The City of God, Volume IIAugustine, of Hippo, Saint
ReligionChristian
The City of God, Volume II
Augustine, of Hippo, Saint
Apologetics -- Early works to 1800; Kingdom of God -- Early works to 1800
apart, and shall be troubled no more; and the son of iniquity shall
not humble him any more, as from the beginning, from the days when I
appointed judges over my people Israel."[440]
13. _Whether the truth of this promised peace can be ascribed to
those times passed away under Solomon._
Whoever hopes for this so great good in this world, and in this
earth, his wisdom is but folly. Can any one think it was fulfilled
in the peace of Solomon's reign? Scripture certainly commends that
peace with excellent praise as a shadow of that which is to come.
But this opinion is to be vigilantly opposed, since after it is
said, "And the son of iniquity shall not humble him any more," it is
immediately added, "as from the beginning, from the days in which I
appointed judges over my people Israel."[441] For the judges were
appointed over that people from the time when they received the land
of promise, before kings had begun to be there. And certainly the
son of iniquity, that is, the foreign enemy, humbled him through
periods of time in which we read that peace alternated with wars; and
in that period longer times of peace are found than Solomon had, who
reigned forty years. For under that judge who is called Ehud there
were eighty years of peace.[442] Be it far from us, therefore, that
we should believe the times of Solomon are predicted in this promise,
much less indeed those of any other king whatever. For none other
of them reigned in such great peace as he; nor did that nation ever
at all hold that kingdom so as to have no anxiety lest it should be
subdued by enemies: for in the very great mutability of human affairs
such great security is never given to any people, that it should not
dread invasions hostile to this life. Therefore the place of this
promised peaceful and secure habitation is eternal, and of right
belongs eternally to Jerusalem the free mother, where the genuine
people of Israel shall be: for this name is interpreted "Seeing God;"
in the desire of which reward a pious life is to be led through faith
in this miserable pilgrimage.[443]
14. _Of David's concern in the writing of the Psalms._
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account