The Sixteenth Sunday after Trinity
Augustine on Psalm LIX
Trinity 16 Home
O LORD, we beseech thee, let thy continual pity cleanse and defend thy Church; and, because it cannot continue in safety without thy succour, preserve it evermore by thy help and goodness; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Source of Collect - Bishop Gelasius' Sacrementary [494AD].One is reminded of Psalm 51 purge me with hyssop and I shall be clean and Rev 7:14, washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb
Isaiah xii, Psalms 98, 99 | 89, 59 Ephesians iii. 13 & St. Luke vii. 11
Homily of Augustine on Psalm LIX
defend me from them that rise up against me
Isaiah xii
AND in that day thou shalt say, O LORD, I will praise thee: though thou wast angry with me, thine anger is turned away, and thou comfortedst me. Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation. Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation. And in that day shall ye say, Praise the LORD, call upon his name, declare his doings among the people, make mention that his name is exalted. Sing unto the LORD; for he hath done excellent things: this is known in all the earth. Cry out and shout, thou inhabitant of Zion: for great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee.
Ephesians iii. 8
UNTO me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God, According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord: In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him. I desire that ye faint not at my tribulations for you, which is your glory. For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.
St. Luke vii. 11
AND it came to pass the day after, that Jesus went into a city called Nain; and many of his disciples went with him, and much people. Now when he came nigh to the gate of the city, behold, there was a dead man carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow: and much people of the city was with her. And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, Weep not. And he came and touched the bier: and they that bare him stood still. And he said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise. And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak. And he delivered him to his mother. And there came a fear on all: and they glorified God, saying, That a great prophet is risen up among us; and, That God hath visited his people. And this rumour of him went forth throughout all Judaea, and throughout all the region round about.
Scripture from 1928 Book of Common Prayer, KJV
The Collects of Thomas Cranmer, Barbee and Zalh
Homily
Augustine
Psalm LIX
Psalm LIX. [2217]
The First Part.
1. As the Scripture is wont to set mysteries of the Psalms on the
titles, and to deck the brow of a Psalm with the high announcement of a
Mystery, [2218] in order that we that are about to go in may know (when
as it were upon the door-post we have read what within is doing) either
of whom the house is, or who is the owner of that estate: so also in
this Psalm there hath been written a title, of a title. For it hath,
"At the end, corrupt not for David himself unto the inscription of the
title." This is that which I have spoken of, title of Title. For what
the inscription of this title is, which to be corrupted he forbiddeth,
the Gospel to us doth indicate. For when the Lord was being crucified,
a title by Pilate was inscribed and set, "King of the Jews," [2219] in
three tongues, Hebrew, Greek, and Latin: [2220] which tongues in the
whole world mostly do prevail....Therefore "corrupt not" is most proper
and prophetic; since indeed even those Jews made suggestion at that
time to Pilate, and said, "Do not write King of the Jews, but write,
that Himself said that He was King of the Jews:" [2221] for this title,
say they, hath established Him King over us. And Pilate, "What I have
written, I have written." And there was fulfilled, "corrupt not."
2. Nor is this the only Psalm which hath an inscription of such sort,
that the Title be not corrupted. Several Psalms thus are marked on the
face, but however in all the Passion of the Lord is foretold. Therefore
here also let us perceive the Lord's Passion, and let there speak to us
Christ, Head and Body. So always, or nearly always, let us hear the
words of Christ from the Psalm, as that we look not only upon that
Head, the one mediator between God and man, the Man Christ Jesus.
[2222] ...But let us think of Christ, Head and whole Body, a sort of
entire Man. For to us is said, "But ye are the Body of Christ and
members," [2223] by the Apostle Paul. If therefore He is Head, we Body;
whole Christ is Head and Body. For sometimes thou findest words which
do not suit the Head, and unless thou shalt have attached them to the
Body, thy understanding will waver: again thou findest words which are
proper for the Body, and Christ nevertheless is speaking. In that place
we must have no fear lest a man be mistaken: for quickly he proceedeth
to adapt to the Head, that which he seeth is not proper for the
Body....
