426 THE WORKS OF ST. AUGUSTIN.
kingdom, and in the same house. For on this account also, perhaps, it is called a name, that it distinguishes those, to whom it is given, from the rest.
26. What then, say they, is the meaning of that penny, which is given in payment to all alike when the work of the vineyard is ended? whether it be to those who have labored from the first hour, or to those who have labored one hour? * What assuredly doth it signify, but something, which all shall have in common, such as is life eternal itself, the kingdom of heaven itself, where shall be all, whom God hath predestinated, called, justi- fied, glorified? "For it behoveth that this corruptible put on incorruption, and this mor- tal put on immortality." 2 This is that penny, wages for all. Yet "star differeth from star in glory; so also the resurrection of the dead."3 These are the different merits of the Saints. For, if by that penny the heaven were signified, have not all the stars in common to be in the heaven? And yet, " There is one glory of the sun, another glory of the moon, another of the stars." If that penny were taken for health of body, have not all the members, when we are well, health in com- mon; and, should this health continue even unto death, is it not in all alike and equally? And yet, "God hath set the members, each one of them, in the body, as He would;" < that neither the whole be an eye, nor the whole hearing, nor the whole smelling: and, what- ever else there is, it hath its own property, although it have health equally with all. Thus because life eternal itself shall be alike to all, an equal penny was assigned to all; but, because in that life eternal itself the lights of merits shall shine with a distinction, there are " many mansions " in the house of the Father: s and, by this means, in the penny not unlike, one lives not longer than another; but in the many mansions, one is honored with greater brightness than another.
27. Therefore go on, Saints of God, boys and girls, males and females, unmarried men and women; go on and persevere unto the end. Praise more sweetly the Lord, Whom ye think on more richly: hope more happily in Him, Whom ye serve more instantly: love more ardently Him, whom ye please more attentive- ly. With loins girded, and lamps burning, wait for the Lord, when He cometh from the mar- riage.6 Ye shall bring unto the marriage of the Lamb a new song, which ye shall sing on your harps. Not surely such as the whole earth singeth, unto which it is said, " Sing unto the Lord a new song; sing unto the 6 Luke xii. 35, 36.
Lord, the whole earth "7: but such as no one shall be able to utter but you. For thus there saw you in the Apocalypse a certain one 8 beloved above others by the Lamb, who had been wont to lie on His breast, and who used to drink in, and burst9 forth, the Word of God above wonders of heaven. He saw you twelve times twelve thousand of holy harpers, of undefiled virginity in body, of inviolate truth in heart; and he wrote of you, that ye follow the Lamb whithersoever He shall go. Where think we that This Lamb goeth, where no one either dares or is able to follow save you? Where think we that He goeth? Into what glades and meadows? Where, I think, the grass are joys; not vain joys of this world, lying madnesses; nor joys such as shall be in the kingdom of God itself, for the rest that are not virgins; but distinct from the portion of joys of all the rest. Joy of the virgins of Christ, of Christ, in Christ, with Christ, after Christ, through Christ, for Christ. The joys peculiar to the virgins of Christ, are not the same as of such as are not virgins, al- though of Christ. For there are to different persons different joys, but to none such. Go (enter) into these, follow the Lamb, because the Flesh of the Lamb also is assuredly virgin. For this He retained in Himself when grown up, which He took not away from His Mother by His conception and birth. Fol- low Him, as ye deserve,10 in virginity of heart and flesh, wheresoever He shall have gone. For what is it to follow, but to imitate? Be- cause " Christ hath suffered for us," " leaving us an example, as saith the Apostle Peter, " that we should follow His steps." Him each one follows in that, wherein he imitates Him: not so far forth as He is the only Son of God, by Whom all things were made; but so far forth as, the Son of Man, He set forth in Himself, what behoved for us to imitate. And many things in Him are set forth for all to imitate: but virginity of the flesh not for all; for they have not what to do in order to be virgins, in whom it hath been already brought to pass that they be not virgins.
28. Therefore let the rest of the faithful, who have lost virginity, follow the Lamb, not whithersoever He shall have gone, but so far as ever they shall have been able. But they are able every where, save when He walks in the grace of virginity. " Blessed are the poor in spirit;" I2 imitate Him, Who, "whereas "He was rich, was made poor for your sakes."13 "Blessed are the meek;" imitate Him, Who said, " Learn of Me, for I am meek and lowly 7 Ps. xcvi. 1. 8 Rev. xiv. 1-5.
