The Thirteenth Sunday after Trinity
Augustine on Psalm 73
Trinity 13 Home
ALMIGHTY and merciful God, of whose gift it cometh that thy faithful people do unto thee true and laudable service; Grant, we beseech thee, that we may so run to thy heavenly promises, that we fail not finally to attain the same; through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Source of Collect: Bishop Leo I [440-461] Sacrementary. Archbishop Cranmer changed it to read as shown here: ALMIGHTY and merciful God, of whose only gift it cometh that thy faithful people do unto thee true and laudable service; Grant, we beseech thee, that we may so faithfully serve thee in this life, that we fail not finally to attain thy heavenly promises; through the merits of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Psalm lxxxi, lxxxii | lxxiii; Galatians iii. 16 & St. Luke x. 23
Homily of Augustine on Psalm LXXIII
thou dost set them in slippery places, and castest them down, and destroyest them.
Galatians iii. 16
TO Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ. And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect. For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise. Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator. Now a mediator is not a mediator of one, but God is one. Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law. But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.
St Luke x. 23
BLESSED are the eyes which see the things that ye see: for I tell you, that many prophets and kings have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them. And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou? And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself. And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live. But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour? And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side. But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him, and went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee. Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves? And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.
Scripture from 1928 Book of Common Prayer
information on Collect from The Collects of Thomas Cranmer
Augustine
Psalm LXXIII
1. This Psalm hath an inscription, that is, a title, "There have failed
the hymns of David, the son of Jesse. [3251] A Psalm [3252] of Asaph
himself." So many Psalms we have on the titles whereof is written the
name David, nowhere there is added, "son of Jesse," except in this
alone. Which we must believe hath not been done to no purpose, nor
capriciously. For everywhere God doth make intimations to us, and to
the understanding thereof doth invite the godly study of love. What is,
"there have failed the hymns of David, the son of Jesse"? Hymns are
praises of God accompanied with singing: hymns are songs containing the
praise of God. If there be praise, and it be not of God, it is no hymn:
if there be praise, and God's praise, and it be not sung, it is no
hymn. It must needs then, if it be a hymn, have these three things,
both praise, and that of God, and singing. What is then, "there have
failed the hymns"? There have failed the praises which are sung unto
God. He seemeth to tell of a thing painful, and so to speak deplorable.
For he that singeth praise, not only praiseth, but only praiseth with
gladness: he that singeth praise, not only singeth, but also loveth him
of whom he singeth. In praise, there is the speaking forth of one
confessing; in singing, the affection of one loving. "There have
failed" then "the hymns of David," he saith: and he hath added, "the
son of Jesse." For David was king of Israel, son of Jesse, [3253] at a
certain time of the Old Testament, at which time the New Testament was
therein hidden, like fruit in a root. For if thou seek fruit in a root,
thou wilt not find, and yet dost thou not find any fruit in the
branches, except that which hath gone forth from the root....And in
like manner as Christ Himself to be born after the flesh was hidden in
the root, that is in the seed of the Patriarchs, and at a certain time
must be revealed, as at the fruit appearing, according as it is
written, "there hath flourished a shoot from the root of Jesse:" [3254]
so also the New Testament itself which is in Christ, in those former
times was hidden, being known to the Prophets alone, and to the very
few godly men, not by the manifestation of things present, but by the
revelation of things future. For what meaneth it, brethren (to mention
but one thing), that Abraham sending his faithful servant to espouse a
wife for his only son, maketh him swear to him, and in the oath saith
to him, "Put thy hand under my thigh, and swear"? [3255] What was there
in the thigh of Abraham, where he put his hand in swearing? What was
there there, except that which even then was promised to him, "In thy
seed shall be blessed all nations"? [3256] Under the name of thigh,
flesh is signified. From the flesh of Abraham, through Isaac and Jacob,
and not to mention many names, through Mary was our Lord Jesus Christ.
2. But that the root was in the Patriarchs, how shall we show? Let us
question Paul. The Gentiles now believing in Christ, and desiring as it
were to boast over the Jews who crucified Christ; although also from
that same people there came another wall, meeting in the corner, that
is, in Christ Himself, the wall of uncircumcision, that is, of the
Gentiles, coming from a different quarter: when, I say, the nations
were lifting up themselves, he doth thus depress them. "For if thou,"
he saith, "being cut out of the natural wild olive, hast been graffed
in among them, do not boast against the branches: for if thou boastest,
thou dost not bear the root, but the root thee." [3257] Therefore he
speaketh of certain branches broken off from the root of the Patriarchs
because of unbelief, and the wild olive therein graffed in, that it
might be partaker of the fatness of the olive, that is, the Church
coming out of the Gentiles. And who doth graff the wild olive on the
olive? The olive is wont to be graffed on the wild olive; the wild
olive on the olive we never saw. For whosoever may have done so will
find no berries but those of the wild olive. For that which is graffed
in, the same groweth, and of that kind the fruit is found. There is not
found the fruit of the root but of the graft. The Apostle showing that
God did this thing by His Omnipotence, namely, that the wild olive
should be graffed into the root of the olive, and should not bear wild
berries, but olive--ascribing it to the Omnipotence of God, the Apostle
saith this, "If thou hast been cut out of the natural wild olive and
against nature hast been graffed into a good [3258] olive, do not
boast," he saith, "against the branches." [3259] ...