3. Let us hear, therefore, what followeth: "When Saul sent and guarded
his house in order that he might kill him." This though not to the
Cross of the Lord, yet to the Passion of the Lord doth belong. For
Crucified was Christ, and dead, and buried. That sepulchre was
therefore as it were the house: to guard which the government of the
Jews sent, when guards were set to the sepulchre of Christ. [2224]
There is indeed a story in the Scripture of the Reigns, of the occasion
when Saul sent to guard the house in order that he might kill David.
[2225] ...But in like manner as Saul effected not his purpose of
slaying David: so this could not the government of the Jews effect,
that the testimony of guards sleeping should avail more than that of
Apostles watching. For what were the guards instructed to say? We give
to you, they say, as much money as ye please; and say ye, that while ye
were sleeping there came His disciples, and took Him away. Behold what
sort of witnesses of falsehood against truth and the Resurrection of
Christ, His enemies, through Saul figured, did produce. Enquire, O
unbelief, of sleeping witnesses, let them reply to thee of what was
done in the tomb. Who, if they were sleeping, whence knew it? If
watching, wherefore detained they not the thieves? Let him say
therefore what followeth.
4. "Deliver me from mine enemies, my God, and from men rising up upon
me, redeem Thou me" (ver. 1). There hath been done this thing in the
flesh of Christ, it is being done in us also. For our enemies, to wit
the devil and his angels, cease not to rise up upon us every day, and
to wish to make sport of our weakness and our frailness, by deceptions,
by suggestions, by temptations, and by snares of whatsoever sort to
entangle us, while on earth we are still living. But let our voice
watch unto God, and cry out in the members of Christ, under the Head
that is in heaven, "Deliver me from mine enemies, my God, and from men
rising up upon me, redeem Thou me."
5. "Deliver me from men working iniquity, and from men of bloods, save
Thou me" (ver. 2). They indeed were men of bloods, who slew the Just
One, in whom no guilt they found: they were men of bloods, because when
the foreigner washed his hands, and would have let go Christ, they
cried, "Crucify, Crucify:" [2226] they were men of bloods, on whom when
there was being charged the crime of the blood of Christ, they made
answer, giving it to their posterity to drink, "His blood be upon us
and upon our sons." [2227] But neither against His Body did men of
bloods cease to rise up; for even after the Resurrection and Ascension
of Christ, the Church suffered persecutions, and she indeed first that
grew out of the Jewish people, of which also our Apostles were. There
at first Stephen was stoned, [2228] and received that of which he had
his name. For Stephanus doth signify a crown. Lowly stoned but highly
crowned. Secondly, among the Gentiles rose up kingdoms of Gentiles,
before that in them was fulfilled that which had been foretold, "There
shall adore Him all the kings of the earth, all nations shall serve
Him:" [2229] and there roared the fierceness of that kingdom against
the witnesses of Christ: there was shed largely and frequently the
blood of Martyrs: wherewith when it had been shed, being as it were
sown, the field of the Church more productively put forth, and filled
the whole world as we now behold. From these therefore, men of bloods,
is delivered Christ, not only Head, but also Body. From men of bloods
is delivered Christ, both from them that have been, and from them that
are, and from them that are to be; there is delivered Christ, both He
that hath gone before, and He that is, and He that is to come. For
Christ is the whole Body of Christ; and whatsoever good Christians that
now are, and that have been before us, and that after us are to be, are
an whole Christ, who is delivered from men of bloods; nor is this voice
void, "And from men of bloods save Thou me."
