10. Observe then the "wonderful works " of God. " I have declared, and have spoken; they are multiplied beyond number." There is " a number," there are some over and above the number. There is a fixed number that belongs to that heavenly Jerusalem. For " the Lord knoweth them that are His; " s the Christians that fear Him, the Christians that believe, the Christians that keep the commandments, that 1 Mariambulum. * Matt, xiv 30.
: Cor. iv. 9. Tim. ii. 19.
3 Matt. xiv. 28.
walk in God's ways, that keep themselves from sins; that if they fall confess: they belong to " the number." But are they the only ones? There are also some " beyond the number." For even if they be but a few (a few in com- parison of the numbers of the larger majority), with how great numbers are our Churches filled, crowded up to the very walls; to what a degree do they annoy each other by the pressure, and almost choke each other by their overflowing numbers. Again, out of these very same per- sons, when there is a public spectacle,6 there are numbers flocking to the amphitheatre; these are over and above " the number." But it is for this reason that we say this, that they may be in " the number." Not being present, they do not hear this from us; but when ye have gone from hence, let them hear it from you. " I have declared," he says, " and have spoken." It is Christ who speaks. " He hath declared it," in His own Person, as our Head. He hath Himself declared it by His members. He Himself hath sent those who should " declare " it; He Himself hath sent the Apostles. " Their sound is gone out into all lands, and their words unto the ends of the world."7 How great the number of believers that are gathered together; how great the multi- tudes that flock together; many of them truly converted, many but in appearance: and those who are truly converted are the minority; those who are so but in appearance are the majority- because " they are multiplied beyond the num- ber."
11...These are the "wonderful works" of God; these are the " thoughts " of God, to which " no man's thoughts are like; " that the lover of sight-seeing may be weaned from curi- osity: 8 and with us may seek after those more excellent, those more profitable things, in which, when he shall have attained unto them, he will rejoice...12. "Sacrifice and offering Thou didst not desire" (ver. 6), saith the Psalm to God. For the men of old time, when as yet the true Sac- rifice, which is known to the faithful, was fore- shown in figures, used to celebrate rites that were figures of the reality that was to be hereafter; many of them understanding their meaning; but more of them in ignorance of it. For the Prophets and the holy Patriarchs understood what they were celebrating; but the rest of the " stiff-necked people " were so carnal, that what was done by them was but to symbolize the things that were to come afterwards; and it came to pass,' when that first sacrifice was abol- ished; when the burnt-offerings of " rams, of 6 Munus. 7 Ps. xix. 4.
8 Al. " may be drawn to curiosity."
9 Et venit Some Mss. en vetiit Veritas, came." which makes easier sense.
Lo, the Truth 124 THE WORKS OF ST. AUGUSTIN.
[Psalm XL.
goats, and of calves," and of other victims, had been abolished, "God did not desire them." Why did God not desire them? And why did He at the first desire them? Because all those things were, as it were, the words of a person making a promise; and the expressions convey- ing a promise, when the thing that they promise is come, are no longer uttered...Those sac- rifices then, as being but expressions of a promise, have been abrogated. What is that which has been given as its fulfilment? That "Body;" which ye know; which ye do not all of you know; which, of you who do know it, I pray God all may not know it unto condemnation. Observe the time when it was said; for the per- son is Christ our Lord, speaking at one time for His members, at another in His own person. " Sacrifice and offering," said He, "Thou didst not desire." What then? Are we left at this present time without a sacrifice? God forbid!
" But a Body hast Thou perfected for me." ' It was for this reason that Thou didst not desire the others; that Thou mightest " perfect " this; before Thou " perfectedst " this, Thou didst desire the others. The fulfilment of the promise has done away with the words that express the promise. For if they still hold out a promise, that which was promised is not yet fulfilled. This was promised by certain signs; the signs that convey the promise are done away; because the Substance that was promised is come. We are in this " Body." We are partakers of this " Body." We know that which we ourselves receive; and ye who know it not yet, will know it bye and bye; and when ye come to know it, I pray ye may not receive it unto condemna- tion.2 " For he that eateth and drinketh un- worthily, eateth and drinketh damnation unto himself." » " A Body " hath been " perfected " for us; let us be made perfect in the Body.