3. In the time then of the Old Testament, brethren, the promises from
our God to that carnal people were earthly and temporal. There was
promised an earthly kingdom, there was promised that land into which
they were also led, after being delivered from Egypt: by Jesus [3260]
son of Nave they were led into the land of promise, where also earthly
Jerusalem was builded, where David reigned: they received the land,
after being delivered from Egypt, by passing through the Red
Sea....Such were also those promises, which were not to endure, through
which however were figured future promises which were to endure, so
that all that course of temporal promises was a figure and a sort of
prophecy of things future. Accordingly when that kingdom was failing,
where reigned David, the son of Jesse, that is, one that was a man,
though a Prophet, though holy, because he saw and foresaw Christ to
come, of whose seed also after the flesh He was to be born:
nevertheless a man, nevertheless not yet Christ, nevertheless not yet
our King Son of God, but king David son of Jesse: because then that
kingdom was to fail, through the receiving of which kingdom at that
time God was praised by carnal men; for this thing alone they esteemed
a great matter, namely, that they were delivered temporally from those
by whom they were being oppressed, and that they had escaped from
persecuting enemies through the Red Sea, and had been led through the
desert, and had found country and kingdom: for this alone they praised
God, not yet perceiving the thing which God was designing beforehand
and promising in these figures. In the failing therefore of those
things for which the carnal people, over whom reigned that David, was
praising God, "there failed the hymns of David," not the Son of God,
but the "son of Jesse."...
4. Whose voice is the Psalm? "Of Asaph." [3261] What is Asaph? As we
find in interpretations from the Hebrew language into the Greek, and
those again translated to us from the Greek into the Latin, Asaph is
interpreted Synagogue. It is the voice therefore of the Synagogue. But
when thou hast heard Synagogue, do not forthwith abhor it, as if it
were the murderer of the Lord. That Synagogue was indeed the murderer
of the Lord, no man doubteth it: but remember, that from the Synagogue
were the rams whereof we are the sons. Whence it is said in a Psalm,
"Bring ye to the Lord the sons of rams." [3262] What rams are thence?
Peter, John, James, Andrew, Bartholomew, and the rest of the Apostles.
Hence also he too at first Saul, afterwards Paul: that is, at first
proud, afterwards humble....Therefore even Paul came to us from the
Synagogue, and Peter and the other Apostles from the Synagogue.
Therefore when thou hast heard the voice of the Synagogue, do not look
to the deserving thereof, but observe the offspring. There is speaking
therefore in this Psalm, the Synagogue, after the failing of the hymns
of David, the son of Jesse that is, after the failing of things
temporal, through which God was wont to be praised by the carnal
people. But why did these fail, except in order that others might be
sought for? That there might be sought for what? Was it things which
were not there? No, but things which were there being hidden in
figures: not which were not yet there, [3263] but which there as it
were in a sort were concealed in certain secret things of mysteries.
What things? "These," saith the Apostle himself, "were our figures."
[3264] ...
5. It was the Synagogue therefore, that is, they that there worshipped
God after a godly sort, but yet for the sake of earthly things, for the
sake of these present things (for there are ungodly men who seek the
blessings of present things from demons: but this people was on this
account better than the Gentiles, because although it were blessings
present and temporal, yet they sought them from the One God, who is the
Creator of all things both spiritual and corporal). When therefore
those godly men after the flesh were observing--that is that Synagogue
which was made up of good men, men for the time good, not spiritual
men, such as were the Prophets therein, such as were the few that
understood the kingdom heavenly, eternal--that Synagogue, I say,
observed what things it received from God, and what things God promised
to that people, abundance of things earthly, land, peace, earthly
felicity: but in all these things were figures, and they not perceiving
what was there concealed in things figured, thought that God gave this
for a great matter, and had nothing better to give to men loving Him
and serving Him: they remarked and saw certain sinners, ungodly,
blasphemers, servants of demons, sons of the Devil, living in great
naughtiness and pride, yet abounding in such things earthly, temporal,
for which sort of things they were serving God themselves: and there
sprang up a most evil thought in the heart, which made the feet to
totter, and almost slip out of God's way. And behold this thought was
in the people of the Old Testament: I would it be not in our carnal
brethren, when now openly there is being proclaimed the felicity of the
New Testament....
6. "How good is the God of Israel!" But to whom? "To men right in
heart" (ver. 1). To men perverse what? Perverse He seemeth. So also in
another Psalm He saith: "With a holy man holy Thou shalt be, and with
the innocent man innocent Thou shalt be, and with the perverse man
perverse Thou shalt be." [3265] What is, perverse Thou shalt be with
the perverse man? Perverse the perverse man shall think Thee. Not that
by any means God is made perverse. Far be it: what He is, He is. But in
like manner as the sun appeareth mild to one having clear, sound,
healthy, strong eyes, but against weak eyes doth dart hard spears, so
to say; the former looking at it it doth invigorate, the latter it doth
torture, though not being itself changed, but the man being changed: so
when thou shalt have begun to be perverse, and to thee God shall seem
to be perverse, thou art changed, not He. That therefore to thee will
be punishment which to good men is joy. He calling to mind this thing,
saith, "How good is the God of Israel to men right in heart!"
