The Confessions of St. Augustine
folded up like a scroll; and now is it stretched over us like a skin.
For Thy Divine Scripture is of more eminent authority, since those
mortals by whom Thou dispensest it unto us, underwent mortality. And
Thou knowest, Lord, Thou knowest, how Thou with skins didst clothe men,
when they by sin became mortal. Whence Thou hast like a skin stretched
out the firmament of Thy book, that is, Thy harmonizing words, which
by the ministry of mortal men Thou spreadest over us. For by their very
death was that solid firmament of authority, in Thy discourses set forth
by them, more eminently extended over all that be under it; which whilst
they lived here, was not so eminently extended. Thou hadst not as yet
spread abroad the heaven like a skin; Thou hadst not as yet enlarged in
all directions the glory of their deaths.
Let us look, O Lord, upon the heavens, the work of Thy fingers; clear
from our eyes that cloud, which Thou hast spread under them. There is
Thy testimony, which giveth wisdom unto the little ones: perfect, O my
God, Thy praise out of the mouth of babes and sucklings. For we know no
other books, which so destroy pride, which so destroy the enemy and the
defender, who resisteth Thy reconciliation by defending his own sins. I
know not, Lord, I know not any other such pure words, which so persuade
me to confess, and make my neck pliant to Thy yoke, and invite me to
serve Thee for nought. Let me understand them, good Father: grant this
to me, who am placed under them: because for those placed under them,
hast Thou established them.
Other waters there be above this firmament, I believe immortal, and
separated from earthly corruption. Let them praise Thy Name, let them
praise Thee, the supercelestial people, Thine angels, who have no need
to gaze up at this firmament, or by reading to know of Thy Word. For
they always behold Thy face, and there read without any syllables in
time, what willeth Thy eternal will; they read, they choose, they love.
They are ever reading; and that never passes away which they read; for
by choosing, and by loving, they read the very unchangeableness of Thy
counsel. Their book is never closed, nor their scroll folded up; seeing
Thou Thyself art this to them, and art eternally; because Thou hast
ordained them above this firmament, which Thou hast firmly settled over
the infirmity of the lower people, where they might gaze up and learn
Thy mercy, announcing in time Thee Who madest times. For Thy mercy, O
Lord, is in the heavens, and Thy truth reacheth unto the clouds. The
clouds pass away, but the heaven abideth. The preachers of Thy word pass
out of this life into another; but Thy Scripture is spread abroad over
the people, even unto the end of the world. Yet heaven and earth also
shall pass away, but Thy words shall not pass away. Because the scroll
shall be rolled together: and the grass over which it was spread, shall
with the goodliness of it pass away; but Thy Word remaineth for ever,
which now appeareth unto us under the dark image of the clouds, and
through the glass of the heavens, not as it is: because we also, though
the well-beloved of Thy Son, yet it hath not yet appeared what we
shall be. He looketh through the lattice of our flesh, and He spake us
tenderly, and kindled us, and we ran after His odours. But when He shall
appear, then shall we be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. As He
is, Lord, will our sight be.
For altogether, as Thou art, Thou only knowest; Who art unchangeably,
and knowest unchangeably, and willest unchangeably. And Thy Essence
Knoweth, and Willeth unchangeably; and Thy Knowledge Is, and Willeth
unchangeably; and Thy Will Is, and Knoweth unchangeably. Nor seemeth it
right in Thine eyes, that as the Unchangeable Light knoweth Itself, so
should it be known by the thing enlightened, and changeable. Therefore
is my soul like a land where no water is, because as it cannot of itself
enlighten itself, so can it not of itself satisfy itself. For so is the
fountain of life with Thee, like as in Thy light we shall see light.
Who gathered the embittered together into one society? For they have all
one end, a temporal and earthly felicity, for attaining whereof they do
all things, though they waver up and down with an innumerable variety of
cares. Who, Lord, but Thou, saidst, Let the waters be gathered together
into one place, and let the dry land appear, which thirsteth after Thee?
For the sea also is Thine, and Thou hast made it, and Thy hands prepared
the dry land. Nor is the bitterness of men's wills, but the gathering
together of the waters, called sea; for Thou restrainest the wicked
desires of men's souls, and settest them their bounds, how far they may
be allowed to pass, that their waves may break one against another: and
thus makest Thou it a sea, by the order of Thy dominion over all things.
But the souls that thirst after Thee, and that appear before Thee (being
by other bounds divided from the society of the sea), Thou waterest by
a sweet spring, that the earth may bring forth her fruit, and Thou, Lord
God, so commanding, our soul may bud forth works of mercy according
to their kind, loving our neighbour in the relief of his bodily
necessities, having seed in itself according to its likeness, when from
feeling of our infirmity, we compassionate so as to relieve the needy;
helping them, as we would be helped; if we were in like need; not only
in things easy, as in herb yielding seed, but also in the protection of
our assistance, with our best strength, like the tree yielding fruit:
that is, well-doing in rescuing him that suffers wrong, from the hand
of the powerful, and giving him the shelter of protection, by the mighty
strength of just judgment.