OF HOLY VIRGINITY.
427 of heart/'1 " Blessed are they that mourn;" imitate Him, Who "wept over" Jerusalem.2 "Blessed are they, who hunger and thirst after righteousness:" imitate Him, Who said, " My meat is to do the will of Him Who sent Me."3 " Blessed are the merciful; " imitate Him, Who came to the help of him who was wounded by robbers, and who lay in the way half-dead and despaired of.4 "Blessed are the pure in heart;" imitate Him, " Who did no sin, neither was guile found in His mouth."5 "Blessed are the peace-makers;" imitate Him, Who said on behalf of His persecutors, " Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do."6 " Blessed are they, who suffer persecution for righteousness sake;" imitate Him, Who " suffered for you, leaving you an example, that ye follow His steps."7 These things, whoso imitate, in these they follow the Lamb. But surely even married persons may go in those steps, although not setting their foot perfectly in the same print, 8 yet walking in the same paths.
29. But, lo, That Lamb goeth by a Virgin road, how shall they go after Him, who have lost what there is no way for them to re- cover? Do ye, therefore, do ye go after Him, His virgins; do ye thither also go after Him, in that on this one account whitherso- ever He shall have gone, ye follow Him: for unto any other gift whatsoever of holiness, whereby to follow Him, we can exhort married persons, save this which they have lost be- yond power of recovery. Do ye, therefore, fol- low Him, by holding with perseverance what ye have vowed with ardor. Go when ye can, that the good of virginity perish not from you, unto which ye can do nothing, in order that it may return. The rest of the multi- tude of the faithful will see you, which cannot unto this follow the Lamb; it will see you, it will not envy you: and by rejoicing together with you, what it hath not in itself, it will have in you. For that new song also, which is your own, it will not be able to utter; but it will not be unable to hear, and to be de- lighted with your so excellent good: but ye, who shall both utter and hear, in that what ye shall say, this ye shall hear of yourselves, will exult with greater happiness, and reign with greater joy. But they will have no sorrow on account of your greater joy, to whom this shall be wanting. Forsooth That Lamb, Whom ye shall follow whithersoever He shall have gone, will not desert those who cannot follow Him, where you can. Almighty is the Lamb, of Whom we speak. He both will go 3 John iv. 34. 6 Luke xxiii. 34.
before you, and will not depart from them, when God shall be all in all.9 And they, who shall have less, shall not turn away in dislike from you: for, where there is no envying, dif- ference exists with concord. Take to you,10 then, have trust, be strong, continue, ye who vow and pay unto the Lord your God vows of perpetual continence, not for the sake of this present world, but for the sake of the kingdom of Heaven.
30. Ye also who have not yet made this vow, who are able to receive it, receive it." Run with perseverance, that ye may obtain.12 Take ye each his sacrifices, and enter ye into the courts I3 of the Lord, not of necessity, hav- ing power over your own will,14 For not as, "Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill," IS can it so be said, Thou shalt not wed. The former are demanded, the latter are offered. If the latter are done, they are praised: unless the former are done, they are condemned. In the former the Lord commands us what is due; but in the latter, if ye shall have spent any thing more, on His return He will repay you.16 Think of (whatever that be) within His wall "a place named, much better than of sons and of daughters/'17 Think of "an eternal name" there. l8 Who unfolds of what kind that name shall be? Yet, whatever it shall be, it shall be eternal. By believing and hoping and loving this, ye have been able, not to shun marriage, as forbidden, but to fly past it, as allowed.
31. Whence the greatness of this service, I9 unto the undertaking of which we have ac- cording to our strength exhorted, the more excellent and divine it is, the more doth it warn our anxiety, to say something not only concerning most glorious chastity, but also concerning safest humility. When then such as make profession of perpetual chas- tity, comparing themselves with married per- sons, shall have discovered, that, according to the Scriptures, the others are below both in work and wages, both in vow and reward, let what is written straightway come into their mind, "By how much thou art great, by so much humble thyself in all things: and thou shalt find favor before God." 20 The measure of humility for each hath been given from the measure of his greatness itself: unto which pride is full of danger, which layeth the greater wait against persons the greater they be. On this followeth envying, as a daughter in her train; forsooth pride straight- 10 "Praisumite." " Matt. xix. 12.
