Augustine of Hippo

"Voluntarily I will sacrifice to You" [Psalm 54:6]. Who can even understand this good thing of the heart, at another's speaking thereof, unless in himself he has tasted it? What is, "Voluntarily I will sacrifice to You"?... For what sacrifice here shall I take, brethren? Or what worthily shall I offer to the Lord for His mercy? Victims shall I seek from flock of sheep, ram shall I select, for any bull in the herds shall I look out, frankincense indeed from the land of the Sabæans shall I bring? What shall I do? What offer; except that whereof He speaks, "Sacrifice of praise shall honour Me"? Wherefore then "voluntarily"? Because truly I love that which I praise. I praise God, and in the self-same praise I rejoice: in the praise of Himself I rejoice, at whom being praised, I blush not. For He is not praised in the same manner as by those who love the theatrical follies is praised either by a charioteer, or a hunter, or actor of any kind, and by their praisers, other praisers are invited, are exhorted, to shout together: and when all have shouted, ofttimes, if their favourite is overcome, they are all put to the blush. Not so is our God: be He praised with the will, loved with charity: let it be gratuitous (or voluntary) that He is loved and that He is praised. What is "gratuitous"? Himself for the sake of Himself, not for the sake of something else. For if you praise God in order that He may give you something else, no longer freely do you love God. You would blush, if your wife for the sake of riches were to love you, and perchance if poverty should befall you, should begin to think of adultery. Seeing that therefore you would be loved by your partner freely, will you for anything else love God? What reward are you to receive of God, O covetous man? Not earth for you, but Himself He keeps, who made heaven and earth. "Voluntarily I will sacrifice to You:" do it not of necessity. For if for the sake of anything else you praise God, out of necessity you praise. These things also which He has given, because of the Giver are good things. For He gives entirely, He gives these temporal things: and to certain men to their good, to certain men to their harm, after the height and depth of His judgments...."Voluntarily I will sacrifice to You." Wherefore "voluntarily"? Because gratis. What is gratis? "And I will confess to Your name, O Lord, for it is a good thing:" for nothing else, but because a "good thing" it is. Does he say, "I will confess to Your name, O Lord," because You give me fruitful manors, because You give me gold and silver, because You give me extended riches, abundant money, most exalted dignity? Nay. But what? "For it is a good thing." Nothing I find better than Your name.

"For out of all tribulation You have delivered me" [Psalm 54:7]. For this cause I have perceived how good a thing is Your name: for if this I were able before tribulations to acknowledge, perchance for me there had been no need of them. But tribulation has been applied for admonition, admonition has redounded to Your praise. For I should not have understood where I was, except of my weakness I had been admonished. "Out of all tribulations," therefore, "You have delivered me. And upon mine enemies my eye has looked back:" upon those Ziphites "my eye has looked back." Yea, their flower I have passed over in loftiness of heart, unto You I have come, and thence I have looked back upon them, and have seen that "All flesh is grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass:" [Isaiah 40:6] as in a certain place is also said, "I have seen the ungodly man to be exalted and raised up like the cedars of Lebanon: I passed by, and, lo! He was not." Wherefore "he was not"? Because you have passed by. What is, "because you have passed by"? Because not to no purpose have you heard "Lift up your heart;" because not on earth, where you would have rotted, you have remained; because you have lifted your soul to God, and you have mounted beyond the cedars of Lebanon, and from that elevation hast observed: and "Lo! He was not;" and you have sought him, and there has not been found place for him. No longer is labour before you; because you have entered into the sanctuary of God, and hast understood for the last things. So also here thus he concludes. "And upon mine enemies my eye has looked back." This do ye therefore, brethren, with your souls; lift up your hearts, sharpen the edge of your mind, learn truly to love God, learn to despise the present world, learn voluntarily to sacrifice the offerings of praise; to the end that, mounting beyond the flower of the grass, you may look back upon your enemies.

