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Chapter 16.—Harmony of the Old and New Testaments.
26. I will briefly set forth the manner of life according to these virtues, one by one, after
I have brought forward, as I promised, passages from the Old Testament parallel to those I
have been quoting from the New Testament. For is Paul alone in saying that we should be
joined to God so that there should be nothing between to separate us? Does not the
prophet say the same most aptly and concisely in the words, "It is good for me to cleave to
God?" 65 Does not this one word cleave express all that the apostle says at length about
love? And do not the words, It is good, point to the apostle’s statement, "All things issue in
good to them that love God?" Thus in one clause and in two words the prophet sets forth
the power and the fruit of love.
27. And as the apostle says that the Son of God is the virtue of God and the wisdom of
God,—virtue being understood to refer to action, and wisdom to teaching (as in the gospel
these two things are expressed in the words, "All things were made by Him," which belongs
to action and virtue; and then, referring to teaching and the knowledge of the truth, he says,
"The life was the light of men"66),—could anything agree better with these passages than
what is said in the Old Testament67 of wisdom, "She reaches from end to end in strength,
and orders all things sweetly?" For reaching in strength expresses virtue, while ordering
sweetly expresses skill and method. But if this seems obscure, see what follows: "And of
all," he says, "God loved her; for she teaches the knowledge of God, and chooses His works."
Nothing more is found here about action; for choosing works is not the same as working,
so this refers to teaching. There remains action to correspond with the virtue, to complete
the truth we wish to prove. Read then what comes next: "But if," he says, "the possession
which is desired in life is honorable, what is more honorable than wisdom, which works all
things?" Could anything be brought forward more striking or more distinct than this, or
even more fully expressed? Or, if you wish more, hear another passage of the same meaning.
"Wisdom," he says, "teaches sobriety, and justice, and virtue." 68 Sobriety refers, I think, to
the knowledge of the truth, or to teaching; justice and virtue to work and action. And I
know nothing comparable to these two things, that is, to efficiency in action and sobriety
in contemplation, which the virtue of God and the wisdom of God, that is, the Son of God,
gives to them that love Him, when the same prophet goes on to show their value; for it is
65 Ps. lxxiii. 28.
66 John i. 3, 4.
67 [Augustin seems to make no distinction between Apocryphal and Canonical books. The book of Wisdom
was evidently a favorite with him, doubtless on account of its decided Platonic quality.—A.H.N.]
68 Wisd. viii. 1, 4, 7.
Harmony of the Old and New Testaments.
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Harmony of the Old and New Testaments.