7. But what to thee? "But my feet were almost moved" (ver. 2). When
were the feet moved, except when the heart was not right? Whence was
the heart not right? Hear: "My steps were well nigh overthrown." What
he hath meant by "almost," the same he hath meant by "well nigh:" and
what he hath meant by "my feet were almost moved," the same he hath
meant by "my steps were overthrown." Almost my feet were moved, almost
my steps were overthrown. Moved were the feet: but whence were the feet
moved and the steps overthrown? Moved were the feet to going astray,
overthrown were the steps to falling: not entirely, but "almost." But
what is this? Already I was going to stray, I had not gone: already I
was falling, I had not fallen.
8. But why even this? "For I was jealous," he saith, "in the case of
sinners, looking on the peace of sinners" (ver. 3). I observed sinners,
I saw them to have peace. What peace? Temporal, transient, falling, and
earthly: but yet such as I also was desiring of God. I saw them that
served not God to have that which I desired in order that I might serve
God: and my feet were moved and my steps were almost overthrown. But
why sinners have this, he saith briefly: "Because there is no avoidance
of their death, and there is a firmament in their scourge" (ver. 4).
Now I have perceived, he saith, why they have peace, and flourish on
the earth; because of their death there is no avoidance, because death
sure and eternal doth await them, which neither doth avoid them, nor
can they avoid it, "because there is no avoidance of their death, and
there is a firmament in their scourge." And there is a firmament in
their scourge. For their scourge is not temporal, but firm for
everlasting. Because of these evil things then which are to be to them
eternal, now what? "In the labours of men they are not, and with men
they shall not be scourged" (ver. 5). Doth not even the devil himself
escape scourging with men, for whom nevertheless an eternal punishment
is being prepared?
9. Wherefore on this account what do these men, while they are not
scourged, while they labour not with men? "Therefore," he saith "there
hath holden them pride" (ver. 6). Observe these men, proud,
undisciplined; observe the bull, devoted for a victim, suffered to
stray at liberty; and to damage whatever he may, even up to the day of
his slaughter. Now it is a good thing, brethren, that we should hear in
the very words of a prophet of this bull as it were, whereof I have
spoken. For thus of him the Scripture doth make mention in another
place: he saith that they are, as it were, made ready as for a victim,
and that they are spared for an evil liberty. [3266] "Therefore," he
saith, "there hath holden them pride." What is, "there hath holden them
pride"? "They have been clothed about with their iniquity and
ungodliness." He hath not said, covered; but, "clothed about," on all
sides covered up with their ungodliness. Deservedly miserable, they
neither see nor are seen, because they are clothed about; and the
inward parts of them are not seen. For whosoever could behold the
inward parts of evil men, that are as it were happy for a time,
whosoever could see their torturing consciences, whosoever could
examine their souls racked with such mighty perturbations of desires
and fears, would see them to be miserable even when they are called
happy. But because "they are clothed about with their iniquity and
ungodliness," they see not; but neither are they seen. The Spirit knew
them, that saith these words concerning them: and we ought to examine
such men with the same eye as that wherewith we know that we see, if
there is taken from our eyes the covering of ungodliness....
10. At first these men are being described. "There shall go forth as if
out of fat their iniquity" (ver. 7)....A poor beggar committeth a
theft; out of leanness hath gone forth the iniquity: but when a rich
man aboundeth in so many things, why doth he plunder the things of
others? Of the former the iniquity out of leanness, of the other out of
fatness, hath gone forth. Therefore to the lean man when thou sayest,
Why hast thou done this? Humbly afflicted and abject he replieth, Need
hath compelled me. Why hast thou not feared God? Want was urgent. Say
to a rich man, Why doest thou these things, and fearest not
God?--supposing thee to be great enough to be able to say it--see if he
even deigneth to hear; see if even against thyself [3267] there will
not go forth iniquity out of his fatness. For now they declare war with
their teachers and reprovers, and become enemies of them that speak the
truth, having been long accustomed to be coaxed with the words of
flatterers, being of tender ear, of unsound heart. Who would say to a
rich man, Thou hast ill done in robbing other men's goods? Or perchance
if any man shall have dared to speak, and he is such a man as he could
not withstand, what doth he reply? All that he saith is in contempt of
God. Why? Because he is proud. Why? Because he is fat. Why? Because he
is devoted for a victim. "They have passed over unto purpose of heart."
Here within they have passed over. What is, "they have passed over"?
They have crossed over the way. What is, "they have passed over"? They
have exceeded the bounds of mankind, men like the rest they think not
themselves. They have passed over, I say, the bounds of mankind. When
thou sayest to such a man, Thy brother this beggar is; when thou sayest
to such a man, Thy brother [3268] this poor man is; the same parents ye
have had, Adam and Eve: do not heed thy haughtiness, do not heed the
vapour unto which thou hast been elevated; although an establishment
waiteth about thee, although countless gold and silver, although a
marbled house doth contain thee, although fretted ceilings cover thee,
thou and the poor man together have for covering that roof of the
universe, the sky; but thou art different from the poor man in things
not thine own, added to thee from without: thyself see in them, not
them in thee. Observe thyself, how thou art in relation to the poor
man; thyself, not that which thou hast. For why dost thou despise thy
brother? In the bowels of your mothers ye were both naked. Forsooth,
even when ye shall have departed this life, and these bodies shall have
rotted, when the soul hath been breathed forth, let the bones of the
rich and poor man be distinguished! I am speaking of the equality of
condition, of that very lot of mankind, wherein all men are born:
[3269] for both here doth a man become rich, and a poor man will not
alway be here: and as a rich man doth not come rich, so neither doth he
depart rich; the very same is the entrance of both, and like is the
departure. I add, that perchance ye will change conditions. Now
everywhere the Gospel is being preached: observe a certain poor man
full of sores, who was lying before the gate of a rich man, [3270] and
was desiring to be filled with crumbs, which used to fall from the
table of the rich man; observe also that likeness [3271] of thine who
was clothed with purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every
day. It chanced, I say, for that poor man to die, and to be borne by
the Angels into the bosom of Abraham: but the other died and was
buried; for the other's burial perchance no one cared....Brethren, how
great was the toil of the poor man! Of how long duration were the
luxuries of the rich man! But the condition which they have received in
exchange is everlasting....Deservedly too late he will say, "Send
Lazarus," [3272] "let him tell even my brethren;" since to himself
there is not granted the fruit of repentance. For it is not that
repentance [3273] is not given, but everlasting will be the repentance,
and no salvation after repentance. Therefore these men "have passed
over unto purpose of heart."
11. "They have thought and have spoken spitefulness" (ver. 8). But men
do speak spitefulness even with fear: but these men how? "Iniquity on
high they have spoken." Not only they have spoken iniquity; but even
openly, in the hearing of all, proudly; "I will do it;" "I will show
you;" "thou shalt know with whom thou hast to do;" "I will not let thee
live." Thou [3274] mightest have but thought such things, not have
given utterance to them! Within the chambers of thought at least the
evil desire might have been confined, he might have at least restrained
it within his thought. Why? Is he perchance lean? "There shall go forth
as if out of fatness the iniquity of them." "Iniquity on high they have
spoken."
12. "They have set against Heaven their mouth, and their tongue hath
passed over above the earth" (ver. 9). For this, "hath passed over
above the earth" is, they pass over all earthly things? What is it to
pass over all earthly things? He doth not think of himself as a man
that can die suddenly, when he is speaking; he doth menace as if he
were alway to live: his thought doth transcend earthly frailty, he
knoweth not with what sort of vessel he is enwrapped; he knoweth not
what hath been written in another place concerning such men: "His
spirit shall go forth, and he shall return unto his earth, in that day
shall perish all his thoughts." [3275] But these men not thinking of
their last day, speak pride, [3276] and unto Heaven they set their
mouth, they transcend the earth. If a robber were not to think of his
last day, that is, the last day of his trial, when sent to prison,
nothing would be more monstrous than he: and yet he might escape.
Whither dost thou flee to escape death? Certain will that day be. What
is the long time which thou hast to live? How much is the long time
which hath an end, even if it were a long time? To this there is added
that it is nought: and the very thing which is called long time is not
a long time, and is uncertain. Why doth he not think of this? Because
he hath set against Heaven his mouth, and his tongue hath passed over
above the earth. "And full days shall be found in them."
13. "Therefore there shall return hither My people" (ver. 10). Now
Asaph himself is returning hither. For he saw these things abound to
unrighteous men, he saw them abound to proud men: he is returning to
God, and is beginning to inquire and discuss. But when? "When full days
shall be found in them." What is "full days"? "But when there came the
fulness of time, God sent His Son." [3277] This is the very fulness of
time, when He came to teach men that things temporal should be
despised, that they should not esteem as a great matter whatever object
evil men covet, that they should suffer whatever evil men fear. He
became the way, He recalled us to inward thought, admonished us of what
should be sought of God. And see from what thought reacting upon
itself, and in a manner recalling the waves of its impulse, he doth
pass over unto choosing true things.
14. "And they said, How hath God known, and is there knowledge in the
Most High?" (ver. 11). See through what thought they pass. Behold
unjust men are happy, God doth not care for things human. Doth He
indeed know what we do? See what things are being said. We are
inquiring, brethren, "How hath God known," etc. (no longer let
Christians say it). For how doth it appear to thee that God knoweth
not, and that there is no knowledge in the Most High? He replieth, "Lo!
themselves they are sinners, and in the world they have gotten abundant
riches" (ver. 12). Both sinners they are, and in the world they have
gotten abundant riches. He confessed that he willed not to be a sinner
in order that he might have riches. A carnal soul for things visible
and earthly would have sold its justice. What sort of justice is that
which is retained for the sake of gold, as if gold were a more precious
thing than justice herself, or as if when a man denieth the deposit of
another man's goods, he to whom he denied them should suffer a greater
loss, than he that denieth them to him. The former doth lose a garment,
the latter fidelity. "Lo! they are themselves sinners, and in the world
they have gotten abundant riches." On this account therefore God
knoweth not, and on this account there is no knowledge in the Most
High.
