forsaken the weightier matters of the law, mercy, and judgment, straining a gnat, but swallowing a camel.'" This to them the Lord saith. And in truth so they are; they hold the law, hold the Prophets; read all things, sing all things: the light of the Prophets therein they see not, which is Christ Jesus. Not only Him now they see not, when he is sitting in Heaven: but not even at that time saw they Him, when among them humble He was walking, and they were made guilty by shedding the blood of the Same; but not all. This even to-day we commend to the notice of your Love. Not all: because many of them were turned to Him whom they slew, and by believing on Him, they obtained pardon even for the shedding of His blood: and they have given an example for men; how they ought not to despair that sin of whatsoever kind would be remitted to them, since even the killing of Christ was remitted to them confessing...2. What in them wilt Thou slay? The Cru- cify, Crucify,2 which they cried out, not them that cried out. For they willed to blot out, cut off, destroy Christ: but Thou, by raising to life Christ, whom they willed to destroy, dost slay the " transgressions of their mouth, the discourse of their lips." For in that He whom they cried out should be destroyed, liveth, they are taken with dread: and that He whom on earth they despised, in heaven is adored by all nations, they wonder: thus are there slain the transgres- sions of them, and the discourse of their lips. What is, "let them be taken in their pride"? Because to no purpose have strong men rushed on, and it hath fallen out to them as it were to think themselves to have done somewhat, and they have prevailed against the Lord. They were" able to crucify a man, weakness might pre- vail and virtue 3 be slain; and they thought themselves somewhat, as it were strong men, as it were mighty men, as it were prevailing, as it were a lion prepared for prey, as it were fat bulls, as of them in another place he maketh mention: " Fat bulls have beset me." 4 But what have they done in the case of Christ? Not life, but death they have slain...And what now hath come to pass in those men that have been converted? For it was told to them that He whom they slew rose again. They believed Him to have risen again, because they saw that He, being in Heaven, thence sent the Holy Spirit, and filled those that on Him believed; and they found themselves to have condemned nought, and to have done nought. Their doing issued in emptiness, the sin remained. Because therefore the doing was made void, but the sin remained upon the doers; they were taken in their pride, they saw themselves under their a Matt, xxvii. 23; John xix. 5. * Pi. xxii. is.
iniquity.5 It remained therefore for them to confess the sin, and for Him to pardon, that had given Himself up to sinners, and to forgive His death, having been slain by men dead, and making alive men dead. They were taken therefore in their pride.
3. "And out of cursing and lying shall be declared consummations, in anger of consum- mation, and they shall not be." This too with difficulty is understood, to what is joined the " and they shall not be." What shall they not be? Let us therefore examine the context above: when they shall have been taken in their pride, " there shall be declared out of cursing and lying consummations." What are consum- mations? Perfections: for to be consummated, is to be perfected. One thing it is to be con- summated, another thing to be consumed. For a thing is consummated which is so finished as that it is perfected: a thing is consumed which is so finished that it is not. Pride would not suffer a man to be perfected, nothing so much hindereth perfection. For let your Love attend a little to what I am saying; and see an evil very pernicious, very much to be guarded against. What sort of evil do ye think it is? How long could I enlarge upon how much evil there is in pride? The devil on that account alone is to be punished. Certes he is the chief of all sinners: certes he is the tempter to sin: to him is not ascribed adultery, not wine- bibbing, not fornication, not the robbing of others' goods: by pride alone he fell. And since pride's companion is envy, it must needs be that a proud man should envy...In a word, all vices in evil-doings are to be feared, pride in well-doings is more to be feared. It is no wonder, then, that so humble is the Apostle, as to say, " When I am made weak, then I am strong." 6 For lest he should himself be tempted by this sin, what sort of medicine doth he say was applied to him against swelling by the Physician, who knew what He was healing? " Lest by the greatness," he saith, " of the reve- lations I should be exalted, there was given to me a thorn of my flesh, the angel of Satan, to buffet me: wherefore thrice the Lord I besought, that it should depart from me: and He said to me, My grace is sufficient for thee, for virtue in weakness is made perfect." ' See what the con- summations are. An Apostle, the teacher of Gentiles, father of the faithful through the Gos- pel, received a thorn of the flesh whereby he might be buffeted. Which of us would dare to say this, unless he had not been ashamed to confess this? For if we shall have said that Paul had not suffered this; while to him as it were honour we give, a liar we make him. But be- Psalm LIX] ON THE PSALMS.