13. " Burnt-offerings also for sin hast Thou not required." " Then said I, Lo, I come! " (ver. 7). It is time that what " was promised should come; " because the signs, by means of which they were promised, have been put away. And indeed, Brethren, observe these put away; those fulfilled. Let the Jewish nation at this time show me their priest, if they can! Where are their sacrifices? They are brought to an end; 4 they are put away now. Should we at that time have rejected them? s We do reject them now; because, if you chose to celebrate them now, it were unseasonable; 6 unfitting at the time; in- congruous. You are still making promises; I have already received! There has remained to them a certain thing for them to celebrate; that 1 Corfut pe r/eciMti, Augustin; aurei ptrfecitti, Vulgate; cor- pus aptasti, neb. x. 5. Vulgate.
7 yudicium. So Vulgate. 3 1 Cor. xi. 20.
« Perierunt. » Rtproiaremus. * Inttmporale.
they might not remain altogether without a sign...In such a case then are they; like Cain with his mark. The sacrifices, however, which used to be performed there, have been put away; and that which remained unto them for a sign like that of Cain, hath by this time been fulfilled; and they know it not. They slay the Lamb; they eat the unleavened bread. " Christ has been sacrificed for us, as our Passover." ' Lo, in the sacrifice of Christ, I recognise the Lamb that was slain! What of the unleavened bread? " Therefore," says he, " let us keep the feast; not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of wickedness " (he shows what is meant by " old; " it is " stale " flour; it is sour), " but in the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth."8 They have, continued in the shade; they cannot abide the Sun of Glory. We are already in the light of day. We have " the Body " of Christ, we have the Blood of Christ. If we have a new life, let us " sing a new song, even a hymn unto our God." « " Burnt offerings for sin Thou didst not desire. Then said I, Lo, I come! " 14. " In the head IO of the Book it is written of me, that I should fulfil Thy will: O my God, I am willing, and Thy Law is within my heart " ( ver. 8 ). Behold! He turns His regards to His members. Behold! He hath Himself " fulfilled the will " of the Father. But in what " begin- ning IO of a Book " is it written of Him? Perhaps in the beginning of this Book of Psalms. For why should we seek far for it, or examine into other books for it? Behold! It is written in the beginning of this Book of Psalms! " His will is in the Law of the Lord; " " that is, " ' O my God, I am willing,' and 'Thy Law is within my heart; ' " that is the same as, " And in His Law doth he meditate day and night."
15. "I have well declared Thy righteousness in the great congregation" (ver. 9). He now addresses His members. He is exhorting them to do what He has already done. He has " de- clared; " let us declare also. He has suffered; let us " suffer with Him." He has been glori- fied; we shall be " glorified with Him." I2 " I have declared Thy righteousness in the great congregation." How great an one is that? In all the world. How great is it? Even among all nations. Why among all nations? Because He is " the Seed of Abraham, in whom all na- tions shall be blessed." 1J Why among all nations? " Because their sound hath gone forth into all lands." '4 " Lo! I will not refrain my lips, O Lord, and that Thou knowest." My lips speak; I will not " refrain " them from speaking. My lips indeed sound audibly in the ears of men; but " Thou knowest " mine heart. " I will not re- 9 Supra, ver. 3. 12 Rom. viii. 17.
Psalm XL] ON THE PSALMS.
125 frain my lips, O Lord; that Thou knowest." It is one thing that man heareth; another that God " knoweth." That the " declaring " of it should not be confined to the lips alone, and that it might not be said of us, " YVhatsoever things they say unto you, do; but do not after their works; " ' or lest it should be said to the people, " praising God with their lips, but not with their heart," " This people honoureth Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me; " 2 do thou make aud- ible confession with thy lips; draw nigh with thine heart also.3 " For with the heart man be- lieveth unto righteousness; but with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." 4 In case like unto which that thief was found, who, hang- ing on the Cross with the Lord, did on the Cross acknowledge the Lord. Others had refused to acknowledge Him while working miracles; this man acknowledged Him when hanging on the Cross. That thief had every other member pierced through; his hands were fastened by the nails; his feet were pierced also; his whole body was fastened to the tree; the body was not disengaged in its other members; the heart and the tongue were disengaged;5 "with the heart" he " believed; with the tongue " he made " confession." " Remember me, O Lord, " he said, " when Thou comest into Thy kingdom." He hoped for the coming of his salvation at a time far remote; he was content to receive it after a long delay; his hope rested on an object far re- mote. The day, however, was not postponed! The answer was, "This day shalt thou be with Me in Paradise." 6 Paradise hath happy trees! This day hast thou been with Me on " the Tree " of the Cross. This day shalt thou be with Me on " the Tree " of Salvation...
