Christian Theology Reader: Augustine of Hippo (Rev. Dr. Alistair McGrath)

Augustine: Authority of Scriptures

by Donald Philip Veitch

13 November 354 --Augustine: Authority of Scripture

Lest we forget

Aurelius Augustus was born on 13 November 354. He was born in the fertile province Numidia in Northern Africa. He was passionate, intellectual, widely read, with neo-Platonic streaks, pious, and devoted to God. He is widely known for his famous statement, “Fecisti nos ad Ted, et insquietum est cor nostrum, donced requiescat in Te.” “You has made us for Yourself, and our heart is restless until it rests in You.” (Augustine’s Confessions, 1.1)

No Christian has finished his reading or may claim literacy unless he has read this.

A pagan educator and rhetorician, Augustine was influenced by the Ambrose of Milan in terms of the literary quality of the sermons. Soon, Augustine was near conversion, but his neo-Platonic corruptions about marriage prevented him from converting. Finally, he convinced his long-time concubine, or common-law wife, to conjugally separate. Both agreed. Regrettably, this was never corrected but fostered and anti-Biblical diminishments of the honor of marriage (Heb.13.4).

Augustine would in time become famous for his involvements with Donatists, Pelagians, and a host of other issues. With Pelagius, he engaged the issues of the Fall, Original Sin, and Predestination, issues that remain alive especially in the unreflective and un-thoughtful times in which we live. Augustine was quiet-spoken, but his words would ring for centuries. As a result of Augustine’s engagements, his works take a polemic cast.

We would certainly recommend the Confessions, City of God, and his numerous writings against Pelagius and the Donatists. Some can be found at http://www.ccel.org/. Certain modifications and syntheses of Augustine were made by Romanists to protect their power.

Augustine would say that doctrines may be rejected freely without offense to those under whose name they are presented. This comports with Jerome who said, what does not agree with Scripture may as easily scorned as it may be proved. Or from the early period, Tertullian in De Resurrectione carnis where he calls people lucifugas, that is, people who flee the light of Scriptures.

Augustine would say:

“…No rigged balances, where we can weigh out what we please and as we please, saying according to our own will: `This is heavy; that is light.’ Rather let us bring forward the divine balance from the Holy Scripture, from the treasuries of the Lord, and on it let us weight what is heavier, or rather, let us not weigh but recognize what has been weighed by the Lord.” (De baptismo contra Donatistas, Bk.2, ch.9).

Or again:

“But now I ought not to quote the Nicean, nor you the Ariminesian Council, as if to judge beforehand. I will not be bound by the authority of this, nor you by the authority of that. On the authority of Scriptures and not on any one’s own, but on the common witnesses of both, let matters contend with matter, cause with cause, reason with reason.” (Contra Maximinum, Bk.3, ch.14).

Or in Augustine’s comments on Psalm 57:

“Let our books be taken away from the midst, and let the Book of God enter there. Listen to Christ speaking. Listen to truth talking”.

It is fascinating to read Augustine’s Homilies on various biblical books. He stays close to the text without reference to papal decrees, bulls, or even other books. The same may be said of Chrysostom’s Homilies. We shall keep our eyes open as we continue to sift the panorama of Augustine’s corpus.

Or Augustine’s quite damning statement about man-made religions within and without the stream of Christendom:

“Let us not hear: This I say, this you say; but thus says the Lord. Surely it is the books of the Lord on whose authority we both agree and which we both believe. There let us seek the church, there let us discuss our case…Let those things be removed from our midst which we quote against each other not from divine canonical books but from elsewhere. Someone may perhaps ask: Why do you want to remove these things from our midst? Because I do not want the holy church proved by human documents but by divine oracles…Whatever they may adduce, and wherever they may quote from, let us rather, if we are His sheep, hear the voice of our Shepherd. Therefore let us search for the church in the sacred canonical Scriptures.” (De unitate ecclesiae, ch.3).

Or damningly,

“Neither dare one agree with catholic bishops if by chance they err in anything, with the result that their opinion if against the canonical Scriptures of God.” (De unitate ecclesiae, ch.10)

Or censoriously re: the Ich-theologie of Constantinople, Rome and Tractarians:

“He who preaches another gospel, let him be cursed, or let him read it to me in the Holy Scriptures, and he shall not be cursed.”

Or with exquisite and polemical condemnation of all Ego-religions:

“Let them show their church if they can, not by the speeches and mumblings of the Africans, not by the councils of their bishops, not by the writings of any of their champions, not by fraudulent signs and wonders, because we have been prepared and made cautious also against these things by the Word of the Lord, but by a command of the Law, by the predictions of the Prophets, by songs from the Psalms, by the words of the Shepherd Himself, by the preaching and labors of the evangelists, that is, by all the canonical authorities of the sacred books….let him not say it is true because this one or that one performed such and such marvelous things, or because me pray at the memorials of our dead and are heard, or because such an such things are taking place there, 9r because this one or that one has been such and such a vision either awake or dreamed it while asleep. Let these things be removed because they are either inventions of lying men or signs of deceiving spirits. For we also do not say that we should be believed because we are in the church of Christ, because innumerable bishops of our communion have commended this church to which we adhere, or because it has been praised by the councils of our colleagues, or because such great miracles both of answer to prayer and of healing take place throughout the world in the holy places which have our communion frequents…The Lord Jesus Himself, when after His resurrection He present His body to the eyes of His disciples that they might see and to their hands that they might tough it, lest they should think they were experiencing some deceit, nevertheless judged that He must strengthen them with the testimonies from the Law, the Prophets, and the Psalms…These are the documents of our cause, these the foundations, these the pillars….Demand of them that they show some clear testimonies from the canonical books. Remember that they Lord said: `They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them’”. (De Unitate ecclesiaie, chapters 6, 10, 12, 16, 20)

In summary, it is best brought together by this principle of believing and living:

Read this to us from the Law, from the Prophets, from the Psalms, from the Gospels, read it from the apostolic writings, and we shall believe” (De unitate ecclesiae, ch.20).

