Expositions on the Book of Psalms (continued)
THE. WORKS OF «ST? AUGUSTIN. [PsaALM X.
evil arts I acquire so lofty a principality, that posterity cannot be silent concerning it. Fora mind abandoned and void of good arts, and estranged from the light of righteousness, by bad arts devises a passage for itself to a fame so lasting, as is celebrated even in posterity. And they that cannot be known for good, desire that men should speak of them even for ill, provided that their name spread far and wide. And this I think is here meant, ''I shall not move from generation to generation without evil." 'There is too another interpretation, if a mind vain and full of error supposes that it cannot come from the mortal generation to the generation of eternity, but by bad arts: which indeed was also reported of Simon, when he thought that he would gain heaven by wicked arts, and pass from the Iuman generation to the generation divine by magic.* Where then is the wonder, if that man of sin too, who is to fill up all the wickedness and ungodliness, which all false prophets have begun, and to do such " great signs ; that, if it were possible, he should deceive the very elect,"' 5 shall say in his heart, "I shall not move from generation to generation without evil "'?
"For the sinner is praised," saith he, "in the desires of his soul" (ver. 3). The tongues of flatterers bind souls in sin. For there is pleasure in doing those things, in which not only is no reprover feared, but even an approver heard.
" And he that does unrighteous deeds is blessed." Hence "are they taken in their thoughts, which they think."
2. "The sinner hath angered the Lord" (ver. 4). Let no one congratulate the man that prospers in his way, to whose sins no avenger is nigh, and an approver is by. This is the greater anger of the Lord. For the sinner hath angered the Lord, that he should suffer these things, that is, should not suffer the scourging of correction. "The sinner hath angered the Lord: according to the multitude of His anger He will not search it out." Great is His anger, when He searcheth not out, when He as it were forgetteth and marketh not sin, and by fraud and wickedness man attains to riches and honours: which will especially be the case in that Antichrist, who will seem to man blessed to that degree, that he will even be thought God.! But how great this anger of God is, we are taught by what follows.
5. " Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness and deceit"' (ver. 7). For it isa great curse to seek heaven by such abominable arts, and to get together such earnings for acquiring the eternal seat. But of this cursing his mouth is
3. "God is not in his sight, his ways are polluted in all time" (ver. 5). He that knows what in the soul gives joy and gladness, knows how great an ill it is to be abandoned by the light of truth: since a great ill do men reckon the blindness of their bodily eyes, whereby this light is withdrawn. How great then the punishment he endures, who through the prosperous issue of his sins is brought to that pass, that God is not in his sight, and that his ways are polluted in all time, that is, his thoughts and counsels are unclean! ' Thy judgments are taken away from his face." For the mind conscious of evil, whilst it seems to itself to suffer no punishment, believes that God doth not judge, and so are God's judgments taken away from its face; while this very thing is great condemnation. " And he shall have dominion over all his enemies.' For so is it delivered, that he will overcome all kings, and alone obtain the kingdom ; since too according to the Apostle, who preaches concerning him, "He shall sit in the temple of God, exalting himself above all that is worshipped and that is called God." ?
full. For this desire shall not take effect, but within his mouth only will avail to destroy him, who dared promise himself such things with bitterness and deceit, that is, with anger and insidiousness, whereby he is to bring over the multitude to his side. ' Under his tongue is toil and grief." Nothing is more toilsome than unrighteousness and ungodliness: upon which toil follows grief; for that the toil is not only without fruit, but even unto destruction. Which toil and grief refer to that which he hath said in his heart, "I shall not be moved from generation to generation without evil." And therefore, " under his tongue," not on his tongue, because he will devise these things in silence, and to men will speak other things, that he may appear good and just, and a son of God.
6. " He lieth in ambush with the rich"? (ver. 8). What rich, but those whom he will load with this world's gifts? Amd he is therefore said to lie in ambush with them, because he will display their false happiness to deceive men ; who, when with a perverted will they desire to be such as they, and seek not the good things eternal, will fall into his snares. 'That in the dark he may -kill the. innocent.',:;"4In, the -dark,7\° I suppose, is said, where it is not easily understood what should be sought, or what avoided.
4. And seeing that being delivered over to the lust of his own heart, and predestinated to extreme3 condemnation, he is to come, by wicked arts, to that vain and empty height and rule ; therefore it follows, " For he hath said in his heart, I shall not move from generation to generation without evil" (ver. 6): that is, my fame and my name will not pass from this generation to the generation of posterity, unless by t (Compare Hippolytus, A. N. F. vol. v. pp. 205-219. — C.] 2 2 Thess. ii. 4. 3 Ultime.
4 Acts viii. 9. 5 Matt. xxiv. 24. 6 Ln occultis.