18 Is. Ivi. 5.
20 Ecclus. iii. 18.
428 THE WORKS OF ST. AUGUSTIN.
way giveth birth to her, nor is she ever with- out such a daughter and companion. By which two evils, that is, pride and envying, is the devil (a devil). Therefore it is against pride, the mother of envying, that the whole Christian discipline chiefly wars. For this teaches humility, whereby both to gain and to keep charity; of which after that it had been said, " Charity envieth not; " * as though we were asking the reason, how it comes to pass that it envieth not, he straightway added, " is not puffed up;" as though he should say, on this account it hath not envying, in that- neither hath it pride. Therefore the Teacher of humility, Christ, first "emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant, made in the likeness of men, and found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, made obedient even unto death, even the death of the Cross."2 But His teaching itself, how care- fully it suggests humility, and how earnest and instant it is in commanding this, who can easily unfold, and bring together all witnesses for proof of this matter? This let him essay to do, or do, whosoever shall wish to write a separate treatise on humility; but of this present work the end proposed is different, and it hath been undertaken on a matter so great, as that it hath chiefly to guard against pride. 32. Wherefore a few witnesses, which the Lord deigns to suggest to my mind, I pro- ceed to mention, from out the teaching of Christ concerning humility, such as perhaps may be enough for my purpose. His dis- course, the first which He delivered to His disciples at greater length, began from this. " Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.7' 3 And these with- out all controversy we take to be humble. The faith of that Centurion He on this ac- count chiefly praised, and said that He had not found in Israel so great faith, because he believed with so great humility as to say, " 1 am not worthy that thou shouldest enter under my roof."4 Whence also Matthew for no other reason said that he " came " unto Jesus, (whereas Luke most plainly signifies that he came not unto Him himself, but sent his friends,) save that by his most faithful humility he himself came unto Him more than they whom he sent. Whence also is that of the Prophet, " The Lord is very high, and hath respect unto things that are lowly: but what are very high He noteth afar off; " 5 assuredly as not coming unto Him. Whence also He saith to that woman of Canaan, " O woman, great is thy faith; be it done unto thee as thou wilt;"6 whom above He had called a dog, and had made answer that the bread of the sons was not to be cast to her. And this she taking with humility had said, " Even so, Lord; for the dogs also eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' table." And thus what by continual crying she ob- tained not, by humble confession she earned.7 Hence also those two are set forth praying in the Temple, the one a Pharisee, and the other a Publican, for the sake of those who seem to themselves just and despise the rest of men, and the confession of sins is set before the reckoning up of merits. And assuredly the Pharisee was rendering thanks unto God by reason of those things wherein he was greatly self-satisfied. "I render thanks to Thee," saith he, "that I am not even as the rest of men, unjust, extortioners, adulterers, even as also this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all things whatsoever I possess. But the Publican was standing afar off, not daring to lift up his eyes to Heaven, but beating his breast, saying, God be merci- ful unto me a sinner."' But there follows the divine judgment, " Verily I say unto you, the Publican went down from the Temple justified more than that Pharisee."8 Then the cause is shown, why this is just; " Foras- much as he who exalteth himself shall be humbled, and whoso humbleth himself shall be exalted." Therefore it may come to pass, that each one both shun real evils, and reflect on real goods in himself, and render thanks for these unto "the Father of lights, from Whom cometh down every best gift, and every perfect gift," 9 and yet be rejected by reason of the sin of haughtiness, if through pride, even in his thought alone, which is before God, he insult other sinners, and specially when confessing their sins in prayer, unto whom is due not upbraiding with arro- gance, but pity without despair. What is it that, when His disciples were questioning among themselves, who of them should be greater, He set a little child before their eyes, saying, " Unless ye shall be as this child, ye shall not enter into the Kingdom of Heaven?"10 Did He not chiefly commend humility, and set in it the desert of greatness? Or when unto the sons of Zebedee desiring to be at His side in lofty seats He so made answer," as that they should rather think of having to drink the Cup of His Passion, wherein He humbled Himself even unto death, even the death of the Cross,12 than with proud desire demand to be preferred to the rest; what 5 Ps. cxxxviii. 6.