Lest we forget Augustine, whom Luther called that “Blessed Augustine.” Lest we be misled by Ego-religions of Law-righteousness.

All religions are man-made or God-made, Law-righteousness or Grace, Anti-Christian or Christian.

St. Augustine Day: 28 August 2010

In the Romanist, Lutheran and Anglican Communions, St. Augustine is a pre-eminent Doctor of the Church. In the Anglican 1662 Book of Common Prayer, he is remembered on 28 August, the day of his death (430 AD). It is fair and accurate to say that the Book of Common Prayer is Augustinian in her Articles and Collects of Prayer throughout. Anglicans in the Babylonian Captivity will remember him while much of Western Anglicanism has avoided him as well as their heritage and patrimony in the old prayer book. Offered lest we forget!

True Protestants and true Catholic Churchmen—Calvinists or the Reformed, Lutherans and classical Anglicans—consider Augustine to be one of the theological fathers of Reformation due to his teaching on salvation and divine grace. B.B. Warfield, the “Lion of Princeton Seminary,” has written an excellent work on Augustine and Calvin. (American Anabaptists, Revivalists, Wesleyans, Pentecostalists and other enthusiasts hardly recognize the great Doctor of northern Africa...or anyone else for that matter except their celebrities.)

Below, we offer two brief citations in memoriam of Augustine: (1) one example of an Augustinian and representative prayer from The Book of Common Prayer and (2) one quote from the vast corpus of Augustine—whom Luther often called the Blessed Augustine—a quote from Augustine concerning his conversion to the Lord and Redeemer of the Church.

(1) From the Book of Common Prayer:

The Second Collect at Evening Prayer.

O GOD, from whom all holy desires, all good counsels, and all just works do proceed; Give unto thy servants that peace which the world cannot give; that both our hearts may be set to obey thy commandments, and also that by thee, we, being defended from the fear of our enemies, may pass our time in rest and quietness; through the merits of Jesus Christ our Saviour. Amen.
(2) From Augustine:

“I cast myself down I know not how, under a certain fig-tree, giving full vent to my tears; and the floods of mine eyes gushed out an acceptable sacrifice to Thee. And, not indeed in these words, yet to this purpose, spake I much unto Thee: and Thou, O Lord, how long? how long, Lord, wilt Thou be angry for ever? Remember not our former iniquities, for I felt that I was held by them. I sent up these sorrowful words: How long, how long, "to-morrow, and tomorrow?" Why not now? why not is there this hour an end to my uncleanness?

“So was I speaking and weeping in the most bitter contrition of my heart, when, lo! I heard from a neighbouring house a voice, as of boy or girl, I know not, chanting, and oft repeating, "Take up and read; Take up and read. " Instantly, my countenance altered, I began to think most intently whether children were wont in any kind of play to sing such words: nor could I remember ever to have heard the like. So checking the torrent of my tears, I arose; interpreting it to be no other than a command from God to open the book, and read the first chapter I should find. For I had heard of Antony, that coming in during the reading of the Gospel, he received the admonition, as if what was being read was spoken to him: Go, sell all that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven, and come and follow me: and by such oracle he was forthwith converted unto Thee. Eagerly then I returned to the place where Alypius was sitting; for there had I laid the volume of the Apostle when I arose thence. I seized, opened, and in silence read that section on which my eyes first fell: Not in rioting and drunkenness, 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, in concupiscence. No further would I read; nor needed I: for instantly at the end of this sentence, by a light as it were of serenity infused into my heart, all the darkness of doubt vanished away.”
The Confessions of Saint Augustine, Book VIII, Paragraphs 28 and 29.

Lest we forget.

Psalms at Morning Prayer (Day 18), Notes on Psalm 90

Psalm 90. No specific crisis is identified, but this is suitable for any time of lament when “the frailty of life stands in stark contrast to God’s eternal strength.” Format: vss.1-2, God’s eternal nature; vss.3-6, the brevity of life; vss.7-11, human sinfulness causes the dismal state of the human race; vss.12-17, prayer for wisdom and grace.

90.1. dwelling place. In contrast to the temporary and uncertain nature of human life is the eternity of God as the refuge for His people. God is the one to go to in times of lament and insecurity, for God is before all creation and time.

Westminster Larger Catechism. “Q. 7. What is God? A. God is a Spirit, in and of himself infinite in being, glory, blessedness, and perfection; all-sufficient, eternal, unchangeable, incomprehensible, everywhere present, almighty, knowing all things, most wise, most holy, most just, most merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth.

The hymn, “O God our Help in Ages Past,” gives the devotional aspect.

A marvellous rendition is offered at Westminster Abbey. The words are below the video link found at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=asrwlIxLeko

The words of this hymn are:
O[ God, our help in ages past,
Our hope for years to come,
Our shelter from the stormy blast,
And our eternal home.

Under the shadow of Thy throne
Thy saints have dwelt secure;
Sufficient is Thine arm alone,
And our defence is sure.

Before the hills in order stood,
Or earth received her frame,
From everlasting Thou art God,
To endless years the same.

Thy Word commands our flesh to dust,
Return, ye sons of men:
All nations rose from earth at first,
And turn to earth again.

A thousand ages in Thy sight
Are like an evening gone;
Short as the watch that ends the night
Before the rising sun.

The busy tribes of flesh and blood,
With all their lives and cares,
Are carried downwards by the flood,
And lost in following years.

Time, like an ever rolling stream,
Bears all its sons away;
They fly, forgotten, as a dream
Dies at the opening day.

Like flowery fields the nations stand
Pleased with the morning light;
The flowers beneath the mower’s hand
Lie withering ere ‘tis night.

Our God, our help in ages past,
Our hope for years to come,
Be Thou our God while life shall last,
And our eternal home.

Wikipedia gives us these few brief notes. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/O_God,_Our_Help_in_Ages_Past (accessed 18 Aug 2010).

“The hymn was originally part of The Psalms of David Imitated in the Language of the New Testament, published by Watts in 1719. In this book he paraphrased in Christian verse the entire psalter with the exception of twelve Psalms which he felt were unsuited for Christian usage.

The hymn is often sung at festive occasions in England.”