"I have been made sad in my exercise, and have been troubled" [Psalm 55:2]. Where made sad, where troubled? "In my exercise," he says. Of evil men, whom he suffers, he has made mention, and the same suffering of evil men he has called his "exercise." Think ye not that without profit there are evil men in this world, and that no good God makes of them. Every evil man either on this account lives that he may be corrected, or on this account lives that through him a good man may be exercised. O that therefore they that do now exercise us would be converted, and together with us be exercised! Nevertheless, so long as they are such as to exercise, let us not hate them: because in that wherein any one of them is evil, whether unto the end he is to persevere, we know not; and ofttimes when to yourself you seem to have been hating an enemy, you have been hating a brother, and know not. The devil and his angels in the holy Scriptures have been manifested to us, that for fire everlasting they have been destined. Of them only must amendment be despaired of....Therefore since this rule of Love for you is fixed, that imitating the Father you should love an enemy: for, He says, "love your enemies:" [Luke 6:27] in this precept how would you be exercised, if you had no enemy to suffer? You see then that he profits you somewhat: and let God sparing evil men profit you, so that thou show mercy: because perchance thou too, if you are a good man, out of an evil man hast been made a good man: and if God spared not evil men, not even you would be found to return thanks. May He therefore spare others, that has spared you also. For it were not right, when you had passed through, to close up the way of godliness.

Whence then does this man pray, set among evil men, with whose enmities he was being exercised? Why says he, "I have been made sad in my exercise, and have been troubled"? While he is extending his love so as to love enemies, he has been affected with disgust, being bayed at all around by the enmities of many men, by the frenzy of many and under a sort of human infirmity he has sunk. He has seen himself now begin to be pierced through with an evil suggestion of the devil, to bring on hatred against his enemies: wrestling against hatred in order to perfect love herself, in the very fight, and in the wrestling, he has been troubled. For there is his voice in another Psalm, "My eye has been troubled, because of anger." And what follows there? "I have waxen old among all mine enemies." As if in storm and waves he were beginning to sink, like Peter. [Matthew 14:30] For he does trample the waves of this world, that loves enemies. Christ on the sea was walking fearless, from whose heart there could not by any means be taken away the love of an enemy, who hanging on the Cross did say, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." [Luke 23:34] Peter too would walk. He as Head, Peter as Body: because, "Upon this rock," He says, "I will build My Church." [Matthew 16:18] He was bidden to walk, and he was walking by the Grace of Him bidding, not by his own strength. But when he saw the wind mighty, he feared; and then he began to sink, being troubled in his exercise. By what mighty wind? "By the voice of the enemy, and by the tribulation of the sinner" [Psalm 55:3]. Therefore, in the same manner as he cried out on the waves, "Lord, I perish, save me," [Matthew 14:30] a similar voice from this man has preceded, "Hearken unto me." Wherefore? For what do you suffer? Of what do you groan? "I have been made sad in my exercise." To be exercised indeed among evil men You have set me, but too much they have risen up, beyond my powers: calm Thou one troubled, stretch forth a hand to one sinking. "For they have brought down upon me iniquity, and in anger they were shadowing me." You have heard of waves and winds: one as it were humbled they were insulting, and he was praying: on every side against him with the roar of insult they were raging, but he within was calling upon Him whom they did not see....

But this man being troubled and made sad was praying, his eye being disturbed as it were on account of anger. But the anger of a brother if it shall have been inveterate is then hatred. Anger does trouble the eye, hatred does quench it: anger is a straw, hatred is a beam. Sometimes you hate and chidest an angry man: in you is hatred, in him whom you chide anger: with reason to you is said, "Cast out first the beam from your own eye, and so you shall see to cast out the straw from your brother's eye." [Matthew 7:5] For that you may know how much difference there is between anger and hatred: day by day men are angry with their sons, show me them that hate their sons! This man being troubled was praying even when made sad, wrestling against all revilings of all revilers; not in order that he might conquer any one of them by giving back reviling, but that he might not hate any one of them. Hence he prays, hence asks: "From the voice of the enemy and from the tribulation of the sinner." "My heart has been troubled in me" [Psalm 55:4]. This is the same as elsewhere has been said, "My eye because of anger has been troubled." And if eye has been troubled, what follows? "And fear of death has fallen upon me." Our life is love: if life is love, death is hatred. When a man has begun to fear lest he should hate him that he was loving, it is death he is fearing; and a sharper death, and a more inward death, whereby soul is killed, not body. You minded a man raging against you; what was he to do, against whom your own Lord had given you security, saying, "Fear not them that kill the body"? [Matthew 10:28] He by raging kills body, thou by keeping hatred hast killed soul; and he the body of another, thou your own soul. "Fear," therefore, "of death has fallen upon me."

