The Sunday next before Advent
Homily of Augustine on Psalm CXLIX
Home, Sunday before Advent
STIR up, we beseech thee, O Lord, the wills of thy faithful people; that they, plenteously bringing forth the fruit of good works, may by thee be plenteously rewarded; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Source of Collect: Sacramentary of Gregory of Rome [c. 600]. The title of this collect "The Sunday next before Advent" was that which was used in the Sarum Missal, and was restored to the American Prayerbook in 1892. [Barbee and Zahl]
Jeremiah xxiii, Psalm 149
& St. John vi. 1
Homily of Augustine on Psalm CXLIX
I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign
*
Let the children of Zion be joyful in their King
Jeremiah xxiii. 5
BEHOLD, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth. In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS. Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that they shall no more say, The LORD liveth, which brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt; but, The LORD liveth, which brought up and which led the seed of the house of Israel out of the north country, and from all countries whither I had driven them; and they shall dwell in their own land.
Psalm 149
a lad ... hath... two small fishes
St. John vi. 1
When Jesus then lifted up his eyes, and saw a great company come unto him, he saith unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat? And this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do. Philip answered him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little. One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, saith unto him, There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many? And Jesus said, Make the men sit down. Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand. And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would. When they were filled, he said unto his disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost. Therefore they gathered them together, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves, which remained over and above unto them that had eaten. Then those men, when they had seen the miracle that Jesus did, said, This is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world.Augustine of Hippo
Psalm CXLIX
1. Let us praise the Lord both in voice, and in understanding, and in
good works; and, as this Psalm exhorteth, let us sing unto Him a new
song. It beginneth: "Sing ye to the Lord a new song. His praise is in
the Church of the Saints" (ver. 1). The old man hath an old song, the
new man a new song. The Old Testament is an old song, the New Testament
a new song. In the Old Testament are temporal and earthly promises.
Whoso loveth earthly things singeth an old song: let him that desireth
to sing a new song, love the things of eternity. Love itself is new and
eternal; therefore is it ever new, because it never groweth old....And
this song is of peace, this song is of charity. Whoso severeth himself
from the union of the saints, singeth not a new song; for he hath
followed old strife, not new charity. In new charity what is there?
Peace, the bond of an holy society, a spiritual union, a building of
living stones. Where is this? Not in one place, but throughout the
whole world. This is said in another Psalm, "Sing unto the Lord, all
the earth." [5976] From this is understood, that he who singeth not
with the whole earth, singeth an old song, whatever words proceed out
of his mouth....We have already said, brethren, that all the earth
singeth a new song. He who singeth not with the whole earth a new song,
let him sing what he will, let his tongue sound forth Halleluia, let
him utter it all day and all night, my ears are not so much bent to
hear the voice of the singer, but I seek the deeds of the doer. For I
ask, and say, "What is it that thou singest?" He answereth,
"Halleluia." What is "Halleluia"? "Praise ye the Lord." Come, let us
praise the Lord together. If thou praisest the Lord, and I praise the
Lord, why are we at variance? Charity praiseth the Lord, discord
blasphemeth the Lord."...
2. The field of the Lord is the world, not Africa. It is not with the
Lord's field, as it is without these fields of ours, where Getulia
bears sixty or an hundred fold, Numidia only ten fold: everywhere fruit
is borne to Him, both an hundred fold, and sixty fold, and thirty fold:
only do thou choose what thou wilt be, if thou thinkest to belong to
the Lord's Cross. "The Church" then "of the saints" is the Catholic
Church. The Church of the saints is not the Church of heretics. The
Church of the saints is that which God first prefigured before it was
seen, and then set forth that it might be seen. The Church of the
saints was heretofore in writings, now it is in nations: the Church of
the saints was heretofore only read of, now it is both read of and
seen. When it was only read of, it was believed; now it is seen, and is
spoken against. His praise is in the "children of the kingdom," that
is, "the Church of the saints."