It remains a classic in the repertoire of Anglican hymns.

90.1. LORD, you have been our dwelling place in all generations. The Psalmist looks back to Eden, the flood, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, the Conquest, the Judges, Samuel, Saul and the establishment of the monarch, David, Solomon, and the division of the monarchy with their respect kings. This is a summary of redemptive history and is laced with the merciful, gracious, lovingly kind, and abiding covenanted mercies.

We are reminded of the historic width and breadth of this covenant in the Westminster Confession of Faith, Chapter 7.5-6:

V. This covenant was differently administered in the time of the law, and in the time of the Gospel: under the law it was administered by promises, prophecies, sacrifices, circumcision, the paschal lamb, and other types and ordinances delivered to the people of the Jews, all fore-signifying Christ to come; which were, for that time, sufficient and efficacious, through the operation of the Spirit, to instruct and build up the elect in faith in the promised Messiah, by whom they had full remission of sins, and eternal salvation; and is called the Old Testament.
VI. Under the Gospel, when Christ, the substance, was exhibited, the ordinances in which this covenant is dispensed are the preaching of the Word, and the administration of the sacraments of Baptism and the Lord's Supper: which, though fewer in number, and administered with more simplicity, and less outward glory, yet, in them, it is held forth in more fullness, evidence, and spiritual efficacy, to all nations, both Jews and Gentiles; and is called the New Testament. There are not therefore two covenants of grace, differing in substance, but one and the same, under various dispensations.

The Psalmist evinces an understanding of the covenanted presence of God with His people.

90.3. return man to dust. Punishment for the first sin in Eden. Death now reigns throughout the human race. The entire creation groans, awaiting the day of redemption (Rom.8). In Gen.3.19, death is pictured as a return to dust from which God created man. The emphasis is on the brevity of life and the difficulties of life under the divine sentence.

90.4. thousand years. The contrast is between the brevity of human life and God’s eternity. Time is but fleeting with God, a thousand years but a breath. Augustine: “No one may imagine a thousand years are reckoned by God as one day, as if with God days were so long, when this is said in contempt of the extent of time; he adds, `and as a watch in the night:’ which only lasts three hours.”

90.4. are but yesterday when it is past. The fall in Eden is ever present to the eye of the eternal God. The final judgment is ever present to God (Westminster Confession of Faith, Chapter 33). Church and all other histories are but as a “yesterday,” a fleeting moment.

90.5-6. Human frailty and mortality are like a passing dream, forgotten by the morning. “Time carries life away like a raging flood sweeps away everything in its path. Life comes and goes; it is but “vanity of vanities” apart from God (Ecclesiastes). The Bible is a sure antidote to clinical narcissism.

90.7-11. It is not just brevity of life that brings despair. God’s anger over sin causes life many hardships and difficulties (Gen.3). Life is burdensome. There is toil, sweat of the brow, and havoc in creation. Life comes to end as a “sigh.”

90.7. by your wrath we are dismayed. “Dismayed” is the ESV. “Are afraid” is the Psalter version of the 1662 Book of Common Prayer. This gives another glimpse of God’s relationship to sin, even for the people of God.

Ex.34.6-7. And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children's children, unto the third and to the fourth generation.

90.8. secret sins. Sins that are “hidden from our thinking unless it be revealed in the law of God.” (Chemnitz, Lutheran Study Bible, 935).

Hence, the daily prayer in the 1662 Book of Common Prayer:

Almighty and most merciful Father; We have erred, and strayed from thy ways like lost sheep. We have followed too much the devices and desires of our own hearts. We have offended against thy holy laws. We have left undone those things which we ought to have done; And we have done those things which we ought not to have done; And there is no health in us. But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us, miserable offenders. Spare thou them, O God, who confess their faults. Restore thou them that are penitent; According to thy promises declared unto mankind in Christ Jesu our Lord. And grant, O most merciful Father, for his sake; That we may hereafter live a godly, righteous, and sober life, To the glory of thy holy Name. Amen.

In the Anglican prayer book is the studious awareness of: (1) secret desires and devices that give rise to actual sins and (2) the need to repent and unfeignedly repair to the Eternal God as the refuge of His people through all generations.

90.12. A series of requests or petitions ensue. First, that we may learn understanding and wisdom. Second, that we may use of days advisedly and with wisdom. Third, that we should take refuge in the eternal God, our bulwark and rock.

90.12-17. A prayer for God to turn His anger to stedfast love.

90.13-16. Return, O LORD! The prayer is to end the despair. The Psalmist longs to see God’s power. “Satisfy us in the morning with your stedfast love.” (vs.15) The “morning” is a time of renewal and refreshment.

90.14. Satisfy us in the morning with your stedfast love, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days. Notwithstanding the sorrows, brevity, and sins noted above, this prayer rehearses the understanding, belief and embrace of Leviticus, the sacrifices, the Feasts of worship and the Sabbath, the Day of Atonement, God’s holiness, God’s presence with Israel, God’s covenant of mercy, God’s forgiveness and kindness, and the Gospel of blood-atonement of propitiation and expiation. It is a prayer to be satisfied with the Gospel's assurances, comforts and love.

90.15. Prayer that life’s joys will balance out life’s sorrows. God’s answer is outlined and goes much further (Rom.8.28-39).

90.16. Let your work be shown to your servants. This is God’s work of salvation (Ps.96.2-3). The Psalmist seeks deliverance from crisis, famine, enemies, sickness, and injustice. It is prayer to understanding and enlightenment, as well as the actual deliverance. It is a call to doctrine, worship and pious living.

It is a call for the Light of lights, God of God, and the Light of the world (Jn.8.12) to “lighten our way.” From Evening Prayer of the 1662 Book of Common Prayer:

The Third Collect, for Aid against all Perils.

Lighten our darkness, we beseech thee, O Lord; and by thy great mercy defend us from all perils and dangers of this night; for the love of thy only Son, our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Another suitable prayer and prayer for the LORD to feed and shew mercy. http://comfortablewords.com/comwords/prayers.php?searchtype=keywords&searchvalue=Wisdom (accessed 18 Aug 2010)

Knowledge From The Scriptures
Bede (c. 672-735)

And I pray Thee, loving Jesus, that as Thou hast graciously given me to drink in with delight the words of Thy knowledge, so Thou wouldst mercifully grant me to attain one day to Thee, the fountain of all wisdom and to appear forever before Thy face.