16. "I have not hid my 1 righteousness within my heart " (ver. 10). What is meant by " my righteousness "? My faith. For, " the just shall live by faith." 8 As suppose the persecutor under threat of punishment, as they were once allowed to do, puts you to the question, " What art thou? Pagan or Christian?" "A Christian." That is his " righteousness." He believeth; he " lives by faith." He doth not " hide his right- eousness within his heart." He has not said in his heart, " I do indeed believe in Christ; but I will not tell what I believe to this persecutor, who is raging against me, and threatening me. My God knoweth that inwardly, within my heart, I 1 Matt, xxiii. 3. 2 Isa. xxix. 31.
3 Sona labile, propinqua corde. JAudible confession, in the great congregation, was the primitive discipline. But St. Chrysos- tom, who teaches the like discipline, urges to private penitence before God as all-sufficient. Horn. xxxi. In Hebr. torn. xii. p. 216, ed. Migne. — C] * Rom. x. to.
* Corpus illitd non vacabat cateris membris; lingua vacabat et cor.
* Luke xxiii. 42, etc.
7 E. V. " Thy." So Vulgate also, tuam.
do believe. He knoweth that I renounce Him not." Lo! you say that you have this inwardly within your heart! What have you upon your lips? " I am not a Christian." Your lips bear witness against your heart. " I have not hid my righteousness within my heart."...
17. "I have declared Thy Truth and Thy Sal- vation." I have declared Thy Christ. This is the meaning of, " I have declared Thy Truth and Thy Salvation." How is " Thy Truth " Christ? " I am the Truth." 9 How is Christ " His Salva- tion "? Simeon recognised the infant in His Mother's hands in the Temple, and said, " For mine eyes have seen Thy Salvation." IO The old man recognised the little child; the old man having himself " become a little child " " in that infant, having been renewed by faith. For he had received an oracle from God; and it said this, " The Lord had said unto him, that he was not to depart out of this life, until he had seen the " Salvation of God." This " Salvation of God " it is a good thing to have shown unto men; but let thetn cry, " Show us Thy mercy, O Lord, and grant us Thy Salvation."...
1 8. "I have not concealed Thy mercy and Thy Truth from the great congregation." Let us be there; let us also be numbered among the mem- bers of this Body: let us not keep back " the mercy" of the Lord, and "the Truth" of the Lord. Wouldest thou hear what " the mercy of the Lord" is? Depart from thy sins; He will forgive thy sins. Wouldest thou hear what " the truth " of the Lord is? Hold fast righteousness. Thy righteousness shall receive a crown. For mercy is announced to you now; " Truth " is to be shown unto thee hereafter. For God is not merciful in such a way as not to be just, nor just in such a way as not to be merciful. Does that mercy seem to thee an inconsiderable one? He will not impute unto thee all thy former sins: thou hast lived ill up to this present day; thou art still living; this day live well; the'n thou wilt not " conceal " this " mercy." If this is meant by " mercy," what is meant by " truth "?...
19. " Remove not Thou Thy mercies far from me, O Lord " (ver. n). He is turning his at- tention to the wounded members. Because I have not " concealed Thy mercy and Thy Truth from the great congregation," from the Unity of the Universal Church, look Thou on Thy afflicted members, look on those who are guilty of sins of omission, and on those who are guilty of sins of commission: and withhold not Thou Thy mer- cies. " Thy mercy and Thy Truth have contin- ually preserved me." I should not dare to turn from my evil way, were I not assured of remission; 9 John xiv. 6.
10 Luke ii. 30.
11 Factus in puero piter. He alludes to Matt, xviii. 3, cept ye be converted, and become as little children" 'Ex- 126 THE WORKS OF ST. AUGUSTIN.
[Psalm XL.
I could not endure so as to persevere, if I were not assured of the fulfilment of Thy promise...