6. "For behold they have hunted my soul....There have rushed upon me
strong men" (ver. 3). We must not however pass on from these strong
men: diligently we must trace who are the strong men rising up. Strong
men, upon whom but upon weak men, upon powerless men, upon men not
strong? And praised nevertheless are the weak men, and condemned are
the strong men. If it would be perceived who are strong men, at first
the devil himself the Lord hath called a strong man: "No one," He
saith, "is able to go into the house of a strong man, and to carry off
his vessels, unless first he shall have bound the strong man." [2230]
He hath bound therefore the strong man with the chains of His dominion:
and his vessels He hath carried off, and His own vessels hath made
them. For all unrighteous men were vessels of the devil....But there
are among mankind certain strong men of a blameable and damnable
strength, that are confident indeed, but on temporal felicity. That man
doth not [2231] seem to you to have been strong, of whom now from the
Gospel [2232] hath been read: how his estate brought forth abundance of
fruits, and he being troubled, hit upon the design of rebuilding, so
that, having pulled down his old barns, he should construct new ones
more capacious, and, these having been finished, should say to his
soul, "Thou hast many good things, soul, feast, be merry, be
filled."...There are also other men strong, not because of riches, not
because of the powers of the body, not because of any temporally
pre-eminent power of station, but relying on their righteousness. This
sort of strong men must be guarded against, feared, repulsed, not
imitated: of men relying, I say, not on body, not on means, not on
descent, not on honour; for all such things who would not see to be
temporal, fleeting, falling, flying? but relying on their own
righteousness...."Wherefore," say they, doth your Master eat with
publicans and sinners? [2233] O ye strong men, to whom a Physician is
not needful! This strength to soundness belongeth not, but to insanity.
For even than men frenzied nothing can be stronger, more mighty they
are than whole men: but by how much greater their powers are, by so
much nearer is their death. May God therefore turn away from our
imitation these strong men....The same are therefore the strong men,
that assailed Christ, commending their own justice. Hear ye these
strong men: when certain men of Jerusalem were speaking, having been
sent by them to take Christ, and not daring to take Him (because when
he would, then was He taken, that truly was strong): Why therefore, say
they, "could ye not take Him?" And they made answer, "No one of men did
ever so speak as He." And these strong men, "Hath by any means any one
of the Pharisees believed on Him, or any one of the Scribes, but this
people knowing not the Law?" [2234] They preferred themselves to the
sick multitude, that was running to the Physician: whence but because
they were themselves strong? and what is worse, by their strength, all
the multitude also they brought over unto themselves, and slew the
Physician of all....
7. What next? "Neither iniquity is mine, nor sin mine, O Lord" (ver.
4). There have rushed on indeed strong men on their own righteousness
relying, they have rushed on, but sin in me they have not found. For
truly those strong men, that is, as it were righteous men, on what
account would they be able to persecute Christ, unless it were as if a
sinner? But, however, let them look to it how strong they be, in the
raging of fever not in the vigour of soundness: let them look to it how
strong they be, and how as though just against an unrighteous man they
have raged. [2235] But, however, "neither iniquity is mine, nor sin
mine, O Lord. Without iniquity I did run, and I was guided." Those
strong men therefore could not follow me running: therefore a sinner
they have deemed me, because my steps they have not seen.
8. "Without iniquity I did run, and was guided; rise up to meet me, and
see." To God is said this. But why? If He meet not, is He unable to
see? It is just as if thou wast walking in a road, and from afar by
some one thou couldest not be recognised, thou wouldest call to him and
wouldest say, Meet me, and see how I am walking; for when from afar
thou espiest me, my steps thou art not able to see. So also unless God
were to meet, would He not see how without iniquity he was guided, and
how without sin he was running? This interpretation indeed we can also
accept, namely, "Rise up to meet me," as if "help me." But that which
he hath added, "and see," must be understood as, make it to be seen
that I run, make it to be seen that I am guided: according to that
figure wherein this also hath been said to Abraham, "Now I know that
thou fearest God." [2236] God saith, "Now I know:" whence, but because
I have made thee to know? For unknown to himself every one is before
the questioning of temptation: just as of himself Peter [2237] in his
confidence was ignorant, and by denying learned what kind of powers he
had, in his very stumbling he perceived that it was falsely he had been
confident: he wept, and in weeping he earned profitably to know what he
was, and to be what he was not. Therefore Abraham when tried, became
known to himself: and it was said by God, "Now I know," that is, now I
have made thee to know. In like manner as glad is the day because it
maketh men glad; and sad is bitterness because it maketh sad one
tasting thereof: so God's seeing is making to see. "Rise up,
therefore," he saith, "to meet me, and see" (ver. 5). What is, "and
see"? And help me, that is, in those men, in order that they may see my
course, may follow me; let not that seem to them to be crooked which is
straight, let not that seem to them to be curved which keepeth the rule
of truth.