243 cause truthful he is, and truth he hath spoken; it behoveth us to believe that there was given to him an angel of Satan, lest by the greatness of the revelations he should be exalted. Be- hold how much to be feared is the serpent of pride...
4. What is, " in the anger of consummation shall be declared consummations "? There is an anger of consummation, and there is an an- ger of consuming. For every vengeance of God is called anger: sometimes God avengeth, to the end that He may make perfect; sometimes He avengeth, to the end that He may condemn. How doth He avenge, to the end that He may make perfect? " He scourgeth every son whom He receiveth." ■ How doth He avenge, to the end that He may condemn? When He shall have set ungodly men on the left hand, and shall have said to them, " Go ye into fire everlasting, that hath been prepared for the devil and his angels." 2 This is the anger of consuming, not that of consummation. But " there shall be de- clared consummations in the anger of consum- mation; " it shall be preached by the Apostles, that " where sin hath abounded, grace shall much more abound," 3 and the weakness of man hath belonged to the healing of humility. Those men thinking of this, and finding out and con- fessing their iniquities, " shall not be." " Shall not be" what? In their pride.
5. " And they shall know how God shall have dominion of Jacob, and of the ends of the earth" (ver. 13). For before they thought themselves just men, because the Jewish nation had received the Law, because it had kept the commandments of God: it is proved to them that it hath not kept them, since in the very commandments of God Christ it perceived not, because " blindness in part has happened to Israel."4 Even the Jews themselves see that they ought not to despise the Gentiles, of whom they deemed as of dogs and sinners. For just as alike they have been found in iniquity, so alike they will attain unto salvation. " Not only to Jews," saith the Apostle, "but also even to Gentiles." 5 For to this end the Stone which the builders set at nought, hath even been made for the Head of the corner,6 in order that two in itself It might join: for a corner doth unite two walls. The Jews thought themselves exalted and great: of the Gentiles they thought as weak, as sinners, as the servants of demons, as the worshippers of idols, and yet in both was there iniquity. Even the Jews have been proved sinners; because " there is none that doeth good, there is not even so much as one:" ' they have laid down their pride, and have not envied the 1 Heb. xii 6. * Rom. xi. 25. 7 Ps. xiv. 3.
2 Matt. xxv. 41. s Kom. ti. 10.
salvation of the Gentiles, because they have known their own and their weakness to be alike: and in the Corner Stone being united, they have together worshipped the Lord...6. "They shall be converted at evening" (ver. 14): that is, even if late, that is, after the slaying of our Lord Jesus Christ: " They shall be converted at evening: and hereafter they shall suffer hunger as dogs." But '• as dogs," not as sheep or calves: " as dogs," as Gentiles, as sin- ners: because they too have known their sin that thought themselves righteous...It is a good thing therefore for a sinner to be humbled; and no one is more incurable than he that think- eth himself whole. " And they shall go around the city." Already we have explained " city; " 8 it is the " city of standing round; " all nations.