[See R. V.]
7 Promcruit. 10 Matt, xviii. 1-3.
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429 did He show, save, that He would be a be- stower of exaltation upon them, who should first follow Him as a teacher of humility? And now, in that, when about to go forth unto His Passion, He washed the feet of His disciples, and most openly taught them to do for their fellow-disciples and fellow-servants this, which He their Lord and Master had done for them; how greatly did He commend humility?1 And in order to commend this He chose also that time, wherein they were looking on Him, as immediately about to die, with great longing; assuredly about to retain in their memory this especially, which their Master, Whom they were to imitate, had pointed out to them as the last thing. But He did this at that time, which surely He could have done on other days also before, wherein He had been conversant with them; at which time if it were done, this same would indeed be delivered, but certainly would not be so received.
33. Whereas, then, all Christians have to guard humility, forasmuch as it is from Christ that they are called Christians, Whose Gospel no one considers with care, but that he dis- covers Him to be a Teacher of humility; specially is it becoming that they be followers and keepers of this virtue, who excel the rest of men in any great good, in order that they may have a great care of that, which I set down in the beginning, " By how much thou art great, by so much humble thyself in all things, and thou shalt find grace before God. " 2 Wherefore, because perpetual Continence and specially virginity, is a great good in the Saints of God, they must with all watchful- ness beware, that it be not corrupted with pride.
34. Paul the Apostle censures evil un- married women, curious and prating, and says that this fault comes of idleness. " But at the same time/' saith he, "being idle they learn to go about to houses: but not only idle, but curious also and prating, speaking what they ought not."3 Of these he had said above, '"' But younger widows avoid; for when they have past their time in delights, they wish to wed in Christ; having condemna- tion, in that they have made void their first faith:'' that is, have not continued in that, which they had vowed at the first. And yet he saith not, they marry, but " they wish to marry." For many of them are recalled from marrying, not by love of a noble pur- pose, but by fear of open shame, which also itself comes of pride, whereby persons fear to displease men more than God. These, there- 1 John xiii. 1-17.
[See R. V.]
2 Ecclus. iii. 18.
fore, who wish to marry, and do not marry on this account, because they cannot with impunity, who would do better to marry than to be burned, that is, than to be laid waste in their very conscience by the hidden flame of lust, who repent of their profession, and who feel their confession irksome; unless they cor- rect and set right their heart, and by the fear of God again overcome their lust, must be accounted among the dead; whether they pass their time in delights, whence the Apos- tle says, " But she who passes her time in de- lights, living, is dead;" 4 or whether in labors and fastings, which are useless where there is no correction of the heart, and serve rather for display than amendment. I do not, for my part, impose on such a great regard for humility, in whom pride itself is confounded, and bloodstained by wound of conscience. Nor on such as are drunken, or covetous, or who are lying in any other kind whatever of damnable disease, at the same time that the)7- have profession of bodily continence, and through perverse manners are at variance with their own name, do I impose this great anxiety about pious humility: unless haply in these evils they shall dare even to make a display of themselves, unto whom it is not enough, that the punishments of these are deferred. Nor am I treating of these, in whom there is a certain aim of pleasing, either by more ele- gant dress than the necessity of so great pro- fession demands, or by remarkable manner of binding the head, whether by bosses of hair swelling forth, or by coverings so yield- ing, that the fine net- work below appears: unto these we must give precepts, not as yet concerning humility, but concerning chastity itself, or virgin modesty. Give me one who makes profession of perpetual continence, and who is free from these, and all such faults and spots of conduct; for this one I fear pride, for this so great good I am in alarm from the swelling of arrogance. The more there is in any one on account of which to be self-pleased, the more I fear, lest, by pleasing self, he please not Him, Who " resisteth the proud, but unto the humble giveth -grace."5 35. Certainly we are to contemplate in Christ Himself, the chief instruction and pattern of virginal purity. What further precept then concerning humility shall I give to the continent, than what He saith to all, " Learn of Me, in that I am meek and lowly of heart? " 6 when He had made mention above of His greatness, and, wishing to show this very thing, how great He was, and how 4 1 Tim. v. 6.