“Hodge’s Systematic Theology," Augustinianism and TBN, Pentecostalists, Emergents, Liberals, Church Growthers, Contemporary Evangelicals," 330-350

Also posted on our Facebook Wall entitled “Exposing the False Prophets—Reformation Christians Against TBN” found at: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=308173344359

1. “Hodge’s Systematic Theology," Augustinianism and TBN, Pentecostalists, Emergents, Liberals, Arminians, Church Growthers, Contemporary Evangelicals. A few miscellaneous after-thoughts on “Augustinianism” with help from Charles Hodge, “Systematic Theology, Volume Two” (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1992), 330-350.

2. All Theists admit that God reigns and His providence extends to all events. The church’s prayers have noted this. Augustinianism affects all loci of theology: God, man, Christ, salvation, church, and eschatology. In this section of Hodge, Augustinianism is related to redemption. It is Christian, Pauline, Augustinian and Calvinistic. It has been an uplifting and empowering doctrine in the church when grasped.

3. The Augustinian view: 1) God's glory is the end of everything. 2) This includes creation, providence and redemption. 3) Adam was the probative head-man and his fall affected all humanity by imputation of Adamic guilt and corruption of human nature. 4) Condemnation and corruption brought a corresponding inability to deliver oneself from divine justice. 5) God elected some to redemption. 6) Election is not based on foreseen faith and repentance. 6) God sent His Son to rescue those whom He elected. 7) While there are common operations of God amongst all nations, yet the Holy Spirit redeems only the elect. 8) The elect are efficaciously brought and kept in the way of salvation.

4. The proofs are many: 1) The facts of providence. 2) The varied dispensations (not dispensationalist) but providential arrangements. 3) The facts of Scriptures. 4) The work of the Holy Spirit. 5) Election “to” holiness, not “because” of holiness. 6) The gratuitous nature of redemption. 7) Paul’s irrefragable proof from Romans 9. 8) Arguments from experience. 9) Express statements of Scripture besides Paul. 10) The words of Jesus.

5. We bypass 4.1 and 4.2 above since they are treated elsewhere, although Hodge is stunning at this point. We present the basics from the other points.

6. God is sovereign, is infinitely exalted above His creatures, and man is fallen. That some are redeemed and others not, establishes the fact of providential determinations and applications. Again, Hodge is stunning here. A must-buy and must-read for Churchmen.

7. The Holy Spirit is referenced time and again as the Agent of regeneration and all the benefits thereof.

8. Election is “to” holiness not because of it. Our purpose is not detailed surveys or exegesis. That’s for the reader to do, as we have done through the decades.

9. Romans 9 spells the banishment of any and all non-Augustinian schemes of redemption. TBN, all Pentecostalists and charismatics, Emergents, Liberals throughout the Protestant mainline, Arminians, Church Growthers like Rick Warren and Bill Hybels, and the vast majority of contemporary Evangelicals march off the biblical cliff and fall into the rocks below---they are completely in error on this. Romans 9 is one piece of the Pauline framework.

10. Jesus was equally clear in this quick sample:
(1) Jesus speaks of those “given Him.” Jn.17.2
(2) To these He gives eternal life. Jn. 17.2, 24
(3) For these alone He prays. Jn. 17,19
(4) Of these, He affirms that He will not lose them, but raise them up in the last day. Jn. 6.39, among other references
(5) “No man can come to Me, except the Father which hath sent Me draw him, and I will raise him up at the last day.” Jn.6.44
(6) “No man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father.” Jn.6.65
(7) “It is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.” Mt. 13.11
(8) “I thank Thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because Thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.” Mt.11.25. The Lucan parallel speaks of Jesus "rejoicing" over this two-fold providential determination. Luke is stunning.
(9) Jesus' words are repeated in Matthew, Mark, Luke and John at other places as well. We could add more.
(10) Like Jesus, Luke summarizes it: “As many as were ordained to eternal life, believed.” Acts 13.48. Repentance, justifying faith, persevering faith, on-going sanctification, the intermediate state, and resurrection to come are providentially governed with precision.

11. Are there objections? Yes, a mighty one. The permission and existence of evil. We face a painful limit beyond which we cannot go. Both Augustinian and non-Augustinian systems face the same objection. Yet, the office of theologian, pastor and Christian is to gather the Biblical evidence on this subject and submit to its plain declarations.

12. Get into a Reformed and Confessional Church.

13. Mark and avoid non-Augustinian contexts such as: TBN, all Pentecostalists and charismatics, Emergents, Liberals throughout the Protestant mainline, Arminians, Church Growthers like Rick Warren and Bill Hybels, and the vast majority of contemporary Evangelicals. They do not submit to God’s sovereignty in redemption. They are rebellious in heart and mind. This is my considered judgment after almost 40 years of study and prayer. God help His people and the rebellious churches in this nation.

R.C. Sproul, "What is Free Will?"

The entire doctrinal front is involved with this question. It is not a "doctrinal island."

R.C. Sproul: What Is Free Will? Video- Watch more Videos at Vodpod.

A Psalter Lection for the Twelfth Sunday after Trinity: Psalm 76 by St. Augustine

Saturday, August 29, 2009

The Twelfth Sunday after Trinity.

The Collect.

ALMIGHTY and everlasting God, who art always more ready to hear than we are to pray, and art wont to give more than either we desire, or deserve; Pour down upon us the abundance of thy mercy; forgiving us those things whereof our conscience is afraid, and giving us those good things which we are not worthy to ask, but through the merits and mediation of Jesus Christ, thy Son, our Lord. Amen.

A Psalter reading for this Sunday.

Psalm 76

In Judah is God known; his Name is great in Israel. St. Augustine on Psalm 76.

