36. And when the apostle spoke about trials in regard to secular affairs (and what were these but matters of money?), he says: " Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints? Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters? Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life? If, then, ye have judgments of things pertaining to this life, set them to judge who are least esteemed in the Church. I speak to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you? no, not one that shall be able to judge between his brethren? But brother goeth to law with brother, and that before the unbelievers. Now therefore there is utterly a fault among you, because ye go to law one with another: why do ye not rather take wrong? why do ye not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded? Nay, ye do wrong, and defraud, and that your brethren. Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God?"3 Why is it that the apostle is so indignant, and that he thus accuses, and upbraids, and chides, and threatens? Why is it that the changes in his tone, so frequent and so abrupt, testify to the depth of his emotion? Why is it, in fine, that he speaks in a tone so exalted about matters so very trifling? Did secular matters deserve so much at his hands? God forbid. No; but all this is done for the sake of justice, charity, and piety, which in the judgment of every sober mind are great, even when applied to matters the very least.
37. Of course, if we were giving men ad- 1 Cicero, Orator, 29: " Is igitur erit eloquens, qui poterit parva summisse, modica temperate, magna granditer diccc" 2 Luke xvi. 10.
3 1 Cor. vi. 1-9.
Chap. XX.]
ON CHRISTIAN DOCTRINE.
537 vice as to how they ought to conduct secular cases, either for themselves or for their con- nections, before the church courts, we would rightly advise them to conduct them quietly as matters of little moment. But we are treating of the manner of speech of the man who is to be a teacher of the truths which de- liver us from eternal misery and bring us to eternal happiness; and wherever these truths are spoken of, whether in public or private, whether to one or -many, whether to friends or enemies, whether in a continuous discourse or in conversation, whether in tracts, or in books, or in letters long or short, they are of great importance. Unless indeed we are pre- pared to say that, because a cup of cold water is a very trifling and common thing, the say- ing of our Lord that he who gives a cup of cold water to one of His disciples shall in no wise lose his reward,1 is very trivial and un- important. Or that when a preacher takes this saying as his text, he should think his subject very unimportant, and therefore speak without either eloquence or power, but in a subdued and humble style. Is it not the case that when we happen to speak on this subject to the people, and the presence of God is with us, so that what we say is not altogether unworthy of the subject, a tongue of fire springs up out of that cold water which in- flames even the cold hearts of men with a zeal for doing works of mercy in hope of an eternal reward?
CHAP. 19. THE CHRISTIAN TEACHER MUST USE DIFFERENT STYLES ON DIFFERENT OCCASIONS.
38. And yet, while our teacher ought to speak of great matters, he ought not always ' to be speaking of them in a majestic tone, but in a subdued tone when he is teaching, temperately when he is giving praise or blame. When, however, something is to be done, and we are speaking to those who ought, but are not willing, to do it, then great matters must be spoken of with power, and in a manner calculated to sway the mind. And sometimes the same important matter is treated in all these ways at different times, quietly when it is being taught, temperately when its importance is being urged, and powerfully when we are forcing a mind that is averse to the truth to turn and embrace it. For is there anything greater than God Him- self? Is nothing, then, to be learnt about Him? Or ought he who is teaching the Trinity in unity to speak of it otherwise than in the method of calm discussion, so that in regard to a subject which it is not easy to 1 Matt. x. 42.
1 Matt. x. 42.
comprehend, we may understand as much as it is given us to understand? Are we in this case to seek out ornaments instead of proofs? Or is the hearer to be moved to do something instead of being instructed so that he may learn something? But when we come to praise God, either in Himself, or in His works, what a field for beauty and splendor of language opens up before man, who can task his powers to the utmost in praising Him whom no one can adequately praise, though there is no one who does not praise Him in some measure! But if He be not worshipped, or if idols, whether they be demons or any created being whatever, be worshipped with Him or in preference to Him, then we ought to speak out with power and impressiveness, show how great a wickedness this is, and urge men to flee from it.
CHAP. 20. EXAMPLES OF THE VARIOUS STYLES DRAWN FROM SCRIPTURE.
39. But now to come to something more definite. We have an example of the calm, subdued style in the Apostle Paul, where he says: " Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law? For it is written, that Abraham had two sons; the one by a bond maid, the other by a free woman. But he who was of the bond woman was born after the flesh; but he of the free woman was by promise. Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the Mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Hagar. For this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children. But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all; " 2 and so on. And in the same way where he reasons thus: "Brethren, I speak after the manner of men: Though it be but a man's covenant, yet if it be confirmed, no man disannulleth, or addeth thereto. Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ. And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect. For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise."3 And because it might possibly occur to the hearer to ask, If there is no inheritance by the law, why then was the law given? he himself anticipates this objection and asks, "Wherefore then 2 Gal. iv. 21-26.
3 Gal. iii. 15-18.
<SS ON CHRISTIAN DOCTRINE.
