or to circumcision of the heart; an indication, perhaps, that he really was getting old? There are
66 SAINT AUGUSTINE - SERMONS
I will confirm for them a new covenant, not like the covenant which I gave to their fathers, when I brought them out of the land of Egypt (Jer 31:31-32), when the law of commandments was given, when the people were led through the desert. It's not like that that I will give the new covenant. So don't go on wearing the old tunic; that was what crucified Christ. Your father crucified him, you hate him. He by his own hand, you in your heart, both of you have carried out the crime. Therefore be displeased with what your father did, and listen to what your Lord has done.
Let Christ start growing in your hearts
3. Let these few words be enough for you, considering the solemnity and the shortness of the day. These, after all, are the year's shortest days in which Christ was bom, but in which the days begin to grow longer. Let Christ, therefore, start growing in your hearts. Make progress and have faith, so that you may attain to eternal life.
NOTES
1. Pierre Verbraken, who edited the sermon, suggests no date or place. Hippo Regius again seems to me to be the obvious place. The sermon is directed largely to the Jews, and is a reflection mainly on the circumcision of Christ. From this I infer that it was preached on 1 January. But it makes no reference whatever to the pagan revels held on that day—which would be surprising if they were still attracting considerable numbers of Christians. So I conclude that the line Augustine took in Sermons 196 and 198 and others had had its effect. So this sermon would be later than all those, perhaps even after 425. The editor gives it no title, there being none, presumably, in the manuscripts.
2. This could be just a reference to the sign of the cross; or more specifically to some ceremony, no doubt including the sign of the cross, by which the faithful rededicated themselves to Christ on New Year's Day; the forerunner of our New Year's resolutions.
3. See Lk 2:21-24. Augustine seems to assume that the presentation of Jesus in the temple coincided with his circumcision, instead of taking place thirty-three days later, according to the prescription of Lv 12:2-4.
4. See Gn 17:12.
5. An exceedingly abrupt transition, since he hasn't yet referred at all either to the resurrection or to circumcision of the heart; an indication, perhaps, that he really was getting old? There are others. The argumentation is really very disjointed and inconsequential.
6. By truth he probably means the thing signified by the sign. But he may also mean that cir¬ cumcision is a real sign for Christians who understand the truth of Christ, and a meaningless sign for Jews who don't.
7. Just possibly true, if he were buried after sunset on the Friday; but I think the old preacher is just being careless.
8. These questions are all directed at the Jew, who would surely have found them quite baffling. The implication probably underlying them is that by refusing to be "circumcised by Christ" he was rejecting the meaning of the circumcision commanded by the law.