1. The Jews are wont to glory in this Psalm which we have sung, saying, "Known in Judaea is God, in Israel great is the name of Him:" and to revile the Gentiles to whom God is not known, and to say that to themselves alone God is known; seeing that the Prophet saith, "Known in Judaea is God." In other places therefore He is unknown. But God is known in very deed in Judaea, if they understand what is Judaea. For indeed God is not known except in Judaea. Behold even we say this, that except a person shall have been in Judaea, known to him God cannot be. But what saith the Apostle? He that in secret is a Jew, he that is so in circumcision of the heart, not in letter but in spirit. [3433] There are therefore Jews in circumcision of the flesh, and there are Jews in circumcision of the heart. Many of our holy fathers [3434] had both the circumcision of the flesh, for a seal of the faith, and circumcision of the heart, for the faith itself. From these fathers these men degenerating, who now in the name do glory, and have lost their deeds; from these fathers, I say, degenerating, they have remained Jews in flesh, in heart Heathens. For these are Jews, who are out of Abraham, from whom Isaac was born, and out of him Jacob, and out of Jacob the twelve Patriarchs, and out of the twelve Patriarchs the whole people of the Jews. [3435] But they were generally called Jews for this reason, that Judah was one of the twelve sons of Jacob, a Patriarch among the twelve, and from his stock the Royalty came among the Jews. For all this people after the number of the twelve sons of Jacob, had twelve tribes. What we call tribes are as it were distinct houses and congregations of people. That people, I say, had twelve tribes, out of which twelve tribes one tribe was Judah, out of which were the kings; and there was another tribe, Levi, out of which were the priests. But because to the priests serving the temple no land was allotted, [3436] but it was necessary that among twelve tribes all the Land of promise should be shared: there having been therefore taken out one tribe of higher dignity, the tribe of Levi, which was of the priests, there would have remained eleven, unless by the adoption of the two sons of Joseph the number twelve were completed. What this is, observe. One of the twelve sons of Jacob was Joseph....This Joseph had two sons, Ephraim and Manasse. Jacob, dying, as though by will, received those his grandsons into the number of sons, and said to his son Joseph, "The rest that are born shall be to thee; but these to me, and they shall divide the land with their brethren." [3437] As yet there had not been given nor divided the land of promise, but he was speaking in the Spirit, prophesying. The two sons therefore of Joseph being added, there were made up nevertheless twelve tribes, since now there are thirteen. For instead of one tribe of Joseph, two were added, and there were made thirteen. There being taken out then the tribe of Levi, that tribe of priests which did serve the Temple, and lived by the tithes of all the rest unto whom the land was divided, there remain twelve. In these twelve was the tribe of Judah, whence the kings were. For at first from another tribe was given King Saul, [3438] and he was rejected as being an evil king; after there was given from the tribe of Judah King David, and out of him from the tribe of Judah were the Kings. [3439] But Jacob had spoken of this, when he blessed his sons, "there shall not fail a prince out of Judah, nor a leader from his thighs, until there come He to whom the promise hath been made." [3440] But from the tribe of Judah there came Our Lord Jesus Christ. For He is, as the Scripture saith, and as ye have but now heard, out of the seed of David born of Mary. [3441] But as regardeth the Divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ, wherein He is equal with the Father, He is not only before the Jews, but also before Abraham himself; [3442] nor only before Abraham, but also before Adam; nor only before Adam, but also before Heaven and earth and before ages: for all things by Himself were made, and without Him there was made nothing. [3443] Because therefore in prophecy hath been said, "there shall not fail a prince out of Judah," etc.: [3444] former times are examined, and we find that the Jews always had their kings of the tribe of Judah, and had no foreign king before that Herod who was king when the Lord was born. Thence began foreign kings, from Herod. [3445] Before Herod all were of the tribe of Judah, but only until there should come He to whom the promise had been made. Therefore when the Lord Himself came, the kingdom of the Jews was overthrown, and removed from the Jews. Now they have no king; because they will not acknowledge the true King. See now whether they must be called Jews. Now ye do see that they must not be called Jews. They have themselves with their own voice resigned that name, so that they are not worthy to be called Jews, except only in the flesh. When did they sever themselves from the name? They said, "We have no king but Caesar." [3446] O ye who are called Jews and are not, if ye have no king but Caesar, there hath failed a Prince of Judah: there hath come then He to whom the promise hath been made. They then are more truly Jews, who have been made Christians out of Jews: the rest of the Jews, who in Christ have not believed, have deserved to lose even the very name. The true Judaea, then, is the Church of Christ, believing in that King, who hath come out of the tribe of Judah through the Virgin Mary; believing in Him of whom the Apostle was just now speaking, in writing to Timothy, "Be thou mindful that Jesus Christ hath risen from the dead, of the seed of David, after my Gospel." [3447] For of Judah is David, and out of David is the Lord Jesus Christ. We believing in Christ do belong to Judah: and we acknowledge Christ. We, that with eyes have not seen, in faith do keep Him. Let not therefore the Jews revile, who are no longer Jews. They said themselves, "We have no king but Caesar." [3448] For better were it for them that their king should be Christ, of the seed of David, of the tribe of Judah. Nevertheless because Christ Himself is of the seed of David after the flesh, but God above all things blessed for ever, [3449] He is Himself our King and our God; our King, inasmuch as born of the tribe of Judah, after the flesh, was Christ the Lord, the Saviour; but our God, who is before Judah, and before Heaven and earth, by whom were made all things, [3450] both spiritual and corporal. For if all things by Himself were made; even Mary herself, out of whom He was born, by Himself was made....

2. "Known in Judaea is God, in Israel great is the Name of Him" (ver. 1). Concerning Israel also we ought so to take it as we have concerning Judaea: as they were not the true Jews, so neither was that the true Israel. For what is Israel said to be? One seeing God. And how have they seen God, among whom He walked in the flesh; and while they supposed Him to be man, they slew Him?..."In Israel great is His Name." Wilt thou be Israel? Observe that man concerning whom the Lord saith, "Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom guile is not." [3451] If a true Israelite is he in whom guile is not, the guileful and lying are not true Israelites. Let them not say then, that with them is God, and great is His name in Israel. Let them prove themselves Israelites, and I grant that "in Israel great is His Name."