So, Lord, so, I beseech Thee, let there spring up, as Thou doest, as
Thou givest cheerfulness and ability, let truth spring out of the earth,
and righteousness look down from heaven, and let there be lights in the
firmament. Let us break our bread to the hungry, and bring the houseless
poor to our house. Let us clothe the naked, and despise not those of our
own flesh. Which fruits having sprung out of the earth, see it is good:
and let our temporary light break forth; and ourselves, from this lower
fruitfulness of action, arriving at the delightfulness of contemplation,
obtaining the Word of Life above, appear like lights in the world,
cleaving to the firmament of Thy Scripture. For there Thou instructest
us, to divide between the things intellectual, and things of sense, as
betwixt the day and the night; or between souls, given either to things
intellectual, or things of sense, so that now not Thou only in the
secret of Thy judgment, as before the firmament was made, dividest
between the light and the darkness, but Thy spiritual children also
set and ranked in the same firmament (now that Thy grace is laid open
throughout the world), may give light upon the earth, and divide betwixt
the day and the night, and be for signs of times, that old things
are passed away, and, behold, all things are become new; and that our
salvation is nearer than when we believed: and that the night is far
spent, and the day is at hand: and that Thou wilt crown Thy year with
blessing, sending the labourers of Thy goodness into Thy harvest, in
sowing whereof, others have laboured, sending also into another field,
whose harvest shall be in the end. Thus grantest Thou the prayers of him
that asketh, and blessest the years of the just; but Thou art the same,
and in Thy years which fail not, Thou preparest a garner for our passing
years. For Thou by an eternal counsel dost in their proper seasons
bestow heavenly blessings upon the earth. For to one is given by the
Spirit the word of wisdom, as it were the lesser light: to another
faith; to another the gift with the light of perspicuous truth, as it
were for the rule of the day. To another the word of knowledge by the
same Spirit, as it were the lesser light: to another faith; to another
the gift of healing; to another the working of miracles; to another
prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of
tongues. And all these as it were stars. For all these worketh the one
and self-same spirit, dividing to every man his own as He will; and
causing stars to appear manifestly, to profit withal. But the word of
knowledge, wherein are contained all Sacraments, which are varied in
their seasons as it were the moon, and those other notices of gifts,
which are reckoned up in order, as it were stars, inasmuch as they come
short of that brightness of wisdom, which gladdens the forementioned
day, are only for the rule of the night. For they are necessary to such,
as that Thy most prudent servant could not speak unto as unto spiritual,
but as unto carnal; even he, who speaketh wisdom among those that are
perfect. But the natural man, as it were a babe in Christ and fed on
milk, until he be strengthened for solid meat and his eye be enabled to
behold the Sun, let him not dwell in a night forsaken of all light, but
be content with the light of the moon and the stars. So dost Thou speak
to us, our All-wise God, in Thy Book, Thy firmament; that we may discern
all things, in an admirable contemplation; though as yet in signs and in
times, and in days, and in years.
But first, wash you, be clean; put away evil from your souls, and from
before mine eyes, that the dry land may appear. Learn to do good, judge
the fatherless, plead for the widow, that the earth may bring forth the
green herb for meat, and the tree bearing fruit; and come, let us reason
together, saith the Lord, that there may be lights in the firmament of
the heaven, and they may shine upon the earth. That rich man asked of
the good Master, what he should do to attain eternal life. Let the
good Master tell him (whom he thought no more than man; but He is good
because He is God), let Him tell him, if he would enter into life, he
must keep the commandments: let him put away from him the bitterness
of malice and wickedness; not kill, not commit adultery, not steal, not
bear false witness; that the dry land may appear, and bring forth the
honouring of father and mother, and the love of our neighbour. All these
(saith he) have I kept. Whence then so many thorns, if the earth be
fruitful? Go, root up the spreading thickets of covetousness; sell that
thou hast, and be filled with fruit, by giving to the poor, and thou
shalt have treasure in heaven; and follow the Lord if thou wilt be
perfect, associated with them, among whom He speaketh wisdom, Who
knoweth what to distribute to the day, and to the night, that thou also
mayest know it, and for thee there may be lights in the firmament of
heaven; which will not be, unless thy heart be there: nor will that
either be, unless there thy treasure be; as thou hast heard of the good
Master. But that barren earth was grieved; and the thorns choked the
word.
But you, chosen generation, you weak things of the world, who have
forsaken all, that ye may follow the Lord; go after Him, and confound
the mighty; go after Him, ye beautiful feet, and shine ye in the
firmament, that the heavens may declare His glory, dividing between the
light of the perfect, though not as the angels, and the darkness of the
little ones, though not despised. Shine over the earth; and let the
day, lightened by the sun, utter unto day, speech of wisdom; and night,
shining with the moon, show unto night, the word of knowledge. The moon
and stars shine for the night; yet doth not the night obscure them,
seeing they give it light in its degree. For behold God saying, as
it were, Let there be lights in the firmament of heaven; there came
suddenly a sound from heaven, as it had been the rushing of a mighty
wind, and there appeared cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon