Augustine of Hippo

"From Your rebuke they shall fly" [Psalm 104:7]. And this was done, brethren; from God's rebuke the waters did fly; that is, they went back from pressing on the mountains. Now the mountains themselves stand forth, Peter and Paul: how do they tower! They who before were pressed down by persecutors, now are venerated by emperors. For the waters are fled from the rebuke of God; because "the heart of kings is in the hand of God, He has bent it whither He would;" [Proverbs 21:1] He commanded peace to be given by them to the Christians; the authority of the Apostles sprang up and towered high....The waters fled from the rebuke of God. "From the voice of Your thunder they shall be afraid." Now who is there that would not be afraid, from the voice of God through the Apostles, the voice of God through the Scriptures, through His clouds? The sea is quieted, the waters have been made afraid, the mountains have been laid bare, the emperor has given the order. But who would have given the order, unless God had thundered? Because God willed, they commanded, and it was done. Therefore let no one of men arrogate anything to himself.

Hear. "You have set a bound which they shall not pass over, neither shall they turn again to cover the earth" [Psalm 104:9]. What then, because now the bitterest waves have received a measure, that we must be allowed to preach such things even with freedom; because they have had their due limit assigned, because they cannot pass over the bound that is set, nor shall they return to cover the earth; what is doing in the earth itself? What workings take place therein, now that the sea has left it bare? Although at its beach slight waves do make their noise, although Pagans still murmur round; the sound of the shores I hear, a deluge I dread not. What then; what is doing in the earth? "Who sends out springs in the little valleys" [Psalm 104:10]. "You send out," he says, "springs in the little valleys." You know what little valleys are, lower places among the lands. For to hills and mountains, valleys and little valleys are opposed in contrary shape. Hills and mountains are swellings of the land: but valleys and little valleys, lownesses of the lands. Do not despise low places, thence flow springs. "You send out springs in the little valleys." Hear a mountain. The Apostle says, "I laboured more than they all." A certain greatness is brought before us: yet immediately, that the waters may flow, he has made himself a valley: "Yet not I, but the grace of God with me." [1 Corinthians 15:10] It is no contradiction that they who are mountains be also valleys: for as they are called mountains because of their spiritual greatness, so also valleys because of the humility of their spirit. "Not I," he says, "but the grace of God with me."...

"Bringing forth grass for the cattle, and green herb for the service of men" [Psalm 104:14]. This is true, I perceive; I recognise the creation: the earth does bring forth grass for the cattle, and green herb for the service of men. But I perceive the words, "You shall not muzzle the mouth of the ox which treads out the grain: Does God take care for oxen? For our sakes therefore the Scripture says it." [1 Corinthians 9:9] How then does the earth bring forth grass for the cattle? Because "the Lord has ordained that they which preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel." He sent preachers, saying unto them, "Eat such things as are set before you of them: for the labourer is worthy of his hire." [Luke 10:7-8] ...They give spiritual, they receive carnal things; they give gold, they receive grass...."If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great matter if we shall reap your carnal things?" [1 Corinthians 9:11] This the Apostle said, a preacher so laborious, so indefatigable, so well tried, that he gives this very grass to the earth. "Nevertheless," he says, "we have not used this power." He shows that it is due to him, yet he received it not; nor has he condemned those who have received what was due. For those were to be condemned who exact what is not due, not they who accept their recompense: yet he gave up even his own recompense. You do not cease to owe to another, because one has given up his dues, otherwise you will not be the watered earth which brings forth grass for the cattle.... You receive spiritual things, give carnal things in return: to the soldier they are due, to the soldier you return them; you are the paymaster of Christ. "Who goes a warfare any time at his own charges? Who plants a vineyard, and eats not of the fruit thereof? Or who feeds a flock, and eats not of the milk of the flock? I speak not thus, that it should be so done unto me." [1 Corinthians 9:7, 15] There has been such a soldier as gave up his rations of food even to the paymaster: yet let the paymaster pay the rations....

"And wine makes glad the heart of man" [Psalm 104:15]. Let no man prepare himself for intoxication; nay, let every man prepare him for intoxication. "How excellent is Your cup which makes inebriate!" We choose not to say, Let no man be drunk. Be inebriated; yet beware, from what source. If the excellent cup of the Lord does saturate you, your ebriety shall be seen in your works, it shall be seen in the holy love of righteousness, it shall, lastly, be seen in the estrangement of your mind, but from things earthly to heavenly. "To make him a cheerful countenance with oil."...What is the making the countenance cheerful with oil? The grace of God; a sort of shining for manifestation; as the Apostle says, "The Spirit is given to every man for manifestation." [1 Corinthians 12:7] A certain grace which men can clearly see in men, to conciliate holy love, is termed oil, for its divine splendour; and since it appeared most excellent in Christ, the whole world loves Him; who though while here He was scorned, is now worshipped by every nation: "For the kingdom is the Lord's, and He shall be Governor among the people." For such is His grace, that many, who do not believe in Him, praise Him, and declare that they are unwilling to believe in Him, because no man can fulfil what He does command. They who with reproaches once raged against Him, are hindered by His very praises. Yet by all is He loved, by all is He preached; because He is excellently anointed, therefore He is Christ: for He is called Christ from the Chrism or anointing which He had. Messiah in the Hebrew, Christ in the Greek, Unctus in the Latin: but He anoints over His whole Body. All therefore who come, receive grace, that their countenances may be made glad with oil.

What then follows? "The loftiest hills are for the stags" [Psalm 104:18]. The stags are mighty, spiritual, passing in their course over all the thorny places of the thickets and woods. "He makes my feet like harts' feet, and sets me up on high." Let them hold to the lofty hills, the lofty commandments of God; let them think on sublime subjects, let them hold those which stand forth most in the Scriptures, let them be justified in the highest: for those loftiest hills are for the stags. What of the humble beasts? What of the hare? What of the hedgehog? The hare is a small and weak animal: the hedgehog is also prickly: the one is a timid animal, the other is covered with prickles. What do the prickles signify, except sinners? He who sins daily, although not great sins, is covered over with the smallest prickles. In his timidity he is a hare: in his being covered with the minutest sins, he is a hedgehog: and he cannot hold those lofty and perfect commandments. For "the loftiest hills are for the stags." What then? Do these perish? No. For so "is the rock the refuge for the hedgehogs and the hares." For the Lord is a refuge for the poor. Place that rock upon the land, it is a refuge for hedgehogs, and for hares: place it on the sea, it is the home of the coot. Everywhere the rock is useful. Even in the hills it is useful: for the hills without the rock's foundation would fall into the deep....

"He appointed the Moon for certain seasons" [Psalm 104:19]. We understand spiritually the Church increasing from the smallest size, and growing old as it were from the mortality of this life; yet so, that it draws nearer unto the Sun. I speak not of this moon visible to the eye, but of that which is signified by this name. While the Church was in the dark, while she as yet appeared not, shone not forth as yet, men were led astray, and it was said, This is the Church, here is Christ; so that "while the Moon was dark, they shot their arrows at the righteous in heart." How blind is he who now, when the Moon is full, wanders astray? "He appointed the Moon for certain seasons." For here the Church temporarily is passing away: for this subjection to death will not remain for ever: there will some time be an end of waxing and waning; it is appointed for certain seasons. "And the sun knows his going down." And what sun is this, but that Sun of righteousness, whom the ungodly will lament on the day of judgment never having risen for them; they who will say on that day, "Therefore we wandered from the way of truth, and the light of righteousness shone not on us, and the sun did not arise upon us." [Wisdom 5:6] That sun rises for him who understands Christ....