15. "And I said, therefore [3278] without cause I have justified my
heart" (ver. 13). In that I serve God, and have not these things; they
serve him not, and they abound in these things: "therefore without
cause I have justified my heart, and have washed among the innocent my
hands." This without cause I have done. Where is the reward of my good
life? Where is the wage of my service? I live well and am in need; and
the unjust man doth abound. "And I have washed among the innocent my
hands. And I have been scourged all the day long" (ver. 14). From me
the scourges of God do not impart. I serve well, and I am scourged; he
serveth not, and is honoured. He hath proposed to himself a great
question. The soul is disturbed, the soul doth pass over things which
are to pass away unto despising things earthly and to desiring things
eternal. There is a passage of the soul herself in this thought; where
she doth toss in a sort of tempest she will reach the harbour. And it
is with her as it is with sick persons, who are less violently sick,
when recovery is far off: when recovery is at hand they are in higher
fever; physicians call it the "critical [3279] accession" through which
they pass to health: greater fever is there, but leading to health:
greater heat, but recovery is at hand. So also is this man enfevered.
For these are dangerous words, brethren, offensive, and almost
blasphemous, "How hath God known?" This is why I say, "and almost;" He
hath not said, God hath not known: he hath not said, there is no
knowledge in the Most High: but as if inquiring, hesitating, doubting.
This is the same as he said a little before, "My steps were almost
overthrown." [3280] He doth not affirm it, but the very doubt is
dangerous. Through danger he is passing to health. Hear now the health:
"Therefore in vain I have justified my heart, and have washed among the
innocent my hands: and I have been scourged all the day long, and my
chastening was in the morning." Chastening is correction. He that is
being chastened is being corrected. What is, "in the morning"? It is
not deferred. That of the ungodly is being deferred, mine is not
deferred: the former is too late or is not at all; mine is in the
morning.
16. "If I said, I shall declare thus; behold, the generation of Thy
sons I have reprobated" (ver. 15): that is, I will teach thus. How wilt
thou teach? that there is no knowledge in the Most High, that God doth
not know? Wilt thou propound this opinion, that without cause men live
justly who do live justly; that a just man hath lost his service,
because God doth more show favour to evil men, or else He doth care for
no one? Wilt thou tell this, declare this? He doth restrain himself by
an authority repressing him. What authority? A man wisheth some time to
break out in this sentiment: but he is recalled by the Scriptures
directing us alway to live well, saying, that God doth care for things
human, that He maketh a distinction between a godly man and an ungodly
man. Therefore this man also wishing to put forth this sentiment, doth
recollect himself. And what saith he? "I have reprobated the generation
of Thy sons." If I shall declare thus, the generation of just men I
shall reprobate. As also some copies have it, "Behold, the generation
of thy sons with which I have been in concert:" that is, with which
consisting of Thy sons I have been in concert; that is, with which I
have agreed, to which I have been conformed: I have been out of time
with all, if so I teach. For he doth sing in concert who giveth the
tune together; but he that giveth not the tune together doth not sing
in concert. Am I to say something different from that which Abraham
said, from that which Isaac said, from that which Jacob said, from that
which the Prophets said? For all they said that God doth care for
things human, am I to say that He careth not? Is there greater wisdom
in me than in them? Greater understanding in me than in them? A most
wholesome authority hath called back his thought from ungodliness. And
what followeth? That he might not reprobate, he did what? "And I
undertook to know" (ver. 16). May God be with him in order that he may
know. Meanwhile, brethren, from a great fall he is being withheld, when
he doth not presume that he already knoweth, but hath undertaken to
know that which he knew not. For but now he was willing to appear as if
knowing, and to declare that God hath no care of things human. For this
hath come to be a most naughty and ungodly doctrine of unrighteous men.
Know, brethren, that many men dispute and say that God careth not for
things human, that by chances all things are ruled, or that our wills
have been made subject to the stars, that each one is not dealt with
according to his deserts, but by the necessity of his stars,--an evil
doctrine, an impious doctrine. Unto these thoughts was going that man
whose feet were almost moved, and whose steps were all but overthrown,
into this error he was going; but because he was not in tune with the
generation of the sons of God, he undertook to know, and condemned the
knowledge wherein with God's just men he agreed not. And what he saith
let us hear; how that he undertook to know, and was helped, and learned
something, and declared it to us. "And I undertook," he saith, "to
know." "In this labour is before me." Truly a great labour; to know in
what manner both God doth care for things human, and it is well with
evil men, and good men labour. Great is the importance of the question;
therefore, "and this labour is before me." As it were there is standing
in my face a sort of wall, but thou hast the voice of a Psalm, "In my
God I shall pass over the wall." [3281]
17. ...And he hath done this; for he saith how long labour is before
him; "until I enter into the sanctuary of God, and understand upon the
last things" (ver. 17). A great thing it is, brethren: now for a long
time I labour, he saith, and before my face I see a sort of insuperable
labour, to know in what manner both God is just, and doth care for
things human, and is not unjust because men sinning and doing wicked
actions have happiness on this earth; but the godly and men serving God
are wasted ofttimes in trials and in labours; a great difficulty it is
to know this, but only "until I enter into the Sanctuary of God." For
in the Sanctuary what is presented to thee, in order that thou mayest
solve this question? "And I understand," he saith, "upon the last
things:" not present things. I, he saith, from the Sanctuary of God
stretch out mine eye unto the end, I pass over present things. All that
which is called the human race, all that mass of mortality is to come
to the balance, is to come to the scale, thereon will be weighed the
works of men. All things now a cloud doth enfold: but to God are known
the merits of each severally. "And I understand," he saith, "upon the
last things:" but not of myself; for before me there is labour. Whence
"may I understand upon the last things"? Let me enter into the
Sanctuary of God. In that place then he understood also the reason why
these men now are happy.