3. "Let Israel rejoice in Him who made Him" (ver. 2). What is,
"Israel"? "Seeing God." He who seeth God, rejoiceth in Him by whom he
was made. What is it then, brethren? we have said that we belong to the
Church of the saints: do we already see God? and how are we Israel, if
we see not? There is one kind of sight belonging to this present time;
there will be another belonging to the time hereafter: the sight which
now is, is by faith; the sight which is to be will be in reality. If we
believe, we see; if we love, we see: see what? God. Ask John: "God is
love;" [5977] let us bless His holy Name, and rejoice in God by
rejoicing in love. Whoso hath love, why send we him afar to see God?
Let him regard his own conscience, and there he seeth God...."And let
the sons of Sion exult in their King." The sons of the Church are
Israel. For Sion indeed was one city, which fell: amid its ruins
certain saints dwelt after the flesh: but the true Sion, the true
Jerusalem (for Sion and Jerusalem are one), is "eternal in the
heavens," [5978] and is "our mother." [5979] She it is that hath given
us birth, she is the Church of the saints, she hath nourished us, she,
who is in part a pilgrim, in part abiding in the heavens. In the part
which abideth in heaven is the bliss of angels, in the part which
wandereth in this world is the hope of the righteous. Of the former is
said, "Glory to God in the highest;" of the latter, "and on earth peace
to men of good will." [5980] Let those then who, being in this life,
groan, and long for their country, run by love, not by bodily feet; let
them seek not ships but wings, let them lay hold on the two wings of
love. What are the two wings of love? The love of God, and of our
neighbour. For now we are pilgrims, we sigh, we groan. There has come
to us a letter from our country: we read it to you. "And the sons of
Sion shall exult in their King." The Son of God, who made us, was made
one of us: and He rules us as our King, because He is our Creator, who
made us. But He by whom we were made is the same as He by whom we are
ruled, and we are Christians because He is Christ. He is called Christ
from Chrism, that is, Anointing....Give to the Priest somewhat to
offer. What could man find which he could give as a clean victim? What
victim? what clean thing can a sinner offer? O unrighteous, O sinful
man, whatever thou offerest is unclean, and somewhat that is clean must
be offered for thee....Let then the Priest that is clean offer Himself,
and cleanse thee. This is what Christ did. He found in man nothing
clean for Him to offer for man: He offered Himself as a clean Victim.
Happy Victim, true Victim, spotless Offering. He offered not then what
we gave Him; yea rather, He offered what He took of us, and offered it
clean. For of us He took flesh, and this He offered. But where took He
it? In the womb of the Virgin Mary, that He might offer it clean for us
unclean. He is our King, He is our Priest, in Him let us rejoice.
4. "Let them praise His Name in chorus" (ver. 3). What meaneth
"chorus"? Many know what a "chorus" is: nay, as we are speaking in a
town, almost all know. A "chorus" is the union of singers. If we sing
"in chorus," let us sing in concord. If any one's voice is out of
harmony in a chorus of singers, it offendeth the ear, and throweth the
chorus into confusion. If the voice of one echoing discordantly
troubleth the harmony of them who sing, how doth the discord of heresy
throw into confusion the harmony of them who praise. The whole world is
now the chorus of Christ. The chorus of Christ soundeth harmoniously
from east to west. [5981] "Let them sing a psalm unto Him with timbrel
and psaltery." Wherefore taketh he to him the "timbrel and psaltery"?
That not the voice alone may praise, but the works too. When timbrel
and psaltery are taken, the hands harmonize with the voice. So too do
thou, whensoever thou singest "Halleluia," deal forth thy bread to the
hungry, clothe the naked, take in the stranger: then doth not only thy
voice sound, but thy hand soundeth in harmony with it, for thy deeds
agree with thy words. Thou hast taken to thee an instrument, and thy
fingers agree with thy tongue. Nor must we keep back the mystical
meaning of the "timbrel and psaltery." On the timbrel leather is
stretched, on the psaltery gut is stretched; on either instrument the
flesh is crucified. How well did he "sing a psalm on timbrel and
psaltery," who said, "the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the
world"? [5982] This psaltery or timbrel He wishes thee to take up, who
loveth a new song, who teacheth thee, saying to thee, "Whosoever
willeth to be My disciple, let him deny himself, and take up his cross,
and follow Me." [5983] Let him not set down his psaltery, let him not
set down his timbrel, let him stretch himself out on the wood, and be
dried from the lust of the flesh. The more the strings are stretched,
the more sharply do they sound. The Apostle Paul then, in order that
his psaltery might sound sharply, what said he? "Stretching forth unto
those things which are before," etc. [5984] He stretched himself:
Christ touched him; and the sweetness of truth sounded.