3. "And there hath been made in peace a place for Him, and His habitation is in Sion" (ver. 2). Again, Sion is as it were the country of the Jews; the true Sion is the Church of Christians. But the interpretation of the Hebrew names is thus handed down to us: Judaea is interpreted confession, Israel, one seeing God. After Judaea is Israel. Wilt thou see God? First do thou confess, and then in thyself there is made a place for God; because "there hath been made in peace a place for Him." So long as then thou confessest not thy sins, in a manner thou art quarrelling with God. For how art thou not disputing with Him, who art praising that which displeaseth Him? He punisheth a thief, thou dost praise theft: He doth punish a drunken man, thou dost praise drunkenness. Thou art disputing with God, thou hast not made for Him a place in thy heart: because in peace is His place. And how dost thou begin to have peace with God? Thou beginnest with Him in confession. There is a voice of a Psalm, saying, "Begin ye to the Lord in confession." [3452] What is, "Begin ye to the Lord in confession"? Begin ye to be joined to the Lord. In what manner? So that the same thing may displease you as displeaseth Him. There displeaseth Him thy evil life; if it please thyself, thou art disunited from Him; if it displease thee, through confession to Him thou art united....

4. "There He hath broken the strength of bows, and the shield, and the sword, and the battle" (ver. 3). Where hath He broken? In that eternal peace, in that perfect peace. And now, my brethren, they that have rightly believed see that they ought not to rely on themselves: and all the might of their own menaces, and whatsoever is in them whetted for mischief, this they break in pieces; and whatsoever they deem of great virtue wherewith to protect themselves temporally, and the war which they were waging against God by defending their sins, all these things He hath broken there.

5. "Thou enlightening marvellously from the eternal mountains" (ver. 4). What are the eternal mountains? Those which He hath Himself made eternal; which are the great mountains, the preachers of truth. Thou dost enlighten, but from the eternal mountains: the great mountains are first to receive Thy light, and from Thy light which the mountains receive, the earth also is clothed. But those great mountains the Apostles have received, the Apostles have received as it were the first streaks of the rising light....Wherefore also, in another place, a Psalm saith what? "I have lifted up mine eyes unto the mountains, whence there shall come help to me." [3453] What then, in the mountains is thy hope, and from thence to thee shall there come help? Hast thou stayed at the mountains? Take heed what thou doest. There is something above the mountains: above the mountains is He at whom the mountains tremble. "I have lifted up," he saith, "mine eyes unto the mountains, whence there shall come help to me." But what followeth? "My help," he saith, "is from the Lord, who hath made Heaven and earth." [3454] Unto the mountains indeed I have lifted up eyes, because through the mountains to me the Scriptures were displayed: but I have my heart in Him that doth enlighten all mountains....

6. "There have been troubled all the unwise in heart" (ver. 5)....How have they been troubled? When the Gospel is preached. And what is life eternal? And who is He that hath risen from the dead? The Athenians wondered, when the Apostle Paul spake of the resurrection of the dead, and thought that he spake but fables. [3455] But because he said that there was another life which neither eye hath seen, nor ear heard, nor hath it gone up into the heart of man, [3456] therefore the unwise in heart were troubled. But what hath befallen them? "They have slept their sleep, and all men of riches have found nothing in their hands." They have loved things present, and have gone to sleep in the midst of things present: and so these very present things have become to them delightful: just as he that seeth in a dream himself to have found treasure, is so long rich as he waketh not. The dream hath made him rich, waking hath made him poor. Sleep perchance hath held him slumbering on the earth, and lying on the hard ground, poor and perchance a beggar; in sleep he hath seen himself to lie on an ivory or golden bed, and on feathers heaped up; so long as he is sleeping, he is sleeping well, waking he hath found himself on the hard ground, whereon sleep had taken him. Such men also are these too: they have come into this life, and through temporal desires, they have as it were slumbered here; and them riches, and vain pomps that fly away, have taken, and they have passed away: they have not understood how much of good might be done therewith. For if they had known of another life, there they would have laid up unto themselves the treasure which here was doomed to perish: like as Zacchaeus, the chief of the Publicans, saw that good [3457] when he received the Lord Jesus in his house, and he saith, "The half of my goods I give to the poor, and if to any man I have done any wrong, fourfold I restore." [3458] This man was not in the emptiness of men dreaming, but in the faith of men awake....

7. "By Thy chiding, O God of Jacob, there have slept all men that have mounted horses" (ver. 6). Who are they that have mounted horses? They that would not be humble. To sit on horseback is no sin; but it is a sin to lift up the neck of power against God, and to deem one's self to be in some distinction. Because thou art rich, thou hast mounted; God doth chide, and thou sleepest. Great is the anger of Him chiding, great the anger. Let your Love observe the terrible thing. Chiding hath noise, the noise is wont to make men wake. So great is the force of God chiding, that he said, "By Thy chiding, O God of Jacob, there have slept all men that have mounted horses." Behold what a sleep that Pharaoh slept who mounted horses. For he was not awake in heart, because against chiding he had his heart hardened. [3459] For hardness of heart is slumber. I ask you, my brethren, how they sleep, who, while the Gospel is sounding, and the Amen, and the Hallelujah, throughout the whole world, yet will not condemn their old life, and wake up unto a new life. There was the Scripture of God in Judaea only, now throughout the whole world it is sung. In that one nation one God who made all things was spoken of, as to be adored and worshipped; now where is He unsaid? Christ hath risen again, though derided on the Cross; that very Cross whereon He was derided, He hath now imprinted on the brows of kings: and men yet sleep....

8. "Thou art terrible, and who shall withstand Thee at that time by Thine anger?" (ver. 7). Now they sleep, and perceive not Thee angry; but for cause that they should sleep, He was angry. Now that which sleeping they perceived not, at the end they shall perceive. For there shall appear the Judge of quick and dead. "And who shall withstand Thee at that time by Thine anger?" For now they speak that which they will, and they dispute against God and say, who are the Christians? or who is Christ? or what fools are they that believe that which they see not, and relinquish the pleasures which they see, and follow the faith of things which are not displayed to their eyes! Ye sleep and snore, [3460] ye speak against God, as much as ye are able. "How long shall sinners, O Lord, how long shall sinners glory, they answer and will speak iniquity?" [3461] But when doth no one answer and no one speak, except when he turneth himself [3462] against himself?...