"Fearfulness and trembling have come upon me, and darkness has covered me" [Psalm 55:5]. "And I have said," "He that hates his brother, is in darkness until now." [1 John 2:9, 11] If love is light, hatred is darkness. And what says to himself one set in that weakness and troubled in that exercise? "Who shall give me wings as to a dove, and I shall fly and shall rest?" [Psalm 55:6]. Either for death he was wishing, or for solitude he was longing. So long, he says, as this is the work with me, as this command is given me, that I should love enemies, the revilings of these men, increasing and shadowing me, do derange my eye, perturb my sight, penetrate my heart, slay my soul. I could wish to depart, but weak I am, lest by abiding I should add sins to sins: or at least may I be separated for a little space from mankind, lest my wound suffer from frequent blows, in order that when it has been made whole it may be brought back to the exercise. This is what takes place, brethren, and there arises ofttimes in the mind of the servant of God a longing for solitude, for no other reason than because of the multitude of tribulations and scandals, and he says, "Who shall give me wings?" Does he find himself without wings, or rather with bound wings? If they are wanting, be they given; if bound, be they loosed; because even he that looses a bird's wings, either gives, or gives back to it its wings. For it had not as though its own them, wherewith it could not fly. Bound wings make a burden. "Who," he says, "shall give me wings as to a dove, and I shall fly and shall rest?" Shall rest, where? I have said there are two senses here: either, as says the Apostle, "To be dissolved and to be with Christ, for it is by far the best thing." [Philippians 1:23] ...Even he that amended cannot be, is yours, either by the fellowship of the human race, or ofttimes by Church Communion; he is within, what will you do? Whither wilt go? Whither separate yourself, in order that these things you may not suffer? But go to him, speak, exhort, coax, threaten, reprove. I have done all things, whatever powers I had I have expended and have drained, nothing I see have I prevailed; all my labour has been spent out, sorrow has remained. How then shall my heart rest from such men, except I say, "Who shall give me wings?" "As to a dove," however, not as to a raven. A dove seeks a flying away from troubles, but she loses not love. For a dove as a type of love is set forth, and in her the plaint is loved. Nothing is so fond of plaints as a dove: day and night she complains, as though she were set here where she ought to complain. What then says this lover? Revilings of men to bear I am unable, they roar, with frenzy are carried away, are inflamed with indignation, in anger they shadow me; to do good to them I am unable; O that I might rest somewhere, being separated from them in body, not in love; lest in me there should be troubled love itself: with my words and my speech no good can I do them, by praying for them perchance I shall do good. These words men say, but ofttimes they are so bound, that to fly they are not able. For perchance they are not bound with any birdlime, but are bound by duty. But if they are bound with care and duty, and to leave it are unable, let them say, "I was wishing to be dissolved and to be with Christ, for it is by far the best thing: to abide in the flesh is necessary because of you." [Philippians 1:23-24] A dove bound back by affection, not by cupidity, was not able to fly away because of duty to be fulfilled, not because of little merit. Nevertheless a longing in heart must needs be; nor does any man suffer this longing, but he that has begun to walk in that narrow way: [Matthew 7:14] in order that he may know that there are not wanting to the Church persecutions, even in this time, when a calm is seen in the Church, at least with respect to those persecutions which our Martyrs have suffered. But there are not wanting persecutions, because a true saying is this, "All that will godly to live in Christ, shall suffer persecution." [2 Timothy 3:12] ...