7. " They shall be scattered abroad in order that they may eat" (ver. 15); that is, in order that they may gain others, in order that into their Body they may change believers. " But if they shall not be filled, they shall murmur." Because above also he had spoken of the mur- mur of them, saying, "For who hath heard?" "And Thou, O Lord," he saith, " shalt deride them, saying, Who hath heard? " ' Wherefore? Because, as nothing Thou shalt count all nations. Let the Psalm be concluded. See ye the Cor- ner IO exulting, now with both walls rejoicing. The Jews were proud, humbled they have been; Gentiles were despairing, raised up they have been: let them come to the Corner, there let them meet, there run together, there find the kiss of peace; from different parts let them come, but with differing not come, those of Cir- cumcision, these of uncircumcision. Far apart were the walls, but before that to the Corner they came: but in the Corner let them hold themselves, and now let the whole Church from both walls, say what? " But I will sing of Thy power, and I will exult in the morning of Thy mercy" (ver. 16). In the morning when temp- tations have been overcome, in the morning when the night of this world shall have passed away; in the morning when no longer the lyings in wait of robbers and of the devil and of his angels we dread, in the morning when no longer by the lamp of prophecy we walk, but Himself the Word of God as it were a Sun we contem- plate. " And I will exult in the morning of Thy mercy." With reason in another Psalm is said, " In the morning I will stand by Thee, and I will meditate." " With reason also of the Lord Him- self the Resurrection was at dawn, that there should be fulfilled that which hath been said in another Psalm, " In the evening shall tarry weep- ing, and in the morning exultation." " For at even the disciples mourned our Lord Jesus 9 Ps. lix. 7. 13 Ps. xxx. 5.
244 THE WORKS OF ST. AUGUSTIN.
[Psalm LX.
Christ as dead, at dawn at Him rising again they exulted. " For Thou hast become my taker up, and my refuge in the day of my tribu- lation."
8. " My Helper, to Thee I will play, because Thou, O God, art my taker up" (ver. 17). What was I, unless Thou didst succour? How much despaired of was I, unless Thou didst heal? Where was I lying, unless Thou didst come to me? Certes with a huge wound I was endan- gered, but that wound of mine did call for an Almighty Physician. To an Almighty Physician nothing is incurable...Lastly, thinking of all good things whatsoever we may have, either in nature or in purpose, or in conversion itself, in faith, in hope, in charity, in good morals, in jus- tice, in fear of God; all these to be only by His gifts, he hath thus concluded: " My God is my mercy." He being filled with the good things of God hath not found what he might call his God, save " his mercy." O name, under which no one must despair! If thou say, my salvation, I perceive that He giveth salvation; if thou say, my refuge, I perceive that thou takest refuge in Him; if thou say, my strength, I perceive that He giveth to thee strength: " my mercy," is what? All that I am is of Thy mercy...PSALM LX.'
PSALM LX.'
1. David the king was one man, but not one man he figured; sometimes to wit he figured the Church of many men consisting, extended even unto the ends of the earth: but sometimes One Man he figured, Him he figured that is Mediator of God and men, the Man Christ Jesus.2 In this Psalm therefore, or rather in this Psalm's title, certain victorious actions of David are spoken of:..." To the end, in behalf of those men that shall be changed unto the title's inscription, unto teaching for David himself, when he burned up Mesopotamia in Syria, and Syria Sobal, and turned Joab, and smote Edom, in the valley of salt-pits twelve thousand." We read of these things in the books of the Reigns,3 that all those persons whom he hath named, were defeated by David, that is, Mesopotamia in Syria, and Syria Sobal, Joab,4 Edom. These things were done, and just as they were done, so there they have been written, so they are read: let him read that will. Nevertheless, as the Prophetic Spirit in the Psalms' titles is wont to depart somewhat from the expression of things done, and to say some- thing which in history is not found, and hence rather to admonish us that titles of this kind have been written not that we may know things done, 1 Lat. LIX. Sermon preached to the people a little while after the exposition of the former Psalm.
* t Tim. it. 3. 3 Vide 2 Sam. viii.