9. "From Heaven Thou hast hurled judgment: the earth hath trembled, and hath rested" (ver. 8). She which now doth trouble herself, she which now speaketh, hath to fear at the end and to rest. Better had she now rested, that at the end she might have rejoiced. Rested? When? "When God arose unto judgment, that He might save all the meek in heart" (ver. 9). Who are the meek in heart? They that on snorting horses have not mounted, but in their humility have confessed their own sins. "For the thought of a man shall confess to Thee, and the remnants of the thought shall celebrate solemnities to Thee" (ver. 10). The first is the thought, the latter are the remnants of the thought. What is the first thought? That from whence we begin, that good thought whence thou wilt begin to confess. Confession uniteth us to Christ. But now the confession itself, that is, the first thought, doth produce in us the remnants of the thought: and those very "remnants of thought shall celebrate solemnities to Thee." What is the thought which shall confess? That which condemneth the former life, that whereunto that which it was is displeasing, in order that it may be that which it was not, is itself the first thought. But because thus thou oughtest to withdraw from sins, with the first thought after having confessed to God, that it may not escape thy memory that thou hast been a sinner; in that thou hast been a sinner, thou dost celebrate solemnities to God. Furthermore it is to be understood as followeth. The first thought hath confession, and departure from the old life. But if thou shalt have forgotten from what sins thou hast been delivered, thou dost not render thanks to the Deliverer, and dost not celebrate solemnities to thy God. Behold the first confessing thought of Saul the Apostle, now Paul, who at first was Saul, when he heard a voice from Heaven!...He put forth the first thought of obedience: when he heard, "I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest," "O Lord," he saith, "what dost Thou bid me to do?" [3463] This is a thought confessing: now he is calling upon the Lord, whom he persecuted. In what manner the remnants of the thought shall celebrate solemnities, in the case of Paul ye have heard, when the Apostle himself was being read: "Be thou mindful that Christ Jesus hath risen from the dead, of the seed of David, after my Gospel." [3464] What is, be thou mindful? Though effaced from thy memory be the thought, whereby at first thou hast confessed: be the remnant of the thought in the memory....

10. Even once was Christ sacrificed for [3465] us, when we believed; then was thought; but now there are the remnants of thought, when we remember Who hath come to us, and what He hath forgiven us; by means of those very remnants of thought, that is, by means of the memory herself, He is daily so sacrificed for us, [3466] as if He were daily renewing us, that hath renewed us by His first grace. For now the Lord hath renewed us in Baptism, and we have become new men, in hope indeed rejoicing, in order that in tribulation we may be patient: [3467] nevertheless, there ought not to escape from our memory that which hath been bestowed upon us. And if now thy thought is not what it was,--for the first thought was to depart from sin: but now thou dost not depart, but at that time didst depart,--be there remnants of thought, lest He who hath made whole escape from memory....

11. "Vow ye, and pay to the Lord our God" (ver. 11). Let each man vow what he is able, and pay it. Do not vow and not pay: but let every man vow, and pay what he can. Be ye not slow to vow: for ye will accomplish the vows by powers not your own. Ye will fail, if on yourselves ye rely: but if on Him to whom ye vow ye rely, ye will be safe to pay. "Vow ye, and pay to the Lord our God." What ought we all in common to vow? To believe in Him, to hope from Him for life eternal, to live godly according to a measure common to all. For there is a certain measure common to all men. To commit no theft is not a thing enjoined merely upon one devoted to continence, [3468] and not enjoined upon the married woman: to commit no adultery is enjoined upon all men: not to love wine-bibbing, whereby the soul is swallowed up, and doth corrupt in herself the Temple of God, is enjoined to all alike: not to be proud, is enjoined to all men alike: not to slay man, not to hate a brother, not to lay a plot to destroy any one, is enjoined to all in common. The whole of this we all ought to vow. There are also vows proper for individuals: one voweth to God conjugal chastity, that he will know no other woman besides his wife: [3469] so also the woman, that she will know no other man besides her husband. Other men also vow, even though they have used such a marriage, that beyond this they will have no such thing, that they will neither desire nor admit the like: and these men have vowed a greater vow than the former. Others vow even virginity from the beginning of life, that they will even know no such thing as those who having experienced have relinquished: and these men have vowed the greatest vow. Others vow that their house shall be a place of entertainment for all the Saints that may come: a great vow they vow. Another voweth to relinquish all his goods to be distributed to the poor, and go into a community, into a society of the Saints: a great vow he doth vow. "Vow ye, and pay to the Lord our God." Let each one vow what he shall have willed to vow; let him give heed to this, that he pay what he hath vowed. If any man doth look back with regard to what he hath vowed to God, it is an evil. Some woman or other devoted to continence hath willed to marry: what hath she willed? The same as any virgin. What hath she willed? The same as her own mother. Hath she willed any evil thing? Evil certainly. Why? Because already she had vowed to the Lord her God. For what hath the apostle Paul said concerning such? Though he saith that young widows may marry if they will: [3470] nevertheless he saith in a certain passage, "but more blessed she will be, if so she shall have remained, after my judgment." [3471] He showeth that she is more blessed, if so she shall have remained; but nevertheless that she is not to be condemned, if she shall have willed to marry. But what saith he concerning certain who have vowed and have not paid? "Having," he saith, "judgment, because the first faith they have made void." [3472] What is, "the first faith they have made void"? They have vowed, and have not paid. Let no brother therefore, when placed in a monastery, say, I shall depart from the monastery: for neither are they only that are in a monastery to attain unto the kingdom of Heaven, nor do those that are not there not belong unto God. We answer him, but they have not vowed; thou hast vowed, thou hast looked back. When the Lord was threatening them with the day of judgment, He saith what? "Remember Lot's wife." [3473] To all men He spake. For what did Lot's wife? She was delivered from Sodom, and being in the way she looked back. In the place where she looked back, there she remained. For she became a statue of salt, [3474] in order that by considering her men might be seasoned, might have sense, might not be infatuated, might not look back, lest by giving a bad example they should themselves remain and season others. For even now we are saying this to certain of our brethren, whom perchance we may have seen as it were weak in the good they have purposed. And wilt thou be such an one as he was? We put before them certain who have looked back. They are savourless [3475] in themselves, but they season others, inasmuch as they are mentioned, in order that fearing their example they may not look back. "Vow ye, and pay." For that wife of Lot to all doth belong. A married woman hath had the will to commit adultery; from her place whither she had arrived she looked back. A widow who had vowed so to remain hath willed to marry, she hath willed the thing which was lawful to her who hath married, but to herself was not lawful, because from her place she hath looked back. There is a virgin devoted to continence, already dedicated to God; let her have [3476] also the other gifts which truly do adorn virginity itself, and without which that virginity is unclean. For what if she be uncorrupt in body and corrupt in mind? What is it that he hath said? What if no one hath touched the body, but if perchance she be drunken, be proud, be contentious, be talkative? All these things God doth condemn. If before she had vowed, she had married, she would not have been condemned: she hath chosen something better, hath overcome that which was lawful for her; she is proud, and doth commit so many things unlawful. This I say, it is lawful for her to marry before that she voweth, to be proud is never lawful. O thou virgin of God, thou hast willed not to marry, which is lawful: thou dost exalt thyself, which is not lawful. Better is a virgin humble, than a married woman humble: but better is a married woman humble, than a virgin proud. But she that looked back upon marriage is condemned, not because she hath willed to marry; but because she had already gone before, and is become the wife of Lot by looking back. Be ye not slow, that are able, whom God doth inspire to seize upon higher callings: for we do not say these things in order that ye may not vow, but in order that ye may vow and may pay. Now because we have treated of these matters, thou perchance wast willing to vow, and now art not willing to vow. But observe what the Psalm hath said to thee. It hath not said, "Vow not;" but, "Vow and pay." Because thou hast heard, "pay," wilt thou not vow? Therefore wast thou willing to vow, and not to pay? Nay, do both. One thing is done by thy profession, another thing will be perfected by the aid of God. Look to Him who doth guide thee, and thou wilt not look back to the place whence He is leading thee forth. He that guideth thee is walking before thee; the place from whence He is guiding thee is behind thee. Love Him guiding, and He doth not condemn thee looking back. [3477]