5. "For the Lord hath dealt kindly among His people" (ver. 4). What
dealing so kindly, as to die for the ungodly? What dealing so kindly,
as with righteous Blood to blot out the handwriting against the sinner?
What dealing so kindly, as to say, "I regard not what ye were, be ye
now what ye were not"? He dealeth kindly in converting him that was
turned away, in aiding him that is fighting, in crowning the conqueror.
"And the meek He shall lift up in salvation." For the proud too are
lifted up, but not in salvation: the meek are lifted in salvation, the
proud in death: that is, the proud lift up themselves, and God humbleth
them: the meek humble themselves, and God lifteth them up.
6. "The saints shall exult in glory" (ver. 5). I would say somewhat
important about the glory of the saints. For there is no one who loveth
not glory. But the glory of fools, popular glory as it is called, hath
snares to deceive, so that a man, influenced by the praises of vain
men, shall be willing to live in such fashion as to be spoken of by
men, whosoever they be, in whatsoever way. Hence it is that men,
rendered mad, and puffed up with pride, empty within, without swollen,
are willing ever to ruin their fortunes by bestowing them on
stage-players, actors, men who fight with wild beasts, charioteers.
What sums they give, what sums they spend! They lavish the powers not
only of their patrimony, but of their minds too. They scorn the poor,
because the people shouteth not that the poor should be given to, but
the people do shout that the fighter with wild beasts be given to. When
then no shout is raised to them, they refuse to spend; when madmen
shout to them, they are mad too: nay, all are mad, both performer, and
spectator, and the giver. This mad glory is blamed by the Lord, is
offensive in the eyes of the Almighty....Thou choosest to clothe the
fighter with wild beasts, who may be beaten, and make thee blush:
Christ is never conquered; He hath conquered the devil, He hath
conquered for thee, and to thee, and in thee; such a conqueror as this
thou choosest not to clothe. Wherefore? Because there is less shouting,
less madness about it. They then who delight in such glory, have an
empty conscience. Just as they drain their chests, to send garments as
presents, so do they empty their conscience, so as to have nothing
precious therein.
7. But the saints who "exult in glory," no need is there for us to say
how they exult: just hear the verse of the Psalm which followeth: "The
saints shall exult in glory, they shall rejoice in their beds:" not in
theatres, or amphitheatres, or circuses, or follies, or market places,
but "in their chambers." What is, "in their chambers"? In their hearts.
[5985] Hear the Apostle Paul exulting in his closet: "For this is our
glory, the testimony of our conscience." [5986] On the other hand,
there is reason to fear lest any be pleasing to himself, and so seem to
be proud, and boast of his conscience. For every one ought to exult
with fear, for that wherein he exulteth is God's gift, not his own
desert. For there be many that please themselves, and think themselves
righteous; and there is another passage which goeth against them, which
saith, "Who shall boast that he hath a clean heart, and that he is pure
from sin?" [5987] There is then, so to speak, a limit to glorying in
our conscience, namely, to know that thy faith is sincere, thy hope
sure, thy love without dissimulation. "The exultations of God are in
their mouths" (ver. 6). In such wise shall they "rejoice in their
closets," as not to attribute to themselves that they are good, but
praise Him from whom they have what they are, by whom they are called
to attain to what they are not, and from whom they hope for perfection,
to whom they give thanks, because He hath begun.
8. "And swords [5988] sharpened on both sides in their hands." This
sort of weapon contains a great mystical meaning, in that it is sharp
on both sides. By "swords sharpened on both sides," we understand the
Word of the Lord: [5989] it is one sword, but therefore are they called
many, because there are many mouths and many tongues of the saints. How
is it two edged? It speaks of things temporal, it speaks also of things
eternal. In both cases it proveth what it saith, and him whom it
strikes, it severeth from the world. Is not this the sword whereof the
Lord said, "I am not come to send peace upon earth, but a sword"?