9. Something else I am admonished to say in this place of the loftiness
of our Head Himself: for He was made weak even unto death, and He took
on Him the weakness of flesh, in order that the chickens of Jerusalem
He might gather under His wings, like a hen showing herself weak with
her little ones. [2238] For have we not observed this thing in some
bird at some time or other, even in those which build nests before our
eyes, as the house-sparrows, as swallows, so to speak, our annual
guests, as storks, as various sorts of birds, which before our eyes
build nests, and hatch eggs, feed chickens, as the very doves which
daily we see; and some bird to become weak with her chickens, have we
not known, have we not looked upon, have we not seen? In what way doth
a hen experience this weakness? Surely a known fact I am speaking of,
which in our sight is daily taking place. How her voice groweth hoarse,
how her whole body is made languid? The wings droop, the feathers are
loosened, and thou seest around the chickens some sick thing, and this
is maternal love which is found as weakness. Why was it therefore, but
for this reason, that the Lord willed to be as a Hen, saying in the
Holy Scripture, "Jerusalem, Jerusalem, how often have I willed to
gather thy sons, even as a hen her chickens under her wings, and thou
hast not been willing." But He hath gathered all nations, like as a hen
her chickens....
10. "And Thou, Lord God of virtues, God of Israel." Thou God of Israel,
that art thought to be but God of one nation, which worshippeth Thee,
when all nations worship idols, Thou God of Israel, "Give heed unto the
visiting all nations." Fulfilled be that prophecy wherein Isaiah in Thy
person speaketh to Thy Church, Thy holy City, that barren one of whom
many more are the sons of Her forsaken than of her that hath a husband.
To Her indeed hath been said, "Rejoice, thou barren, that bearest not,"
[2239] etc., more than of the Jewish nation which hath a Husband, which
hath received the Law, more than of that nation which had a visible
king. For thy king is hidden, and more sons to thee there are by a
hidden Bridegroom....The Prophet addeth, "Enlarge the place of Thy
tabernacle, and Thy [2240] courts fix thou: there is no cause for thee
to spare, extend further thy cords, and strong stakes set thou again
and again on the right and on the left." [2241] Upon the right keep
good men, on the left keep evil men, [2242] until there come the fan:
[2243] occupy nevertheless all nations; bidden to the marriage be good
men and evil men, filled be the marriage with guests; [2244] it is the
office of servants to bid, of the Lord to sever. "Cities which had been
forsaken Thou shall inhabit:" [2245] forsaken of God, forsaken of
Prophets, forsaken of Apostles, forsaken of the Gospel, full of demons.
For Thou shalt prevail; and blush not because abominable Thou hast
been. Therefore though there have risen up upon thee strong men, blush
not: when against the name of Christ laws were enacted, when ignominy
and infamy it was to be a Christian. "Blush not because abominable Thou
hast been: for confusion for everlasting Thou shalt forget, of the
ignominy of Thy widowhood Thou shall not be mindful."...
11. "Have not pity upon all men that work iniquity." Here evidently He
is terrifying. Whom would He not terrify? What man falling back upon
his own conscience would not tremble? Which even if to itself it is
conscious of godliness, strange if it be not in some sort conscious of
iniquity. For whosoever doeth sin, also doeth iniquity. [2246] "For if
Thou shalt have marked iniquities, O Lord, what man shall abide it?"
[2247] And nevertheless a true saying it is, and not said to no
purpose, and neither is nor will it be possible to be void, "Have not
pity upon all men that work iniquity." But He had pity even upon Paul,
who at first as Saul wrought iniquity. For what good thing did he,
whence he might deserve of God? Did he not hate His Saints unto death?