"I was looking for him that should save me from weakness of mind and tempest" [Psalm 55:8]. Sea there is, tempest there is: nothing for you remains but to cry out, "Lord, I perish." [Matthew 14:30] Let Him stretch forth hand, who does the waves tread fearlessly, let Him relieve your dread, let Him confirm in Himself your security, let Him speak to you within, and say to you, "Give heed to Me, what I have borne:" an evil brother perchance you are suffering, or an enemy without art suffering; which of these have I not suffered? There roared without Jews, within a disciple was betraying. There rages therefore tempest, but He does save men from weakness of mind, and tempest. Perchance your ship is being troubled, because He in you is sleeping. The sea was raging, the bark wherein the disciples were sailing was being tossed; but Christ was sleeping: at length it was seen by them that among them was sleeping the Ruler and Creator of winds; they drew near and awoke Christ; [Matthew 8:24-25] He commanded the winds, and there was a great calm. With reason then perchance your heart is troubled, because you have forgotten Him on whom you have believed: beyond endurance you are suffering, because it has not come into your mind what for you Christ has borne. If unto your mind comes not Christ, He sleeps: awake Christ, recall faith. For then in you Christ is sleeping, if you have forgotten the sufferings of Christ: then in you Christ is watching, if you have remembered the sufferings of Christ. But when with full heart you shall have considered what He has suffered, will not you too with equanimity endure? And perchance rejoicing, because you have been found in some likeness of the sufferings of your King. When therefore on these things thinking you have begun to be comforted and to rejoice, He has arisen, He has commanded the winds; therefore there is a great calm. "I was looking for Him that should save me from weakness of mind and tempest."

"Sink, O Lord, and divide the tongues of them" [Psalm 55:9]. He is referring to men troubling him and shadowing him, and he has wished this thing not of anger, brethren. They that have wickedly lifted up themselves, for them it is expedient that they be sunk. They that have wickedly conspired, it is expedient for them that their tongues should be divided: to good let them consent, and let their tongues agree together. But if to one purpose there were a whispering against me, he says, all mine enemies, let them lose their "one purpose" in evil, divided be the tongues of them, let them not with themselves agree together. "Sink, O Lord, and divide the tongues of them." Wherefore "sink"? Because themselves they have lifted up. Wherefore "divide"? Because for an evil thing they have united. Recollect that tower of proud men made after the deluge: what said the proud men? Lest we perish in a deluge, let us make a lofty tower. [Genesis 11:4] In pride they were thinking themselves to be fortified, they built up a lofty tower, and the Lord divided the tongues of them. Then they began not to understand one another; hence arose the beginning of many tongues. For before, one tongue there was: but one tongue for men agreeing was good, one tongue for humble men was good: but when that gathering together did into a union of pride fall headlong, God spared them; even though He divided the tongues, lest by understanding one another they should make a destructive unity. Through proud men, divided were the tongues; through humble Apostles, united were the tongues. Spirit of pride dispersed tongues, Spirit Holy united tongues. For when the Holy Spirit came upon the disciples, with the tongues of all men they spoke, [Acts 2:4] by all men they were understood: tongues dispersed, into one were united. Therefore if still they rage and are Gentiles, it is expedient for them divided to have their tongues. They would have one tongue; let them come to the Church; because even among the diversity of tongues of flesh, one is the tongue in faith of heart.

"There has not failed from the streets thereof usury and deceit" [Psalm 55:11]. Usury and deceit are not hidden at least, because they are evil things, but in public they rage. For he that in his house does any evil thing, however for his evil thing does blush: "In the streets thereof usury and deceit." Money-lending even has a profession, Money-lending also is called a science; a corporation is spoken of, a corporation as if necessary to the state, and of its profession it pays revenue; so entirely indeed in the streets is that which should have been hidden. There is also another usury worse, when you forgive not that which to you is owed; and the eye is disturbed in that verse of the prayer, "Forgive us our debts— as we too forgive our debtors." For what there will you do, when you are going to pray, and coming to that same verse? An insulting word you have heard: you would exact the punishment of condemnation. Do but consent to exact just so much as you have given, thou usurer of injuries! With the fist you have been smitten, slaying you seek, Evil usury! How will you go to prayer? If you shall have left praying, which way will you come round unto the Lord? Behold you will say: "Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be Your Name, Your kingdom come, Your will be done, as in heaven so on earth." You will say, "Our daily bread give us today." You will come to, "Forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors." [Matthew 6:9-12] Even in that evil city let there abound these usuries; let them not enter the walls where the breast is smitten! What will you do? Because there thou and that verse are in the midst? Petitions for you has a heavenly Lawyer composed. He that knew what used there to be done, said to you, "Otherwise you shall not obtain." "Verily, verily, I say unto you, that if you shall have forgiven men sins, they shall be forgiven you; but if you shall not have forgiven sins unto men, neither will your Father forgive you." [Matthew 6:14] Who says this? He that knows what there is being done, in the place whereat you are standing to make request. See how Himself has willed to be your Advocate; Himself your Counsellor, Himself the Assessor of the Father, Himself your Judge has said, "Otherwise you shall not receive." What will you do? You will not receive, unless you shall speak; will not receive if falsely you shall speak. Therefore either you must do and speak, or else what you ask you will not earn; because they that this do not do, are in the midst of those evil usuries. Be they engaged therein, that yet do idols either adore or desire: do not thou, O people of God, do not thou, O people of Christ, do not thou the Body of Him the Head! Give heed to the bond of your peace, give heed to the promise of your life. For what does it profit you, that you exact for injuries which you have endured? Does vengeance refresh you? Therefore, over the evil of another shall you rejoice? You have suffered evil; pardon thou; be not ye two.. ..