[5990] Observe how He came to divide, how He came to sever. He divideth
the saints, He divideth the ungodly, He severeth from thee that which
hindereth thee. The son willeth to serve God, the father willeth not:
the sword cometh, the Word of God cometh, and severeth the son from the
father....Wherefore then is it in their hands, not in their tongues?
"And swords," it saith, "sharpened on both sides in their hands." By
"in their hands," he meaneth in power. They received then the word of
God in power, to speak where they would, to whom they would, neither to
fear power, nor to despise poverty. For they had in their hands a
sword; where they would they brandished it, handled it, smote with it:
and all this was in the power of the preachers. For if the Word be not
in their hands, why is it written, "The Word of the Lord was put in the
hand of the Prophet Haggai"? [5991] Surely, brethren, God set not His
Word in His fingers. What is meant by, "was put in his hand"? It was
put into his power to preach the Word of the Lord. Lastly, we can
understand these "hands" in another way also. For they who spake had
the word of God in their tongues, they who wrote, in their hands.
9. Now, brethren, ye see the saints armed: observe the slaughter,
observe their glorious battles. For if there be a commander, there must
be soldiers; if soldiers, an enemy; if a warfare, a victory. What have
these done who had in their hands swords sharpened on both sides? "To
do vengeance on the nations." See whether vengeance have not been done
on the nations. Daily is it done: we do it ourselves by speaking.
Observe how the nations of Babylon are slain. She is repaid twofold:
for so is it written of her, "repay her double for what she hath done."
[5992] How is she repaid double? The saints wage war, they draw their
"swords twice sharpened;" thence come defeats, slaughters, severances:
how is she repaid double? When she had power to persecute the
Christians, she slew the flesh indeed, but she crushed not God: now she
is repaid double, for the Pagans are extinguished and the idols are
broken....And lest thou shouldest think that men are really smitten
with the sword, blood really shed, wounds made in the flesh, he goeth
on and explaineth, "upbraidings among the peoples." What is
"upbraidings"? Reproof. Let the "sword twice sharpened" go forth from
you, delay not. Say to thy friend, if yet thou hast one [5993] left to
whom to say it, "What kind of man art thou, who hast abandoned Him by
whom thou wast made, and worshippest what He made? Better is the
Workman, than that which He worketh." When he beginneth to blush, when
he beginneth to feel compunction, thou hast made a wound with thy
sword, it hath reached the heart, he is about to die, that he may live.
10. "That they may bind their kings in fetters, and their nobles in
bonds of iron" (ver. 8). "To execute upon them the judgment written"
(ver. 9). The kings of the Gentiles are to be bound in fetters, "and
their nobles in fetters," and that "of iron."...For these verses which
we are beginning to explain are obscure. For for this purpose God
willed to set down some of His verses obscurely, not that anything new
should be dug out of them, but that what was already well known, might
be made new by being obscurely set forth. We know that kings have been
made Christians; we know that the nobles of the Gentiles have been made
Christians. They are being made so at this day; they have been, they
shall be; the "swords twice sharpened" are not idle in the hands of the
saints. How then do we understand their being bound in fetters and
chains of iron? Ye know, beloved and learned brethren (learned I call
you, for ye have been nourished in the Church, and are accustomed to
hear God's Word read), [5994] that "God hath chosen the weak things of
the world to confound the strong, and the foolish things of the world
hath God chosen to confound the wise, and things which are not, just as
things which are, that the things which are may be brought to nought."
