20. 1 Cor. X. 4.
POLITICAL WRITINGS 341 when little, but God hath given us when grown up knowledge of ourselves, that we should not follow the errors of our parents. And this was foretold by the Prophet, The nations shall come to thee from the ends of the earth, and shall say, Surely our fathers have inherited lies, vanity which hath not profited them.^^ So speak they, now grown up, who when little were slain by following these vanities, and then coming to life again increase in union with God, and repay Babylon. How shall they repay her? As she hath served us. Let her little ones be choked in turn: yea let her little ones in turn be dashed, and die. What are the little ones of Babylon? Evil desires at their birth. For there are, who have to fight with inveterate lusts. When lust is born, before evil habit giveth it strength against thee, when lust is little, by no means let it gain the strength of evil habit; when it is little, dash it. But thou fearest, lest though dashed it die not; Dash it against the Rock; and that Rock is Christ.^^
Brethren, let not your instruments of music rest in your work: sing one to another songs of
Sion. Readily have ye heard; the more readily do what ye have heard, if ye wish not to be willows of Babylon fed by its streams, and bringing no fruit. But sigh for the everlasting Jerusalem: whither your hope goeth before, let your life follow; there we shall be with Christ. Christ now is our Head; now He ruleth us from above; in that city He will fold us to Himself; we shall be equal to the Angels of God. We should not dare to imagine this of ourselves, did not the Truth promise it. This then desire, brethren, this day and night
19. Jer. xvi. 19. 20. 1 Cor. X. 4.
342 ST. AUGUSTINE think on. Howsoever the world shine happily on you, presume not, parley not willingly with your lusts. Is it a grown up enemy? let it be slain upon the Rock. Is it a little enemy? let it be dashed against the Rock. Slay the grown up ones on the Rock, and dash the little ones against the Rock.
Let the Rock conquer. Be built upon the Rock, if ye desire not to be swept away either by the stream, or the winds, or the rain. If ye wish to be armed against temptations in this world, let longing for the everlasting Jerusalem grow and be strengthened in your hearts. Your captivity will pass away, your happiness will come; the last enemy shall be destroyed, and we shall triumph with our King, without death.