Expositions on the Book of Psalms
THE WORKS OF ST. AUGUSTIN. [PsaLm LI.
another. With grief indeed we speak, and with trembling ; but yet God would not have to be hushed what He hath willed to be written. I will say then not what I will, but what I am obliged ; I will say not as one exhorting to imitation, but as one instructing you to fear. Captivated with this woman's beauty, the wife of another, the king and prophet David, from whose seed according to the flesh the Lord was to come,! committed adultery with her. This thing in this Psalm is not read, but in the title thereof it appeareth ; but in the book of Kings? it is more fully read. Both Scriptures are canonical, to both without any doubt by Christians credit must be given. The sin was committed, and was written down. Moreover her husband in war he caused to be killed: and after this deed there was sent to him Nathan the prophet ;3 sent by the Lord, to reprove him for so great an outrage.
weakness : and desiring to avoid what God condemneth, from caréless looking do restrain their eyes, 60 hem they fix not upon the beauty of another's flesh, nor make themselves careless with perverse simpleness ; they say not, " With good intent I have observed, of kindness I have observed, of charity I have long looked." For they set before themselves the fall of David, and they see that this great man for this purpose hath fallen, in order that little men may not be willing to look on that whereby they may fall. For they restrain their eyes from wantonness, not readily do they join themselves in company, they do not mingle with strange women, they raise not complying eyes to strange balconies, to strange terraces. For from afar David saw her with whom he was captivated. Woman afar, lust near. What he saw was elsewhere, in himself that whereby he fell. This weakness of the flesh must be therefore minded, the words of the Apostle recollected, " Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body." ° He hath not said, let there not be ; but, 'let there not reign." 'There is sin in thee, when thou takest pleasure ; there reigneth, if thou shalt have consented. Carnal pleasure, especially if proceeding unto unlawful and strange objects, is to be bridled, not let loose: by government to be tamed, not to be set up for government. Look and be without care, if thou hast nothing whereby thou mayest be moved. But thou makest answer, " I contain with strong resolution." Art thou any wise stronger than David ?7
3. What men should beware of, we have said ; but what if they shall have fallen they should imitate, let us hear. For many men will to fall with David, and will not to rise with David. Not then for falling is the example set forth, but if thou shalt have fallen for rising again. Take heed lest thou fall. Not the delight of the younger be the lapse of the elder, but be the fall of the elder the dread of the younger. For this it was set forth, for this was written, for this in the Church often read and chanted: let them hear that have not fallen, lest they fall; let them hear that have fallen, that they may rise. So great a man's sin is not hushed, is proclaimed in the Church. 'There men hear that are ill hearers, and seek for themselves countenance for sinning : they look out for means whereby they may defend what they have made ready to commit, not how they may beware of what they have not committed, and they say to themselves, If David, why notI too? Thence that soul is more unrighteous, which, forasmuch as it hath done it because David did, therefore hath done worse than David. I will say this very thing, if I shall be able, more plainly. David had set forth to himself none for a precedent as thou hast: he had fallen by lapse of concupiscence, not by the countenance of holiness: thou dost set before thine eyes as it were a holy man, in order that thou mayest sin: thou dost not copy his holiness, but dost copy his fall. Thou ¢ dost. love that in David, which in himself David hated: thou makest thee ready to sin, thou inclinest to sin: in order that thou mayest sin thou consultest the book of God: the Scriptures of God for this thou hearest, that thou mayest do what displeaseth God. This did not David ; he was reproved by a Prophet, he stumbled not over a Prophet. But others hearing to their health, a the fall of a strong man measure their
4. He admonisheth, moreover, by such an example, that no one ought to lift himself up in prosperous circumstances. For many fear adverse Circumstances, fear not prosperous circumstances. Prosperity is more perilous to soul than adversity to body. First, prosperity doth corrupt, in order that adversity may find something to break. My brethren, stricter watch must be kept against felicity. Wherefore, see ye after what manner the saying of God amid our own felicity doth take from us security: "Serve ye," He saith, "the Lord in fear, and exult unto Him with trembling.'"'® In exultation, in order that we may render thanks; in trembling, lest we fall, This sin did not David, when he was suffering Saul for persecutor.2 When holy David was suffering Saul his enemy, when he was being vexed by his persecutions, when he was fleeing through divers places, in order that he might not fall into his hands, he lusted not for her that was another's, he slew not husband after committing adultery with wife. He was in the infirmity of his tribulation so much the more intimate with God as
5 2 Sam. xi. 2. © Rom. vi. 12. 7 [Compare the author's Conzfesszons, vol. i. of this series, pp. 126, 153, 154, and book viii. Aasszm. — C. Ps. ii, 11. 9 x Sam. xxiv. 5, xxvi. 9.
1 Rom 2 2 Sam. xi. 2-1 2 Sam. xii. 1. 4 Al * Lave this in David which in himself David hated not.'