3. But why is it that He went away to make such preparation, when, as it is certainly we ourselves that are the subjects in need of preparation, His doing so will be hindered by leaving us behind? I explain it, Lord, as I can: it was surely this Thou didst signify by the preparation of those mansions, that the just ought to live by faith. [1271] For he who is sojourning at a distance from the Lord has need to be living by faith, because by this we are prepared for beholding His countenance. [1272] For "blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God;" [1273] and "He purifieth their hearts by faith." [1274] The former we find in the Gospel, the latter in the Acts of the Apostles. But the faith by which those who are yet to see God have their hearts purified, while sojourning at a distance here, believeth what it doth not see; for if there is sight, there is no longer faith. Merit is accumulating now to the believer, and then the reward is paid into the hand of the beholder. Let the Lord then go and prepare us a place; let Him go, that He may not be seen; and let Him remain concealed, that faith may be exercised. For then is the place preparing, if it is by faith we are living. Let the believing in that place be desired, that the place desired may itself be possessed; the longing of love is the preparation of the mansion. Prepare thus, Lord, what Thou art preparing; for Thou art preparing us for Thyself, and Thyself for us, inasmuch as Thou art preparing a place both for Thyself in us, and for us in Thee. For Thou hast said, "Abide in me, and I in you." [1275] As far as each one has been a partaker of Thee, some less, some more, such will be the diversity of rewards in proportion to the diversity of merits; such will be the multitude of mansions to suit the inequalities among their inmates; but all of them, none the less, eternally living, and endlessly blessed. Why is it that Thou goest away? Why is it Thou comest again? If I understand Thee aright, Thou withdrawest not Thyself either from the place Thou goest from, or from the place Thou comest from: Thou goest away by becoming invisible, Thou comest by again becoming manifest to our eyes. But unless Thou remainest to direct us how we may still be advancing in goodness of life, how will the place be prepared where we shall be able to dwell in the fullness of joy? Let what we have said suffice on the words which have been read from the Gospel as far as "I will come again, and receive you to myself." But the meaning of what follows, "That where I am, there ye may be also; and whither I go ye know, and the way ye know," we shall be in a better condition--after the question put by the disciple, that follows, and which we also may be putting, as it were, through him--for hearing, and more suitably situated for making the subject of our discourse.
[1261] The apparent contrariety that Augustin here deals with, partly arises from a mistaken interpretation of the second half of verse 2, as given above. His Latin version read, si quo minus, dixissem vobis quia vado, etc., and is a close verbal rendering of the original text, as found in several mss.,--ei de me, eipon an humin, hoti poreuomai,--although some others omit the hoti. But while verbally exact, grammatical accuracy and a fair exegesis will admit of a pause after humin (vobis), as the general sense of the passage requires. Oti might thus be used in the sense of "because;" or, as it often is, as a particle introducing a direct statement.--Tr.
[1262] Isa. xlv. 11, according to the Septuagint, whose reading, as usual, is followed by Augustin, although here a very manifest mistranslation of the Hebrew. The words are, "Thus saith Jehovah, the Holy One of Israel (vytsrv h'ytvt s'lvny) and his Maker, Ask me of things to come," etc. This is the rendering really in accordance with the usual Hebrew idiom, with the sense of the passage itself, and with the frequent use of Yotser (Maker) by Isaiah. It is that also approved by the Masoretic pointing, and followed generally by the other translations, including the Vulgate, which has: plastes ejus: ventura interrogate me, etc. The LXX., however, make ha'othiyyoth dependent on yots'ro (notwithstanding its own suffix), instead of the verb that follows, and reads, ho poiesas (auton in some copies) ta eperchomena, which Augustin renders in the text: qui fecit quæ futura sunt.--Tr.
[1263] Luke vi. 13.
[1264] Eph. i. 4.
[1265] Rom. viii. 30.
[1266] 1 Cor. iii. 17.
[1267] 1 Cor. xv. 23, 24.
[1268] Matt. xiii. 24, 38-43.
[1269] Matt. vi. 10.
[1270] Matt. xxv. 34.
[1271] Rom. i. 17.
[1272] 2 Cor. v. 6-8.
[1273] Matt. v. 8.
[1274] Acts xv. 9.
[1275] Chap. xv. 4.
Tractate LXIX.