5 James iv. 6.
6 Matt. xi. 29.
-+o o THE WORKS OF ST. AUGUSTIN.
little He had been made for our sakes, saith, "I confess to Thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, in that Thou hast hidden these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto little children. Even so, O Father, in that so it hath been pleasing before Thee. All things have been delivered unto Me of My Father: and no one knoweth the Son, save the Father; and no one know- eth the Father, save the Son, and he to whom the Son shall have willed to reveal Him. Come unto Me, all ye who labor and are bur- dened, and I will refresh you. Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me, in that I am meek and lowly of heart."1 He, He, unto Whom the Father hath delivered all things, and Whom no one knoweth but the Father, and Who alone, (and he, unto whom He shall have willed to reveal Him), knoweth the Father, saith not, "Learn of Me'' to make the world, or to raise the dead, but, " in that I am meek and lowly of heart." O saving teaching? O Teacher and Lord of mortals, unto whom death was pledged and passed on in the cup of pride, He would not teach what Himself was not, He would not bid what Himself did not. I see Thee, O good Jesu, with the eyes of faith, which Thou hast opened for me, as in an assembly of the human race, crying out and saying, "Come unto Me, and learn of Me." What, I be- seech Thee, through Whom all things were made, O Son of God, and the Same Who was made among all things, O Son of Man: to learn what of Thee, come we to Thee? " For that I am meek," saith He, "and lowly of heart." Is it to this that all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge hidden in Thee2 are brought, that we learn this of Thee as a great thing, that Thou art "meek and lowly of heart? " Is it so great a thing to be little, that it could not at all be learned unless it were brought to pass by Thee, Who art so great? So indeed it is. For by no other way is there found out rest for the soul, save when the unquiet swelling hath been dis- persed, whereby it was great unto itself, when it was not sound unto Thee.
36. Let them hear Thee, and let them come to Thee, and let them learn of Thee to be meek and lowly, who seek Thy Mercy and Truth, by living unto Thee, unto Thee, not unto themselves. Let him hear this, labor- ing and laden, who is weighed down by his burthen, so as not to dare to lift up his eyes to heaven, that sinner beating his breast, and drawing -near from afar.3 Let him hear, the centurion, not worthy that Thou shouldest 1 Matt. xi. 25-29.
2 Col. ii. 3.
3 Luke xviii. 13 enter under his roof.4 Let him hear, Zac- cheus, chief of publicans, restoring fourfold the gains of damnable sins.5 Let her hear, the woman in the city a sinner, by so much the more full of tears at Thy feet, the more alien she had been from Thy steps.6 Let them hear, the harlots and publicans, who enter into the kingdom of heaven before the Scribes and Pharisees.7 Let them hear, every kind of such ones, feastings with whom were cast in Thy teeth as a charge, forsooth, as though by whole persons who sought not a physician, whereas Thou earnest not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.8 All these, when they are converted unto Thee, easily grow meek, and are humbled before Thee, mind- ful of their own most unrighteous life, and of Thy most indulgent mercy, in that, "where sin hath abounded, grace hath abounded more." 9 37. But regard the troops of virgins, holy boys and girls: this kind hath been trained up in Thy Church: there for Thee it hath been budding from its mother's breasts; for Thy Name it hath loosed its tongue to speak, Thy Name, as through the milk of its in- fancy, it hath had poured in and hath sucked, no one of this number can say, ' ' I, who before was a blasphemer, and persecutor, and in- jurious, but I obtained mercy, in that I did it being ignorant, in unbelief." I0 Yea more, that, which Thou commandedst not, but only didst set forth, for such as would, to seize, saying, " Whoso can receive, let him re- ceive;'' they have seized, they have vowed, and, for the sake of the kingdom of heaven, not for that Thou threatenedst, but for that Thou exhortedst, they have made themselves eunuchs." To these cry out, let these hear Thee, in that Thou art " meek and lowly of heart." Let these, by how much they are great, by so much humble themselves in all things, that they may find grace before Thee. They are just: but they are not, are they, such as Thou, justifying the ungodly? They are chaste: but them in sins their mothers nurtured in their wombs.12 They are holy, but Thou art also Holy of Holies. They are