4 He seems to take " Joab " as in the accusative, as though it were not the name of David's officer, but of some conquered nation.
but that things future may be prefigured...But here this thing is inserted for this especial reason, that there it is not written 5 that he burned up Mesopotamia in Syria, and Syria Sobal. But now let us begin to examine these things after the significations of things future, and to bring out the dimness of shadows into the light of the word. 2. What is " to the end " ye know. For " the end of the law is Christ." 6 Those that are changed ye know. For who but they that do pass from old life into new?..." For ye were sometime darkness, but now light in the Lord." i But they are changed " into the title's inscription,"...who into the kingdom of Christ do pass over from the kingdom of the devil. It is well that they are changed unto this title's inscription. But they are changed, as followeth, " unto teaching." He added, " for David himself unto teaching: " that is, are changed not for themselves, but for David himself, and are changed unto teaching...When therefore would Christ have changed us, unless He had done that which He spake of, " Fire I have come to send into the world "? 8 If therefore Christ came to send into the world fire, to wit to its health and profit, we must inquire not how He is to send the world into fire, but how into the world fire. Inasmuch as therefore He came to send fire into the world, let us in- quire what is Mesopotamia which was burned up, what is Syria Sobal? The interpretations there- fore of the names let us examine according to the Hebrew language, wherein first this Scripture was written. Mesopotamia ' they say is interpreted, " exalted calling." Now the whole world by calling hath been exalted, Syria IO is interpreted " lofty." But she which was lofty, burned up hath been and humbled. Sobal is interpreted " empty antiquity." Thanks to Christ that hath burned her. Whenever old bushes are burned up, green places succeed; and more speedily and more plentifully, and more fully green, fresh ones spring out, when fire hath gone before them to the burning up of the old. Let not therefore the fire of Christ be feared, hay it consumeth. " For all flesh is hay, and all the glory of man as flower of hay." " He burneth up therefore those things with that fire. "And turned Joab." Joab is interpreted enemy. There was turned an enemy, as thou wilt understand it. If turned unto flight, the devil it is: if converted to the faith, a Chris- tian it is. How unto flight? From the heart of a Christian: " The Prince of this world," He saith, " now hath been cast out." " But how can a Christian turned to the Lord be an enemy turned? Because he hath become a believer that had been an enemy. " Smote Edom." Edom is interpreted " earthly." That earthly one ought «° Aram. " Isa. xl. 6.,a John xii. 31.
Psalm LX.]
ON THE PSALMS.
245 to be smitten. For why should one live earthly, that ought to live heavenly? There hath been slain therefore life earthly, let there live life heav- enly. " For as we have borne the image of the earthly, let us bear also the image of Him that is from Heaven." ' See it slain: " Mortify your members which are upon earth." 2 But when he had smitten Edom, he smote " twelve thousand in the valley of salt-pits." Twelve thousand is a perfect number, to which perfect number also the number of the twelve Apostles is ascribed: for not to no purpose is it, but because through the whole world was to be sent the Word. But the Word 3 of God, which is Christ, is in clouds, that is, in the preachers of truth. But the world of four parts doth consist. The four parts there- of are exceeding well known to all, and often in the Scriptures they are mentioned: they are the same as the name of the four winds, East, West, North, and South. To all these four parts was sent the Word, so that in the Trinity all might be called. The number twelve four times three do make. With reason therefore twelve thousand 4 earthly things were smitten, the whole world was smitten: for from the whole world was chosen out the Church, mortified from earthly life. Why " in the valley of salt-pits "? A valley is humil- ity: salt-pits signify savour. For many men are humbled, but emptily and foolishly, in empty oldness they are humbled. One suffereth tribula- tion for money, suffereth tribulation for temporal honour, suffereth tribulation for the comforts of this life; he is to suffer tribulation and to be humbled: why not for the sake of God? why not for the sake of Christ? why not for the savour of salt? Knowest thou not that to thee hath been said, " Ye are the salt of earth," and, " If the salt shall have been spoiled, for no other thing will it be of use, but to be cast out ".?* A good thing it is therefore wisely to be humbled. Behold now are not heretics being humbled? Have not laws been made even by men to condemn them, against whom divine laws do reign, which even before had condemned them? Behold they are humbled, behold they are put to flight, behold persecution they suffer, but without savour; for folly, for emptiness. For now the salt hath been spoiled: therefore it hath been cast out, to be trodden down of men. We have heard the title of the Psalm, let us hear also the words of the Psalm.