18. To wit, "because of deceitfulness Thou hast set upon them" (ver.
18). Because deceitful they are, that is fraudulent; because deceitful
they are, they suffer deceits. What is this, because fraudulent they
are they suffer a fraud? They desire to play a fraud upon mankind in
all their naughtinesses, they themselves also suffer a fraud, in
choosing earthly good things, and in forsaking the eternal. Therefore,
brethren, in their very playing off a fraud they suffer a fraud. In
that which but now I said, brethren, "What manner of wit [3282] hath he
who to gain a garment doth lose his fidelity?" hath he whose garment he
hath taken suffered a fraud, or he that is smitten with so great a
loss? If a garment is more precious than fidelity, the former doth
suffer the greater loss: but if incomparably good faith doth surpass
the whole world, the latter shall seem to have sustained the loss of a
garment; but to the former is said, "What doth it profit a man if he
gain the whole world, but suffer the loss of his own soul?" [3283]
Therefore what hath befallen them? "Because of deceitfulness Thou hast
set for them: Thou didst throw them down while they were being
exalted." He hath not said, Thou didst throw them down because they
were lifted up: not as it were after that they were lifted up Thou
didst throw them down; but in their very lifting up they were thrown
down. For thus to be lifted up is already to fall.
19. "How have they become a desolation suddenly?" (ver. 19). He is
wondering at them, understanding unto the last things. "They have
vanished." Truly like smoke, which while it mounteth upward, doth
vanish, so they have vanished. How doth he say, "They have vanished"?
In the manner of one who understandeth the last things: "they have
perished because of their iniquity." "Like as the dream of one rising
up" (ver.
20). How have they vanished? As vanisheth the dream of one
rising up. Fancy a man in sleep to have seen himself find treasures; he
is a rich man, but only until he awaketh. "Like as the dream of one
rising up:" so they have vanished, like the dream of one awaking. It is
sought then and it is not: there is nothing in the hands, nothing in
the bed. A poor man he went to sleep, a rich man in sleep he became:
had he not awoke, he were a rich man: he woke up, he found the care
which he had lost while sleeping. And these men shall find the misery
which they had prepared for themselves. When they shall have awoke from
this life, that thing doth pass away which was grasped as if in sleep.
"Like as the dream of one rising up." And that there might not be said,
"What then? a small thing doth their glory seem to thee, a small thing
doth their state seem to thee, small things seem to thee inscriptions,
images, statues, distinctions, troops of clients?" "O Lord," he saith,
"in Thy city their image [3284] Thou shalt bring to nothing."...He hath
taken away the pride of rich men, he giveth counsel. [3285] As if they
[3286] were saying, We are rich men, thou dost forbid us to be proud,
dost prohibit us from boasting of the parade of our riches: what then
are we to do with these riches? Is it come to this, that there is
nothing which they may do therewith? "Be they rich," he saith, "in good
works; let them readily distribute, communicate." [3287] And what doth
this profit? "Let them treasure unto themselves a good foundation for
the future, that they may lay hold of true life." [3288] Where ought
they to lay up treasure for themselves? In that place whereunto he set
his eye, when entering into the Sanctuary of God. Let there shudder all
our rich brethren, abounding in money, gold, silver, household,
honours, let them shudder at that which but now hath been said, "Thou
shalt bring to nothing their image." Are they not worthy to suffer
these things, to wit that God bring to nothing their image in His city,
because also they have themselves brought to nothing the image of God
in their earthly city?
20. "Because my heart was delighted" (ver. 21). He is saying with what
things he is tempted: "because my heart was delighted," he saith, "my
reins also were changed." When those temporal things delighted me, my
reins were changed. It may also be understood thus: "because my heart
was delighted" in God, "my reins also were changed, that is, my lusts
were changed, and I became wholly chaste. "My reins were changed." And
hear how. "And I was brought unto nothing, and I knew not" (ver. 22).
I, the very man, who now say these things of rich men, once longed for
such things: therefore "even I was brought to nothing" when my steps
were almost overthrown. "And I was brought unto nothing, and I knew
not." We must not therefore despair even of them, against whom I was
saying such things.
21. What is, "I knew not"? "As it were a beast I became to Thee, and I
am alway with Thee" (ver. 23). There is a great difference between this
man and others. He became as it were a beast in longing for earthly
things, when being brought to nothing he knew not things eternal: but
he departed not from his God, because he did not desire these things of
demons, of the devil. For this I have already brought to your notice.
The voice is from the Synagogue, that is, from that people which served
not idols. A beast indeed I became, when desiring from my God things
earthly: but I never departed from That my God.
