Expositions on the Book of Psalms (continued)
THE WORKS OF ST. AUGUSTIN, [Psatm CXIX.
"The law entered that sin might abound." But since all sins are remitted through grace, not only those which are committed without the law, but those also which are committed in the law ; he addeth, " But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound." ! . . . But, indeed, when the Apostle said, "As many as have sinned without law, shall perish without law," he was speaking of that law which God gave to His people Israel through Moses His servant... . For some even Catholic expositors, from a want of sufficient heedfulness, have pronounced contrary to the truth, that those who have sinned without the law perish ; and that those who have sinned}. . in the law, are only judged, and do not perish, as if they should be considered destined to be cleansed by means of transitory punishments, as he of whom it is said, "he himself shall be saved, yet so as by fire."?. .. The Psalmist also hath subjoined: "Therefore I loved Thy testimonies." 3 As if he should say: Since the law, whether given in paradise, or implanted by nature, or promulgated in writing, hath made all the sinners of the earth transgressors ; " Therefore I loved Thy testimonies," which are in Thy law, of Thy grace; so that not my but Thy righteousness is in me. For the law profiteth unto this end, that it send us forward unto grace. For not only because it testifieth towards the manifestation of the righteousness of God, which is without the law; but also in this very point that it rendereth men transgressors, so that the letter even slayeth, it driveth us to fly unto the quickening Spirit, through whom the whole of our sins may be blotted out, and the love of righteous deeds be inspired.* pray God to crucify his flesh in His fear? Did he wish so much additional fear imparted to him as would suffice for crucifying his flesh, that is, his carnal lusts and affections ; as though he should say, Perfect in me the fear of Thee; for I have feared Thy judgments? But-there is here even a higher sense, which must, as far as God alloweth, be derived from searching the recesses of this Scripture : that is, in the chaste fear of Thee, which abideth from age to age, let my carnal desires be quenched ;5 "For I have feared Thy judgments,"' when the law, which could not give me righteousness, threatened me punishment.
. For the inclination to sin liveth, and it then appeareth in deed, when impunity may be hoped for. But when punishment is considered sure to follow, it liveth latently: nevertheless it liveth. For it would rather it were lawful to sin, and it grieveth that what the law forbiddeth, is not lawful ; because it is not spiritually delighted with the blessing of the law, but carnally feareth the evil which it threateneth.° But that love, which casteth out this fear, feareth with a chaste fear to sin, although no punishment follow ; because it doth not even judge that impunity will follow, since from love of righteousness it considereth the very sin itself a punishment. With such a fear the flesh is crucified ; since carnal delights, which are forbidden rather than avoided by the letter of the law, are overcome by the delight in spiritual blessings, and also when the victory is perfected are destroyed.
Ain.
11g. "I have dealt judgment and righteousness ; O give me not over unto mine oppressors ''7
118. The grace of God, then, "being known, which alone freeth from transgression, which is committed through knowledge of the law, he saith, in prayer, " Fix with nails my flesh in Thy fear" (ver. 120). For this some Latin interpreters have literally rendered the Greek xa67Awooy, which that language has expressed in one word. Some have preferred to render by the word conjige, without adding céavis ; and while they thus desire to construe one Latin by one Greek word, have failed to express the full meaning of the Greek xa@jAwsov, because in conjige nails are not mentioned, but xa6yAwoov cannot be taken but of nails, nor can " fix with nails" be expressed without using two words in Latin.
(ver. 121). It is not wonderful that he should have dealt judgment and righteousness, since he had above prayed for a chaste fear from God, whereby to fix with nails his flesh, that is, his carnal lusts, which are wont to hinder our judgment from being right. But although in our customary speech judgment is either right or wrong, whence it is said unto men in the Gospel, " Judge not according to the persons, but judge righteous judgment :''*® nevertheless in this passage judgment is used as though, if it were not righteous, it ought not to be called judgment ; otherwise it would not be enough to say, "I have dealt judgment," but it would be said, I have dealt righteous judgment... .
Hath he added, "For I have feared Thy judgments >? What meaneth, " Fix me in Thy fear: for I have feared"? If he had already feared, or if he was now fearing, why did he still
4 Ps. xix. 9Hence " attrition" is not sufficient to obtain remission. — C.] The author says: "'For some copies read, to them that wea me: the Greek words Tots avtidixodar being variously interpreted by the Latin xocentibus, perseguentibus, and calumniantibus. I wonder, however, that I have never met with the version adversantibus in any of the copies which I have read, since there is no doubt that the Greek avridixos is the same as the Latin adversartus. While he prays therefore that he may not be given up to his adversaries by the Lesa, what doth he Peay: ue what we pray, when we say, ' Lead us not into temptation '?'' —C.] 8 John vii. 24.
t Rom, v. 20. 2 [A fundamental objection to the doctrine of purgatory. —C.] 3 Hthe author adds: '' Some copies read ' always,' somé do not. If it be correct, it must be understood to mean, during our present life on earth."