"For if an enemy had upbraided me" [Psalm 55:12]. And indeed above he was "troubled in his exercise" by the voice of the enemy and by the tribulation of the sinner, perhaps being placed in that city, that proud city that was building a tower, which was "sunk," that divided might be the tongues: give heed to his inward groaning because of perils from false brethren. "For if an enemy had upbraided me, I would have undergone it assuredly, and if he that did hate me had over me spoken great words," that is, through pride had on me trampled, did magnify himself above me, did threaten me all in his power: "I would hide myself assuredly from him." From him that is abroad, you would hide yourself where? Amid those that are within. But now see whether anything else remains, but that thou seek solitude. "But you," he says, "man of one mind, my guide and my friend" [Psalm 55:13]. Perchance sometimes good counsel you have given, perchance sometimes you have gone before me, and some wholesome advice you have given me: in the Church of God together we have been. "But you,...that together with me took sweet morsels" [Psalm 55:14]. What are the sweet morsels? Not all they that are present know: but let them not be soured that do know, in order that they may be able to say to them that as yet know not: "Taste ye and see, how sweet is the Lord." "In the House of God we have walked with consent." Whence then dissension? Thou that wast within, hast become one without. He has walked with me in the House of God with consent: another house has he set up against the House of God. Wherefore has that been forsaken, wherein we have walked with consent? wherefore has that been deserted, wherein together we did take sweet morsels?

"Let there come death upon them, and let them go down unto Hell living" [Psalm 55:15]. How has he cited and has made us call to mind that first beginning of schism, when in that first people of the Jews certain proud men separated themselves, and would without have sacrificed? A new death upon them came: the earth opened herself, and swallowed them up alive. [Numbers 16:31] "Let there come," he says, "death upon them, and let them go down into Hell living." What is "living"? knowing that they are perishing, and yet perishing. Hear of living men perishing and being swallowed up in a gulf of the earth, that is, being swallowed up in the voraciousness of earthly desires. You say to a man, What ails you, brother? Brethren we are, one God we invoke, in one Christ we believe, one Gospel we hear, one Psalm we sing, one Amen we respond, one Hallelujah we sound, one Easter we celebrate: why are you without and I am within? Ofttimes one straitened, and perceiving how true are the charges which are made, says, May God requite our ancestors! Therefore alive he perishes. In the next place you continue and thus givest warning. At least let the evil of separation stand alone, why do you adjoin thereto that of rebaptism? Acknowledge in me what you have; and if you hate me, spare thou Christ in me. And this evil thing does frequently and very greatly displease them....Because they themselves have the Scriptures in their hands, and know well by daily reading how the Church Catholic through the whole world is so spread, that in a word all contradiction is void; and that there cannot be found any support for their schism they know well: therefore unto the lower places living they go down, because the evil which they do, they know evil to be. But the former a fire of divine indignation consumed. For being inflamed with desire of strife, from their evil leaders they would not depart. There came upon fire a fire, upon the heat of dissension the heat of consuming. "For naughtiness is in their lodgings, in the midst of them." "In their lodgings," wherein they tarry and pass away. For here they are not always to be: and nevertheless in defence of a temporal animosity they are fighting so fiercely. "In their lodgings is iniquity; in the midst of them is iniquity:" no part of them is so near the middle of them as their heart.