[5995] ...It is said by the Lord, "If thou wilt be perfect, go sell all
that thou hast, and give to the poor, and come, follow Me, and thou
shalt have treasure in heaven." [5996] Many of the nobles did this, but
they ceased to be nobles of the Gentiles, they chose rather to be poor
in this world, noble in Christ. But many retain their former nobility,
retain their royal powers, and yet are Christians. These are, as it
were, "in fetters and in bonds of iron." How so? they received fetters,
to keep them from going to things unlawful, the "fetters of wisdom,"
[5997] the fetters of the Word of God. Wherefore then are they bonds of
iron and not bonds of gold? They are iron so long as they fear: let
them love, and they shall be golden. Observe, beloved, what I say. Ye
have heard just now the Apostle John, "There is no fear in love, but
perfect love casteth out fear, because fear hath torment." [5998] This
is the bond of iron. And yet unless a man begin through fear to worship
God, he will not attain to love. "The fear of the Lord is the beginning
of wisdom." [5999] The beginning then is bonds of iron, the end a
collar of gold. For it is said of wisdom, "a collar of gold around thy
neck." [6000] ...There cometh to us a man powerful in this world, his
wife offendeth him, and perhaps he hath desired another man's wife who
is more beautiful, or another woman who is richer, he wisheth to put
away the one he hath, yet he doeth it not. He heareth the words of the
servant of God, he heareth the Prophet, he heareth the Apostle, and he
doeth it not; he is told by one in whose hands is a "sword twice
sharpened," "Thou shalt not do it: it is not lawful for thee: God
alloweth thee not to put away thy wife, "save for the cause of
fornication." [6001] He heareth this, he feareth, and doeth it
not....Listen, young men; the bonds are of iron, seek not to set your
feet within them; if ye do, ye shall be bound more tightly with
fetters. Such fetters the hands of the Bishop make strong for you. Do
not men who are thus fettered fly to the Church, and are here loosed?
Men do fly hither, desiring to be rid of their wives: here they are
more tightly bound: no man looseth these fetters. "What God joined
together, let not man put asunder." [6002] But these bonds are hard.
Who but knows it? This hardness the Apostles grieved at, and said, "If
this be the case with a wife, it is not good to marry." [6003] If the
bonds be of iron, it is not good to set our feet within them. And the
Lord said, "All men cannot receive this saying, but let him that can
receive it, receive it." [6004] "Art thou bound unto a wife? seek not
to be freed," for thou art bound with bonds of iron. "Art thou free
from a wife, seek not a wife;" bind not thyself with bonds of iron.
11. "To do in them the judgment that is written." This is the judgment
which the saints do throughout all nations. Wherefore "written"?
Because these things were before written, and now are fulfilled. Behold
now they are being done: erst they were read, and were not done. And he
hath concluded thus, "this glory have all His saints." Throughout the
whole world, throughout entire nations, this the saints do, thus are
they glorified, thus do they "exalt God with their mouths," thus do
they "rejoice in their beds," thus do they "exult in their glory," thus
are they "lifted up in salvation," thus do they "sing a new song," thus
in heart and voice and life they say Halleluia. Amen.
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:
_________________________
[5975] Lat. CXLIX. Sermon to the people.
[5976] Ps. xcvi. 1.
[5977] 1 John iv. 16.
[5978] 2 Cor. v. 1.
[5979] Gal. iv. 26.
[5980] Luke ii. 14.
[5981] Ps. cxiii. 3.
[5982] Gal. vi. 14.
[5983] Matt. xvi. 24.
[5984] Philip. iii. 13.
[5985] [There is a play here on the word cubile, which was used of a
box in the theatre. Cubile often means a small apartment, and this is
our author's idea. Matt. vi. 6. Elsewhere he speaks of the "closet" as
the heart." I vary the text accordingly.--C.]
[5986] 2 Cor. i. 12.
[5987] Prov. xx. 9.
[5988] Frameae. [He says: "That is called a sword which is commonly
called spata. For there are swords sharpened only on one side, which
are called machaerae. But these frameae are also called romphaeae and
spatae."--C.]
[5989] Heb. iv. 12.
[5990] Matt. x. 34.
[5991] Hag. i. 1, marg.
[5992] Rev. xviii. 6.
[5993] [i.e., a heathen one.--C.]
[5994] [Noteworthy.--C.]
[5995] 1 Cor. i. 26, etc.
[5996] Matt. xix. 21.
[5997] Ecclus. vi. 25.
[5998] 1 John iv. 18.
[5999] Ps. cxi. 10.
[6000] Ecclus. vi. 24.
[6001] Matt. v. 32.
[6002] Matt. xix. 6.
[6003] Matt. xix. 10.
[6004] Matt. xix. 11, 12.
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Finis
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