[2248] did he not bear letters from the chief of the priests, to the
end that wheresoever he might find Christians, to punishment he should
hurry them? When bent upon this, when thither proceeding, breathing and
panting slaughter, as the Scripture testified of him, was he not from
Heaven with a mighty voice summoned, thrown down, raised up; blinded,
lightened; slain, made alive; destroyed, restored? In return for what
merit? Let us say nothing; himself rather let us hear: "I that before
have been," he saith, "a blasphemer, and persecutor; and injurious, but
mercy I have obtained." [2249] Surely "Thou wouldest not have pity upon
all men that work iniquity:" this in two ways may be understood: either
that in fact not any sins doth God leave unpunished; or that there is a
sort of iniquity, on the workers whereof God hath indeed no pity.
12. All iniquity, be it little or great, punished must needs be, either
by man himself repenting, or by God avenging. For even he that
repenteth punisheth himself. Therefore, brethren, let us punish our own
sins, if we seek the mercy of God. God cannot have mercy on all men
working iniquity as if pandering to sins, or not rooting out sins. In a
word, either thou punishest, or He punisheth....
13. But let us see now another way in which this sentence may be
understood. There is a certain iniquity, on the worker whereof it
cannot be that God have mercy. Ye enquire, perchance, what that is? It
is the defending of sins. When a man defendeth his sins, great iniquity
he worketh: that thing he is defending which God hateth. And see how
perversely, how iniquitously. Whatever of good he hath done, to himself
he would have it to be ascribed; whatever of evil, to God. For in this
manner men defend sins in the person of God, which is a worse
sin....Therefore thou defendest thy sin in such sort, that thou layest
blame on God. So the guilty is excused, so that the Judge may be
charged. However on men working iniquity God hath no pity at all.
14. "Let them be converted at the evening" (ver. 6). Of certain men he
is speaking that were once workers of iniquity, and once darkness,
being converted in the evening. What is, "in the evening"? Afterward.
What is "at the evening"? Later. For before, before that they crucified
Christ, they ought to have acknowledged their Physician. Wherefore,
when He had been crucified--rising again, into Heaven ascending--after
that He sent His Holy Spirit, wherewith were fulfilled they that were
in one house, and they began to speak with the tongues of all nations,
there feared the crucifiers of Christ; they were pricked through with
their consciences, they besought counsel of safety from the Apostles,
they heard, "Repent, and be baptized each one of you in the name of our
Lord Jesus Christ, and your sins shall be remitted unto you." [2250]
After the slaying of Christ, after the shedding of the blood of Christ,
remitted are your sins...."Let these be converted," therefore, they
also "at evening." Let them yearn for the grace of God, perceive
themselves to be sinners; let those strong men be made weak, those rich
men be made poor, those just men acknowledge themselves sinners, those
lions be made dogs. "Let them be converted at evening, and suffer
hunger as dogs. And they shall go around the city." What city? That
world, which in certain places the Scripture calleth "the city of
standing round:" [2251] that is, because in all nations everywhere the
world had encompassed the one nation of Jews, where such words were
being spoken, and it was called "the city of standing round." Around
this city shall go those men, now having become hungry dogs. In what
manner shall they go around? By preaching. Saul out of a wolf was made
a dog at evening, that is, being late converted by the crumbs of his
Lord, in His grace he ran, and went around the city. [2252]
15. "Behold, themselves shall speak in their mouth, and a sword is on
the lips of them" (ver. 7). Here is that sword twice whetted, whereof
the Apostle saith, "And the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of
God." [2253] Wherefore twice whetted? Wherefore, but because smiting
out of both Testaments? With this sword were slain those whereof it was
said to Peter, "Slay, and eat." [2254] "And a sword is on the lips of
them. For who hath heard?" They all speak in their mouth, "Who hath
heard?" That is, they shall be wroth with men that are slow to believe.
They that a little before were even themselves unwilling to believe, do
feel disgust from men not believing. And truly, brethren, so it is.
Thou seest a man slow before he is made a Christian; thou criest to him
daily, hardly he is converted: suppose him to be converted, and then he
would have all men to be Christians, and wondereth that not yet they
are. It hath chanced out to him at evening to have been converted: but
because he hath been made hungering like a dog, he hath also on his
lips a sword; he saith, "Who hath heard?" What is, "Who hath heard?"