22. Because then, though having become a beast, I departed not from my
God, there followeth, "Thou hast held the hand of my right hand." He
hath not said my right hand, but "the hand of my right hand." If the
hand of the right hand it is, a hand hath a hand. "The hand Thou hast
held of my right hand," in order that Thou mightest conduct me. For
what hath he put hand? For power. For we say that a man hath that in
his hand which he hath in his power: just as the devil said to God
concerning Job, "Lay to Thine hand, and take away the things which he
hath." [3289] What is, lay to Thine hand? Put [3290] forth power. The
hand of God he hath called the power of God: as hath been written in
another place, "death and life are in the hands of the tongue." [3291]
Hath the tongue hands? But what is, in the hands of the tongue? In the
power of the tongue. What is, in the power of the tongue? "Out of thy
mouth thou shalt be justified, and out of thy mouth thou shalt be
condemned." [3292] "Thou hast held," therefore, "the hand of my right
hand," the power of my right hand. What was my right hand? That I was
alway with Thee. Unto the left I was holding, because I became a beast,
that is, because there was an earthly concupiscence in me: but the
right was mine, because I was alway with thee. Of this my right hand
Thou hast held the hand, that is, hast directed the power. What power?
"He gave them power to become sons of God." [3293] He is beginning now
to be among the sons of God, belonging to the New Testament. See in
what manner the hand of his right hand was held. "In Thy will Thou hast
conducted me." What is, "in thy will"? Not in my merits. What is, "in
Thy will"? Hear the apostle, who was at first a beast longing for
things earthly, and living after the Old Testament. He saith what? "I
that at first was a blasphemer, and persecutor, and injurious: but
mercy I obtained." [3294] What is, "in Thy will"? "By the grace of God
I am what I am." [3295] "And in [3296] glory Thou hast taken me up."
Now to what glory he was taken up, and in what glory, who can explain,
who can say? Let us await it, because in the Resurrection it will be,
in the last things it will be.
23. And he is beginning to think of that same Heavenly felicity, and to
reprove himself, because he hath been a beast, and hath longed for
things earthly. "For what have I in Heaven, and from Thee what have I
willed upon earth?" (ver. 25). By your voice I see that ye have
understood. [3297] He compared with his earthly will the heavenly
reward which he is to receive; he saw what was there being reserved for
him; and while thinking and burning at the thought of some ineffable
thing, which neither eye hath seen, nor ear heard, nor into the heart
of man hath ascended, [3298] he hath not said, this or that I have in
Heaven, but, "what have I in Heaven?" What is that thing which I have
in Heaven? What is it? How great is it? Of what sort is it? "And,"
since that which I have in heaven doth not pass away, "from Thee what
have I willed upon earth?" [3299] ...Thou reservest, he saith, for me
in Heaven riches immortal, even Thyself, and I have willed from Thee on
earth that which even ungodly men have, which even evil men have, which
even abandoned men have, money, gold, silver, jewels, households, which
even many wicked men have: which even many profligate women have, many
profligate men: these things as a great matter I have desired of my God
upon earth: though my God reserveth Himself for me in Heaven!
24. "My heart and my flesh hath failed, O God of my heart" (ver. 26).
This then for me in Heaven hath been reserved, "God of my heart, and my
portion is my God." What is it, brethren? Let us find out our riches,
let mankind choose their parts. Let us see men torn with diversity of
desires: let some choose war-service, some advocacy, some divers and
sundry offices of teaching, some merchandise, some farming, let them
take their portions in human affairs: let the people of God cry, "my
portion is my God." Not for a time "my portion;" but "my portion is my
God for everlasting." Even if I alway have gold, what have I? Even if I
did not alway have God, how great a good should I have? To this is
added, that He promiseth Himself to me, and He promiseth that I shall
have this for everlasting. So great a thing I have, and never have it
not. Great felicity: "my portion is God!" How long? "For everlasting."
For behold and see after what sort He hath loved him; He hath made his
heart chaste: "God of my heart, and my portion is God for everlasting."
His heart hath become chaste, for nought now God is loved, from Him is
not sought any other reward. He that doth seek any other reward from
God, and therefore is willing to serve God, more precious doth make
that which he willeth to receive, than Him from whom he willeth to
receive. What then, is there no reward belonging to God? None except
Himself. The reward belonging to God, is God Himself. This he loveth,
this he esteemeth; if any other thing he shall have loved, the love
will not be chaste. Thou art receding from the Fire immortal, thou wilt
grow cold, wilt be corrupted. Do not recede. Recede not, it will be thy
corruption, it will be thy fornication. Now he is returning, now he is
repenting, now he is choosing repentance, now he is saying, "my portion
is God." And after what sort is he delighted with that Same, whom he
hath chosen for his portion.
25. "Behold, they that put themselves afar from Thee shall perish"
(ver. 27). He therefore departed from God, but not far: for "I have
become as it were a beast," he saith, and "I am alway with Thee."
[3300] But they have departed afar, because not only things earthly
they have desired, but have sought them from demons and the Devil.
"They that put themselves afar from Thee shall perish." And what is it,
to become afar from God? "Thou hast destroyed every man that committeth
fornication away from Thee." To this fornication is opposed chaste
love. What is chaste love? Now the soul doth love her Bridegroom: what
doth she require of Him, from Her Bridegroom whom she loveth? Perchance
in like manner as women choose for themselves men either as sons-in-law
or as bridegrooms: she perchance chooseth riches, and loveth his gold,
and estates, and silver and cattle and horses, and household, and the
like. Far be it. He doth love Him alone, for nought he doth love Him:
because in Him he hath all things, for "by Him were made all things."
