuses the Jews of expunging the
words /=po tou xulou. [See A.N.F. vol. i. p. 176, note 4, and vol. iii.
p. 166, note 7.--C.]
[4421] Donatists.
[4422] Ezek. xiii. 10.
[4423] St. Optatus of Milevis on Don. Schism, b. iii. c. 10, p. 67
(quoted in substance).
[4424] John x. 9.
[4425] Laudabilis nimis.
[4426] Ps. cxxxii. 6. Hence it appears that Ps. cxxxii. had been
expounded the day before.
[4427] Luke xv. 12-15.
[4428] Title of Psalm.
[4429] 1 Cor. x. 20.
[4430] Matt. ix. 13.
[4431] 2 Pet. ii. 22.
[4432] Ps. cxv. 1.
[4433] John i. 33, iii. 29. See his commentary on the passage, and on
John i. 31.
[4434] Ps. li. 17.
[4435] Matt. xxiv. 23, 24.
[4436] Donatists.
[4437] See p. 471, note 21, supra.
[4438] [i.e. so say the Donatists.--C.]
[4439] Circumcelliones. [See p. 42, note 4, and also p. 470, note 5,
supra.--C.]
[4440] Matt. xxiv. 23.
[4441] Caecilianus and others, by communicating with whom they alleged
the universal Church to have fallen.
[4442] Mark xiii. 9.
[4443] Rom. xi. 17.
[4444] 2 Cor. v. 20.
[4445] Mark xiii. 26.
[4446] Mark xiii. 17.
[4447] Mark xiii. 33.
[4448] 1 Cor. vii. 29-32.
[4449] Mark xiii. 27.
[4450] Vid. Tract. 9 in Johan. note 14, and Tract. 10, note 12.--Ben.
[4451] Quodammodo comminutus.
[4452] Conflavit.
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