"Who hath believed our hearing, and to whom hath the arm of the Lord
been revealed?" [2255] "For who hath heard?" The Jews believe not: they
have turned them to the nations, and have preached. The Jews did not
believe; and nevertheless through believing Jews the Gospel went around
the city, and they said, "For who hath heard?" "And Thou, Lord, shall
deride them" (ver. 8). All nations are to be Christian, and ye say,
"Who hath heard?" What is, "shall deride them"? "As nothing Thou shalt
esteem all nations." Nothing for Thee it shall be; because a most easy
thing it will be for all nations to believe in Thee.
16. "My strength to Thee I will keep" (ver. 9). For those strong men
have fallen for this reason; because their strength to Thee they have
not kept: that is, they that upon me have risen up and rushed, on
themselves have relied. But I "my strength to Thee will keep:" because
if I withdraw, I fall; if I draw near, stronger I am made. For see,
brethren, what there is in a human soul. It hath not of itself light,
hath not of itself powers: but all that is fair in a soul, is virtue
and wisdom: but it neither is wise for itself, nor strong for itself,
nor itself is light to itself, nor itself is virtue to itself. There is
a certain origin and fountain of virtue, there is a certain root of
wisdom, there is a certain, so to speak, if this also must be said,
region of unchangeable truth: from this the soul withdrawing is made
dark, drawing near is made light. [2256] "Draw near to Him, and be made
light:" because by withdrawing ye are made dark. Therefore, "my
strength, I will keep to Thee:" not from Thee will I withdraw, not on
myself will I rely. "My strength, to Thee I will keep: because, O God,
my lifter up [2257] Thou art." For where was I, and where am I? Whence
hast Thou taken me up? What iniquities of mine hast Thou remitted?
Where was I lying? To what have I been raised up? I ought to have
remembered these things: because in another Psalm is said, "For my
father and my mother have forsaken me, but the Lord hath taken me unto
Him." [2258]
17. "My God, the mercy of Him shall [2259] come before me" (ver. 10).
Behold what is, "My strength, to Thee I will keep:" on myself I will in
no ways at all rely. For what good thing have I brought, that thou
shouldest have mercy on me, and shouldest justify me? What in me hast
Thou found, save sins alone? Of Thine there is nothing else but the
nature which Thou hast created: the other things are mine own evil
things which Thou hast blotted out. I have not first risen up to Thee,
but to awake me Thou hast come: for "His mercy shall come before me."
Before that anything of good I shall do, "His mercy shall come before
me." What answer here shall the unhappy Pelagius make? "My God hath
shown to me among mine enemies" (ver. 11). How great mercy He hath put
forth concerning me, among mine enemies He hath showed. Let one
gathered compare himself with men forsaken, and one elect with men
rejected: let the vessel of mercy compare itself with the vessels of
wrath; and let it see how out of one lump God hath made one vessel unto
honour, another unto dishonour.
"For so God, willing to show wrath, and to manifest His power, hath
brought in, in much patience, the vessels of wrath, which have been
perfected unto perdition." [2260] And wherefore this? "In order that He
might make known His riches upon the vessels of mercy." If therefore
vessels of wrath He hath brought in, wherein He might make known His
riches upon the vessels of mercy, most rightly hath been said, "His
mercy shall come before me: My God hath showed to me among mine
enemies:" that is however great mercy He hath had concerning me, to me
He hath showed it among these men concerning whom He hath not had
mercy. For unless the debtor be in suspense, he is less grateful to him
by whom the debt hath been forgiven. "My God hath showed to me among
mine enemies."