[Book IV.
serveth the law?" And the answer is given: " It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator. Now a mediator is not a mediator of one; but God is one." And here an objection occurs which he him- self has stated: " Is the law then against the promises of God? " He answers: " God for- bid." And he also states the reason in these words: "For if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteous- ness should have been by the law. But the Scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe."1 It is part, then, of the duty of the teacher not only to inter- pret what is obscure, and to unravel the diffi- culties of questions, but also, while doing this, to meet other questions which may chance to suggest themselves, lest these should cast doubt or discredit on what we say. If, however, the solution of these ques- tions suggest itself as soon as the questions themselves arise, it is useless to disturb what we cannot remove. And besides, when out of one question other questions arise, and out of these again still others; if these be all discussed and solved, the reasoning is ex- tended to such a length, that unless the memory be exceedingly powerful and active, the reasoner finds it impossible to return to the original question from which he set out. It is, however, exceedingly desirable that whatever occurs to the mind as an objection that might be urged should be stated and re- futed, lest it turn up at a time when no one will be present to answer it, or lest, if it should occur to a man who is present but says nothing about it, it might never be thor- oughly removed.
40. In the following words of the apostle we have the temperate style: "Rebuke not an elder, but entreat him as a father; and the younger men as brethren; the elder women as mothers, the younger as sisters."2 And also in these: "I beseech you, therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye pre- sent your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, ac- ceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service." 3 And almost the whole of this hortatory passage is in the temperate style of eloquence; and those parts of it are the most beautiful in which, as if paying what was due, things that belong to each other are grace- fully brought together. For example: " Hav- ing then gifts, differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us 1 Gal. iii. 19-22.
Tim.
3 Rom. xii. 1.
prophesy acccording to the proportion of faith; or ministry, let us wait on our min- istering; or he that teacheth, on teaching; or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that showeth mercy, with cheerfulness. Let love be without dis- simulation. Abhor that which is evil, cleave to that which is good. Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honor preferring one another; not slothful in busi- ness; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; con- tinuing instant in prayer; distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality. Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not. Rejoice with them that do re- joice, and weep with them that weep. Be of the same mind one toward another."4 And how gracefully all this is brought to a close in a period of two members: " Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate! " And a little afterwards: " Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honor to whom honor."5 And these also, though expressed in single clauses, are terminated by a period of two members: " Owe no man anything, but to love one another." And a little farther on: " The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us there- fore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. Let us walk hon- estly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunk- enness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying: but put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof."6 Now if the passage were translated thus, " ct carnis providentiam ne in concupisceniiis fece- ritis"1 the ear would no doubt be gratified with a more harmonious ending; but our translator, with more strictness, preferred to retain even the order of the words. And how this sounds in the Greek language, in which the apostle spoke, those who are better skilled in that tongue may determine. My opinion, however, is, that what has been translated to us in the same order of words does not run very harmoniously even in the original tongue. 41. And, indeed, I must confess that our authors are very defective in that grace of speech which consists in harmonious endings. Whether this be the fault of the translators, or whether, as I am more inclined to believe, the authors designedly avoided such orna- ments, I dare not affirm; for I confess I do 4 Rom. xii. 6-16. 5 Rom. xiii. 7. 6 Rom. xiii. 12-14.
7 Instead of " ne feceritis in concupisceniiis," which is the translation as quoted by Augustin.
Chap. XX.l ON CHRISTIAN DOCTRINE.
589 not know. This I know, however, that if any one who is skilled in this species of harmony would take the closing sentences of these writers and arrange them according to the law of harmony (which he could very easily do by changing some words for words of equivalent meaning, or by retaining the words he finds and altering their arrangement), he will learn that these divinely-inspired men are not defective in any of those points which he has been taught in the schools of the gram- marians and rhetoricians to consider of im- portance; and he will find in them many kinds of speech of great beauty, — beautiful even in our language, but especially beautiful in the original, — none of which can be found in those writings of which they boast so much. But care must be taken that, while adding har- mony, we take away none of the weight from these divine and authoritative utterances. Now our prophets were so far from being de- ficient in the musical training from which this harmony we speak of is most fully learnt, that Jerome, a very learned man, describes even the metres employed by some of them,1 in the Hebrew language at least; though, in order to give an accurate rendering of the words, he has not preserved these in his translation.
I, however (to speak of my own feeling, which is better known to me than it is to Others, and than that of others is to me), while I do not in my own speech, however modestly I think it done, neglect these har- monious endings, am just as well pleased to find them in the sacred authors very rarely.
42. The majestic style of speech differs from the temperate style just spoken of, chiefly in that it is not so much decked out with ver- bal ornaments as exalted into vehemence by mental emotion. It uses, indeed, nearly all the ornaments that the other does; but if they do not happen to be at hand, it does not seek for them. For it is borne on by its own vehemence; and the force of the thought, not the desire for ornament, makes it seize upon any beauty of expression that comes in its way. It is enough for its object that warmth of feeling should suggest the fitting words; they need not be selected by careful elabora- • tion of speech. If a brave man be armed with weapons adorned with gold and jewels, he works feats of valor with those arms in the heat of battle, not because they are costly, but because they are arms; and yet the same man does great execution, even when anger furnishes him with a weapon that he digs out of the ground.2 The apostle in the following 1 Tn his preface to Job.