12. "All they that are in the circuit of Him shall offer gifts." Who are in the circuit of Him?...Whatever is common to all is in the midst. Why is it said to be in the midst? Because it is at the same distance from all, and at the same proximity to all. That which is not in the middle, is as it were private. That which is public is set in the middle, in order that all they that come may use the same, may be enlightened. Let no one say, it is mine: lest he should be wanting to make his own share of that which is in the midst for all. What then is, "All they that are in the circuit of Him shall offer gifts"? All they that understand truth to be common to all, and who do not make it as it were their own by being proud concerning it, they shall offer gifts; because they have humility: but they that make as it were their own that which is common to all, as though it were set in the middle, are endeavouring to lead men astray to a party, these shall not offer gifts...."To Him terrible." Let therefore all men fear that are in the circuit of Him. For therefore they shall fear, and with trembling they shall praise; because they are in the circuit of Him, to the end that all men may attain unto Him, and He may openly meet all, and openly enlighten all. This is, to stand in awe with others. [3478] When thou hast made him as it were thine own, and no longer common, thou art exalted unto pride; though it is written, "Serve ye the Lord in fear, and exult unto Him with trembling." [3479] Therefore they shall offer gifts, who are in the circuit of Him. For they are humble who know truth to be common to all.

13. To whom shall they offer gifts? "To Him terrible, and to Him that taketh away the spirit of princes" (ver. 12). For the spirits of princes are proud spirits. They then are not His Spirits; for if they know anything, their own they will it to be, not public; but, that which setteth Himself forth as equal toward all men, that setteth Himself in the midst, in order that all men may take as much as they can, whatever they can; not of what is any man's, but of what is God's, and therefore of their own because they have become His. Therefore they must needs be humble: they have lost their own spirit, and they have the Spirit of God....For if thou shalt have confessed thyself dust, God out of dust doth make [3480] man. All they that are in the circuit of Him do offer gifts. All humble men do confess to Him, and do adore Him. "To Him terrible they offer gifts." Whence to Him terrible exult ye with trembling: [3481] "and to Him that taketh away the spirit of princes:" that is, that taketh away the haughtiness of proud men. "To Him terrible among the kings of the earth." Terrible are the kings of the earth, but He is above all, that doth terrify the kings of the earth. Be thou a king of the earth, and God will be to thee terrible. How, wilt thou say, shall I be a king of the earth? Rule the earth, and thou wilt be a king of the earth. Do not therefore with desire of empire set before thine eyes exceeding wide provinces, where thou mayest spread abroad thy kingdoms; rule thou the earth which thou bearest. Hear the Apostle ruling the earth: "I do not so fight as if beating air, but I chasten my body, and bring it into captivity, lest perchance preaching to other men, I myself become a reprobate." [3482] ...

[A closing exhoration-prayer by Augustine] Turn we to the Lord God, the Father Almighty, and with pure hearts offer to him, so far as our meanness can, great and true thanks, with all our hearts praying his exceeding kindness, that of his good pleasure he would deign to hear our prayers, that by his Power he would drive out the enemy from our deeds and thoughts, that he would increase our faith, guide our understandings, give us spiritual thoughts, and lead us to his bliss, through Jesus Christ his Son our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with him, in the Unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Cyberbrethren » Commemoration of St. Augustine, Doctor of the Church

Cyberbrethren » Commemoration of St. Augustine, Doctor of the Church

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An excellent summary of St. Augustine's life by Dr. McCain of the Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod, one of America's finest Confessional constituencies. It is accurate to say that these Catholic Christians are Augustinian.