18. But of the enemies themselves what? "Slay them not, lest sometime
they forget Thy law." He is making request for his enemies, he is
fulfilling the commandment....Slay not them of whom the sins Thou
slayest. But what is it to be slain? To forget the law of the Lord. It
is real death, to go into the pit of sin; this indeed may be also
understood of the Jews. Why of the Jews, "Slay not them, lest sometime
they forget Thy law"? Those very enemies of mine, that have slain me,
do not Thou slay. Let the nation of the Jews remain: certes conquered
it hath been by the Romans, certes effaced is the city of them, Jews
are not admitted into their city, and yet Jews there are. For all those
provinces by the Romans have been subjugated. Who now can distinguish
the nations in the Roman empire the one from the other, inasmuch as all
have become Romans and all are called Romans? The Jews nevertheless
remain with a mark; nor in such sort conquered have they been, as that
by the conquerors they have been swallowed up. Not without reason is
there that Cain, on whom, when he had slain his brother, God set a mark
in order that no one should slay him. [2261] This is the mark which the
Jews have: they hold fast by the remnant of their law, they are
circumcised, they keep Sabbaths, they sacrifice the Passover; they eat
unleavened bread. These are therefore Jews, they have not been slain,
they are necessary to believing nations. Why so? In order that He may
show to us among our enemies His mercy. "My God hath shown to me in
mine enemies." He showeth His mercy to the wild-olive grafted on
branches that have been cut off because of pride. Behold where they
lie, that were proud, behold where thou hast been grafted, that didst
lie: and be not thou proud, lest thou shouldest deserve to be cut off.
19. "Scatter them abroad in Thy virtue" (ver. 11). Now this thing hath
been done: throughout all nations there have been scattered abroad the
Jews, witnesses of their own iniquity and our truth. They have
themselves writings, out of which hath been prophesied Christ, and we
hold Christ. And if sometime perchance any heathen man shall have
doubted, when we have told him the prophecies of Christ, at the
clearness whereof he is amazed, and wondering hath supposed that they
were written by ourselves, then out of the copies of the Jews we prove,
how this thing so long time before had been foretold. See after what
sort by means of our enemies we confound other enemies. "Scatter them
abroad in Thy virtue:" take away from them "virtue," take away from
them their strength. "And bring them down, my protector, O Lord." "The
transgressions of their mouth, the discourse of their lips: and let
them be taken in their pride: and out of cursing and lying shall be
declared consummations, in the anger of consummation, and they shall
not be" (ver. 12). Obscure words these are, and I fear lest they be not
well instilled....
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:
[2217] Lat. LVIII. Delivered after the discovery of the error of
Pelagius.
[2218] Sacramenti.
[2219] Matt. xxvii. 37.
[2220] John xix. 20.
[2221] John xix. 21.
[2222] 1 Tim. ii. 5.
[2223] 1 Cor. xii. 27.
[2224] Matt. xxvii. 66.
[2225] 1 Sam. xix. 11.
[2226] Matt. xxvii. 23.
[2227] Matt. xxvii. 25.
[2228] Acts vii. 58.
[2229] Ps. lxxi. 11.
[2230] Matt. xii. 29.
[2231] Perhaps "doth not that man."
[2232] Luke xii. 16.
[2233] Matt. ix. 11.
[2234] John vii. 45-49.
[2235] Oxf. mss. "and how far they were righteous and raging against
one unrighteous" (et quam justi contra iniquum saevierint). The common
reading is scarcely grammatical.
[2236] Gen. xxii. 12.
[2237] Matt. xxvi. 35-69.
[2238] Matt. xxiii. 37.
[2239] Isa. liv. 1.
[2240] "Hangings" some mss.
[2241] Isa. liv. 2.
[2242] Matt. xxv. 33.
[2243] Matt. iii. 12.
[2244] Matt. xxii. 9.
[2245] Isa. liv. 3.
[2246] 1 John iii. 4.
[2247] Ps. cxxx. 3.
[2248] Acts ix. 1.
[2249] 1 Tim. i. 13.
[2250] Acts ii. 38.
[2251] E.V. "strong city." Ps. xxxi. 21, lx. 9, cviii. 10.
[2252] Acts ix. 1, 20.
[2253] Eph. vi. 17.
[2254] Acts x. 13.
[2255] Isa. liii. 1.
[2256] Ps. xxxiv. 5.
[2257] Or, "taker up."
[2258] Ps. xxvii. 10.
[2259] Or, "prevent."
[2260] Rom. ix. 22.
[2261] Gen. iv. 15.
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