= An allusion to Virgil's Mneid.-ra.. 508: " Quod cuique re- fer turn Rimanti, telum ira fecit."
passage is urging that, for the sake of the ministry of the gospel, and sustained by the consolations of God's grace, we should bear with patience all the evils of this life. It is a great subject, and is treated with power, and the ornaments of speech are not wanting: "Behold," he says, "now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation. Giving no offence in anything, that the minis- try be not blamed: but in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in dis- tresses, in strifes, in imprisonments, in tu- mults, in labors, in watchings, in fastings; by pureness, by knowledge, by long-suffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned, by the word of truth, hy the power of God, by the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left, by honor and dis- honor, by evil report and good report: as de- ceivers, and yet true; as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and, behold, we live; as chastened, and not killed; as sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet pos- sessing all things."3 See him still burning: "O ye Corinthians, our mouth is opened unto you, our heart is enlarged," and so on; it would be tedious to go through it all.
43. And in the same way, writing to the Romans, he urges that the persecutions of this world should be overcome by charity, in assured reliance on the help of God. And he treats this subject with both power and beauty: "We know," he says, "that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His pur- pose. For whom He did foreknow, He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the first-born among many brethren. Moreover, whom He did predestinate, them He also called; and whom He called, them He also justified; and whom He justified, them He also glorified. What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? Who shall lay any- thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth; who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea, rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tri- bulation, or distress, or persecution, or fam- ine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? (As it is written, For Thy sake we are killed all the 59Q ON CHRISTIAN DOCTRINE.
[Book IV.
day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.) Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors, through Him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."1 44. Again, in writing to the Galatians, al- though the whole epistle is written in the sub- dued style, except at the end, where it rises into a temperate eloquence, yet he interposes one passage of so much feeling that, notwith- standing the absence of any ornaments such .as appear in the passages just quoted, it can- not be called anything but powerful: "Ye ob- serve days, and months, and times, and years. I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labor in vain. Brethren, I beseech you, be as I am; for I am as ye are: ye have not injured me at all. Ye know how, through in- firmity of the flesh, I preached the gospel unto you at the first. And my temptation which was in my flesh ye despised not, nor rejected; but received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus. Where is then the blessedness ye spake of? for I bear you record, that, if it had been possible, ye would have plucked out your own eyes, and have given them to me. Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth? They zealously affect you, but pot well; yea, they would ex- clude you, that ye might affect them. But it is good to be zealously affected always in a good thing, and not only when I am present with you. My little children, of whom I tra- vail in birth agajn until Christ be formed in you, I desire to be present with you now, and to change my voice; for I stand in doubt of you." 2 Is there anything here of contrasted words arranged antithetically, or of words rising gradually to a climax, or of sonorous clauses, and sections, and periods? Yet, not- withstanding, there is a glow of strong emotion that makes us feel the fervor of eloquence.
CHAP. 21. EXAMPLES OF THE VARIOUS STYLES, DRAWN FROM THE TEACHERS OF THE CHURCH, ESPECIALLY AMBROSE AND CYPRIAN.
45. But these writings of the apostles, though clear, are yet profound, and are so written that one who is not content with a su- perficial acquaintance, but desires to know them thoroughly, must not only read and hear them, but must have an expositor. Let us, then, study these various modes of speech as they are exemplified in the writings of men who, by reading the Scriptures, have attained to the knowledge of divine and saving truth, and have ministered it to the Church. Cy- prian of blessed memory writes in the sub- dued style in his treatise on the sacrament of the cup. In this book he resolves the ques- tion, whether the cup of the Lord ought to contain water only, or water mingled with wine. But we must quote a passage by way of illus- tration. After the customary introduction, he proceeds to the discussion of the point in question. " Observe," he says, " that we are instructed, in presenting the cup, to maintain the custom handed down to us from the Lord, and to do nothing that our Lord has not first done for us: so that the cup which is offered in remembrance of Him should be mixed with wine. For, as Christ says, ' I am the true vine,' 3 it follows that the blood of Christ is wine, not water; and the cup cannot appear to contain His blood by which we are re- deemed and quickened, if the wine be ab- sent; for by the wine is the blood of Christ typified, that blood which is foreshadowed and proclaimed in all the types and declara- tions of Scripture. For we find that in the book of Genesis this very circumstance in regard to the sacrament is foreshadowed, and our Lord's sufferings typically set forth, in the case of Noah, when he drank wine, and was drunken, and was uncovered within his tent, and his nakedness was exposed by his second son, and was carefully hidden by his elder and his younger sons.4 It is not nec- essary to mention the other circumstances in detail, as it is only necessary to observe this point, that Noah, foreshadowing the future reality, drank, not water, but wine, and thus showed forth our Lord's passion. In the same way we see the sacrament of the Lord's sup- per prefigured in the case of Melchizedek the priest, according to the testimony of the Holy Scriptures, where it says: ' And Melchizedek king of Salem brought 'forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God. And he blessed Abraham.' 5 Now, that Mel- chizedek was a type of Christ, the Holy Spirit declares in the Psalms, where the Father ad- dressing the Son says, ' Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.' 6 " 7 In