3. " God, Thou hast driven us back, and hast destroyed us" (ver. 1). Is that David speaking that smote, that burned up, that defeated, and not they to whom He did these things, that is to say, their being smitten and driven back, that were evil men, and again their being made alive 3 Col. Hi. 5.
and returning in order that they might be good men? That destruction indeed that David made, strong of hand, our Christ, whose figure that man was bearing; He did those things, He made this destruction with His sword and with His fire: for both He brought into this world. Both " Fire I am come to send into the world," 6 thou hast in the Gospel: and "A sword I have come to send into the earth," 7 thou hast in the Gospel. He brought in fire, whereby might be burned up Mesopotamia in Syria, and Syria Sobal: He brought in a sword whereby might be smitten Edom. Now again this destruction was made for the sake of " those that are changed unto the title's inscription." Hear we therefore the voice of them: to their health smitten they were, being raised up let them speak. Let them say, there- fore, that are changed into something better, changed unto the title's inscription, changed unto teaching for David himself; let them say, " Thou hast had mercy upon us." Thou hast destroyed us, in order that Thou mightest build us; Thou hast destroyed us that were ill builded, hast de- stroyed empty oldness; in order that there may be a building unto a new man, building to abide for everlasting...
4. "Thou hast moved the earth, and hast troubled it " (ver. 2). How hath the earth been troubled? In the conscience of sinners. Whither go we? Whither flee we, when this sword hath been brandished, " Repent, for near hath drawn the kingdom of Heaven"?8 "Heal the crush- ings9 thereof, for moved it hath been." Un- worthy it is to be healed, if moved it hath not been: but thou speakest, preachest, threatenest us with God, of coming judgment holdest not thy peace, of the commandment of God thou warnest, from these things thou abstainest not; and he that heareth, if he feareth not, if he is not moved, is not worthy to be healed. Another heareth, is moved, is stung, smiteth the breast, sheddeth tears...
5. The first labour is, that thou shouldest be dis- pleasing to thyself, that sins thou shouldest battle out, that thou shouldest be changed into some- thing better: the second labour, in return for thy having been changed, is to bear the tribula- tions and temptations of this world, and amid them to hold on even unto the end. Of these things therefore when he was speaking, while pointing out such things, he addeth what? "Thou hast shown to Thy people hard things" (ver. 3): to Thy people now, made tributary after the victory of David. " Thou hast shown to Thy people hard things." Wherein? In persecutions which the Church of Christ hath endured, when so much blood of martyrs was spilled. "Thou hast given us to drink of the 6 Luke xii. 49. 8 Matt. iii. 2.
246 THE WORKS OF ST. AUGUSTIN.
[Psalm LX.
wine of goading." " Of goading " is what? Not of killing. For it was not a killing that destroyeth, but a medicine that smarted!.1 " Thou hast given us to drink of the wine of goading."
6. Wherefore this? " Thou hast given to men fearing Thee, a sign that they should flee from the face of the bow" (ver. 4). Through tribu- lations temporal, he saith, Thou hast signified to Thine own to flee from the wrath of fire ever- lasting. For, saith the Apostle Peter, " Time it is that Judgment begin with the House of God." 2 And exhorting the Martyrs to endur- ance, when the world should rage, when slaughters should be made at the hands of per- secutors, when far and wide blood of believers should be spilled, when in chains, in prisons, in tortures, many hard things Christians should suffer, in these hard things, I say, lest they should faint, Peter saith to them, " Time it is that Judg- ment begin with the House of God," etc.3 What therefore is to be in the Judgment? The bow is bended, still in menacing posture it is, not yet in aiming. And see what there is in the bow: is there not an arrow to be shot forward? The string however is stretched back in a con- trary direction to that in which it is going to be shot; and the more the stretching thereof hath gone backward, with the greater swiftness it starteth forward. What is it that I have said? The more the Judgment is deferred, with so much the greater swiftness it is to come. Therefore even for temporal tribulations to God let us render thanks, because He hath given to His people a sign, " that they should flee from the face of the bow: " in order that His faithful ones having been exercised in tribulations temporal, may be worthy to avoid the condemnation of fire everlasting, which is to find out all them that do not believe these things.