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
Zechariah says of Christ and the Church, "Rejoice greatly, O daughter
of Sion; shout joyfully, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King
shall come unto thee, just and the Saviour; Himself poor, and
mounting an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass: and His dominion
shall be from sea to sea, and from the river even to the ends of the
earth."[563] How this was done, when the Lord Christ on His journey
used a beast of burden of this kind, we read in the Gospel, where,
also, as much of this prophecy is quoted as appears sufficient for
the context. In another place, speaking in the Spirit of prophecy
to Christ Himself of the remission of sins through His blood, he
says, "Thou also, by the blood of Thy testament, hast sent forth Thy
prisoners from the lake wherein is no water."[564] Different opinions
may be held, consistently with right belief, as to what he meant by
this lake. Yet it seems to me that no meaning suits better than that
of the depth of human misery, which is, as it were, dry and barren,
where there are no streams of righteousness, but only the mire of
iniquity. For it is said of it in the Psalms, "And He led me forth
out of the lake of misery, and from the miry clay."[565]
Malachi, foretelling the Church which we now behold propagated through
Christ, says most openly to the Jews, in the person of God, "I have no
pleasure in you, and I will not accept a gift at your hand. For from
the rising even to the going down of the sun, my name is great among
the nations; and in every place sacrifice shall be made, and a pure
oblation shall be offered unto my name: for my name shall be great
among the nations, saith the Lord."[566] Since we can already see
this sacrifice offered to God in every place, from the rising of the
sun to his going down, through Christ's priesthood after the order of
Melchisedec, while the Jews, to whom it was said, "I have no pleasure
in you, neither will I accept a gift at your hand," cannot deny that
their sacrifice has ceased, why do they still look for another Christ,
when they read this in the prophecy, and see it fulfilled, which could
not be fulfilled except through Him? And a little after he says of Him,
in the person of God, "My covenant was with Him of life and peace; and
I gave to Him that He might fear me with fear, and be afraid before
my name. The law of truth was in His mouth: directing in peace He
hath walked with me, and hath turned many away from iniquity. For the
Priest's lips shall keep knowledge, and they shall seek the law at His
mouth: for He is the Angel of the Lord Almighty."[567] Nor is it to
be wondered at that Christ Jesus is called the Angel of the Almighty
God. For just as He is called a servant on account of the form of a
servant in which He came to men, so He is called an angel on account
of the _evangel_ which He proclaimed to men. For if we interpret these
Greek words, _evangel_ is "good news," and _angel_ is "messenger."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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