" Innumerable evils have compassed me about" (ver. 12). Who can number sins? Who can count his own sins, and those of others? A burden under which he was groaning, who said, " Cleanse Thou me from my secret faults; and from the faults of others, spare Thou Thy servant, O Lord." ' Our own are too little; those " of others " are added to the burden. I fear for my- self; I fear for a virtuous brother, I have to bear with a wicked brother; and under such burthen what shall we be, if God's mercy were to fail? " But Thou, Lord, remove not afar off." Be Thou near unto us! To whom is the Lord near? " Even " unto them that " are of a broken heart." 2 He is far from the proud: He is near to the humble. " For though the Lord is high, yet hath He respect unto the lowly." 3 But let not those that are proud think themselves to be unobserved: for the things that are high, He " beholdeth afar off." He " beheld afar off" the Pharisee, who boasted himself; He was near at hand to succour the Publican, who made confession.4 The one extolled his own merits, and concealed his wounds; the other boasted not of his merits, but laid bare his wounds. He came to the Physician; he knew that he was sick, and that he required to be made whole; he " dared not lift up his eyes to Heaven: he smote upon his breast." He spared not himself, that God might spare him; he acknowledged himself guilty, that God might " ignore " the charge against him. He punished himself, that God might free him from punish- ment...
20. " Mine iniquities have taken hold upon me, so that I could not see." There is a some- thing for us " to see; " what prevents us so that we see it not? Is it not iniquity? From be- holding this light 5 your eye is prevented per- haps by some humour penetrating into it; perhaps by smoke, or dust, or by something else that has been thrown into it: and you have not been able to raise your wounded eye to contem- plate this light of day. What then? Will you be able to lift up your wounded heart unto God? Must it not be first healed, in order that thou mayest see? Do you not show your pride, when you say, " First let me see, and then I will be- lieve"? Who is there who says this? For who that would fain see, says, " Let me see, and then I will believe "? I am about to manifest the Light unto thee; or rather the Light Itself would fain manifest Itself to thee! To whom? It cannot manifest Itself to the blind. He does not see. Whence is it that he seeth not? It is that the eye is clogged by the multitude of sins...1 P». xix. 19. 3 IV rxxxviii. 6.
> Natural light.
21." They are more than the hairs of my head." He subjects the number of the " hairs of his head " to calculation. Who is there can calculate the number of the hairs of his head? Much less can he tell the number of his sins, which exceed the number of the hairs of his head. They seem to be 'minute; but they are many in number. You have guarded against great ones; you do not now commit adultery, or murder; you do not plunder the property of others; you do not blaspheme; and do not bear false witness; those are the weightier kind of sins. You have guarded against great sins, what are you doing about your smaller ones? You have cast off the weight; beware lest the sand overwhelm you. " And my heart hath forsaken me." What wonder if thine heart is forsaken by thy God, when it is even " forsaken " by itself? What is meant by " faileth me," " forsaketh me"? Is not capable of knowing itself. He means this: " My heart hath forsaken me." I would fain see God with mine heart, and can- not from the multitude of my sins: that is not enough; mine heart does not even know itself. For no one thoroughly knows himself: let no one presume upon his own state. Was Peter able to comprehend with his own heart the state of his own heart, who said, " I will be with Thee even unto death "?6 There was a false pre- sumption in the heart; there was lurking in that heart at the same time a real fear: and the heart was not able to comprehend the state of the heart. Its state was unknown to the sick heart itself: it was manifest to the physician. That which was foretold of him was fulfilled. God knew that in him which he knew not in himself: because his heart had forsaken him, his heart was unknown to his heart.
22. "Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me" (ver. 13). As if he were saying, " ' If Thou wilt, Thou canst make me clean.' 7 Be pleased to de- liver me. O Lord, look upon me to help me." Look,8 that is, on the penitent members, mem- bers that lie in pain, members that are writhing under the instruments of the surgeon; but still in hope.
23. " Let them be ashamed and confounded together that seek after my soul to destroy it " (ver. 14). For in a certain passage he makes an accusation, and says, " I looked upon my right hand, and beheld; and there was no man who sought after my soul; " ' that is, there was no man to imitate Mine example. Christ in His Passion is the Speaker. " I looked on my right hand," that is, not on the ungodly Jews, but on Mine own right hand, the Apostles, — " and there was no man who sought after My soul." So thoroughly was there no man to " seek after 6 Luke xxii. 33.
* OxL mss. repeat respict.
7 Matt. viii. a. 9 Ps. cxlii. 4.
Psalm XL.]
ON THE PSALMS.