Therefore, my Brethren, those that in the very congregation of these walls ye see to be rebellious men, proud, seeking their own, lifted up; not having a zeal for God that is chaste, sound, quiet, but ascribing to themselves much; ready for dissension, but not finding opportunity; are the very chaff of the Lord's floor. [Matthew 3:12] From hence these few men the wind of pride has dislodged: the whole floor will not fly, save when He at the last shall winnow. But what shall we do, save with this man sing, with this man pray, with this man mourn and say securely, "He shall redeem in peace my soul" [Psalm 55:18]. Against them that love not peace: "in peace He shall redeem my soul." "Because with those that hated peace I was peace-making." "He shall redeem in peace my soul, from those that draw near to me." For from those that are afar from me, it is an easy case: not so soon does he deceive me that says, Come, pray to an idol: he is very far from me. Are you a Christian? A Christian, he says. Out of a neighbouring place he is my adversary, he is at hand. "He shall redeem in peace my soul, from those that draw near to me: for in many things they were with me." Wherefore have I said, "draw near to me"? Because "in many things they were with me." In this verse two propositions occur. "In many things they were with me." Baptism we had both of us, in that they were with me: the Gospel we both read, they were in that with me: the festivals of martyrs we celebrated, they were there with me: Easter's solemnity we attended, they were there with me. But not entirely with me: in schism not with me, in heresy not with me. In many things with me, in few things not with me. But in these few things wherein not with me, there is no profit to them of the many things wherein they were with me. For see, brethren, how many things has recounted the Apostle Paul: one thing, he has said, if it shall have been wanting, in vain are those things. "If with the tongues of men and of angels I shall speak," he says, "if I have all prophecy, and all faith, and all knowledge; if mountains I shall remove, if I shall bestow all my goods upon the poor, if I shall deliver my body even so that it be burned." [1 Corinthians 13:1-3] How many things he has enumerated! To all these many things let there be wanting one thing, charity; the former in number are more, the latter in weight is greater. Therefore in all Sacraments they are with me, in one charity not with me: "In many things they were with me." Again, by a different expression: "For in many things they were with me." They that themselves have separated from me, with me they were, not in few things, but in many things. For throughout the whole world few are the grains, many are the chaffs. Therefore he says what? In chaff with me they were, in wheat with me they were not. And the chaff is nearly related to the wheat, from one seed it goes forth, in one field is rooted, with one rain is nourished, the same reaper it suffers, the same threshing sustains, the same winnowing awaits, but not into one barn enters.

"He stretches forth His hand in requiting" [Psalm 55:20]. "They have polluted His Testament." Read the testament which they have polluted: "In your seed shall be blessed all nations." Thou against these words of the Testator sayest what? The Africa of holy Donatus has alone deserved this grace, in him has remained the Church of Christ. Say at least the Church of Donatus. Wherefore do you add, of Christ? Of whom it is said, "In your seed shall be blessed all nations." After Donatus will you go? Set aside Christ, and then secede. See therefore what follows: "They have polluted His Testament." What Testament? To Abraham have been spoken the promises, and to his seed. The Apostle says, "Nevertheless, a man's testament confirmed no one makes void, or super-adds to: to Abraham have been spoken the promises, and to his seed. He says not, And to seeds, as if in many; but as if in one, And to your Seed, which is Christ." [Galatians 3:15-16] In this Christ, therefore, what Testament has been promised? "In your seed shall be blessed all nations." Thou that hast given up the unity of all nations, and in a part hast remained, hast polluted His Testament....

"His discourses have been softened above oil, and themselves are darts" [Psalm 55:21]. For certain things in the Scriptures were seeming hard, while they were obscure; when explained, they have been softened. For even the first heresy in the disciples of Christ, as it were from the hardness of His discourse arose. For when He said, "Except a man shall have eaten My flesh and shall have drunk My blood, he shall not have life in himself:" they, not understanding, said to one another, "Hard is this discourse, who can hear it?" Saying that, "Hard is this discourse," they separated from Him: He remained with the others, the twelve. When they had intimated to Him, that by His discourse they had been scandalized, "Will ye also," He says, "choose to go?" Then Peter: "You have the Word of life eternal: to whom shall we go?" Attend, we beseech you, and you little ones learn godliness. Did Peter by any means at that time understand the secret of that discourse of the Lord? Not yet he understood: but that good were the words which he understood not, godly he believed. Therefore if hard is a discourse, and not yet is understood, be it hard to an ungodly man, but to you be it by godliness softened: for whenever it is solved, it both will become for you oil, and even unto the bones it will penetrate.