[3301]
26. But thou doest what? "But for me to cleave to God is a good thing"
(ver. 28). This is whole good. Will ye have more? I grieve at your
willing. Brethren, what will ye have more? Than to cleave to God
nothing is better, when we shall see Him face to face. [3302] But now
what? For yet as a stranger I am speaking: "to cleave," he saith, "to
God is a good thing:" but now in my sojourning (for not yet hath come
the substance), I have "to put in God my hope." So long therefore as
thou hast not yet cloven, therein put thy hope. Thou art wavering, cast
forward an anchor to the land. [3303] Not yet dost thou cleave by
presence, cleave fast by hope. "To put in God my hope." And by doing
what here wilt thou put in God thy hope? What will be thy business, but
to praise Him whom thou lovest, and to make others to be fellow-lovers
of Him with thee? Lo, if thou shouldest love a charioteer, wouldest
thou not carry along other men to love him with thee? A lover of a
charioteer whithersoever he goeth doth speak of him, in order that as
well as he others also may love him. For nought are loved abandoned
men, and from God is reward required in order that He may be loved?
Love thou God for nought, grudge God to no one....For what followeth?
"In order that I may tell forth all Thy praises in the courts of the
daughter of Sion." "In the courts:" for the preaching of God beside the
Church is vain. A small thing it is to praise God and to tell forth all
His praise. In the courts of the daughter of Sion tell thou forth. Make
for unity, do not divide the people; but draw them unto one, and make
them one. I have forgotten how long I have been speaking. Now the Psalm
being ended, even judging by this closeness, [3304] I suppose I have
held a long discourse: but it doth not suffice for your zeal; ye are
too impetuous. [3305] O that with this impetuosity ye would seize upon
the kingdom of Heaven.
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
__________________________________________________________________
[3250] Lat. LXXII.
[3251] This sentence in our version and in the Vulgate stands at the
end of the previous Psalm. [Where it is more significant. David can
prophesy no further concerning the glory that shall be revealed. See
A.N.F. vol. i. p. 211, note 3.--C.]
[3252] Title of Psalm lxxiii.
[3253] 1 Sam. xvi. 19.
[3254] Isa. xi. 1.
[3255] Gen. xxiv. 2. [See p. 148, note 11, supra.--C.]
[3256] Gen. xxii. 18.
[3257] Rom. xi. 17, 18.
[3258] Ben. notes that the word "good" is not in the mss.; it is found
at Oxford, and probably in mss. used for earlier editions.
[3259] Rom. xi. 24, 18.
[3260] [i.e., Joshua the son of Nun.--C.]
[3261] See Title of Psalm.
[3262] Ps. xxix. 1, Gr. and Lat.
[3263] Oxf. mss. add, "not which," etc.
[3264] 1 Cor. x. 6.
[3265] Ps. xviii. 25.
[3266] Prov. vii. 22.
[3267] Ed. in teipso; Ben. conj. and Oxf. mss. in teipsum.
[3268] The words from "this beggar," added from Oxf. mss.
[3269] [See A.N.F. vol. vii. p. 151.--C.]
[3270] Luke xvi. 19.
[3271] Al. "father."
[3272] Luke xvi. 27.
[3273] Used, of course, in the lower sense. [The sense, i.e., of mere
attrition. See Roman doctrine, Liguori, vol. iv. p. 245, ed. Paris,
1852.--C.]
[3274] Oxf. mss. and some of Ben. "Thou proud man, thou," etc.
[3275] Ps. cxlvi. 4.
[3276] Oxf. and other mss. "proud things."
[3277] Gal. iv. 4.
[3278] mss. want "therefore."
[3279] mss. creticam.
[3280] Ps. lxxiii. 2.
[3281] Ps. xviii. 29.
[3282] Cor.
[3283] Matt. xvi. 26.
[3284] Oxf. mss. "images."
[3285] [He uses the word ferimus in the omitted paragraph.--C.] He
seems to mean, that such teaching, addressed to any one in common
intercourse, would be "smiting."
[3286] Oxf. mss. "the rich."
[3287] 1 Tim. vi. 18.
[3288] 1 Tim. vi. 19.
[3289] Job i. 11.
[3290] Lit. "give."
[3291] Prov. xviii. 21.
[3292] Matt. xii. 37.
[3293] John i. 12.
[3294] 1 Tim. i. 13.
[3295] 1 Cor. xv. 10.
[3296] So mss.; Ben. "with."
[3297] [Here there were voluntary "amens," or the like, from the
people. See p. 207, supra.--C.]
[3298] 1 Cor. ii. 9.
[3299] [Here he interpolates: "I will speak as I am able, but forgive
me; accept my endeavour, mine earnestness to attempt; for to explain it
I have not power."--C.]
[3300] Ps. lxxiii. 21.
[3301] John i. 3.
[3302] 1 Cor. xiii. 12.
[3303] Oxf. mss. "Wavering, from the earth cast an anchor before thee
upward."
[3304] Odore, lit. "smell;" one ms. ardore, "heat;" Ben. conj. sudore.
[3305] [P. 341, note 4, supra.--C.]
Finis
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