127 My soul," that he who had presumed on his own strength, " denied My soul." But because a man's soul is sought after in two ways, either in order that you may enjoy his society; or that you may persecute him; therefore he here speaks of others, whom he would have " con- founded and ashamed," who are " seeking after his soul." But lest you should understand it in the same way as when he complains of some who did not " seek after his soul," He adds, " to destroy it; " that is, they seek after my soul in order to my death...
24. " Let them be turned backward ' and put to shame that wish me evil." " Turned back- wards." Let us not take this in a bad sense. He wishes them well; and it is His voice, who said from the Cross, " Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do." 2 Wherefore then doth he> say to them, that they should return " backwards "? Because they who before were proud, so that they fell, are now become humble, so that they may rise again. For when they are before, they are wishing to take precedence of their Lord; to be better than He; but if they go behind Him, they acknowledge Him to be better than they; they acknowledge that He ought to go before; that He should precede,3 they follow. Thence He thus rebukes Peter giving Him evil counsel. For the Lord, when about to suffer for our salvation, also foretold what was to happen concerning that Passion itself; and Peter says, "Be it far from Thee,"4 " God forbid it! " " This shall not be! " He would fain have gone before his Lord; would have given counsel to his Master! But the Lord, that He might make him not go before Him, but follow after Him, says, " Get thee behind, Satan! " It is for this reason He said " Satan," because thou art seeking to go before Him, whom thou oughest to follow; but if thou art behind, if thou follow Him, thou wilt hence- forth not be "Satan." What then? "Upon this Rock I will build My Church." s...
25. "Let them speedily bear away their own confusion, that say unto me, Well done! Well done!"6 (ver. 15). They praise you without reason. "A great man! A good man! A man of education and of learning; but why a Christian? " They praise those things in you which you should wish not to be praised; they find fault with that at which you rejoice. But if perhaps you say, " What is it you praise in me, O man? That I am a virtuous man? A just man? If you think this, Christ made me this; praise Him." But the other says, " Be it far from you. Do yourself no wrong! You yourself made yourself 1 E. V. "driven backwards." Text, convertantnr.
* Luke xxiii. 34. 3 Priorem. * Matt. xvi. 22. 5 Matt. xvi. 18.
* E. V. " Let them be desolate for a reward of their shame, that say unto me, Aha! Ahai " such." "Let them be confounded who say unto me, Well done! Well done! " And what follows?
" Let all those that seek Thee, O Lord, rejoice and be glad " (ver. 16). Those who " seek " not me, but "Thee;" who say not to me, "Well done! Well done! " but see me " glory in Thee," if I have anything whereof to glory; for " he who glories, let him glory in the Lord." 7 " Let all those who seek Thee, Lord, rejoice and be glad."
" And say continually, the Lord be magnified." For even if the sinner becometh righteous, thou shouldest give the glory to " Him who justified) the ungodly." 8 Whether therefore it be a sinner, let Him be praised who calls him to forgive- ness; or one already walking in the way of right- eousness, let Him be praised who calls him to receive the crown! Let the Name of the Lord be magnified continually by " such as love Thy salvation."
"But I" (ver. 17). I for whom they were seeking evil, I whose " life they were seeking, that they might take it away." But turn thee to another description of persons. But I to whom they said, " Well done! Well done! " "I am poor and needy." There is nothing in me that may be praised as mine own. Let Him rend my sackcloth in sunder, and cover me with His robe. For, "Now I live, not I myself; but Christ liveth in me." 9 If it is Christ that " liveth in thee," and all that thou hast is Christ's, and all that thou art to have hereafter is Christ's also; what art thou in thyself? " I am poor and needy." Now I am not rich, because I am not proud. He was rich who said, " Lord, I thank Thee that I am not as other men are; " '° but the publican was poor, who said, " Lord, be merciful to me a sinner! " The one was belching from his fulness; the other from want was crying piteously, " I am poor and needy! " And what wouldest thou do, O poor and needy man? Beg at God's door; " Knock, and it shall be opened unto thee." " — "As for me, I am poor and needy. Yet the Lord careth for me." — " Cast thy care upon the Lord, and He shall bring it to pass." " What canst thou effect for thyself by taking care? what canst thou provide for thyself? Let Him who made thee " care for thee." He who cared for thee before thou wert, how shall He fail to have a care of thee, now that thou art what He would have thee be? For now thou art a believer, now thou art walking in the " way of righteousness." Shall not He have a care for thee, who " maketh His sun rise on the good and on the evil, and sendeth rain on the just and on the un- just "?"...