Expositions on the Book of Psalms
680 THE WORKS OF ST. AUGUSTIN. [Psatm CXLIX.
Lord. Lastly, we can understand these " hands" in another way also. For they who spake had the word of God in their tongues, they who wrote, in their hands.
ters and chains of iron? Ye know, beloved and learned brethren (learned I call you, for ye have been nourished in the Church, and are accustomed to hear God's Word read) ,3 that "God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the strong, and the foolish things of the world hath God chosen to confound the wise, and things which are not, just as things which are, that the things which are may be brought to nought."'4 . . . It is said by the Lord, "If thou wilt be perfect, go sell all that thou hast, and give to the poor, and come, follow Me, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven." 5 Many of the nobles did this, but they ceased to be nobles of the Gentiles, they chose rather to be poor in this world, noble in Christ. But many retain their former nobility, retain their royal powers, and yet are Christians. These are, as it were, 'in fetters and in bonds of iron." How so? they received fetters, to keep them from going to things unlawful, the "fetters of wisdom,''° the fetters of the Word of God. Wherefore then are they bonds of iron and not bonds of gold? , They are iron so long as they fear: let them love, and they shall be golden. Observe, beloved, what I say. Ye have heard just now the Apostle John, "There is no fear in love, but perfect love casteth out fear, because fear hath torment." 7 This is the bond of iron. And yet unless a man begin through fear to worship God, he will not attain to love. "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." ® The beginning then is bonds of iron, the end a collar of gold. For it is said of wisdom, "a collar of gold around thy neck.' 9
9. Now, brethren, ye see the saints armed:. observe the slaughter, observe their glorious battles. For if there be a commander, there must be soldiers; if soldiers, an enemy; if a warfare, a victory. What have these done who had in their hands swords sharpened on both sides? 'To do vengeance on the nations." See whether vengeance have not been done on the nations. Daily is it done: we do it ourselves by speaking. Observe how the nations of Babylon are slain. She is repaid twofold: for so is it written of her, "repay her double for what she hath done."? How is she repaid double? The saints wage war, they draw their "swords twice sharpened ;" thence come defeats, slaughters, severances : how is she repaid double ? When she had power to persecute the Christians, she slew the flesh indeed, but she crushed not God: now she is repaid double, for the Pagans are extinguished and the idols are broken... . And lest thou shouldest think that men are really smitten with the sword, blood really shed, wounds made in the flesh, he goeth on and explaineth, " upbraidings among the peoples." What is "upbraidings'"? Reproof. Let the "sword twice sharpened" go forth from you, delay not. Say to thy friend, if yet thou hast one? left to whom to say it, '' What kind of man art thou, who hast abandoned Him by whom thou wast made, and worshippest what He made? Better is the Workman, than that which He worketh." When he beginneth to blush, when he beginneth to feel compunction, thou hast made a wound with thy sword, it hath reached the heart, he is about to die, that he may live.
. . . There cometh to us a man powerful in this world, his wife offendeth him, and perhaps he hath desired another man's wife who is more beautiful, or another woman who is richer, he wisheth to put away the one he hath, yet he doeth it not. He heareth the words of the servant of God, he heareth the Prophet, he heareth the Apostle, and he doeth it not; he is told by one in whose hands is a "sword twice sharpened," 'Thou shalt not do it: it is not lawful for thee: God alloweth thee not to put away thy wife, '"'save for the cause of fornication." © He heareth this, he feareth, and doeth it not... . Listen, young men; the bonds are of iron, seek not to set your feet within them ; if ye do, ye shall be bound more tightly with fetters. Such fetters the hands of the Bishop make strong for you. Do not men who are thus fettered fly to the Church, and are here loosed? Men do fly hither, desiring to be rid of their wives: here they are more tightly bound: no man looseth these fetters. " What God joined together, let not man put asunder.''"* But these bonds are ro. " That they may bind their kings in fetters, and their nobles in bonds of iron" (ver. 8). "To execute upon them the judgment written"
(ver.g). The kings of the Gentiles are to be bound in fetters, "and their nobles in fetters," and that "of iron.". . . For these verses which we are beginning to explain are obscure. For for this purpose God willed to set down some of His verses obscurely, not that anything new should be dug out of them, but that what was already well known, might be made new by being obscurely set forth. We know that kings have been made Christians ; we know that the nobles of the Gentiles have been made Christians. They are being made so at this day; they have been, they shall be; the "swords twice sharpened " are not idle in the hands of the saints. How then do we understand their being bound in fet-
3 | Noteworthy. — C. } 6 beens vi. 25. 9 Ecclus. vi. 24.
4 1 Cor. i, 26, etc. 5 Matt. xix. 21, 7 oes iv. 18, S$. Cxi. TO, 10 Matt. v. 32. 11 Matt, xix. 6.
t Rev. xviii. 6. 2 [z.e., a heathen one. — C,]